The kids of Fame!
As stars from hit Eighties TV show Fame get set for two charity concerts in the UK, their first here for 35 years, Katharine Wootton speaks to cast member Valerie Landsburg, aka Doris
More than 30 years since they were last seen pirouetting around school desks and leaping through the streets of New York, cast members of the original smash-hit TV series Fame are back together – and heading to the UK.
Created from the 1980 film of the same name, showing the world of the New York High School of Performing Arts, Fame the TV series ran for six seasons, and the cast even toured the globe with the spin-off band, The Kids from Fame, which had two top ten singles – Hi Fidelity and Starmaker.
Fame became a huge hit in the UK, and a dedicated fan base to the show still remains here. In fact, it was super fan, Sue Hinds, a Merseyside police detective, who initiated and helped organise the two charity reunion concerts to take place in Liverpool this May. The concerts will raise money for
‘We are so excited about the reunion. The UK was the place that lit up Fame all those years ago’
the Claire House Children’s Hospice in Liverpool.
Speaking recently Sue said:
“I was one of many people who were saying, ‘You need to come to the UK and do a concert’. So many people were saying it and I just thought, well, don’t just say it, do something about it and make it happen.”
And Valerie Landsburg, who played the singer Doris Schwartz, is delighted she did. “I’m so excited for the reunion as the UK was the
place that lit up Fame all those years ago. As the UK saw the show on a bit of a delay, we were in the middle of the second year of filming when suddenly all this love flooded in from Britain. When we toured here, we would have teenage fans chasing us down the street. So there’s this real association with Britain and it just feels right to be back here for the reunion.”
Valerie is among eight cast members getting back together for the allsinging, all-dancing concerts. A new single will also be released, called Satellite, written by cast member Paul Rosenbaum. It’ll be the first time the cast are back together on UK in soil in more than 35 years and the prospect of performing again has taken Valerie back to memories of the old days. “When we were filming Fame, we would work 12 to 16-hour days on set as well as doing stints in the recording studio, so it was a whirlwind time. “We would be given a cassette for a song and expected to learn it fast, playing the tape in the car as we travelled. Then we’d record it and practise it over and over ready to lipsync on the show as that was the only option back then.”
Then came the world tour, when the cast performed to sold-out arenas around the world. “Arriving in Israel on Independence Day and singing happy birthday to 14,000 people in a square in Tel Aviv was definitely a very special highlight,” says Valerie with a great big smile.
As the success of the show soared and pressures of the schedule mounted, the friendships between the cast became more important than ever. “When we weren’t filming we’d always be in each other’s rooms, drinking coffee and chatting. We all had different senses of humour but could all bring laughter to a situation. And as the years went by we became even more of a family.”
But like a family, there could be the odd tiff. “Carlo (who played Danny) and I used to yell at each other sometimes but we were really like siblings. I was also jealous of Erica (who played Coco) at the time, but years later I found her number and contacted her to make amends and we’ve been really close since.”
Carlo and Erica, both with TV acting careers, will join Valerie, now a writer, producer and director, as will Lee Curreri (Bruno), Nia Peeples (Nicole), Jesse Borrego (Jesse), Paul Rosenbaum (Montgomery) and Cynthia Gibb (Holly).
However, the reunion will be marked by the sad absence of one particular cast member. Gene Anthony Ray, who played heartthrob and troubled dancer Leroy, battled with issues throughout his life, including various addictions, before contracting HIV. Tragically, he died after a stroke in 2003, aged just 41. “Gene’s death had a huge impact on us and he will be so missed,” says Valerie.
With Gene very much in their minds, Valerie and the gang are nevertheless looking forward to seeing the fans again who helped make the show such a success. “The relationship with the fans is so special,” says Valerie. “And it’s also so good that we will be helping to raise funds for such an important charity.”