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1-43 of 43
- Kierston Wareing was born on 7 January 1976 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Fish Tank (2009), The Holding (2011) and The Double (2013).
- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England on July 23, 1912, Wilding became a commercial artist after leaving school. He gained employment in the art department of a film studio in London in 1933, and he was soon approached by producers to become a movie star-in-training due to his dashing good looks. After debuting at age 21 in Bitter Sweet (1933), Wilding worked steadily in British pictures for nearly three decades. Though never a star of the first rank, he had leading roles in numerous films, including a part in the classic In Which We Serve (1942). Wilding often co-starred with Anna Neagle.
Wilding moved to Hollywood and was featured in two of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts, Under Capricorn (1949) and Stage Fright (1950).
Wilding's last movie role was a two-line cameo in Robert Bolt's Lady Caroline Lamb (1972), which co-starred Leighton.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
At the age of 11, George played the part of the boy in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal, where he worked with Sir Patrick Stewart who taught him how to play backgammon!
Prior to this, George's other acting credits include The Bill, his first professional role.
In 2017, George played Billy Cooper in the TNT series Will, created by Craig Pearce. He got to take on some of Shakespeare's women's characters, as was customary for the young theatre apprentice in Elizabethan England.
Other TV credits include a recurring guest star on season 3 of AMC's Into The Badlands (2018).
George starred as Seb in the Disney Channel mystery adventure series Evermoor, which premiered on the Disney Channel in more than 160 countries worldwide from autumn 2014.
He also presented on the BAFTA award-winning British children's entertainment television series, Friday Download, and appears in a feature length version, Friday Download The Movie, which premiered in UK theaters in 2015.
An avid fan of music, in 2013, George guest presented on BBC Radio 1's Chart Show. He remains passionate about music, and plays drums and guitar.
When George isn't acting and presenting, he's into fitness in a big way and enjoys practicing calisthenics. George's break dancing led him to compete in the UDO world-championships in 2012, where he was placed 2nd. Soon after, he appeared on the popular children's entertainment show, Alisha's Street Dance Stars.
George recently moved to Los Angeles.- Actress
- Producer
- Sound Department
Tracie Bennett was born on 17 June 1961 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Shirley Valentine (1989), Coronation Street (1960) and Making Out (1989).- Sarah Jayne Dunn was born on 25 September 1981 in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Hollyoaks (1995), The Dark Knight (2008) and Hollyoaks: Movin' On (2001). She has been married to Jonathan Smith since May 2018.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Oliver Lee was born on 14 February 1985 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He is an actor and director, known for Ferryman (2023), Awaydays (2009) and Exhibit A (2007).- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Peter Eckersley was born on 7 April 1936 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He was a producer and writer, known for Wood and Walters (1981), Coronation Street (1960) and Hard Times (1977). He was married to Anne Reid and Eileen Wilson. He died on 27 August 1981 in Manchester, Lancashire, England, UK.- Writer
- Actor
British novelist James Hilton was born in Leigh, Lancashire, England, in 1900. His father was a schoolmaster. Hilton graduated from Cambridge University in 1921, having already written his first novel, "Catherine Herself" (written in 1918, it wasn't published until 1920). After graduation he wrote a twice-weekly column for "The Dublin Irish Independent", which he continued to do for several years. In 1931 he wrote the novel "And Now Good-Bye", which was quite successful and brought him, as he once said, "a good return". In 1933 he was approached by the editor of "The British Weekly" magazine and asked to write a short-story for the magazine's Christmas issue, for which he had a deadline of just two weeks. As the deadline approached he still hadn't a clue as to what kind of story to write, so one night he decided to take a bicycle ride to clear his head. When he came back he had the inspiration to write what eventually became the international best-seller "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (a story based on the career of his father). He finished the story in four days. His editor at the magazine was so impressed with it that he recommended the magazine's parent company, a major publishing house, publish the story in the American market, which was much more profitable than the British market. The company arranged for the story to be published in the American magazine "The Atlantic Monthly" in its April 1934 issue. It garnered such attention from both readers and reviewers--noted critic Alexander Woollcott effusively praised it in his "New Yorker" column and on his radio show--that just two months later it was published in book form and became a huge international hit, and was later made into a movie now regarded as one of the classics of modern cinema, Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).
