Danny John Jules - Tribute
Lena Zavaroni
I remember as a young dancer seeing Dougie Squires’ boy dancers on the Lena series, thinking that’s where I should be. Well blow me over with a feather, that’s exactly what happened. I attended an audition at the BBC’s rehearsal rooms in North Acton. Dougie was no longer choreographing the show, which was a shame as I had never worked for him on TV and never would in my career. Dougie had given me my first professional job. It was a summer season in the Isle Of white at the Sandown pavilion. It starred Dickie Henderson and Jimmy Tarbuck. Dougie had no idea what he was unleashing into the world of Showbiz’. Many years later I would be rehearsing Red Dwarf in the very same rooms and bumping into Stuart Morris the producer of Lena’s show.
I had heard stories of how Mr Morris was a real hard taskmaster who would make people pee on themselves by simply calling their name. When I got into the audition Lud Romano who was the choreographer introduced Mr Morris to us and sitting there like Buddha himself intimidating the hell out of us he scanned the room without so much as a single facial movement. This guy was the top variety producer at the BBC. He was a big man in the business as well as in stature. He was REALLY big man who drove around in a Porsche rather than say, the more suitable Rolls Royce, which was the choice of all the variety people.
I was thinking, “This guy is never going to hire me”. But I did a good audition and I couldn’t believe it when my name was called. ‘Don’t judge a book by the cover’… or how loud he shouts. I never had any problems what so ever with Stuart or Lud. I was just glad I had got into TV and was too busy working my ass off. I remember once we were doing a camera rehearsal and Stuart’s booming voice came over the tanoy, “Lud, what’s Danny doing in the front again? People are going to think he’s my brother!” Now that was funny.
I remember the first time I saw Lena. She walked into rehearsal with her manager, Dorothy Solomon who was known for making The Bachelors famous. Lena was so tiny I could have put my fingers around her waist and touched them together. It was like meeting the Queen. I know because I have. It was the same feeling. Everybody loved her. I didn’t know what Anorexia was so I never thought about her in that way. I just thought she was small. Well people have always looked bigger on TV and she was no different. I remember once Dorothy coming to rehearsal with a Harrods bag and gave it to Lena. I thought it would have been Salmon and Caviar or something and was quite disappointed when it turned out to be chocolate.
Lena was just amazing. This girl learned songs, dances and sketches and not once did I ever see her make a mistake. I think she was the most talented person this country has ever produced. The likes of the singers out there now couldn’t have cleaned Lena’s shoes. Now you have people miming in shows on TV and it is accepted. Stuart Morris would never have had someone like that on one of his shows. I got to even kiss Lena in one number and I didn’t get a death threat. She also signed a 10 by 8 glossy colour photo for me at the end of the series too. I think she liked me. What a girl. The business is the worst for losing her.
I remember as a young dancer seeing Dougie Squires’ boy dancers on the Lena series, thinking that’s where I should be. Well blow me over with a feather, that’s exactly what happened. I attended an audition at the BBC’s rehearsal rooms in North Acton. Dougie was no longer choreographing the show, which was a shame as I had never worked for him on TV and never would in my career. Dougie had given me my first professional job. It was a summer season in the Isle Of white at the Sandown pavilion. It starred Dickie Henderson and Jimmy Tarbuck. Dougie had no idea what he was unleashing into the world of Showbiz’. Many years later I would be rehearsing Red Dwarf in the very same rooms and bumping into Stuart Morris the producer of Lena’s show.
I had heard stories of how Mr Morris was a real hard taskmaster who would make people pee on themselves by simply calling their name. When I got into the audition Lud Romano who was the choreographer introduced Mr Morris to us and sitting there like Buddha himself intimidating the hell out of us he scanned the room without so much as a single facial movement. This guy was the top variety producer at the BBC. He was a big man in the business as well as in stature. He was REALLY big man who drove around in a Porsche rather than say, the more suitable Rolls Royce, which was the choice of all the variety people.
I was thinking, “This guy is never going to hire me”. But I did a good audition and I couldn’t believe it when my name was called. ‘Don’t judge a book by the cover’… or how loud he shouts. I never had any problems what so ever with Stuart or Lud. I was just glad I had got into TV and was too busy working my ass off. I remember once we were doing a camera rehearsal and Stuart’s booming voice came over the tanoy, “Lud, what’s Danny doing in the front again? People are going to think he’s my brother!” Now that was funny.
I remember the first time I saw Lena. She walked into rehearsal with her manager, Dorothy Solomon who was known for making The Bachelors famous. Lena was so tiny I could have put my fingers around her waist and touched them together. It was like meeting the Queen. I know because I have. It was the same feeling. Everybody loved her. I didn’t know what Anorexia was so I never thought about her in that way. I just thought she was small. Well people have always looked bigger on TV and she was no different. I remember once Dorothy coming to rehearsal with a Harrods bag and gave it to Lena. I thought it would have been Salmon and Caviar or something and was quite disappointed when it turned out to be chocolate.
Lena was just amazing. This girl learned songs, dances and sketches and not once did I ever see her make a mistake. I think she was the most talented person this country has ever produced. The likes of the singers out there now couldn’t have cleaned Lena’s shoes. Now you have people miming in shows on TV and it is accepted. Stuart Morris would never have had someone like that on one of his shows. I got to even kiss Lena in one number and I didn’t get a death threat. She also signed a 10 by 8 glossy colour photo for me at the end of the series too. I think she liked me. What a girl. The business is the worst for losing her.