She was such a successful wee entertainer, no one has come close to her yet to be so talented at that age, said Margaret. She never had the chance to go out with other girls to a disco.. And since then, Ive looked at the careers of Dusty Springfield and Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, at how theyve reinvented themselves over the years., He adds, in soft voice. No1 DAY AT A TIME; New Lena Martell album outsells Kylie and Britney. Songs Are Such Good Things [1] [2] is the fifth album by Scottish singer Lena Zavaroni, released in 1978 by Galaxy Records. Starring Erin Armstrong and Jon Culshaw, as Hughie Green as the Opportunity. Her not eating was a never-ending battle. Emily Wilson reports on an operation that remains highly controversial. Hes Making Eyes song, but they couldnt find a song suitable for a kiddie that wasnt a love song., Zavaroni knew nothing about the complexities or workings of showbusiness, he says. It goes into the mind. I just noticed her getting very thin and took her to the doctor, says Zavaroni. 146K views 15 years ago Lena Zavaroni tribute site:- http://www.lenazavaroni.com Very moving full length documentary which looks at the life and tragic death of the hugely talented child. Copyright 2000 Gale, Cengage Learning. While at stage school her weight dropped to just four stones. Our community offers an alternative to subs that don't allow videos or podcast links as post submissions to kick off discussion. The leading cast of Lena Erin Armstrong as Lena, Alan McHugh as Victor and Julie Combe as Hilda Zavaroni. Minnelli, Ball, Zavaroni. Im not reliant on acting. Lena Zavaroni was born on the 4th of November in the town of Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute, just off the West coast of Scotland. Everybody thinks being a child star is glamorous. LAST NIGHT; Let Lena's sad story be a lesson to us all. MARTELL'S BELLS! For webmasters |, COPYRIGHT 2000 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. While she was at stage school, her weight dropped to 4 stone (25kg, 56lbs). She was just a kiddie and I was young myself. Zavaroni, who sang music hall hits such Ma, Hes Making Eyes at Me and Personality struggled to develop from precocious little girl to teenager. The story will be told in flashback and a cast of five will tell Lenas story. She lived to be a star - but, sadly, it was stardom that killed her. Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Whitnall points out that Lena Zavaroni initially viewed performance as a hobby. All the kids were saying, Did you see that girl last night? It was an awful winter of power cuts and fuel shortages and discontent, and to hear this girl, this atomic bomb of a voice crackling out from the speaker of our little television, was just amazing.. The Real Lena Zavaroni. They will speak out about her traumatic life in a Channel 4 documentary, The Real Lena Zavaroni, to be screened tomorrow night at 10pm. Tue 5 Oct 1999 11.23 EDT. Her parents sang, and my father was the same, as was their father.. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. (He's Making Eyes At Me) - Singer. On 7 September 1999, she underwent the surgery, but only three weeks later developed a chest infection and died from bronchial pneumonia. Subscribe for only 5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica. I was 16 when I auditioned for Elvis and I went from being at school on Friday, to being on stage on Monday to start rehearsals, with our faces all over the papers. Photograph: PA The Observer Pop and rock Lena Zavaroni: fame, anorexia and the tragedy of a 1970s child star Zavaroni was in the charts. The little girl from the Isle of Bute had won Opportunity Knocks, then the biggest thing on television, for a recordbreaking five weeks running. It was a 22-year battle she was to lose despite being granted her wish for a brain operation in a last desperate attempt to cure her eating disorder. appeared on the Thames Television talent show, LP and Single: Ma! 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The year was 1974 and Lena Zavaroni, then only ten years old, was on top of the world. It attracted me to Lenas story. (Hes Making Eyes At Me), reaching the Top 10. And today her best friend reveals her own shocking battle with the eating disorder. As a ten year old, she appeared on the Thames Television talent. Stressed boss wins payout of pounds 175,000. To be very good? Tim Whitnall, who has won a Bafta and Olivier Award for his writing, describes the play with songs as the celebration of a talent, but with a sobering lesson to be learned. From the earliest times to 2004. LENA DAD'S AGONY OVER BIOGRAPHY; Book drags up painful memories of star's death. Did Lena Zavaroni become so confused she objectified, then rejected herself? Is it Hughie Green? Zavaroni began singing at age two. And you realise that even though she is a child and shes sweet and nave, she acts like an adult when she is singing, convincing that she really knows about love or whatever. There are lots of Ron Howards, Donny Osmonds and Hayley Mills out there. I kept wondering how they expected me to fit into these dresses. Lena Zavaroni, aged 14, with parents Hilda and Victor, at home in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, September 