Topic: Local "stars"

[Captain Poodle Basher]

June Rodgers, aka. the egg woman from Pink Flamingos.

Thank you. That's her. A few years ago she had a promo ad for her upcoming panto season that aired every morning for about a month just before 7 am on RTE Radio One so I got to hear her 'dulcet tones' Monday to Friday as the mother of all wake up calls.

[Glebe]

Also, the Dice Man, but he's long gone.

Ah yes. Remember him going up and down Henry and Grafton St., or standing still as a statue then suddenly winking or sticking his tongue out at you.

The Diceman Thom McGinty.

June Rodgers, aka. the egg woman from Pink Flamingos.

Oh fuck me... I consider myself a true Dub, but you lot are putting me to shame... maybe I'm just having an extended brain-fart. Yes. June Rodgers. A Dublin panto legend since forever. Then she went supernova with an appearance in Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie.

Oh yeah, there's Shirley Temple Bar (Declan Buckley), who went on to present Telly Bingo but eventually took the wig off. Has since been succeeded as Ireland's foremost drag queen thanks to Panti Bliss (Rory O' Neill) who is not originally from Dublin but runs the PantiBar on Capel St.

And now that I think of it, how about the late, great, Maureen Potter? Here she is in a racist Kimberley Mikado ad.

Well, local newscasters often pop up in films. Charles Mitchel in 1980's the Outsider, Anne Cassin, Dave Fanning and in Ordinary Decent Criminal, Jimmy Greeley in the Outsider and with Cassin in Veronica Guerin...

The likes of Larry Gogan, Ronan Collins and, of course, the late Gerry Ryan are/were RTE stalwarts, but just thought I'd mention them as local lads. On a side note, not a Dubliner, but who remembers the late Vincent Hanley? Used to love watching MT-USA on a Sunday!

Also, here's a nostalgic blast of Aonghus McAnally on Henry St. at Christmas in the '80s. Only copped recently that he's the son of the late actor Ray McAnally, duh!

[George White]

"Uncle" Hugo:

An early memory is Hugo Duncan and George Jones, not that one hosting some sub Its a Knockout BBC NI gameshow.

[George White]

June Rodgers, aka. the egg woman from Pink Flamingos.

She is an old sparring partner of Brendan O'Carroll, hence her roles in both Agnes Browne and D'Movie. One of her  "characters" is secret agent Oliver  Bond, named after some Dublin flats. That is the joke.

[SteveDave]

If anyone lives in Hull it will be Ronnie Pickering

Who?

[Wet Blanket]

If anyone lives in Hull it will be Ronnie Pickering

Look North presenter Peter Levy and his arch nemesis, weatherman Paul Hudson border on the iconic round these parts too

[studpuppet]

Just reminded myself of Major Stuart Benest, owner of a couple of local supermarkets in Jersey who (despite pleas from the marketing dept) did his own advert voiceovers:

1977: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekPmkicR34Q

1989: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxcnJ9S0O4c

Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzNJ1btG8rE

Philosophy of Retailing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFOBkK63MsU

[George White]

Dublin cabaret comics Sil Fox and Noel V Ginnity. Mother told me about the dreadful reception the former got when he performed at her office party, and the former only became nationally famous when involved in a kidnapping IIRC, thus getting his own Late Late Show tribute, despite previously being an unknown.
Both regulars on the funny Friday slot on Joe Duffy's Lahv-Lahn.

[doppelkorn]

Just reminded myself of Major Stuart Benest, owner of a couple of local supermarkets in Jersey who (despite pleas from the marketing dept) did his own advert voiceovers:

1977: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekPmkicR34Q

1989: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxcnJ9S0O4c

Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzNJ1btG8rE

Philosophy of Retailing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFOBkK63MsU

We're possibly due a new BENESTS OF MILLBROOK thread, but we've probably mined all the good bits. Mind you, look at the L&L thread...

"WINE! The great enemy!"

[non capisco]

Benests of Millbrook (and Fineprice!) is one of the greatest things I've ever discovered through here.

"THE DRUMBEAT OF SUCCESS!"

