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What's your claim to fame ?

(102 Posts)
NanKate Tue 01-Apr-14 08:36:24

In the 1960s I saw Rudolph Nureyev pass our home in Stratford upon Avon. I dashed out with my theatre programme from the previous night to get an autograph. The rest of the family in hot pursuit.

I am happy to report he was lovely and said to me 'I see you have brought the whole family'. He signed my programme and chatted in a very relaxed way.

Happy Days.

Riverwalk Wed 02-Apr-14 17:29:30

I have a pen that belonged to Eric Clapton.

rosesarered Wed 02-Apr-14 17:21:35

grin you could always feed your lunch to the corgis.

GeraldineD Wed 02-Apr-14 16:56:43

I too have had lunch with the Queen - but turned down a second invitation on the grounds that it was all too tedious to repeat...

KatyK Wed 02-Apr-14 16:52:36

Great thread this!

annodomini Wed 02-Apr-14 16:46:22

My cousin's daughter was the first bride in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

numberplease Wed 02-Apr-14 16:43:08

Oh dear!

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 16:35:10

DH said I am not allowed to say, it is his relative. Should not have said, oops in trouble now.

numberplease Wed 02-Apr-14 16:29:41

Come on then, WHO??

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 16:26:34

Does it count if you are related to a Very Famous Filmstar but have never met them?

Oh well, never mind.

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 16:24:23

Some of the cast of Casualty came to DD2's school fete years ago, as one of the teachers had a connection. One of them was Ash, who was then a nurse, now returned as a consultant.

DD2 has also been in Casualty as an extra.

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 16:19:49

Crossroads! We invited Sandy Richardson (Roger Tonge) to our Rag Ball. Friend and I had to entertain him. Also the Swinging Blue Jeans, same friend thought they were a bit suggestive in some of their remarks!!

Riverwalk Wed 02-Apr-14 16:11:37

Still more on George Formby ... I heard/saw a documentary on him some time back and I remember reference to his feisty wife ... I've just Googled her and Wiki came up with this

In 1946 Beryl and George toured South Africa shortly before formal racial apartheid was introduced, where they refused to play racially-segregated venues. According to Formby's biographer, when George was cheered by a black audience after embracing a small black girl who had presented his wife with a box of chocolates, National Party leader Daniel François Malan (who later introduced apartheid) phoned to complain; Beryl replied "Why don't you piss off, you horrible little man?"[20]

She sounds OK to me! grin

feetlebaum Wed 02-Apr-14 16:00:21

One name drop I can do - while at the Palladium, I went in early one day to distribute some music changes. A rather unpleasant noise was issuing from the number one dressing room, and then the maker of said noise came out and apologised - these were exercises she had to do for her voice. We had a pleasant half hour chat... her name was Shirley MacLaine - it was during her first Palladium season.

She didn't do or saying anything kooky although I half expected her to! Very nice lady.

numberplease Wed 02-Apr-14 15:30:45

Rosesarered, talking of George Formby, my Grandma used to say that his wife, Beryl, was a horrible woman, and treated him very badly, don`t know how she knew that though. Whenever he appeared in person on TV, which was very rarely, he always seemed such a nice, lovely person.

inishowen Wed 02-Apr-14 14:17:02

I won a competition with Pepsi Max and the prize was "meet the stars in Ibiza". I took my friend and we had a wonderful week. We met Magic Johnson (basket ball player) Paul Young, Bob Geldof, Pat Jennings (goal keeper) and Pat Cash (tennis player). There were others but I can't recall them now.

KatyK Wed 02-Apr-14 14:06:36

I am recalling all sorts now! I used to see a lot of the cast of Crossroads (remember that) around Brum when it was in its heyday. I also saw Lulu and David Soul in the city centre (on different occasions). Went to see a play, Boeing-Boeing in the '70s and chatted to Richard O'Sullivan in the bar afterwards - he was lovely. (I used to love him). I have a photo of my daughter with David Bellamy and a couple of years ago on holiday in Port Isaac, watched Martin Clunes and co.filming Doc Martin. I could bore you for hours (and probably have!).

kittylester Wed 02-Apr-14 13:58:05

Reading all these threads, I've remembered that I met Princess Anne a couple of years ago when she opened new Victim Support Offices in Leicester. She was really easy to talk to and was really genned up on the organisation.

Fancy forgetting that!! I'll let you know if I remember meeting any one else famous! grin

I've mentioned before that I used to look like Sandie Shaw (I am most definitely rounder than her!!) and one hot summer, at a local lido, I was asked for my autograph three times. blush

JoanJett Wed 02-Apr-14 12:19:23

I was growing up in Cardiff in the sixties, one evening a taxi stopped beside me and Rick Wakeman was in the back wanting to know the way to the students union. He was appearing there with Yes, that was in the days when he had long blonde hair, and so did I! Didn't get a ticket though. sad

12Michael Wed 02-Apr-14 11:55:51

I have been in several situation's where meeting the well known celebs over the years.
Apart from seeing bands playing before they made it big such as Slade in the NAAFI clubs.
Non music:
Richard Harris in the Reindeer inn in Banbury, also in there a few years later was Rory McGrath.
Others have been Phil Tufnell in the Far from the madding crowd pub in Oxford doing a ONE show story.
Whilst working at the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court saw Matt Dawson through the turnstile I was working from, also the next year Ade Edmondson was hanging around drinking at watching a band on the stage.
Royalty up close whilst in RAF, Prince Philip, also Princess Royal at my former workplace.
These were close encounters so to speak, plus a whilst in the St Marks church area by Brum market, saw one of the cast doing some filming for the Hustle series by Selfridges, Adrian Lester.
Mick

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 11:48:23

grin ginny

ginny Wed 02-Apr-14 11:46:49

rosequartz I'm certainly not petite but I may be lovely. grin

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 11:25:56

I wanted to be Francesca Annis. I am nothing like her, unfortunately.

KatyK Wed 02-Apr-14 11:23:38

When I was a kid I really wanted to be Hayley Mills envy

rosequartz Wed 02-Apr-14 11:22:13

Hayley Mills' s son was in the same cub pack as my DS years ago. She is (was) very petite and lovely. The boys were all so thrilled to meet his dad, Leigh Lawson, as he was in Travelling Man at the time on TV (he is now married to Twiggy).

GadaboutGran Wed 02-Apr-14 11:04:01

Storynanny - Sir Malcolm is my husband's 2nd cousin once removed but he disowned his family - good working-class stock, originally from Stamford. Sir M's Dad was illegitimate, brought up by Mr Gad's GG grandparents. Mention his name now & only the oldies know who he is.

One I can't think of without squirming now is when my choir in Bath raised money for Stoke Mandeville Hospital. We went there to sing & present the cheque to Jimmy Saville & my little kids sat on his knee. Squirm! Squirm!