‘Paul Anka: His Way’: Rare Photos of the Singer’s Early Years
Paul Anka, 84, has had a career that’s spanned eight decades — and, as the singer shows in the new documentary Paul Anka: His Way, premiering at 9/8c on December 1, 2025, on HBO, he still isn’t slowing down. But with so many hit under his belt — from his first comeback in the ’70s, with the mega-hit “(You’re) Having My Baby,” to his ’90s comeback that had him collaborating with Kenny G and Celine Dion — it’s easy to forget that Anka started as a teen idol in the 1950s, netting his first hit, “Diana,” in 1957, at the age of 16.
What followed was a whirlwind that included writing the theme song for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1962, penning hits for Connie Francis and Buddy Holly, and developing a film career. Though the late ’60s saw him sitting out the spotlight himself, in 1969, he achieved perhaps his most enduring credit: co-writing the English language version of “My Way,” which became Frank Sinatra‘s signature hit.
Read on to flashback to Anka in the years during his first brush with fame and right after — before anyone, including him, could have imagined how far he’d go.
1958, in 'Let's Rock'
At only 17 years old, Anka already had multiple hits under his belt, including the number one song “Diana,” as well as “It’s Time to Cry” and “(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings.” He also began to get involved in film — this is from his first film performance, playing himself in the musical comedy Let’s Rock.
1959
1960
Anka makes calls while taking a steam
1961 in 'Look in Any Window'
Anka in 1961, when he was only 21…and had already become one of the most popular teen idols of all time. In this production still, he poses on the set of Look in Any Window, a teen exploitation film in which he played a Peeping Tom.
1962
Anka celebrated his 21st birthday at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, with Eddie Fisher, Pat Boone, Phil Foster and Peggy Lee by his side.
1965
At 24, Anka was already planning his next act.
1968
Anka performs in the UK in 1968. Though he had passed his first wave of US success at this point, he was still prolific; one year later, in 1969, he would write the American version of “My Way,” a French song that became Frank Sinatra’s signature number. In 2007, he told The Telegraph (UK), “When my record company caught wind of it, they were very pissed that I didn’t keep it for myself. I said, ‘Hey, I can write it, but I’m not the guy to sing it.’ It was for Frank, no one else.”
1968
Anka sightseeing in Rome with first wife Anne de Zogheb. They married in 1963, and divorced in 2001.
1978
By 1978, Anka was deep into his comeback, anchored by the 1974 mega-hit “(You’re) Having My Baby.”
