True Ian. A multi talented one at that. During the Merseybeat era, a mate of mine fronted a band called Sonny Webb and the Cascades. Sonny ( real name Kenny Johnson) played at the Cavern as did Freddie who was the lead chanter of the Midniters who were managed by the late Brian Epstein. Once dubbed the funniest man in Britain, he always denied eating his mates girlfriends Lea La Salle's pet hamster, saying it was completely fabricated by Max Clifford for publicity purposes. Sadly, he got caught up in the Savile sex scandal, which although he claimed the Police had hung him out to dry, he did not face any charges but it seemed to "break " him and he retired to his Flat in Spain and sadly has died there at the age of seventy six. From reports in today's paper, looks as though he's suffered a heart attack. Very sad indeed. RIP Freddy Starr aka Frederick Fowell.
Saw him at Greasborough Club as Freddie Starr and The Delmonts it was obvious then where his future lay very very funny man then saw him years later at Wakefield. RIP to a very funny man
Funny man. I used to stay at his hotel a few years back down Maidenhead / Reading way. Although I never saw him, seemingly he used to come out and entertain the regulars. His singing voice was as respected as his unquestionable humour.
Last night I was watching his ‘VINCENT ‘ routine at the command performance by coincidence. Incredibly funny and shows off his talent perfectly
Funny man, but a complete arsehole. My old man was a musician and worked with him many times. He was only telling me yesterday morning what a twunt he was to people. A very cruel sense of humour where he enjoyed humiliating people. He once borrowed my old man's saxophone during a skit on stage. He threw it over his shoulder at the end of it causing £500 of damage (that's £500 in 1970s money). Refused to pay the damages until some months later where the house band at Batley variety club refused to play unless he coughed up the money. And the time he pissed all over a musician in his dressing room whilst his bodyguard ex boxer Joe Erskine stood over the him to make sure he didn't run off. I'd repeat some of the worst ones, but they involve other names....
That tallies with what I've been reading about him. Comes across as an absolute bellend of the highest order.
Just been reading an article in one of today's papers, that seems to confirm what WOTS and MT are saying re- he was very unpredictable and had a really malicious streak that could surface without any warning. She claims he punched her pregnant Mother in the stomach and told her to abort the child and repeatedly told her she was spiteful and deserved a slap. She was so terrified of him after he once shouted through the locked bathroom door " you can run, but you can't hide", that at the age of 14, she needed therapy. Of course the papers have a tendency to "embellish" things and Freddie Starr unfortunately is not here to have the right to reply, but if true, it doesn't make very pleasant reading. Incidentally I've looked at the article a couple of times and she doesn't mention ever having a fumble in the West End with a Barnsley fan. Seriously, it looks like the former star has left an amount of unpaid debts. His carer Nelly George has said, that he had no money and as part of their agreement, she was allowed to stay with him rent free. She has in the past had to pay the electricity bill to prevent the supply being disconnected. He apparently lost a slander case against a woman claiming that he molested her backstage on a Jimmy Savile show in 1974 when she was 15 and her legal team were still pursuing him up to his death for the £1.1 million he owed. Nelly says that none of his four ex-wives or six children have been in touch, so she fully expects that he will have to be buried in a Paupers grave, which the Spanish authorities will have to pay for.
I guess I can mention this without a name, besides said person is sadly now dead.... He worked in Scarborough many times and on one occasion at the same time as a well-known female entertainer. He apparently gave her a call and asked if she wanted to come over to his hotel for a drink. She went to his room and they chatted for a while and then he went to the bathroom. He returned naked and sat down next to her. She got up and left.
