La Rue suffers stroke
Exclusive: Danny La Rue, one of Britain’s greatest entertainers, has suffered a stroke forcing him to cancel all engagements for six months.
The legendary drag star, 78, recently returned from Spain and collapsed after feeling unwell. He was taken to hospital in Southampton where doctors diagnosed a stroke.
At the height of his fame in the seventies and eighties La Rue was the most famous female impersonator in the world. Credited as being the ