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People who were briefly famous

(63 Posts)
Greenfinch Fri 19-Sept-25 20:30:54

FGT. Was it Cathy McGowan? She is 82 now!

Washerwoman Fri 19-Sept-25 20:28:11

Oh do I remember Ruth Lawrence the maths prodigy.DH and I were buying the house she was brought up in and her father totally messed us around.Surveys and everything done and he kept us hanging on for months then pulled out of selling.We ended up living with inlaws until we found a other house rather than let our buyers down.So that name brings back some memories!

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 19-Sept-25 20:16:22

Does anyone remember’Juke Box Jury’? I was (randomly) thinking about that panellist …. “Oil give it foive”. Brummie accent.

Must look it up it’s niggling me now!

JdotJ Fri 19-Sept-25 20:02:43

Ruth Lawrence is now 54 and, according to Google (that font of all knowledge 😳) is a Professor of Mathematics in Jerusalem.

Cumbrianmale56 Fri 19-Sept-25 19:45:52

Magenta8

Does anyone remember Ruth Lawrence who passed O'Level and A'Level maths at age nine and then went on to Oxford University and a first class degree in maths at age 13?

Yes, I wonder what happened to Ruth Lawrence as it would have been illegal to employ her until she was 16 and she couldn't really return to school as there was no point.

Magenta8 Fri 19-Sept-25 18:37:52

Does anyone remember Ruth Lawrence who passed O'Level and A'Level maths at age nine and then went on to Oxford University and a first class degree in maths at age 13?

Cumbrianmale56 Fri 19-Sept-25 17:43:00

TerriBull

I do remember Erica Roe, I always wondered about exhibitionists like her and their motivation for 5 minutes of fame. I guess showoffs are still with us in different guises, and sometimes the fame is longer than 5 minutes even with no particular talent.

My nomination would be Simon Dee, anyone remember him, talk show host personification of "1960s grooviness" that slightly missed the markgrinhad his heyday late '60s, then he was gone! I'm sure he was one such person who inspired Mike Myers Austin Powers.

Appatently Erika had a bit to drink, the crowd were bored with the half time entertainment, so she decided to run on to the pitch and whip off her top. These days she'd probably be on every reality show going and raking it in.
Simon Dee's fall from grace was qute sudden. He kept asking the BBC for more money, then left when they wouldn't pay him more, and a chat show on ITV flopped, and that was mostly the end of him.

Parsley3 Fri 19-Sept-25 17:33:45

Have checked. The friend kept her kit on.

Parsley3 Fri 19-Sept-25 17:31:43

If I remember correctly, Ms Roe was accompanied by a friend on her streak. However, as the friend was not so buxom as Ms Roe, she got zero publicity. I may have imagined this but I will try to check.

TerriBull Fri 19-Sept-25 16:42:33

I do remember Erica Roe, I always wondered about exhibitionists like her and their motivation for 5 minutes of fame. I guess showoffs are still with us in different guises, and sometimes the fame is longer than 5 minutes even with no particular talent.

My nomination would be Simon Dee, anyone remember him, talk show host personification of "1960s grooviness" that slightly missed the markgrinhad his heyday late '60s, then he was gone! I'm sure he was one such person who inspired Mike Myers Austin Powers.

M0nica Fri 19-Sept-25 15:59:38

Sparkle

JamesandJon33 Fri 19-Sept-25 15:30:32

Andy Warhol said everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. I’m still waiting.
What was the name of the woman who payed her way through university by being an ‘ escort’ ! and then wrote a book about it? She got her 15 minutes.

Cumbrianmale56 Fri 19-Sept-25 14:30:26

Anyon remember Erika Roe, the Twickenham streaker who decided to liven up half time by doing a streak across the pitch way back in 1982? I have looked online and Ms Roe, who was briefly a glamour model off the back of her streak, now lives in Portugal, owns an Air B and B and grows fruit. Odd when I saw the rugby last week I started thinking of Erika Roe and wondered what became of her after 1982.