[Glebe]

Ah yes, Captain Two-Litaaaaaar! Having visited Jersey several times from childhood to my early 20's, I feel like I can kind of 'honourarily' have him as a local star. Tremendous protein value...

I replied with UTV/Ulster's continuity man, Julian "and now on the UTV" Simmons, who until the ITV buyout of UTV last year was still in-vision.

What about ye?! Used to love his camp introductions to Corrie.

According to Wiki:

In addition to his presenting career at UTV, Simmons starred in the film Wild About Harry, playing the role of Michael Bay.

What?! Not that Michael Bay, surely...

In an interview in 2008, Simmons announced that he was gay.

Mate, we figured that out a loooooong time before that...

See also, in Ireland, the likes of Dickie Rock, who despite Eurovision never quite broke though eslewhere, apparently because he was so big in Ireland, he couldn't focus elsewhere. Joe Dolan did, to an extent, but faded.

Urgh, the whole showbands/bland country music thing here is really depressing, although I have a fondness for poor old Joe... gone ten years now, he is. I'm sure you recall that Joe's 90's album, which covered the likes of Blur's 'The Universal' and Reef's 'Place Your Hands'.

Noel V Ginnity.

He seems to pop up every year in Dun Laoghaire's Royal Marine Hotel Christmas show... there was a poster up a few years ago featuring his red-nosed face, which I managed to find online (can't find it now, though) and use as a H.S.Art whimsy thing about Bob Geldof being an alcoholic or summit.

[George White]

Oh god, I was in film school in Dun Laoghaire three years ago, and all those posters were all over the town. I had heard his act, but never seen it, and now imagine him as basically Krusty the Klown doing his Chinese act.

I do miss Julian and in-vision continuity. I really do. Friends from the mainland UK are often astonished when I told them I grew up with in-vision through UTV. Although when I was wee, his voice did scare me.

Showbands depressing?
In what way? The idea of these figures who never quite broke through, touring to play their old fans, but with all the regret that "if I had quit, I may have been somewhat bigger. I may have a house in Torremolinos, but I could have been a Vegas headliner."

And yes, I know some showbands did do Vegas, Dolan, Brendan Bowyer and the big 8, but Rock never did. 

Or just depressing music, of the old Ireland.

[thecuriousorange]

[non capisco]

I'll be the judge of that, pal.

[shiftwork2]

Benests of Millbrook (and Fineprice!) is one of the greatest things I've ever discovered through here.

"THE DRUMBEAT OF SUCCESS!"

There's that and there's RENEWED VIGOUR.  Fucker knows he's in charge.

I don't know if it's how these clips are presented on youtube but there's an awkwardly overlong silent shot of some cunt hesitantly reversing into a parking space on lots of these that I find hilarious.

https://youtu.be/WxcnJ9S0O4c

[non capisco]

There's that and there's RENEWED VIGOUR.  Fucker knows he's in charge.

I don't know if it's how these clips are presented on youtube but there's an awkwardly overlong silent shot of some cunt hesitantly reversing into a parking space on lots of these that I find hilarious.

https://youtu.be/WxcnJ9S0O4c

Oh man, dying here. The car gingerly reversing in silence for ages and then your boy suddenly steams in with "AS MEMORIES OF 1988 VANISH INTO THE MISTS..."

[George White]

He's waiting for the day when Sil Fox dies, so he can take his place on Funny Friday.
The thing is his songs could easily be covered by the modern country and Irish stars, yer Ritchie Remos or Marty Mones, who sing similar songs like Hit the Diff with straight faces in attempts to be teen idols. It's just the difference. Being an alleged comedy performer not an alleged country performer.

[darby o chill]

On a side note, not a Dubliner, but who remembers the late Vincent Hanley? Used to love watching MT-USA on a Sunday!

Fab Vinnie! Yeah loved it. Well ahead of the curve. There was a radio documentary/tribute thing on some regional station about 4 months ago but I missed it. I caught a short feature on RTE R1 with Bill Hughes (producer from 85 till the end) but it wasn't great.

edit: found it
https://www.mixcloud.com/fanningsessions/vincent-hanley-cominatcha/

[bomb_dog]

How about Big Jeff in Bristol? Goes to 7-10 gigs a week, apparently, and seemingly is at every gig I go to in Bristol.

