mama wrote:I knew Michele personally from around 1981 until her death. She had fallen into a very bad lifestyle after being involved in a motorcycle accident which left her partly disabled.
She eventually took her own life around 2000
Her ex partner and son (who is approx 22) I believe live on the south coast.
Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but she would have been very touched that she had so many fans.
Mama, since you knew Michele, do you have any photographs of her, grown up? If so, please post it here. We would all love to see it and clear our doubts about her.
I personally do not have any photos of her but I will see if my friends have any as they stayed in touch with her after I moved away from London. If they have I will see if I can get some.
One thing I can assure you is the picture that was somewhere else in this forum (I think it was this one) is not Michele Gallagher but Michelle Galagher (2 ll's) who is an actress who shares a similar name to Michele.
mama wrote:One thing I can assure you is the picture that was somewhere else in this forum (I think it was this one) is not Michele Gallagher but Michelle Galagher (2 ll's) who is an actress who shares a similar name to Michele.
Hello Mama,
Do you mean this one (click, and scroll halfway the page)?
Is the right one Michele at the age of 21?
Wouter, thanks for the above link. I took a look and was amazed to see a picture of Rupert Graves (Yan). I acted in a schools TV series "Starting Out" in 1982 which was filmed in Birmingham. Rupert played a character called John and I had no idea at the time that he had worked on the FF series. I was star struck at the time as one of the main characters was played by Carol Chell (fondly remembered by me from days as a Play School viewer).
You've made my day!!
Anita Bensoussane wrote:Wouter, it seems from what Mama said as if neither of those photos are of Michele Gallagher, but of another actress with a similar name.
Hi Anita,
I want to be sure if Mama mentioned that particulare picture. I hope Mama will confirm.
Jools wrote:Wouter, thanks for the above link
Hi Jools,
My pleasure. Nice to hear you played together with one of the actors from the FF-70ties series! It's a small world, isn't it.
Hiya,
Yes I am talking about the picture from that link. Neither of those girls are Michele Gallagher.
I will try and get some pictures of her in her adulthood, she hadn't really changed much in looks but she had changed her hairstyle as it was no longer curly.
I will keep in touch with anything else I can find out.
Mama
Thank you very much for your help and engagement, mama.
I am in touch with the German fansite's webmaster and informed him of your explanation about the photo. He told me that perhaps a photo of Michele as an adult also could be used for a possible legal DVD-edition of the 78 tv series (Southern Star and Chorion are working on the renewal of the series' rights).
I think if a DVD-editon of the series is realized it should be dedicated to Michele Gallagher.
[Yan:] "I think if a DVD-editon of the series is realized it should be dedicated to Michele Gallagher."
I'm surprised that there hasn't been an official DVD release of the 1970s Famous Five series before now. If it is released I agree with you, Yan, that it would be lovely if it could be dedicated to Michele Gallagher.
Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I've only just read this thread - prompted by Melinda's thread, which mentions Michele Gallagher - and it's terribly sad what happened to Michele. I really enjoyed her portrayal of George.
I've been trying to find out who played Jo in Five Fall into Adventure which must have been a casting nightmare seeing as the story required them to have an actress who could be mistaken for Michele Gallager. But IMDb simply don't have a credit for the part. Could that mean that they used Michele herself and lots of clever shots/trick photography?
I see that they did have a Jo for the 1997 series, but the actress who played her, Vanessa Cavanagh was tragically killed in a car crash at 18. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1247914/
On a lighter note, did anyone else mistake Michael Hinz for Graeme Garden?
I guess, as forum mod and all round 78 nut I'll just have to supply you with the answer, which of course means I'll just have to watch the video again from the start to the end credits...
In the 1970s series, Jo was played by a girl with straight, brown hair who didn't look much like Michele Gallagher. Gary Russell says in his article that her name was Julie Davis. In the 1990s series, Vanessa Cavanagh didn't look like Jemima Rooper either. As far as I can remember, the script writers in both series took into account the fact that Jo and George looked different.
Anita
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
The definitive '78 series nut.
) Michele was used for both characters.