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? (modern). [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]. Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZnmGZTlZu0}}, "WALES | Inquest told of star's suicide threat", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lena_Zavaroni&oldid=1147419319, Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2019, Articles needing additional references from June 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with failed verification from February 2023, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from June 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 20:50. Ive since gone on and trained to be a teacher. Her not eating was a never-ending battle. It's about a child star Lena Zavaroni who died of anorexia in the 90s. She entertained the world during a stellar career that took her from Rothesays Pavilion to the White House but, her family fear, Lena Zavaroni was asked to pay far too high a price for her fame. She was sensational. She lived to be a star - but, sadly, it was stardom that killed her. BUY TWO IMAGES, GET THE LOWEST PRICE IMAGE HALF PRICE WITH CODE: 50%OFFNEXTIMAGE. [7], In September 1999, Zavaroni was admitted to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for the psychosurgical operation. And so, this is the story of how fame affects people, but its also the story of an incredible performer. appeared on the Thames Television talent show, LP and Single: Ma! Minnelli, Ball, Zavaroni. 9. The writer was certainly aware that fame, more often than not, requires talent, that talent usually has to be accompanied by a perfect body shape and facial beauty. Erin Armstrong, 26, who plays Lena in the new show, believes not enough lessons have been learned about the problems of celebrity. I suppose it goes back to my own experience, he recalls during a break from rehearsals. Margaret, whose dad was the brother of Lenas father, Victor, spent plenty of time with her cousin when they were little. Today some 725,000 young people are living with anorexia in the UK and there still isnt a cure as such.. Hes Making Eyes at Me, 11 when it was a hit and 13 when she was diagnosed with anorexia, a barely known illness then called the slimmers disease. Ellie. Teaching also offers Armstrong an insight into the problems of the developing mind. (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. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Posts Biographies Discography+ On This Day More. 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? 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. and our Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Lena, a new play with music based on the singing sensation Lena Zavaroni as seen from the point of view of Lenas father, Victor. TVTimes TV Guide. Has the writer managed to punctuate the darkness with flashes of light? 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. Lena was huge. No1 DAY AT A TIME; New Lena Martell album outsells Kylie and Britney. The Journal of Phenomenological Psychology reports that young people certainly arent offered up classes in subjects such as Wealth, Temptations and Family Impact., It highlights that they certainly have no expectation of developing mistrust, isolation, and an unwillingness to give up fame, or that being in the world of celebrity is a process involving four temporal phases: love/hate, addiction, acceptance, and adaptation.. The tiny singer, who was just four feet, 10 inches tall, explained in one interview the pressure she felt under. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. Her parents owned a fish and chip shop. In 1989, Zavaroni married computer consultant Peter Wiltshire. Hailed as a child prodigy, she got a chance to perform in a TV show, 'Opportunity Knocks', and went on to win five successive . It was a torment to her. I can remember seeing Lena on television as a child. At ten years of age, with her album Ma! 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. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Everybody thinks being a child star is glamorous. 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. From the earliest times to 2004. I know Jon Culshaw and asked him to play Hughie Green from Opportunity Knocks and he jumped at it. Lena was huge. long time depression and anorexia. (Hes Making Eyes At Me), reaching the Top 10. Lena Zavaroni, aged 14, with parents Hilda and Victor, at home in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, September 1978. She remains the youngest artist ever to have a record in the Top 10 UK albums chart. I went from a very rural background to working the fleshpots of Soho. 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). Im not reliant on acting. Its a universal story and also a resonant one, with young peoples obsessions with self-image and celebrity culture.. [3], After the breakup of her marriage, Zavaroni moved to Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, to be nearer to her father and his second wife. Archived post. 