|
|
Post by fusilier23 on Sept 28, 2006 10:41:57 GMT
Asking for signatures is easy enough when the artist is set up at a table giving out just that. In a crowd post-concert isn't as easy, but I do it at times. As for being star-struck, maybe I was more beauty-struck, in seeing these two young women, who I'd already seen many pictures of, in person and seeing how beautiful they really were. The touch of a soft hand or an exchange of a few words with someone you only know from pictures can work wonders.
As for Russell, hmmmm. I do know he had some kind of messy marital breakup in the past, and I do know he had thoat surgery. However, it is said that after he had his surgery, he said if he got his voice back he'd never disappoint God again. Going by the one concert I did see, he seemed fine, good rapport with the audience both on stage and off, and he sang several religious/inspirational songs that would have seemed hypocritical from someone who was openly bad.
|
|
|
|
Post by drew on Sept 28, 2006 11:04:06 GMT
Re-reading the newspaper reports about the members of All Angels reminds me of my school days. I had some similar experiences to our four young girls. We might start a new thread - If only. Reminiscing schooldays I am reminded of two famous individuals; one famous before school and one famous after school. Martin StephensChild Actor Most memorable film - "The Innocents" (1961) with Deborah Kerr. You have to be old or a film buff to know this one. His full list is here: www.filmsandtv.com/searchmovie.php?q=Martin%20StephensMartin's last film was in 1966. I studied Art 'A' Level with Martin, we both wanted to be architects. At 17 I already had 2 'A' levels and applied to RIBA to study architecture. I was rejected as being too young. That was ageist and would never be allowed today. That decision put me off architecture. Martin went to university later and is now a successful architect. (Don't search wikipedia for Martin, it leads you to someone completely different.) General Sir Richard Dannatt KCB CBE MCChief of the General Staff (08/06) - Head of the British Army. In my last year at school I was Junior Under Officer in the Combined Cadet Force, for some time the senior cadet officer. In my last term I won a Flying Scholarship from the Royal Navy, sponsoring flying lessons. I had no desire to join the Royal Navy but instead applied to Sandhurst to join the Army. After passing all tests and examinations, I was rejected at the final interview stage. The following year Fred (Richard) Dannatt was head of the CCF. He applied to Sandhurst and worked his way to the very top. www.arrc.nato.int/biographies/dannatt.htmen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_DannattI played rugby for my home county - Norfolk, a subject which leads to a number of contacts. More experiences follow. |
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Sept 28, 2006 11:21:03 GMT
Hello everybody!  I've met quite a few celebrities in recent years, mostly well-known TV actors and actresses who are patrons or friends of Trinity Hospice in Clapham which I support. They include Lesley Joseph, Polly James, Richard Briers, Prunella Scales and one of the cast of Eastenders whose name escapes me. I can't say I'm starstruck with any of them!  I used to support an Irish singer called Mary Duff who appears mainly with Daniel O'Donnell, and I met him several times, which probably explains why I don't follow her any more!  I met Katherine Jenkins when she supported Hayley at the London Palladium. I also had the pleasure of meeting All Angels at Cadogan Hall last Saturday, and they are four rising stars to watch, but Hayley is definitely my all-time favourite celebrity! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifBest Wishes, Richard  I think that just about sums it up, Richard. The last sentence of your first paragraph. That is probably why, having met so many diverse personalities in my time, no one has attracted my attention like Hayley. I'm sure its not because we are blindly besotted, besotted though we might be, it is because she is one of those in a million who simply is a very special person as herself. Never mind the singing, that's just what makes her famous. You just feel great in her company. For those close enough to her to be really thought of as friends, I hope they feel the same way, that its great to have her around and realise how very fortunate they are. I had an aunt like that, whose very presence seemed to light up the room. Perhaps that is the defining difference. The celebs I've met--and we haven't of course defined exactly what we mean by celebrities--have simply been people doing a job that brought them into the public eye. Are they even worth mentioning? Perhaps that's why I have never really thought about it until this question arose but I'll persevere with this thread simply because with each one I choose to mention there is a little story attached which I think members may find amusing. Mentioning Richard Briars as you do reminds me that one of the great characters I knew often acted with Felicity Kendal in their days at Croydon Rep. Richard Briars/Felicity Kendal--'The Good Life', UK TV comedy series. Peter S. |
