Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

You can do better than that, Mum! What about all the stars your Dad encountered in his chauffeuring days?

As my sister (Kirri Grogan 2s & BaA) & I both worked in theatre we have met/worked with lots of famous people - I'll have to have a think about who specifically it's potentially a horribly long list!

I was in NYMT with Jude Law & Jonny Lee Miller (anyone remember Bodywork?). I sang on local TV with Richard Stilgoe from the stage of the school theatre!

..and Kirri & I both went to school with Charles Hazlewood & James (formerly known as Simon) D'Arcy!

mvgrogan wrote: As my sister (Kirri Grogan 2s & BaA)

Are you sure she was in 2's? Or is my memory really that bad?

Vonny wrote:

mvgrogan wrote: As my sister (Kirri Grogan 2s & BaA)

Are you sure she was in 2's? Or is my memory really that bad?

No - it's probably mine... she must have been 3:2 rather than 2:3!! Sorry!

Once upon atime --- I used to do some Modelling, and appeared in some films --
Every time one of such films used to appear on Late, Late, TV my children (Now 55 and 50 !) used to say "Dad, Dad, that was the WORST film ever made ! " It didn't seem to matter which one it was !
A Prophet is not without Honour -- save in his own Country "
Also "Sic transit gloria " (Gloria's been sick in the Transit Van !)
They don't make films like they used to ---- (Thank Heaven !)

Yes, Kirri was in 3s - 3:2.

I recently fished out the video of your bit (Maria) with Richard Stilgoe and rewatched it. On the same tape is the bit from 'Down Your Way' about Bodywork and also featuring Kirri who was a blood cell, while Maria was the Appendix - the only person in the show to have the stage all to herself at one point. What surprised me was that some years later Maria was working as an usher at one of the West End theatres when Richard Stilgoe and his wife were in the audience. He not only remembered Maria, but also where he knew her from - which is quite a feat considering the number of people he must meet - and he gave her permission to use the song that he had written for her as the appendix as an audition piece. She eventually went on to do an Arts Management degree, as a relatively mature student.

Another 'claim to fame' of both the girls was the Rose Theatre campaign when they slept for weeks on the site in order to prevent English Heritage from moving in pile drivers onto the site. Many of the 'celebs' were involved in the campaign - names which spring to mind are Vanessa Redgrave, Susan Tully, Lawrence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft. Kirri was just coming up to her GCSEs at the time and did a lot of 'gofering' - she could probably tell you exactly how all the stars like their coffee and what they smoke. In fact she included a project on the Rose campaign as part of her A level English. And years later when they had finally opened the promised Rose Theatre exhibition in the basement of the office block that was built on the site, Kirri was one of the applicants for the job of managing it. DNP and the CH theatre obviously had a big influence on both Maria and Kirri. But, as Maria said, it is sort of in the blood - my father went to Italia Conti as a child. Somehow the theatre bug missed my generation out - even when the rest of the family were involved inn Scout Gang Shows I wasn't!

My son has got a part as a soldier in the new Ridley Scott film "Robin Hood" with Russell Crowe.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0955308/

Nice one, Mary.

Though I have heard that RC is a bit of a b@stard to work with !

About getting "Extra" parts --- When I was a Guardsman, in Chelsea Barracks (In about 1802 !) we used to be canvassed for standing up-stage as Soldiers or Peasants, or Villagers, during Opera productions.
This was very welcome "Pocket Money" when your Army Pay is 5/- a day !
I suppose we were available, off duty, and were used to standing still, or moving to order for long periods !
There are dark rumours about other things for which we were canvassed, I have no knowledge of this -- in my time !

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:About getting "Extra" parts --- When I was a Guardsman, in Chelsea Barracks (In about 1802 !) we used to be canvassed for standing up-stage as Soldiers or Peasants, or Villagers, during Opera productions.
This was very welcome "Pocket Money" when your Army Pay is 5/- a day !
I suppose we were available, off duty, and were used to standing still, or moving to order for long periods !
There are dark rumours about other things for which we were canvassed, I have no knowledge of this -- in my time !

Was that when they used to bus you in from Chelsea Barracks with a man holding a red flag walking in front of the coach, Neill ??

No JR ---- It was a horse-drawn Omnibus -- with Pear's Soap advertisement on the side !

Apparently, according to my Aunty, we were driving in Kenya (she had her own car) and got abit lost in one of the national parks in the south, luckily we came across another 4x4 and got directions and it turns out Rolph Harris was in the back and smiled at us. Honestly, I can't remember but I have no reason to question my Aunty, who swears its true.

Personally, I'm sure i'd of remembered meeting the legend that is the Mighty Rolph Harris

jhopgood wrote:Whilst on this subject, I wondered what people do when they casually meet the "famous"?
My wife and I were in an ice cream parlour in Buenos Aires, and the only other customer was Bernard Neustadt, a well known radio and TV commentator, who was reputed to be worth millions. We ignored him but in the five minutes we were there, a car stopped and someone got out to get his autograph, and a kid on a bike stopped, chatted and also got an autograph.
Once in Hamleys, we saw Charles Aznavour sitting waiting for someone, (he looked totally bored) and no-one came up to him or asked for his autograph. We didn't approach either.
I saw Billy Bonds (at the time he played for West Ham but had been a favourite at Charlton) one Sunday in a park in Charlton, sitting on a park bench. Nobody bothered him either.
Is it just the Brits who leave celebrities alone, has this changed with the advent of the non celebrity phenomena (Big Brother etc), is it a cultural thing or what?

Confused of Eltham (where Boy George almost got an education)

Its the reason why quite alot of people go and live in Switzerland as you they don't get bothered over there. Michael Schumacher has been seen many a time just walking down the street and no one ever bothers him, think it is a culture thing.

Within a half a mile of where I live is Robert Kilroy Silk, Noel Gallagher lived a bit further away, Leo Sayer lived along the road as did David Platt. Graeme Le Saux lived just round the corner from my office and the company I used to work for sold Martin Kemp's house and I was standing behind him in the chippy last week. I have also seen David Seaman in Waitrose a couple of times.

A few weeks ago I was staying with a widower who was my best man and whose wedding I attended decades back. I know his family background (no money, estranged from his parents) and early employment (paid a pittance). I actually helped him set up what became a company in the west country but before that time he had a house built. I have just learned that the house was built (and all the expensive high-fi, instruments etc bought) and financed by a little writing he and Gurli did on the side like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VME2TirLM9E - He has several demo CDs of their songs including this recording and a few listed on the right of the screen - it is a pity many of the rest weren't published

On others there seems to be some conflict - he wrote the music "Indian Brave" and sold the rights - he reckons it was adapted and recorded as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY-rPDwzM9M

I knew the group he was in had had a couple of number 1's early on but he said nothing about them; too nearly 50 years to find out.

englishangel wrote:Within a half a mile of where I live is Robert Kilroy Silk, Noel Gallagher lived a bit further away, Leo Sayer lived along the road as did David Platt. Graeme Le Saux lived just round the corner from my office and the company I used to work for sold Martin Kemp's house and I was standing behind him in the chippy last week. I have also seen David Seaman in Waitrose a couple of times.

Most of the Arsenal/Chelsea/Watford first team squads used to live in your neck of the woods, until Chelsea moved their training ground to Cobham, and most of the Arsenal and Tottenham guys are in east herts and essex now. As well as Mr. Seaman, there was also Vinnie Jones, Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Wise in the area for a whiole, and of course Graham Poll is still in Tring (although I have probably posted that before)