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. When her mum died, I saw to everything. Tatum ONeill began taking drugs and alcohol at the shockingly young age of 9 and became addicted to heroin. Was it genetic? contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. I just wanted to tell that story and all that it entailed.. Chartbuster Lena leaves pop queens in her wake. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. The young Scot went on to perform at the White House for President Gerald Ford. 10. She performed at a charity show in Hollywood the same year, sharing a bill with Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. 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 It wasnt easy to keep in touch with her, said Margaret. We meet Lena at the end of her life, and the story then stems off into two narrators, one reliable, her father, Victor, played by Alan McHugh. [3] She continued to have anorexia throughout the 1980s. I kept wondering how they expected me to fit into these dresses. I just noticed her getting very thin and took her to the doctor, says Zavaroni. Born in 1963, Zavaroni became an overnight . Im proud to have been Lenas dad and I try to remember the happy times.. She never had the chance to go out with other girls to a disco.. Although Lena was just 4' 10" tall and had As a ten year old, she appeared on the Thames Television talent. Copyright 2023 Farlex, Inc. | and help from the show business charity "The Water Rats", Lena was Zavaroni, who grew up in Rothesay, became the . Living with clinical depression and anorexia drove Lena, against her familys wishes, to take the radical step of opting for a lobotomy, a controversial and rarely performed elective operation in which nerve pathways in the brain are severed. The story is told in flashback. Yesterday, Lena's family released the harrowing pictures to hammer home to others the full horror of anorexia. [3], Zavaroni underwent drug treatments and received electroconvulsive therapy in an attempt to end her depression. Songs Are Such Good Things [1] [2] is the fifth album by Scottish singer Lena Zavaroni, released in 1978 by Galaxy Records. And the teaching keeps me grounded.. (He's Making Eyes At Me)", performer: "Some of These Days", "There's Something About You Baby I Like" (uncredited). But then you have to remember she was just a little girl.. 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. Whitnall, who was Teletubbies narrator from 1997 to 2001, originally envisaged Lena as a film rather than a play. If you take a nine or ten-year-old girl and you stick them in the spotlight, then you can have serious problems. She was in no way prepared for the avalanche of interest which was to fall upon her after being discovered by Glaswegian record producer Tommy Scott while she was singing in her parents chip shop. Lena is produced by Anna Murphy, Feather Productions in association with Beacon Arts Centre and is funded by Creative Scotland. LENA will premiere at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock from the 16 - 19 March 2022. [2] Track listing [ edit] "Ma! I was a plump little girl, and I was also developing into a woman. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can To be very good? 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. Lena Zavaroni and Music (originally known as, pre-broadcast, as Lena Zavaroni and Guests) was a variety TV programme featuring singer Lena Zavaroni and her guests. 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. Search with an image file or link to find similar images, Search for stock images, vectors and videos. At ten years of age, with her album Ma! 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And when I began to write this play I said to Victor, Look, we cant dodge the tough issues in this play. But I hope Ive got it right and we get to show a real balance., He adds: We want to educate and inform. Hes Making Eyes At Me, Roses and Rainbows and (Youve Got) Personality. I could look around me and see sex was a currency. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Just six months after Lenas death, Margarets mum also died. (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. They were all dancing in front of mirrors, trying to stay slim. For me it was never about fame. I remember going to school the day after Lena appeared on Opportunity Knocks. In Australia, the Butterfly Foundation is at 1800 33 4673. SEVEN years ago this week, former child star Lena Zavaroni lost her tragic fight with anorexia. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Lynsey Lohan underwent stints in rehab, convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, 6. Then when you are appearing on the likes of a TV show with Liza Minnelli or Cher, the pressure is immense., Former child star Lindsay Lohan has echoed that comment. MARTELL'S BELLS! Opportunity Knocks winner Lena Zavaroni, aged 10, in 1974. Tonight's guest stars are Alan King and Lena Zavaroni! Feedback | Are you sure you want to delete this comment? The monster is this awful disease that demanded she stay slim., Tim Whitnall believes that audiences will appreciate the phenomenal talent Lena Zavaroni had, and how she came to blow television audiences away., He also finds it incredibly sad that the Scottish singer didnt manage to work through her demons. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2006. Registered in England No. Is it Hughie Green? Stressed-out boss wins payout of pounds 175,000. It does feel like a long time ago, but I have always got Lena in my mind. Experts assess post-pandemic theatre behaviour as staff report increased levels of abuse, Thousands launch multi-million-pound action over Arnold Clark data breach, Revealed: SNP made 700,000 loss despite income of 58m since coming to power, The Sunday Post gets 11 press awards nominations, New Barbie pays tribute to Asian-American Hollywood trailblazer, New dig fails to unearth Second World War loot following publication of map, Paris exhibition celebrates first celebrity Sarah Bernhardt, Trial for Chris Packhams libel claim set to begin, Family-run royal attraction going all out for Kings coronation, Final Sudan airlifted evacuees expected to arrive in Britain within hours, More than 3,000 coronation street parties taking place this weekend. Lena Zavaroni was an extraordinarily talented Scottish singer whose greatest claim to fame is becoming the youngest artist with a record in the top 10 'UK Albums Chart'. Im lucky in that I that I realised what was happening all around me, that people were on these crash and burn trajectories, coming into the industry and having one hit, and trading off that for a career. She would be forced-fed by staff and was so damaged she attempted suicide. With such horrific actions, how come no one talks about this case? She followed this with the album Ma! You have a job. Walking down the corridor she stopped abruptly when she saw the names on the door. I know about anorexia now because I made it my business to, but then? Overnight, Lena Zavaroni went from Winning the local talent contest to household name Under the guardianship of her agent, the little girl With the big voice left her island home and within a few short months had toured Japan and the US, sang to President Ford, met Frank Sinatra and taken residence on London's swanky Park Lane. A tiny girl with an enormous voice, she was feted by television. We havent learned the lessons from Lena, who was a trailblazer for child stardom. These are just some of the attack weapons on the vulnerable. I hope it will take off and Id love to see it on Broadway. Worst Taskmaster Contestants: Here are the 10 most unsuccessful Taskmaster contestants of all time - from Victoria Coren Mitchell to David Baddiel. Justin Bieber, drag racing at 3am in a yellow Lamborghini with a ready supply of drugs and alcohol, and a lingerie model for company. In the UK, Beat can be contacted on 0808-801-0677. Ticket for the recording of Lena Zavaroni and Music at the time of recording the show was called Lena Zavaroni and Guests (1979). Zavaroni, the subject of a new stage play Lena by Tim Whitnall, which is being premiered in Greenock this month, was separated from the childrens life she would have known, thrust into an adult world of grown-up demands. Hers is a salutary, yet deeply sad story. In attempting to deal with the depression she agreed to a partial lobotomy. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. Written by BAFTA and OLIVIER award-winner Tim Whitnall (Morecambe/ The Best Possible Taste) and directed by Leslie Finlay (The Misanthrope/ The Reader), this dynamic new work also features a wealth of classic songs including Ma! The only time I really got to see her in that period was when I went down to London. Scan this QR code to download the app now. [citation needed] They starred in the ITV special Lena and Bonnie. To me, the play is bringing Lena back and hopefully it wont end in Greenock. The little girl with the big voice was 10 when she appeared on Opportunity Knocks televisions predecessor to Britains Got Talent and Pop Idol singing Ma! She died at the age of 35 from pneumonia in 1999. Comments have been closed on this article. Zavaroni was in the charts at 11 and died after years of illness aged 35. The challenge of playing Lena Zavaroni is a daunting one. The BBC also released an LP called Lena Zavaroni And Her Music, manufactured and distributed by CBS Records and copyrighted by Galaxy Records. A Gannett Company. The little girl from the Isle of Bute had won Opportunity Knocks, then the biggest thing on television, for a recordbreaking five weeks running. Body shaming. On 7 September 1999, she underwent the surgery, but only three weeks later developed a chest infection and died from bronchial pneumonia. There are a few recordings of television interviews with Lena Zavaroni around online. Lena Zavaroni died of a chest infection last Friday after the modern version of a lobotomy. LENA DAD'S AGONY OVER BIOGRAPHY; Book drags up painful memories of star's death. There is such a big pressure on them. heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. Published 7th Oct 2021, 14:49 BST. His memories are incredible and it inspired the reliable narrator aspect of the script. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lena_Zavaroni_and_Music&oldid=1123890914, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Back In Time"/"Jump, Shout, Boogie" (Lena), "All That Jazz" (The Ace Eight with Lena, Elaine Stritch, Wayne Sleep and George Chisholm), "Music Was My First Love" (Lena; a shorter version than the previous week; this became the show's theme song), "It's a Miracle"/"Take Me Back To Hollywood" (Lena), Comedy sketch with Lena and Adrian Hedley featuring an audio harmonizer, "Music Was My First Love" (Lena, shorter version), "Can You Feel A Brand New Day"/"Just The Way You Are" (Lena), "D, D, D, Dancing" (Lena with Gerard Kenny), "Doris Day Medley" (Lena and the Ace Eight), "The Little Old Lady/City Lights and Spotlight" (Lena), "Razzle Dazzle" [part 1] (Lena and the Ace Eight with Adrian Hedley), Johnny Hutch and the Herculeans (comedy acrobatic troupe), "Razzle Dazzle" [part 2] (Lena and the Ace Eight with Adrian Hedley), "Tomorrow" [from the musical "Annie"] (Lena), "Dancing in the City" (Lena and the Ace Eight), "I Love America" (Lena and the Ace Eight), "Forever in Blue Jeans"/"Corner of the Sky" (Lena), Comedy sketch (Johnny Hutch and the Half Wits), This page was last edited on 26 November 2022, at 07:26. 27 January 1979 She developed anorexia nervosa. Whenever she came to Scotland, she would stay with me rather than going to a hotel, said Margaret. Michael Jackson became drug dependent, his closest relationships with children, 3. 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. Erin Armstrong, who has starred in BBC drama Shetland for 10 years, plays Lena. Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Something went wrong - please try again later. But as a writer, Ive been aware that nothing seems to have changed really. For Margaret Zavaroni, the memories of the wee cousin she would take to the Winter Gardens and fun fair in Rothesay will never fade but she wants a new generation to remember the former child star for her huge talent and astonishing voice rather than her personal demons. You were in that moment your daughter was enjoying doing what she loved. Lena was nine. Victor is such a wordsmith and raconteur and I loved listening to him speak. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF. We have noticed that there is an issue with your subscription billing details. NOEL Coward understood implicitly the demands that showbiz can make on a young persons mind in 1935 when he wrote the comedic but searingly poignant song Dont Put Your Daughter On The Stage, Mrs Worthington. Lena Zavaroni and Music (originally known as, pre-broadcast, as Lena Zavaroni and Guests) was a variety TV programme featuring singer Lena Zavaroni and her guests. At ten years of age, with her album Ma! You have to pull it off. Lena Hilda Zavaroni [2] (4 November 1963 - 1 October 1999) was a Scottish singer and a television show host. Following this, Zavaroni guest-starred on The Carol Burnett Show, and on June 4th 1974, The Tonight Show. The show was taped at the BBC Television Centre. Erin Armstrongexplains she had a gentle introduction into performing, via the PACE theatre school in Paisley. The film didnt work out, although its something Id like to return to but our director Leslie Finlay suggested we do it for theatre.. Lena Zavaroni who died in October 1999 in Cardiff. In sketches set on Hollywood Boulevard, a baseball game, and a bus stop, Carol and company prove that big laughs can be found everywhere. I was approached by Scottish Screen about 10 years ago, who asked me for my blue-sky list of subjects Id like to write about, and I said Lena Zavaroni. Ive got an amazing cast who understand how to bring stories to life. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. They have to cope with the fact their daughter/son is being offered up to a world which preys on vulnerability. Lena Zavaroni at the age of 10 in 1974, standing in front of a miniature of the. 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. Whitnall points out that Lena Zavaroni initially viewed performance as a hobby. I want audiences to wonder how they would feel if they were the parent of a child offered the world at the age of 10?, Many would open their arms and grab at it. Children under fourteen were not admitted, meaning the 15-year-old Lena would've been barely old enough to see the show herself. Seen through the eyes of her father, Victor, the story of Zavaroni will be staged for the first time at the Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock next month, before touring next year. I genuinely hope a lot of younger people will see the show, because Lena was a poster girl, a pioneer before Britains Got Talent or any of that she was doing that rags-to-riches story with raw talent. 