|
|
|
Post by drew on Sept 28, 2006 11:44:53 GMT
More from the early years. Sir Cliff Richard OBESinger en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_RichardBack in 1965 I shared a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads with three other "lads" from school. Whilst wandering around the waterways we bumped into Cliff Richard who was in charge of a cruiser with five Christian teenagers. (Not to say that our boat was not Christian.) It was an early Easter that year as I recall taking a late night dip in the water when it was snowing. It was not a complete surprise to me to see him and the other youngsters as Cliff had been "shopping" the week before at our family wholesale grocery business in Luton (at that time delivering supplies to schools throughout Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire), where he broke the hearts of a number of the young female office staff. In the summer of 1976 I met Cliff again when I was managing a grocery stall (following in the family tradition) at the Greenbelt Festival at Odell in Bedfordshire. (I attended Greenbelt at Odell for three years in succession, running the grocery stall and delivery fresh bread and milk to the campers with old friends from university). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbelt_FestivalCliff's conversion to Christianity in 1964 had a wonderful affect on his character. I look forward to seeing Cliff again at Wembley Arena on 4th November. Cliff took part twice in the Eurovision Song Contest - which leads to another story. More experiences follow. |
|
|
|
Post by drew on Sept 28, 2006 12:27:25 GMT
More from the early years. Sandie ShawSinger en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandie_ShawIn 1968 I took on the role of Publicity Officer for my college students' union (Westfield College - University of London). Determined to put our college on the map of London I entered into the first University of London Fashion Awards competition, sponsored by the Sun newspaper. I coerced four beautiful young ladies into giving up their spare time for several weeks to stitch together an assortment of frocks. Success in the first round meant that they had to do the job all over again to produce something new and even more outstanding to go forward into the final. I believe that they had a budget of £10 each, to include shoes and all accessories. With the help of an afghan hound on the catwalk, my girls stole the show and I proudly received a silver cup, a significant cheque and a golden kiss from Sandie Shaw. Also present on that occasion was Sandie's husband Jeff Banks, who was one of the judges. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_BanksThat was the first and last time that I appeared on page 3 of The Sun. (Older members may recall that The Sun was a more respectable newspaper in 1968.) Photo may follow if I can fight my way through the loft. So that was the connection with the Eurovision Song Contest as Sandie won the event in 1967 with "Puppet on a String". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppet_On_A_StringLater that year I was elected President of the Student Union. Even later that year I was sent down (together with four other members of the Student Union Executive) for failing to pass sufficient examinations. I was to come back. Westfield College merged with Queen Mary College in 1989. The name changed from Queen Mary and Westfield College in 2000 to Queen Mary College, University of London. More experiences follow. |
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Sept 28, 2006 12:39:56 GMT
[From the previous post
'Hello,' says I, shaking his hand. 'I would like a part in one of your plays, please and I was hoping I might attract your attention.'
'Yes,' said Dorian, dryly, towering above me and seeing over my head my footprints straight across his freshly dug dahlia bed. 'Rest assured you have done that. I shall be remembering you for at least a few days'
I beamed back at him, hopefully.
Now Part 2.
This was one of those occasions when one of two things happens--you either don't get in or end up a valued contributor.
I ended up with four walk on parts in each of both plays that year and started over a quarter-of-a-century's relationship.
As the Festival grew in size he needed more and more help and drew on what we called the 'stalwarts', the people who came every year treating the three weeks as a holiday.
I was drawn into this clique, initially to represent the''younger element' amongst whom were various hopefuls from the Tring Arts Educational School down the road. Some of these we later saw for short periods on our televison screend. The most successful and long-lasting of these (although not necessarily a Tring Arts School girl I can't remember) was Lynda Bellingham.
Then, as demands grew and i lived down the road and therefore found it easy to 'pop in' as required I was made production co-ordinator, responsible for keeping the diverse threads and disciplines in touch with one another between Festivals, to save him being bothered directly.
