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A
host of stars turned out for a charity gala performance
of the new West End musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The special performance at the London Palladium was
held to raise money for UNICEF and SOS
The event was hosted by Bond actor Roger Moore and Dame
Vera Lynn, who had spent the day at the funeral of the
Queen Mother.
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The
London Palladium
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Roger being interviewed by television crews in the
London Palladium before the performance of "Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang".
Among
the invited guests were Joan Collins and new husband
Percy Gibson, Sir Cliff Richard, Shirley Bassey and
ex-EastEnder Martin Kemp The
musical adaptation of the children's classic film
opens to the public on 16 April 2002.
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Royal
Shakespeare Company head Adrian Noble is directing the
spectacular, which was written by Bond creator Ian Fleming
and turned into a film by 007 producer Cubby Broccoli.
Noble has assembled an all-star cast for the production
including Michael Ball as Caratacus Potts, Brian Blessed
as The Baron and Anton Johnson as Grandpa Potts.
Rocky Horror Show creator Richard O'Brien also stars
as the baddie, The Childcatcher.
Broccoli and Fleming's vision first hit the screens
in 1968, directed by Ken Hughes with the screenplay
written by Roald Dahl.
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007
producer Cubby Broccoli (1909-1996)
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Ian
Fleming (1908-1964)
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Roger
Moore with wife Christina, was a patron of the gala
night. Two of his webmasters also enjoying the event!
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Cubby Broccoli died in 1996 but his Eon Productions company
continues under the control of his widow Dana.
She is one of the key producers of the London stage musical
along with daughter Barbara.
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Gareth
Hunt and Lesley Joseph arriving at the Palladium
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The film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang continues to capture the
imagination of generations of children with video re-releases
and television re-runs.
The tale is of an eccentric professor, played by Dick Van
Dyke, who invents weird and wacky machinery.
When he creates a revolutionary flying car, hi-jinx ensue
when the baddies try and get their hands on it to use it for
their own gain.
When the evil baron kidnaps all the children it is up to Van
Dyke's Caractacus Potts to rescue them.
Roger
opens the show with this speech at The London Palladium
"Here
tonight we are helping others. I took the liberty of writing
a few lines from the newspaper to day and I would like to
share them with you. I would like to shear. I will read them
because I'm not a very quick study the most I ever had to
learn that was my name is bond James Bond" (much laughter).
"You
can shed tears that she has gone, or you can smile because
she has lived You can close your eyes and pray that she will
come back., or you can open your eyes and see all that she
has left . Your heart can be empty because you can't see her.
Or you can be full of love to share. You can turn you back
on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow
because of yesterday. You can remember her and only that she
has gone, or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can try and close your mind be empty and turn your back,
or you can do what she will would, smile and open your eyes,
love and go on.Would
you please rise for the national anthem".
Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang the Musical official website
Later
after the show all the guests who had paid to help the two
charities were taken to world famous Harrods in London for
luncheon
Roger
Moore made a speech also at Harrods and raised more money
for UNICEF and SOS.
"I
had the privilege last week of appearing as a guest star in
a play called Play What I Wrote which is a tribute to Morecambe
and Wise. It is a wonderfully funny play and David Pew and
the management have very generously given 20 seats for that
show all for UNICEF and SOS. I would suggest that on the nights
of 22nd and 30th of April you can have 10 seats so you can
take a group with the donations starting at £1000, so
you're all together, so could I have some bids at Windom's
theatre". Nobody bid so Roger said "Your mean lot
of buggers so we will go down to £500.00", then
a lady took ten seats and she bid £1000 and Roger said
"God bless your heart" big applause. Then Roger
got an offer for the remaining ten seats and Roger thanked
them also. Roger said "unfortunately I'm not in the show
on either night the cast would have been a lot better"
(large laughter)
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A
collection was made at the luncheon held at Harrods
for Shirley Bassey to sing Summer Time with most people
putting £20.00 in the collection for the charities.
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Roger
Moore with Joan Collins
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Dame
Vera Lynn, Rocky Horror Show creator Richard O'Brien
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Mohamed
Al Fayed Chairman of Harrods (pictured to the side
chatting to guests) kindly hosted the charity luncheon
after the show in his restaurant at Harrods. All the
gusts had paid £120.00 for the show and luncheon
with profits going to the charities.
http://www.harrods.com
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Please click the links below to read about
the charitable causes supported by this event
Cerebral
Palsy: World Wide Links
Great
Expectations a UNICEF charity the campaign to save mothers
and babies lifes from tetanus
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Roger
Moore with two of his webmasters, Alan Davidson and
Marie-France Vienne. Sadly Mark Nicholls could not
attend.
www.gellerdesign.com
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© The Roger
Moore Official Website
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