This Is Your Life: Lulu

LULU (1948-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Lulu, singer and actress, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios, having been led to believe she was there for a meeting.

Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, who was born in Lennoxtown but grew up in Glasgow, first began singing professionally at the age of 14 when she joined a band called The Gleneagles. While performing in a Glasgow pub, the band was spotted by Marion Massey, who changed the band's name to The Luvvers and the singer's name to Lulu after becoming their manager. Marion secured a recording deal with Decca Records, and the band's first single, Shout, became a hit.

Having been named Britain's most promising new act of 1965, Lulu signed a new record deal with Columbia Records as a solo artist and established herself as one of the biggest-selling British female singers of the 1960s. She made her big screen debut in the film, To Sir, With Love, in 1967 and also performed the title song. She became the star of her own BBC television show in 1968, and she was one of four joint winners of the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest with the song, Boom Bang-a-Bang.

"Oh no! I didn't realise this... gosh!"

programme details...

Edition No: 334
Subject No: 335
Broadcast live: Wed 10 May 1972
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 12
Edition: 26

on the guest list...

Marian Massey
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb
Barry Gibb
Betty - mother
Eddie - father
William McDonald - grandfather
Billy - brother
Gordon - brother
Edwina - sister
Tony Moreno
Billy McPhee
Gordon Reed - in audience
Peter Sullivan - in audience
Alec Crichton
Alec Bell
Henry Wright
Tommy Tierney
Dave Wendels
Dick Katz
Adrienne Posta
Dudley Moore
Jane Gordon
Caledonian Accordian Band
Sidney Poitier

production team...

Researcher: Sarah Dickinson
Writer: Jack Crawshaw
Director: Margery Baker
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Top of the Pops

charting the pop stars

A Song For Life

it's the singer not the song

Family Life

keeping it in the family

The Bee Gees

Dudley Moore

Screenshots of Lulu This Is Your Life

Lulu recalls her experience of This Is Your Life in her autobiography, I Don't Want To Fight...

Marian was the sort of woman who believed that nobody should be taken by surprise.

'Shock is not a good look,' she used to say, which is probably why she never left the house without putting on her make-up and making sure every strand of hair was in place.

With that philosophy in mind, she took me aside one day and explained that I had to keep a very big secret.

On 10 May 1972 I was to wear my best clothes and have my hair done.

'Why?'

'I can't tell you.'

'Do I have a meeting?'

'Yes... in a manner of speaking. A TV producer wants to see you.'

I knew something was up, but Marian wouldn't tell me any more. After rehearsing for my show that day, she ushered me to a waiting car and we drove to another studio. We arrived at the back entrance and she followed me up some steps.

Suddenly I was caught in a blaze of light. Eamonn Andrews held out the red book. 'Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, this is your life!'

I did my best to look absolutely stunned. In a sense I was. I was twenty-three years old, for goodness sake! Why would anyone want to know about my life?

I thought the whole idea was ridiculous, but I played along. Mo was there, of course, along with Mum, Dad, Billy, Edwina and Gordon. The researchers had even managed to find the Punch & Judy man from Rothesay Bay. It's a wonder anyone watching understood a word with all the Scottish accents.

Sidney Poitier filmed a lovely tribute. 'I'm sure you'll live for ever,' he said. They also played the record I made at the age of eight at the recording booth in Glasgow.

Some of the people they rolled out were very obscure. Eamonn would say, 'Do you remember this voice?'

And I'd think, not a bloody clue.

Then I'd have to look surprised and pretend it was the most amazing reunion. Throughout the show I looked as though I was constantly on the verge of tears. Everyone assumed I was extremely emotional, but in reality I had a blocked tear duct, which was very annoying.

Afterwards I made the entire family vow that they would never do this to me again. They will not be forgiven.

Series 12 subjects