The meetings of this clique/comittee took place in various London Hotels once or twice a year where he hired a couple of rooms, one to have the meeting in and one for them to prepare lunch in.
It was at my introduction to this ritual as a late teenager that I committed my next faux pas when, hearing he'd had a riding mishap and relieved to see him not all bandaged up but simply occasionally resting his arms in a double sling around his neck, I naturally commiserated with him.
'Sorry to hear you fell off your horse,' says I.
There was the sond of several people drawing in their breaths, followed by a silence in which a pin could have been heard to drop despite the floor being heavily carpeted and a rather gravelly-voiced Dorian remarked.
'Peter, a gentleman does not fall off [sorry 'fall orf'!. That was Dorian's renwoned broadcasting trade make 'he's orf!] when some mishap befell a rider]. He is THOWN BY IT!'
Mercifully I had the presence of mind not to express my unspoken thought.
'How dashed unfair to blame the poor horse'.
More anon.
Peter S.
|
|
|
|
Post by drew on Sept 28, 2006 13:08:07 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by thomas on Sept 28, 2006 19:25:09 GMT
Hi! I've seen many celebrities upon stage or have come quite close to them but I haven't had the opportunity to talk to the most. Usually because the crowd was too big to get through like the time when I wanted to have an autograph from Mika Häkkinen for example. But there are a few I've met in the end. My favorite is Hayley of course who I've met three times my now. She's a wonderful and very unique person and it's so enjoyable to be around her. Then there are a few German comedians and a few race drivers I met during the German 500 of the ChampCar Series. The ChampCars came twice to Germany by now in 2001 and 2003 and I visited both races. Very loud and very impressive. During those two events I met Helio Castro-Neves, Cristiano da Matta, Sebastien Bourdais, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Zanardi and a few less famous drivers. My favorite is Cristiano da Matta, he had besides the autograph also time for a picture and a chat of a few minutes. Thomas |
|
|
|
Post by drew on Sept 28, 2006 19:49:23 GMT
From the rugby years. Scott MurrayRugby Player - Scotland (71 caps) and Edinburgh Scott was born in Musselburgh so that Daisy Chute and her family may well know him. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Murraynews.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/rugby_union/video_masterclasses/newsid_2416000/2416529.stmWhilst attending a charity dinner at Bedford Rugby Club I received a bottle of sparkling wine as a raffle prize. The prizes were presented by Scott Murray who was playing for Bedford at that time. My wife and I knew how good (bad) the wine was as I had given it for the raffle. Knowing the character of this gentle giant it was truly shocking to see Scott sent off in the Scotland vs Wales match in February 2006. Geoff Cooke OBEEnglish National Rugby Coach 1987-1994 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Cookewww.cmmol.net/geoff_cooke.htmI had several "discussions" with Geoff Cooke on the subject of allowing junior players to give demonstration / curtain raiser games at Bedford's Goldington Road ground prior to league games being played. We eventually came to a compromise with junior matches being played after league so that the youngsters did not churn up the grass. Geoff successfully led Bedford back into the Premiership in 1997. He was a real gentleman and hard worker when the financial situation at Bedford meant that everyone worked for nothing. More experiences follow. |
|
|
|
Post by Caitlin on Sept 28, 2006 19:50:55 GMT
I've realized I've forgotten someone! When I was in Germany two summers ago I met Kristina "Kris" Dörfer of the band Nu Pagadi. She didn't speak any English and my German wasn't good so my host sister had to translate for me. It was still pretty neat! Nu Pagadi is no longer a band.
<3 Caite
|
|
|
|
Post by thomas on Sept 28, 2006 20:21:42 GMT
Hi Caite!
Nu Pagadi was a casted band. They were in the charts with a few songs and after that nobody have heard anything of them.
Thomas
|
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Oct 3, 2006 15:25:01 GMT
Probably too late in the day--were anyone to be interested--to tell people to look at this morning's Daily Mail. Therein is a column by Lord Hattersley on my home town. Apparently he writes weekly in both the Daily Mail and The Guardian both issues coming out on Tuesday.