I was told he was in an accident and can 'see' music now. He fucking loves live music. There's documentaries on him on YouTube apparently.

[Shaky]

An early memory is Hugo Duncan and George Jones, not that one hosting some sub Its a Knockout BBC NI gameshow.

Oh God... George Jones. That squawking comedy sidekick he had on his radio show would probably qualify as another local "star" too.

Anyone mentioned NI sensation May McFetteridge yet?

[Phoenix Lazarus]

How about Big Jeff in Bristol? Goes to 7-10 gigs a week, apparently, and seemingly is at every gig I go to in Bristol.

I was told he was in an accident and can 'see' music now. He fucking loves live music. There's documentaries on him on YouTube apparently.

Synaesthia.  I experienced that when on LSD, once.  I was turning the pages of a book, and every page I turned was accompanied with a small flash of white light at the page edge.

[thenoise]

How about Big Jeff in Bristol? Goes to 7-10 gigs a week, apparently, and seemingly is at every gig I go to in Bristol.

I was told he was in an accident and can 'see' music now. He fucking loves live music. There's documentaries on him on YouTube apparently.

The documentary seems to have been taken down, hmmm.  I think he's a bit uncomfortable with his 'celebrity' status.  Nice guy though, he used to work on the City Farm, not sure if he still does.  If you have ever played in a band in Bristol it's an honour to look down from the stage and see the 'one man moshpit' himself, I knew that we had made it as a band :)

Was going to add Dutty Ken, legendary owner of the rough but fun St Paul's Reggae club Star and Garter, only just realised that he passed away earlier this year:

[George White]

Oh God... George Jones. That squawking comedy sidekick he had on his radio show would probably qualify as another local "star" too.

Anyone mentioned NI sensation May McFetteridge yet?

The yellow Tayto to Mrs. Brown's red Tayto.
Eamonn Holmes' cousin too.

Town Challenge was the Hugo-George Jones show I was trying to remember.

[DrunkCountry]

Here's a really good friend of mine having a 'tracks of my life' style interview on Radio Cardiff, the station (under previous management) that sacked him a couple of years ago but is now wooing him back with this personality focus special. God bless him, heart of gold, a top fellah & does a shit ton of community radio work & music promotion across South Wales, but this doesn't half swoop in & out of Patridgean territory throughout, kicking off fantastically with his first choice tune Gangsta's Paradise, aided unintentionally by the clattering/frequently astounded local DJ trying to get a word in/ask a meaningful question. Lots of aggressive self-promotion, cross-talk, contradiction, 'back in the day' reminiscences, cod philosophy, multi-faceted career paths, rags to riches, good times & hard times anecdotes, life affirming fables/metaphors, positivity, repeated taking control of the interview/show, names dropped, technical chaos, etc. It's a pretty good summation of his life, all told, &, as far as I am aware, all true.

https://www.mixcloud.com/BigScottRadio/big-scott-on-radio-cardiffs-faith-walker-show-13-07-2017/

^{Originally posted in the Alan Partridge - Inheritance Tracks Radio 4 thread but deleted & moved here because this seems far more appropriate.}

[Glebe]

Aha, here's someone I should have thought of sooner... Pat Ingoldsby. Used to do kids' TV in the '80s, and has been a common sight on Dublin's streets for years, selling his poetry books and that.



Another person who comes to mind is former Late Late Show pianist Frank McNamara, although apparently he's internationally renowned.

I remember walking past The Chieftains' Paddy Moloney one day on Ormond Quay... 'Hey! It's Paddy Moloney from The Chieftains all of a sudden!'

Showbands depressing?
In what way? The idea of these figures who never quite broke through, touring to play their old fans, but with all the regret that "if I had quit, I may have been somewhat bigger. I may have a house in Torremolinos, but I could have been a Vegas headliner."

And yes, I know some showbands did do Vegas, Dolan, Brendan Bowyer and the big 8, but Rock never did. 

Or just depressing music, of the old Ireland.