Hilton turned out a string of highly regarded novels that were turned into highly regarded films--Knight Without Armor (1937), Lost Horizon (1937), Random Harvest (1942)--and eventually moved to the US. He died in Long Beach, CA, in 1954 of liver cancer.- Writer
- Actor
John Fowles was born on 31 March 1926 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The Collector (1965), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) and Bilanggo sa dilim (1986). He was married to Sarah Smith and Elizabeth Whitton. He died on 5 November 2005 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, UK.- Actor
- Writer
Gareth Farr was born in 1977 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Skins (2007), Shandyland (Pint Size) (2021) and Misfits (2009).- Actress
- Director
- Producer
India was born in Leigh-on-Sea England, about an hour out of London and there lived with her mother, singer BB Dupre and rock and roll pianist father John Denton. At 4 years old a Doctor recommended a move to a warmer climate to cease India's asthma. BB then moved to Australia with India, her sister Saffron and brother Simon. They traveled all over and ended up residing in Bondi Beach, Sydney. India was discovered by Elite Models at 15 after singing and winning an Australian version of Star Search called Have A Go. She began modelling and acting (including two international Coca-Cola campaigns)and then moved to Laguna Beach California to finish her final year of high school at Dana Hills High. She was then accepted to UCLA's School of Theatre, Film, and Television where she acted in their many productions at the Freud Playhouse. While at UCLA, India also attended Playhouse West studying Meisner Technique under the direction of Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum. Upon graduation, India joined the Stella Adler Players and acted in several plays while studying at the academy. She landed an agent there while playing Gloria, a high class call girl in Sidney Brewstein's Window. After that she began acting professionally and spent her time between LA and London where she was touring and recording an album with Nick Heyward (formally of Haircut 100) called The Mermaid and the Lighthouse Keeper. She is now based in Los Angeles and has most recently been performing solo at Genghis Cohen and is featured in the new Austin Powers film Goldmember.- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
The beginnings of Georgie Fame started on June 26, 1943 when he was born as Clive Powell in Leigh, Lancashire. By 1957, at the age of 14, he had joined a local pop group called the Dominoes, as a pianist. In 1959 the group won a talent contest put on by bandleader Rory Blackwell, at which point Blackwell offered Clive a job playing piano with his band. Clive accepted, and soon after moved into a London flat, which he shared with members of the instrumental group Nero and the Gladiators. It was during a routine show with Blackwell's band at the Islington Ballroom (where the band had a residency) that Clive was spotted by songwriter Lionel Bart, who urged him to audition for beat group/record mogul Larry Parnes. Well, Parnes liked what he saw and snapped up Clive as his new 'discovery', and then changed his name to Georgie Fame. Most of Parnes' talent roster also had odd names; Marty Wild, Vince Eager, and Duffy Power for examples. 'Georgie' was employed as a back-up musician for many of these singers as well as for touring American artists like Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran. Georgie then joined Billy Fury's first back-up band, The Blue Flames, with whom he stayed until late 1961. At the end of that year he switched from piano to organ and formed his own Blue Flames with Colin Green (guitar), Mick Eve (sax), Tony Makins (bass), and Red Reece (drums). The Blue Flames line-up, however, was fairly flexible and changed throughout their career.
By 1963, Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames were playing R&B and had switched managers to Rik Gunnel. Andrew Oldham became the publicist. '63 turned out to be an important year for Georgie when the group became the first resident act at London's subterranean Flamingo Club, on Wardour street in Soho. The Flamingo, owned by Ember Records boss Jeffrey Kruger, was one of the most famous R&B/jazz clubs at the time, and was frequented by the hippest of London's mohair-clad modernists, as well as black U.S. servicemen and West Indian immigrants. By the summer of that year, Georgie Fame had added another saxophone and a conga player to the lineup and was drawing on a number of influences including Jimmy Smith, Mose Allison, James Brown, Motown, R&B and the ska/bluebeat rhythm (which was probably picked up from the West Indian immigrants at The Flamingo).
The band's song list of R&B faves like 'Night Train', 'Get On The Right Track, Baby', 'Do The Dog', 'Green Onions' and 'Shop Around' packed the club most nights and gained Georgie Fame a sort of cult following among London's booming mod underground.
With all of the mop-top Beatle-types battling each other for a little chart action (nothing against the Beatles), Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames' hip 'Hammond and Horns' sound was indeed an alternative to the Rickenbacker/Hofner onslaught. Georgie also became something of a style-setter in his madras and seersucker jackets. The group was cool, sophisticated, and sharp as hell, which made it no surprise·when they became favorites of the mods and one of the most popular white R&B acts on the circuit.
With this growing army of supporters, Georgie Fame was finally signed to a record contract by Columbia in 1963. The first three singles, released in 1964, 'Do The Dog', 'Do Re Mi', and 'Bend A Little', didn't go very far. This isn't to say that they were bad at all, in fact the B-side of 'Do Re Mi' .was an amazing rendition of 'Green Onions'. Also released in '64 was an e.p. titled 'Rhythm and Blue Beat'. The first track on this record was a cover of 'Madness', which leads one to wonder if Georgie Fame anticipated 2-tone by about 15 years (?). In any case, this record didn't go very far either.
But Georgie didn't have to wait too long for Fame, because in December of '64 his cover of Jon Hendricks' 'Yeh Yeh' hit number one on the charts in the U.K. and was a minor hit in the U.S. as well which made Georgie Fame big news at the age of 21. The success of 'Yeh Yeh' also earned Georgie an appearance on Ready Steady Go! to promote the record. Around this time an album was released- a live set from The Flamingo Club titled, appropriately enough, 'R&B At The Flamingo'.