I discovered this the other day when I was immersed in a local festival and he was one of the speakers. For those abroad, the reason he counts as a celebrity is that he is a former Deputy Leader of the political party currently in power in the UK and a former Cabinet Minister. He is a well-known politician, broadcaster, journalist, author of several books and a Vice-President of the J B Priestley Society which is why he was with us. He delivered a superb and humorous talk on socialism and the way the two writers responded to it and why he respected both of them--the other being Graham Greene whose Festival we were celebrating.
This leads me to the question, what do we mean by a 'celebrity' as opposed to being famous? Collins tells me to be a celebrity is to be famous while Oxford offers 'The condition of being much talked about'. In response to which one might also ask, by whom and does the condition of the 'whom' further determine the state of fame determining a celebrity?.
For instance, does my friend's father count as a 'celebrity'?
You will doubtless ask, 'What's his name?' When I tell you it was 'Ben Weinreb', are you any better enlightened? The answer is 'probably not'.
If I then add that when he died, The Times, The Guardian, and The Independent all published his obituary and an obituary that covered between half and three-quarters of their respective obituary pages, and that is across all four or five columns, surely this counts as a celebrity?
He was a glorious epitome of John Betjeman (the poet) in stature and temperament. You always know you are in the company of an educated and sophisticated gentleman when, at half-past three in the after-noon, he asks if you would care for a 'snifter' and you discover that he decants not only his port but also his claret, so that it is always close at hand for any sudden immediacy of need.
He made his money through dealing in a very specialised section of the antiquarian book trade which he made his own and in which he was accepted as a world authority. In fact copies of his annually produced catalogue of books in stock, which he gave away free, are now being sold on the second-hand book market at quite sizable prices because of the authority of his descriptions and the knowledge contained in them.
Not only was he a great character but he was also the last of the four multi-millionaires whom I came across and had some influence on me during my life. He in fact died relatively poor--by deliberate intent. It was his money and he would dispose of it, not the tax`man!
One of his obituarists recalled how he had last met Ben Weinreb, just before he disposed of his premises off Portman Square. They were down in the cellar looking at one or two books when Ben moved a large painting leaning, as he supposed, against the wall to find it covered over a doorway..
'Good Heavens, I didn't know that was here!' He said 'I wonder what's behind it?' he continued.
'I was astounded' wrote the obituarist. 'How did he not remember a door, leading to a corridor off of which were three more rooms, all piled high with books, when he owned the building? He really had completely forgotten as was evidenced by the dust covering everything.'
'Aah, surplus stock i had forgotten about waiting to be disposed of.'
Ben's way of disposing of stock surplus to requirements was usually to give it away. He endowed three US university libraries that way, having decided they were teaching the right courses and had decent lecturers to deserve receiving them.
One university, a few weeks after receiving such a consignment rang Ben back in something of a turmoil.
'Do you realise what you have given us?'
'I should do, I sent it.'
'We reckon its worth over a million dollars!'
'Quite probably', replied Ben. I shouldn't worry about it, its only my second copies. Does it cause you a problem?'
'Yes, actually. We've had to increase our insurance premium and they want us to put in special fire protection equipment and we don't have the budget.'
'Sounds a bit excessive to me. I just make do with a mop and a bucket of sand. Nothing ever happened here.'
But I digress. Apparently Hattersley had remembered my friend's father, whom he had known quite well, which was how Hattersley had obtained my friend's mobile number to contact her to say he was running late, which in fact he wasn't by the time he arrived.
Obligingly he went round to her house afterwards to look at our 'Save Our Wharfs' campaign (something of which Stuart H will know about as will anyone else on this forum that knows and loves our inland waterways). Hattersley promised he would write it up in his weekly column in the Mail, which he did today as promised.
This is the house on the canal I frequently house-sit and cat sit. She (my friend the owner) was one of our rebel band that took over the Town Council with me and followed me later as Town Mayor. Hence the personal connection. By the by, shes going out to NZ next year to attend the wedding of a vague relative. No, the relative's not vague, although she might be, its just that they are both vaguely related! They too will be touring around.
