Editing Phil Collins (section)

===1963–1970: Early acting roles and bands===
[[File:Barbara-speake-school-close-up.jpeg|thumb|right|Collins attended the Barbara Speake stage school in [[East Acton]], west London]]
Collins quit school at fourteen to become a full-time pupil at Barbara Speake. He had an uncredited part as an extra in the Beatles' film ''[[A Hard Day's Night (film)|A Hard Day's Night]]'' (1964), where he is among the screaming teenagers during the television concert sequence.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Making Beatlemania: A Hard Day's Night at 50 |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/07/a-hard-days-night-making-of |access-date=15 March 2024 |magazine=Vanity Fair}}</ref> Later in 1964, Collins was cast as the [[Artful Dodger]] in two [[West End theatre|West End]] runs of the musical ''[[Oliver!]]''<ref name=TT10>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/7975594/Rocks-outsider-Phil-Collins-interview.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/7975594/Rocks-outsider-Phil-Collins-interview.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Rock's outsider: Phil Collins interview|date=4 September 2010|work=The Telegraph|first=Craig|last=McLean|access-date=25 November 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He was paid £15 a week, and called the role "the best part for a kid in all London".{{Sfn|Collins|2016|page=[https://archive.org/details/notdeadyetautobi0000coll/page/34 34]}}<ref name=PB86/> His days as the Dodger were numbered when his voice broke during a performance and had to speak his lines for the rest of the show.<ref name=DE94/> Collins starred in ''[[Calamity the Cow]]'' (1967), a film produced by the [[Children's Film Foundation]]. After a falling out with the director, Collins decided to quit acting to pursue music.<ref name=NME88>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/well-chuffed|title=Well Chuffed|first=Len|last=Brown|date=17 November 1988|work=New Musical Express|via=[[Rock's Backpages]]|access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> He was to appear in ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'' (1968) as one of the children who storm the castle, but his scene was cut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chittybangbang.com/chittybangbang-film.html|title=Film details|publisher=Chittybangbang.com|access-date=22 September 2014}}</ref> Collins auditioned for the role of Romeo in ''[[Romeo and Juliet (1968 film)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1968), but the role went to [[Leonard Whiting]].{{sfn|Coleman|1997|p=51}} In 1967, he travelled the UK teaching people the "crunch" dance made popular by a [[The Smith's Snackfood Company|Smith's crisps]] advertising campaign.{{sfn|Gallo|1978|p=120}}

Collins's enthusiasm for music grew during his acting years.<ref name=TT10/> He frequented the [[Marquee Club]] on Wardour Street so often that eventually the managers asked him to set out the chairs, sweep the floors, and assist in the cloakroom. It was here where Collins saw The Action and newcomers [[Yes (band)|Yes]] perform, which greatly influenced him.{{sfn|Coleman|1997|pp=43–44, 46}} When auditions for [[Vinegar Joe (band)|Vinegar Joe]] and [[Manfred Mann Chapter Three]] were unsuccessful,<ref name=Q93>{{cite web|url=http://www.philcollins.co.uk/q1293.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021020025233/http://www.philcollins.co.uk/q1293.htm|archive-date=20 October 2002|title=Phil Collins Interviews – Q – December 1993|work=Q|date=December 1993|via=PhilCollins.co.uk|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref> Collins secured a position in the Cliff Charles Blues Band and toured the country. This was followed by a stint in The Gladiators, a backing band for a black vocal quartet, which included Collins's schoolmate [[Ronnie Caryl]] on guitar.{{sfn|Coleman|1997|p=53}} Around this time, Collins learned that Yes were looking for a new drummer and spoke to frontman [[Jon Anderson]], who invited him to an audition the following week. Collins failed to turn up.{{sfn|Coleman|1997|p=59}}

In 1969, Collins and Caryl joined [[John Walker (musician)|John Walker]]'s backing band for a European tour, which included guitarist Gordon Smith and keyboardist [[Brian Chatton]].{{sfn|Coleman|1997|p=53}} The tour finished, and the quartet formed a rock band, Hickory, which recorded one single ("Green Light"/"The Key"). Still in 1969, they were renamed [[Flaming Youth (band)|Flaming Youth]]. They signed to [[Fontana Records]] and recorded ''[[Ark 2 (Album)|Ark 2]]'' (1969), a [[concept album]] written and produced by [[Ken Howard (composer)|Ken Howard]] and [[Alan Blaikley]] that tells the story of man's evacuation from a burning Earth and its voyage into space. Each member sings a lead vocal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alextsu.narod.ru/borderlinebooks/uk6070s/tapestry.html?http://alextsu.narod.ru/borderlinebooks/uk6070s/f5z.html#Flaming%20Youth |title=Flaming Youth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113192449/http://alextsu.narod.ru/borderlinebooks/uk6070s/tapestry.html?http%3A%2F%2Falextsu.narod.ru%2Fborderlinebooks%2Fuk6070s%2Ff5z.html|archive-date=13 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{sfn|Coleman|1997|p=55}}

In May 1970, after Flaming Youth split, Collins played congas on [[George Harrison]]'s song "[[Art of Dying (song)|Art of Dying]]", but his contribution was omitted.<ref name="Hodgkinson 2002" /> Years later, Collins asked Harrison about the omission. Harrison sent Collins a recording allegedly containing Collins's performance; Collins was embarrassed to hear that the performance was poor. When Collins apologised, Harrison confessed that the recording was a prank, which Collins accepted in good humour.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taysom|first=Joe|title=The hilarious prank George Harrison pulled on Phil Collins|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/george-harrison-prank-phil-collins/|work=Far Out|date=10 February 2021|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>