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Tracy Rogers

Published Tuesday 4 November 2008 at 11:40 by Patrick Newley and Jeremy Goodchild

Tracy Rogers had a successful career as a singer and actress on the West End stage in the sixties and also starred in the original Broadway production of Noel Coward’s musical, The Girl Who Came to Supper, alongside Tessie O’Shea.

Born Ann Rogers (she changed her first name to avoid confusion with the musical comedy star) on September 3, 1945, in London, she trained for the stage as a child at the Italia Conti School.

At 18, she went to Broadway to appear in The Girl Who Came to Supper and on her return to London starred in shows such as Will O’ the Wisp, Where the Rainbow Ends (with Anton Dolin), Anthony Newley’s The Roar of the Greasepaint and Joan Littlewood’s production of Oh! What a Lovely War. She also appeared at the London Palladium in variety with Danny La Rue and Des O’Connor.

As a singer she was signed to Polydor Records and had a chart hit with Love Story.

She made several films, including What a Crazy World, Rattle of a Simple Man and the gay cult classic The Leather Boys, with Rita Tushingham.

TV appearances included Z Cars, Emergency Ward 10, Dixon of Dock Green, No Hiding Place, The Troubleshooters and Softly Softly.

She had been suffering from a respiratory illness and died on September 23, aged 63. She is survived by her daughter Emma.

Patrick Newley

Jeremy Goodchild writes: “In the eighties, Tracy moved to Brighton, where she became the enormously successful licensee of several pubs, including the Queen’s Arms and the Queen’s Head. She was involved in many HIV and AIDS fundraising charity groups and she also co-wrote and appeared in the famous Brighton alternative pantomimes each year. She made many cabaret appearances locally, including a star spot at Brighton Cares show at the Dome Theatre, unforgettably appearing many feet high with her special technicolor dreamcoat (made up of beer towels) and singing Any Dream Will Do, to a standing ovation.”

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