Whilst dealing with the Lords, another Lord with us last week was The Reverend the Lord Griffiths. Now he is a minister of religion in the real meaning of the word. A world traveller who spent ten years travelling around Haiti on the back of a mule preaching and doing good works for the general populace, even meeting 'Papa Doc' Duvalier. He also put us straight on voodoo which is nothing like the dramatic depictions of Hollywood. The reason for inviting him down was of course Graham Greene's extensive time there which he encapsulated in The Comedians
That reminds me of several other celebrity connections. I said earlier in this series that Hayley was the first person I bombarded for signatures. Not true, as I gradually recalled thinking througb my celebrity connections.
I did ask Dorian to sign his autobiography, not because i'm mentioned but because it covered an extensive period when I knew him well and last year I got Kate Mosse (note the 'e') to sign a copy of her book Labyrinth because it is set in Carcassone.
For anyonewho has not visited Carcassone and goes to that (south-west) part of France do visit. It is a superb mediaeval completely walled city. A very wonderful experience. Her publishers advertised the novel as 'Eat your heart out Dan Brown, this is the real thing'!
My most recent book signing was also last week when it was the author who asked me if she might sign it for me! We happened to meet in business circumstances and I happened to mention i was reading her book on the train. The book was a commentary on 'The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002'. I am a reader of diverse material!
The year before, I think I have mentioned in a previous thread, for some reason, I met with P D James, the crime novelist and Sir John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey and Voyage Round My Father)--we shared a dinner table. In fact, my friend Lindy (the one who nobbled Hattersley the other day) met Sir John Mortimer at the new version of his play the other week, currently in the West End.
Speaking about bumping into people, esepcially celebs, although in this case it was royalty... No, I won't go on, that's another post, this one is already too long.
So, from the Lords and a multi-millionaire last week, for my next celebrity I will return to my early twenties and my acquaintance with the first of the three grossly multi-millionaires affecting my life.
Peter S.
|
|
|
|
Post by postscript on Oct 6, 2006 15:29:11 GMT
Since Canterbury remains topical I’ll link back to the celebrity thread. One of Canterbury’s tourism web sites I discovered has a Gulbenkian theatre. Having looked at the specific site I find it is on the campus of the University of Kent, which indicates why it should have received (by implication) a generous contribution from The Gulbenkian Foundation, hence the theatre’s name, although nothing on the web site tells me this.
Another connection is that when I met the author of the commentary on the Freehold Reform Act mentioned earlier in this thread, we were in the Gulbenkian Room of International Student House, just off London’s Euston Road.
It is therefore no great stretch of the imagination to guess that leaving my last post where I described my interactions with the last of the four multi-millionaires with whom I have interacted, I am now leading in to my meeting with the first of those four. That chap was one Nubar Gulbenkian. The connection is of course Dorian Williams and their mutual horse-riding interests.
Gulbenkian was a ‘presence’ simply by being. An extraordinary and fascinating character. Independent of his family charity he had his own trust fund. This was geared not so that he would not have to work but that the very idea of any relationship between him and work was frankly impertinent! His entire life was geared around ‘being’ Nubar `Gulbenkian.
It was said, and I may have got this from Dorian, as Dorian often regaled us with his exploits with Nubar Gulbenkian, that when NG was out for a particularly special dinner he would put a £50 note down on the table, telling the waiter that if at the end of the meal he was satisfied, the £50 was his. ‘If not, that’s mine,’ NG would say. Just how many waiters collected the £50 I have no idea and remember, that was £50 forty years ago. But I digress.
The occasion of this interaction with Gulbenkian was at one of Dorian’s receptions. I had parked my car and was just moving towards the house when Gulbenkian drove up in his Rolls, sweeping round the central flower bed in front of the house and missing the car, next to where he was going to park, by possibly half-an-inch. Measured, I’m sure that half-an-inch was an exaggerated quarter-of-an-inch. Since there is some eight or more feet between driver and nearside fender, the position of which cannot be seen from the driving seat, this was someone who knew his car well!
Gulbenkin threw his Rolls around the road in the manner of an army sergeant throwing a 3 ton army truck around the parade ground—the flamboyance of both men hiding very well honed driving skills. Gulbenkian saw no reason why he should pay anyone to drive it for him. ‘If I can afford a Rolls-Royce why should I pay someone to drive it? If a chauffer wants to drive a Rolls-Royce, let him provide his own!’