1978. And she could tell a story so well. Yet could Coward have anticipated the modern age effects of fame, manifesting in major mental health problems? The show was taped at the BBC Television Centre. I dont think Lena liked that Ma! They have to cope with the fact their daughter/son is being offered up to a world which preys on vulnerability. Justin Bieber, drag racing at 3am in a yellow Lamborghini with a ready supply of drugs and alcohol, and a lingerie model for company. Lena Zavaroni, who had a short-lived marriage, suffered both a tormented and ignominious end, living on benefits in council housing in Wales. Lena Zavaroni at the age of 10 in 1974, standing in front of a miniature of the. battled anorexia nervosa since age 13, and felt she could not live with Lena Zavaroni was a teenage sensation in the mid-'70s but was built up so far by the media that she succumbed to the eating disorder anorexia nervosa and died at the age of just 35. She would phone home when she felt homesick. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2006. If that spotlight is the school playground that can be difficult enough, but if its the internet and it goes out to the world, then thats very different. And when I was 16 and the auditions came up for the part in Shetland, which I was lucky enough to get, I was clueless about the whole process. Ellie. It was a torment to her. She was sensational. I said: Is it OK if I show this to a lawyer? And they said: Oh no. Walking down the corridor she stopped abruptly when she saw the names on the door. 8. I just wanted to tell that story and all that it entailed.. Erin Armstrong, who has starred in BBC drama Shetland for 10 years, plays Lena. It was a good school to go to and she did well and they were all sorry she developed anorexia they tried their best. (He's Making Eyes At Me), a collection of classic and then-recent pop standards which reached number eight in the UK album chart. But with each passing decade the effects of fame have become harsher. Just six months after Lenas death, Margarets mum also died. Lena Zavaroni was just 10 years old when she appeared on TV variety show Opportunity Knocks in 1974 and went on to become a singing sensation. She would be 58 now and its been more than 20 years since she died, so some people have forgotten her.. However, three weeks after the operation, she contracted pneumonia which saw her weight drop to less than five stone (70lb; 32kg), and died from bronchial pneumonia on 1 October. LENA is produced by Anna Murphy, Feather Productions in association with Beacon Arts Centre and is funded by Creative Scotland. In Wales, at a Cardiff hospital, she underwent a psychosurgical operation. Ticket for the recording of Lena Zavaroni and Music at the time of recording the show was called Lena Zavaroni and Guests (1979). Later she starred in her own television series, made numerous TV guest star appearances, and appeared on stage. It was at that point my mum, whod been a figure skater, asked me if Id enjoyed the whole process and when I said Id loved it she said she would reach out and try for auditions for other things., Armstrongfound an agent and success continued. THE father of tragic singing star Lena Zavaroni has launched an attack on filmmakers over plans to bring her life story to the big screen. 10. From the age of thirteen, Zavaroni suffered anorexia nervosa and also developed clinical depression when she was fifteen. [citation needed], In 1974, Zavaroni appeared on Opportunity Knocks hosted by Hughie Green and won the show for a record-breaking five weeks running. Published 7th Oct 2021, 14:49 BST. All Rights Reserved. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. (He's Making Eyes at Me), she was the youngest person in history to have an album in the top ten of the UK Albums Chart. performer: "Ma! Just posting the link to this English documentary. Scottish, her family was of Scottish and Italian descent and she grew up in a Becoming a teenager and attending stage school in London, Zavaroni struggled to cope. Find the right content for your market. Im not sitting here wondering what Ill be doing in four weeks time. Lena was singing as soon as she could talk. Short article about the documentary (Stars In Their Eyes) which follows the lives of various members of the Italia Conti stage school, including Lena Zavaroni and Bonnie Langford. The story is told in flashback. What a voice and what a pair of lungs for a wee girl who was only 4ft 11in. She is delighted a new play about Lenas life is being produced. Youd never heard the name. The death of Lena Zavaroni, the child singer who suffered from anorexia for most of her life, was not a result of the brain surgery for depression she underwent three weeks earlier, an inquest. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Ive got an amazing cast who understand how to bring stories to life. Two weeks after the pioneering operation 35 . Zavaroni was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire and grew up in the small town of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. Her mum and dad had divorced by then. Also in 1989, Zavaroni's mother, Hilda, died of a tranquilliser overdose and a fire destroyed all of her show business mementos. Now she wants to see Lenas own legacy returned to prominence. [2] Track listing [ edit] "Ma! Whitnall first spoke to Lenas dad, Victor, a decade ago and it was those conversations which prompted him to write the script from her fathers point of view. Six episodes were aired by the BBC in the spring of 1979. Watch on. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. (He's Making Eyes At Me)", performer: "Some of These Days", "There's Something About You Baby I Like" (uncredited). . Macaulay Culkin, the actor received three one-year suspended prison sentences. Shocking as it was to hear those clips with Lena being patronised over her anorexia, that is a tragedy that hasnt gone away. Margaret became aware of her cousins anorexia fight when Lena was 13. The young Scot went on to perform at the White House for President Gerald Ford. We were out having a meal in the Black Bull when my dad came to the door and signalled to my mum, who was with us, to come out, she recalled. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . Coward also understood that success can be fleeting, and when it departs it leaves behind a husk, where a once-formed person had existed. She was such a special wee girl., Lena, Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, March 16-19, Writer: I remember after Opportunity Knocks everyone talking about Lena. Were talking about things more and we are more aware of issues like anorexia, but has much changed really?, she says. But as a writer, Ive been aware that nothing seems to have changed really. I know about anorexia now because I made it my business to, but then? By John Devlin. Signed to the soul-oriented Stax Records label in the United States, Zavaroni was not especially successful in America, despite the praise and television appearances; her Ma album did not enter the charts, and its title single only reached 91st position on the Billboard Hot 100 during a four-week chart run in the summer of 1974. Please, Lena Zavaroni found fame after winning the talent show Opportunity Knocks. In Australia, the Butterfly Foundation is at 1800 33 4673. Two years later she sang for President Gerald Ford at the White House and went on to have her own TV shows while performing live around the world, including Broadway. I dont want to sensationalise it. Lena was huge. Recently, watched a documentary about the late singer, Lena Zavaroni and at the very end, there was a mention that the clinic she had stayed in for Press J to jump to the feed. Teaching also offers Armstrong an insight into the problems of the developing mind. Victor Zavaroni, 69, is furious that producers of the . This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, Revealed: Trees planted to help achieve net zero are adding to Scotlands carbon emissions, Dreading the hordes? She performed at a charity show in Hollywood the same year, sharing a bill with Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. Lena Zavaroni knew all about the highs and the lows in her short life, while running through it as a constant thread was her fight against anorexia. By this time, she was living on state benefits and in 1999 was accused of stealing a 50p packet of jelly, although the charges were later dropped. Cookie Notice Its there for ever., The writer adds: And if you are changing rapidly and every day you are forced to confront your image it can be extremely formative. Zavaroni, born in Greenock, grew up in a Rothesay council house and sang in her parents chip shop to entertain customers, eventually drawing the attention of Green, whose talent show had 18 million viewers. There are a few recordings of television interviews with Lena Zavaroni around online. I had never heard of her [Lena] before but as soon as I looked her up the story was just so striking, so poignant and so many themes are relevant today. She liked entertaining people. Has the writer managed to punctuate the darkness with flashes of light? I hope it will take off and Id love to see it on Broadway. In the US, the National Eating Disorders Association is on 800-931-2237. I only became fanatical about not eating when the pressure got too much. The cast from Lena, a new play with music based on the life of Lena Zavaroni, seen from the point of view of her father Victor. It was unbelievable, really, in those days, adds Zavaroni. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Tatum ONeill began taking drugs and alcohol at the shockingly young age of 9 and became addicted to heroin. She became depressed. All rights reserved. For me it was never about fame. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Track listing [ edit] Speedy Gonzales (you'd better come home) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song I Always Seem To Wind Up Loving You Keep Your Mind On Love Songs Are Such Good Things I Should Have Listened To Mama With hindsight, now, I dont think Id let her do it, says her father Victor Zavaroni, now 82, through whose eyes a new musical about Lenas life has been written by Bafta and Olivier award-winner Tim Whitnall. She was in the Royal Infirmary and I went to see her. During the late 1990s, living alone in her flat, receiving disability This was an enjoyable hobby. Hers is a salutary, yet deeply sad story. LENA stars Erin Armstrong (Shetland/10 Rillington Place) as Lena, the UKs best impressionist Jon Culshaw (Dead Ringers/ The Impressionist Show) as TVs original Mr. Starmaker, Hughie Green, Alan McHugh (Scot Squad/The Limmy Show) as Victor, Julie Combe (River City/ Hope Springs) as Hilda Zavaroni and Helen Logan (River City/A Mugs Game) as Dorothy Solomon. And what happens if a young hopeful reveals a degree of talent, has some success but fails to adapt to fame and then finds that the entertainment industry no longer values them? We also have Alan McHugh as Victor, Julie Coombe as Lenas mum, Hilda, and Helen Logan as her manager, Dorothy Solomon.. Hughie was a bit like Simon Cowell. The actor points out that anorexia is not only a known illness, but far more prevalent than it was in Lena Zavaronis day, with some 1.25m sufferers in the UK today. And so, this is the story of how fame affects people, but its also the story of an incredible performer. Judy Garland became drug and alcohol dependent, 2. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. How to capture that charisma, the singing talent, yet also show a mix of a once-confident, cheeky young girl who would throw tantrums and is also incredibly vulnerable? Lena Zavaroni died of a chest infection last Friday after the modern version of a lobotomy. Before she died in 1999 the girl from Rothesay on the Scottish island of Bute had hosted her own TV shows, performed at the White House and shared a stage with Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. Robbed of her childhood, she struggled with mental health issues and eating disorders for a quarter of a century before her death at just 35 in 1999. 296,669,475 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. But she was well aware of how fickle showbiz can be. AN ORIGINAL play about tragic Scots child star Lena Zavaroni is to be given a world premiere in the town where she was born. [7][8], Her funeral took place at the Roman Catholic Church of St Augustine in Hoddesdon, on 15 October 1999 and she was buried later that day at Hoddesdon Cemetery in Hertfordshire.[7]. Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Something went wrong - please try again later. Editors' Code of Practice. Zavaroni, who grew up in Rothesay, became the . Was it genetic? Feedback | SEVEN years ago this week, former child star Lena Zavaroni lost her tragic fight with anorexia. Following this, Zavaroni guest-starred on The Carol Burnett Show, and on June 4th 1974, The Tonight Show. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Born in 1963, Zavaroni became an overnight . Lena achieved the feat at the tender age of 10a record that still remains intact. She went on to have her own TV shows. Lena Zavaroni was just 10 years old when she appeared on TV variety show Opportunity Knocks in 1974 and went on to become a singing sensation. Theres nine years between Lena and I, and I used to take her and her wee sister, Carla, everywhere. The challenge of playing Lena Zavaroni is a daunting one. When she returned, she told us we needed to go home. 1939) played the guitar and her mother, Hilda (ne Jordan) (c. 1940 1989) sang. Tim Whitnall says we will never know. To make a long story short, Lena was kept in her room, forbidden to directly contact family and friends and not even being allowed to leave. Scan this QR code to download the app now. LENA will premiere at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock from the 16 - 19 March 2022. I watched footage of when Lena was young. And Coward could never have imagined the internet, an awesome platform for those who live to pass judgement on those who try to entertain. Although the operation would not cure her anorexia, she was desperate for it to proceed and threatened suicide if it did not (she also took a drug overdose). You were in that moment your daughter was enjoying doing what she loved. I could see youth was a currency. BUY TWO IMAGES, GET THE LOWEST PRICE IMAGE HALF PRICE WITH CODE: 50%OFFNEXTIMAGE. Please, The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. She blamed this on the pressure placed upon her to fit into costumes while at the same time "developing as a woman". Hes Making Eyes At Me, Roses and Rainbows and (Youve Got) Personality. A tiny girl with an enormous voice, she was feted by television viewers when in 1974, at . She appeared on US television with Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. Nowadays, in primary schools, children are developing eating disorders. Whitnall, who was Teletubbies narrator from 1997 to 2001, originally envisaged Lena as a film rather than a play. [6], In 1979, Zavaroni had her own TV series on the BBC called Lena Zavaroni and Music, and from 1980 to 1982 she had a TV series, Lena. I cant be sure. [3][failed verification], Zavaroni sang at a Hollywood charity show with Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball in 1974, at which Ball commented: "Youre special. Lena rocketed to fame in 1974 when she won Opportunity Knocks five times in a row at the tender age of nine. Erin Armstrongexplains she had a gentle introduction into performing, via the PACE theatre school in Paisley. She also travelled the world and despite not being a recording artist released a number of albums and singles.