‘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.