The next two singles, 'Something' (Oct. '65), and 'In The Meantime' (Dec. '65) didn't equal the success of 'Yeh Yeh', but 'In The Meantime' did make the top twenty. Perhaps people were thinking that Georgie Fame was just another one-hit-wonder, because it was another six months before his next single, 'Get Away', was released in June 1966.
But once again, it went straight to number one and everyone knew that he was back. 'Get Away' was a smash, as was the album 'Sweet Things'- released around the same time. However, many of Georgie Fame's original mod followers had left him because they felt that he was becoming too commercial. Even though a drug bust had made him cooler in the street credibility department, that didn't keep many of these fans, who preferred his earlier, more authentic R&B sound.
After this second number one, Georgie Fame disbanded the Blue Flames in September 1966 and decided to go solo. This pretty much signaled his move away from strict R&B to a more mainstream pop approach (not that 'Get Away' and 'Sweet Things' weren't in that direction anyway). He continued to have a string of hits with a version of Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny' in October 1966, and Billy Stewart's 'Sitting In The Park' in December 1966. Georgie then switched over to CBS records and continued the hits with 'Because I Love You' in April 1967, and a third number one with 'The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde' (December '67), which was the theme song for the movie of the same name. This song was also a hit in the U.S. and can occasionally be heard on oldies stations.
After this, his music, and consequently his career, went downhill. He teamed up with Alan Price for a variety show act. In recent years he has spent time writing jingles.
When he was in his prime, there wasn't another British artist working in the same field that could touch Georgie Fame for great R&B sounds. Georgie's music has been re-issued and is available at Amazon and on iTunes.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Pete Shelley was born on 17 April 1955 in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England, UK. He was an actor, known for If I Stay (2014), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). He was married to ??? and Greta. He died on 6 December 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia.- Producer
- Executive
Richard Johns was born on 26 May 1964 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He is a producer and executive, known for Shadow of the Vampire (2000), Downtime (1997) and Chivalry (2022).- Terry Scully was born on 13 May 1932 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for An Age of Kings (1960), Survivors (1975) and Triton (1968). He died on 17 April 2001 in Warminster, Wiltshire, England, UK.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ian Ashpitel was born on 15 February 1957 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Spencer (2021), Arthur Christmas (2011) and Family Affairs (1997).- Director
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Jack Stokes was born on 2 April 1920 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He was a director, known for Heavy Metal (1981), Yellow Submarine (1968) and The Beatles (1965). He was married to Jill. He died on 20 March 2013 in England, UK.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
Laurie Friedman was born on 3 June 1914 in Leigh-on-Sea, England, UK. She was a cinematographer and director, known for Mutiara Dari Malaya (1955), Vacation from Marriage (1945) and East of Kilimanjaro (1957). She died in October 2000 in Sussex, England, UK.- Lynn Lowton was born on 11 May 1969 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Backbeat (1994), Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001) and Kasumi Ninja (1994).
- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Ronnie Taylor was born on 28 June 1922 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He was a writer and producer, known for A Sharp Intake of Breath (1977), Club Night (1957) and My Good Woman (1972). He died on 9 September 1979 in London.- With his flat cap, droll line in delivery and catch-phrase "I won't take me coat off - I'm not stopping!" Ken Platt was one of the last links with music hall and variety in Great Britain. Born in Leigh, Lancashire, Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of just 15. He bought a ukelele and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as 'the Pocket George Formby', in homage to his idol.
He joined the Army in 1942 and was posted to North Africa where he appeared in a concert party, The Forest Mummers. Demobbed five years later he tried his hand at showbusiness with little succes and so, disillusioned bought a grocery store in his home town.
A chance audition with the BBC in 1950 led to him being eventually asked to be resident comedian on the BBC's popular radio show Variety Fanfare. It was on radio that Platt was in his true element with his immaculate timing, brilliant ad-libbing.
Variety Fanfare ran for two years and made Platt a household name. He was a guest comedian on numerous radio variety shows and later topped the bill in pantomimes and summer seasons throughout Great Britain. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he was a regular guest star on television programmes such as Big Night Out, Spot the Tune and The Liver Birds. He evoked considerable nostalgia by a memorable appearance on BBC's The Good Old Days using much of his material from his days on steam radio. - Maxine Patterson was born on 24 August 1951 in Leigh Creek, South Australia, Australia.
- Art Director
- Production Designer
- Art Department
Norman G. Arnold was born on 19 September 1892 in Leigh, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an art director and production designer, known for After the Verdict (1929), There Goes the Bride (1932) and Sally in Our Alley (1931). He died on 7 December 1963 in Harrow, Middlesex, England, UK.- David Lloyd was born on 3 January 1948 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Hammer House of Horror (1980), Birds of a Feather (1989) and We're Going Places (1978). He has been married to Teodosia Lloyd since 2015. They have two children.
- Music Department
- Composer
- Sound Department
John Baker was born on 12 October 1937 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He was a composer, known for He Who Rides a Tiger (1965), Out of the Unknown (1965) and Dial M for Murder (1974). He died on 7 February 1997 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England, UK.