I was then confronted with a most extraordinary contradiction. A multi-millionaire driving his own Rolls from which he emerged wearing a several hundred pound Savile Row suit, over the top of which he sported a ninety-nine pence Woolworths plastic ‘pacamac’… with a gigantic tear from nape of neck to the seam at the waist!
A couple of hours later Gulbenkian started leaving the reception and Dorian, who was chatting to Cyril Abrahams at the time (more about him in another post) stage-whispered across to me, ‘See him out will you?’
The ‘See him out’ had an extraordinary tone about it. It was almost as if Dorian was afraid he’d half hinch the family silver had it been on display. It would seem to be one of the sports of the enormously rich that they do silly things just to gain a laugh out of being irritating. It is now beginning to emerge that Queen Mary, if she was visiting and saw something she liked, would praise it until the hostess caught on that she was supposed to offer it as a gift, where upon Queen Mary promptly accepted it and left.
When I caught up with Gulbenkian he was in the vestibule looking disdainfully at his torn pacamac, which he held in his right hand whilst looking longingly at a perfectly good, but otherwise identical one, hanging on a nearby peg. Had I not come round the corner I am sure he would have switched them over. As it was he asked me, ‘Don’t think this could possibly be mine, do you?’ ‘Oh yes!’ says I brightly. ‘I happened to notice the split down the back as you got out of the Rolls.’
For some inexplicable reason he seemed somewhat put out by this item of intelligence. ‘Oh. Very well, if you say so.’ I helped him scramble into his ninety-nine pence plastic mac, which in fact was quite a tight fit over his several hundred pound Savile Row silk suit (doubtless why it split in the first place), then helped his wife entwine her neck inside her thousand guinea mink stole. Gulbenkian then turned to me, took out his wallet and handed me a £1 note. ‘Very civil of you my man. Very civil indeed.’ It obviously hadn’t occurred to him that on his way home he passed the local Woolworths where he could have bought a brand new one, saving himself a penny which, if he had been anxious to spend it, he could have done so in the public toilets round the back of the store. Cost-effective utilisation of time and resource are clearly not high on a multi-millionaire’s agenda.
On the other hand, he could have given me the tip just to reassure me he could indeed afford to replace the pacamac, he just hadn’t got round to doing so!
Having been handed a pound note from a multi-millionaire I thought some luck might be attached to it. So I bought my one and only premiums bond. I would have been better off buying ice-creams with it, of which I could have bought several for one pound in those days. The premiums bond still hasn’t delivered!
Peter S.
|
|
|
|
Post by drew on Oct 13, 2006 8:31:07 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by graemek on Oct 13, 2006 11:23:38 GMT
Well thank you all for all those very interesting personal histories.If I hadn't spent all that time reading about others' brushes with outstanding members of society I might've met a couple myself. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifI was very struck Drew by the British army chief & his personal ideology. Reminded me a bit of F.M .Montgomery WW2. My own celebrity meetings have probably been discouraged by my own disinclination to regard my fellow man as anything but all equal in the eyes of God regardless of position in society. I think this has been somewhat naive of me however as the Bible never tries to disguise the incredible diversity of gifts that are given to men & women. There have certainly been people who I admired tho. For example a NZ Boeing 747 Captain who I bumped into collecting his teenage son's luggage for him in Los Angeles Airport having just flown the 747 across the pacific. (the Captain not the son.The son was a passenger.) He was a very nice & humble guy.....no trace of arrogance in him & obligingly answered my aviation questions without a trace of impatience. I have no idea what his name was. When I think of Hayley as a 'celebrity' I try not to lump her together with other 'stage front' people I've been able to observe eg. politicians, preachers, teachers ,actors, speakers generally, whose stage presence is there to bring their audience under some sort of control. Many of these (not all certainly) have filled me with suspicion & distrust & to some degree made a platform abhorrent to me. (Particularly when that platform is misused) Therefore then, I must say that, if Hayley is a celebrity, then she's the only one I ever want to meet. (& have done once) How many celebrities do we know who get described as: "terminally cute & a delight to both eye & ear"Graemek
|
|