Yeah, it's just all a decrepit, reactionary and ugly and unimaginative... even Partridge would find that stuff "Saaaaaaad!"

I'll be the judge of that, pal.

You got there first... WOW, great minds!

Fab Vinnie! Yeah loved it. Well ahead of the curve. There was a radio documentary/tribute thing on some regional station about 4 months ago but I missed it. I caught a short feature on RTE R1 with Bill Hughes (producer from 85 till the end) but it wasn't great.

edit: found it
https://www.mixcloud.com/fanningsessions/vincent-hanley-cominatcha/

Must give that a listen, cheers.

Anyone mentioned NI sensation May McFetteridge yet?

The yellow Tayto to Mrs. Brown's red Tayto.
Eamonn Holmes' cousin too.

Oh fuck me, yeah, that yolk is creepy as fuck... being Eamonn Holmes' cousin does not improve things.

[Captain Poodle Basher]

Aha, here's someone I should have thought of sooner... Pat Ingoldsby. Used to do kids' TV in the '80s, and has been a common sight on Dublin's streets for years, selling his poetry books and that.

I helped Pat get his 'pop up shop' onto the bus a few times. Everyone else on board just passive-aggressively ignored him and hoped the driver would leave him standing at the stop. On one occasion, Pat lavished praise on me while cursing our fellow passengers, much to their discomfort. Also, I used to work with a relative of his who told me that the entire Ingoldsby clan were embarrassed by him.

[Glebe]

I helped Pat get his 'pop up shop' onto the bus a few times. Everyone else on board just passive-aggressively ignored him and hoped the driver would leave him standing at the stop. On one occasion, Pat lavished praise on me while cursing our fellow passengers, much to their discomfort. Also, I used to work with a relative of his who told me that the entire Ingoldsby clan were embarrassed by him.

Haha, nice one... my brother once spotted him getting out of a car with two women on his arms, the dark horse!

Not Dublin-born, but how about the late Eugene Lambert, creator of such iconic Irish shows such as Wanderly Wagon (which featured Frank 'Father Jack' Kelly as Doctor Astro!) and, of course, that squealing little fucker Bosco... the family-run Lambert Puppet Theatre is based in Monkstown, and was once visited by none other than Michael Jackson (yes, that Michael Jackson)!



Actually, if we can include local 'characters', there were several people who became the stuff of legend in the city of the years, such as Thomas 'Bang Bang' Dudley, who used to jump off the backs of the old open-top buses and 'shoot' people with a big key he carried, Johnny Fortycoats, who wore a ton of layers in all weather (the above-mentioned Wanderly Wagon featured a character inspired by him, actually) and another guy known as Hairy Lemon. The Dubliners' song 'The Mero' mentions all three.

[George White]

Fortycoats, who then became RTE'S answer to Doctor Who, as they never showed Who, though they did show Blake's 7, Quatermass, Sapphire and Steel, Catweazle, Worzel Gummidge, the Avengers, the Good Old Days, various HTV kids series, various BBC Sunday classics by Barry Letts, Space:1999, most ITC shows...

My first and for many years only panto was a puppets one at the Lambert, hosted by Judge and Eugene, and I have bumped into Pat. It's the equivalent of seeing Johnny Ball selling homemade monograms.

I still see Pat on the streets. It's weird, someone who's books were always in school libraries alongside Johnny Ball, Rolf Harris, et al,and now he's rejected modern society. Surprised none of the Yewtree lot did this earlier.

I find the showband behind the scenes business so much more interesting than the music, same with the Irish country scene and the Northern Soul scene, even to an extent.

[LanceUppercut]

West Yorkshire we have Mike of mike's carpets:


Also the guy from the safestyle adverts:



I've heard the safestyle guy actually walks the strees in that gear

[Glebe]

Fortycoats, who then became RTE'S answer to Doctor Who

According to Wiki:

Eugene Lambert (creator of Wanderly Wagon) appears not to have held the show in very high regard - describing it as "a rehash of our program" and pointing out that the Lambert family had nothing at all to do with the production.

Rick Parfitt lives!

"She needs WOLF POWER!"

Btw, good to see he caters to the hobbit community, going by that door beside his elbow...