Careers Started Via The Stage
In 1956, Writer John Osborne submitted his script for Look Back in Anger in response to an advertisement by the soon-to-be-launched Royal Court Theatre.
Dusty Springfield responded to an advertisement for female singers in 1958.
Kenneth Branagh landed the lead role in The Billy Trilogy, in the BBC Play for Today series, after it was advertised in the paper. Ricky Tomlinson responded to an ad for United Kingdom, another Play for Today, in 1981.
Writer and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig landed her first television job playing the part of Ethel in No. 73 after answering an ad in The Stage. She played the part for five years.
Television presenter Maggie Philbin won her first major role, as a co-presenter of Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, after answering an advertisement in The Stage.
Ned Sherrin, producer of the satirical BBC television programme That Was The Week That Was, hired David Frost as its presenter after reading a favourable review of Frost's London comedy cabaret show in The Stage.
A number of pop groups have recruited all or some of their members through advertisements placed in the newspaper, most notably the Spice Girls in 1994, Scooch in 1998 and 5ive in 1997.
Lee Mead (the actor who won BBC One talent show Any Dream Will Do to gain the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) got his first professional job, working on a cruise ship, through a recruitment ad in the paper.
Television presenter Ben Shephard auditioned for GMTV children's show Diggit following an advert in The Stage. While he did not get the part, he met Andi Peters, who subsequently hired him for the Channel 4 youth strand T4.
Pixie Lott responded to an advertisement for female singers when she was 16.
The Dolly Rockers were formed after they responded to an advert in The Stage. They subsequently went on X Factor but failed to make it to the live shows. They signed a contract with Parlophone, an imprint of EMI, and have worked with hit maker Ray Hedges.
Read more about this topic: The Stage
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