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. All rights reserved. Its marvellous after all these years to have her remembered. One with Russell Harty where he comments that her eating disorder must save on restaurant bills and another when Terry Wogan tells her to eat up so she can get back to your chunky self. [1], Zavaroni was discovered in the summer of 1973 by record producer Tommy Scott, who was on holiday in Rothesay and heard her singing in a band with her father and uncle. I think so, he says. [citation needed]. But with each passing decade the effects of fame have become harsher. (He's Making Eyes At Me) [1] is the debut album by Scottish singer Lena Zavaroni, released in 1974 on Philips Records. There are lots of Ron Howards, Donny Osmonds and Hayley Mills out there. Editors' Code of Practice. When they tried to fit me into these costumes, they would talk about my weight. attribute the words to Sinatra. Coward also understood that success can be fleeting, and when it departs it leaves behind a husk, where a once-formed person had existed. [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. There will be no lawyers on the island who will understand this, and if you delay things you might miss out on this great step for your daughter.. Television series featuring Lena Zavaroni. And it was. (Lena Zavaronis mother Hilda later took her own life.). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Lena rocketed to fame in 1974 when she won Opportunity Knocks five times in a row at the tender age of nine. Jon plays Hughie as a sort of engineer, yet a man who doesnt get oil on his fingers. 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. When I was writing this play, I spoke to Alex Yellowlees, a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Clinic and he made an interesting point. Now she wants to see Lenas own legacy returned to prominence. We idolise Lena. She became depressed. She came to fame around 1974. 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. Her parents sang, and my father was the same, as was their father.. And the other unreliable, Hughie Green, played by impressionist Jon Culshaw. Scott contacted impresario Phil Solomon, which led to his partner Dorothy Solomon becoming Zavaroni's manager. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. I could see youth was a currency. It was unbelievable, really, in those days, adds Zavaroni. Lenas musical gift would soon be spotted and it led to her appearing on Opportunity Knocks in 1974, when she was 10, winning the talent contest for a record five weeks in a row. 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. 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. Shed gone to the Italia Conti School in London and I think it started when she was there. [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 Hilda Zavaroni[2] (4 November 1963 1 October 1999) was a Scottish singer and a television show host. Reddit's open forum for discussion of anything and everything about true crime, court cases, and the legal system. Emily Wilson reports on an operation that remains highly controversial. When opportunity came knocking in the 1970s for ten-year-old Lena Zavaroni, it would propel her from the Isle of Bute to America where she shared stages with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. I can still remember going to school the day after Lenas appearance on Opportunity Knocks. I cant be sure. Tim Whitnall says we will never know. 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 her anorexia, the Montreux Clinic, was going under investigation for their methods. 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. I think it helped her a wee bit. 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. Lena Hilda Zavaroni (4 November 1963 - 1 October 1999) was a Scottish singer and a television show host. You have to know your lines.. Judy Garland became drug and alcohol dependent, 2. Edited by Elizabeth Ewan, Sue Innes and Sian Reynolds. [7] After the operation, she appeared to be in satisfactory condition and after a week she was "making telephone calls, cheerful and engaging in conversation", even asking her doctor if he thought there was any chance that she would get back on stage and sing again. Youd look at that screen and Lena was there. She had everything going for her and people loved her.. Jack Wild, the actor and singer, was an alcoholic by the age of 21, 5. Find the right content for your market. It took place on 7 September and was described as "pioneering".