Michele Gallagher

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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lwindrush
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by lwindrush »

Back on topic, I joined the EB forum to share my memories of the FF tv series and novels and to find out what the main actors were up to today, it's just natural curiosity. The TV series made a big impact on me at the time and I am anxiously awaiting the DVDS.
Gary and Marcus are both successful and high profile, Jenny wants to remain in the limelight and Michele has become something of an enigma.
I'm not interested in how or why she died its none of my business but I would like to know a little more about her life post FF. I'm sure 10 years on her family and friends would be delighted that she is being treasured and remembered with great affection.

The complete absence and blanket of silence surrounding her is puzzling, she had a high profile in a major TV series, I remember the huge coverage given to the show in Look-in magazine at the time, all the feature stories and interviews.
Of course people move on and drift out of acting, this query is to reflect the huge admiration I had for her as an actress in the series and to share this with fellow fans here. I wish everyone here love peace and affection.
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Moonraker
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Re: Fred and Jack with a nod to Jenny...

Post by Moonraker »

lwindrush wrote:Jenny wants to remain in the limelight
I always understood that Jenny didn't want to stay in the limelight. She even hid her tv history from her children! Back off topic, Fred Dinenage (he gets mortally offended if people miss out the second n!) is still holding the rudder, presenting Meridian's nightly news programme. The old bloke smoking a pipe was the wonderful Jack Hargreaves - a legend in country broadcasting - DVDs of his programmes can be obtained very cheaply from garden centres and online sellers.
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lwindrush
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by lwindrush »

Off topic again wasn't Steve Coogans Alan Partridge based on Fred Dinenage? I'm glad Fred's still on TV. The mans a legend!
Sag
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Sag »

Re: Michelle
I have been reading all the posts on this site for the past couple of years, it's kind of strange to be reading so much stuff about someone I knew and loved for 27 years. My friendship with Michelle began at the arts educational school way back in 1974, we continued to be friends right up to her death in 2001.She was so bright and funny,we had the best and the worst times together,I still miss and think about her often
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Francis
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Francis »

Well we'll be seeing the best of times when the DVDs are released
- the most appropriate memorial for those of us who didn't know her.
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lwindrush
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by lwindrush »

I haven't watched the series since it was first broadcast 34 years ago but Michele's vivid performance remains strongly on my memory. The DVD release is going to be a great memorial to her and hopefully to a new generation who were too young for this first time around.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Sag wrote:I have been reading all the posts on this site for the past couple of years, it's kind of strange to be reading so much stuff about someone I knew and loved for 27 years.
Very sorry you lost such a good friend. Many of us who never met Michele regard her with affection because we admired her - and envied her! - in her role as George.
"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.


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Sag
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Sag »

Gary Russell wrote:Ah, I said she spoke German, not that she was fluent or anything.
Yes she did, she was totally fluent
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Moonraker »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
Sag wrote:I have been reading all the posts on this site for the past couple of years, it's kind of strange to be reading so much stuff about someone I knew and loved for 27 years.
Very sorry you lost such a good friend. Many of us who never met Michele regard her with affection because we admired her - and envied her! - in her role as George.
May I echo Anita's sentiment. However, you speak as if she were a personal friend, yet you say, "Many of us who never met Michele..." which suggest you never met her. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't quite understand.
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lwindrush
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by lwindrush »

Moonraker it was Anita who said this if you read back.

Just listened to the hospital radio broadcast of the three actors and Gail talking about the series, very entertaining especially Gary who has an encyclopaedic memory.
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Moonraker »

So it was! Sorry, Iwindrush, another senior moment. :oops:
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Sag
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Sag »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
Sag wrote:I have been reading all the posts on this site for the past couple of years, it's kind of strange to be reading so much stuff about someone I knew and loved for 27 years.
Very sorry you lost such a good friend. Many of us who never met Michele regard her with affection because we admired her - and envied her! - in her role as George.

Thank you, Michelle would so pleased that so many people admired her
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Yan
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Yan »

Sag wrote:
Gary Russell wrote:Ah, I said she spoke German, not that she was fluent or anything.
Yes she did, she was totally fluent
That's what I supposed because Michele's son told me that her mother (called Barbera) was German. So Michele certainly grew up bilingually.

It's nice to have someone here on these forums who knew Michele since school days.
She was my favourite actor/actress in the series, too.

I'm sure that the two summers were much fun for her. It's too bad that she never worked as an actress again.
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Francis
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Francis »

Not sure about her parent's background but quite a few British
men stationed in Germany after the war married German women.
I am always surprised how many German wives I meet just
travelling in buses (I recognise their accents having lived in
Germany for most of my childhood).
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Pipster
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Re: Michele Gallagher

Post by Pipster »

Michelle's mother was indeed German, from a Sinti background. This is worth noting, as the FF books and series are often criticised for their portrayal of Romani characters as colourful ragamuffins (Jo and Sniffer), or swarthy villians with earrings (their fathers).

Ironic, then, that the major role of George in the 70s series was played by a person of part-Romani descent.
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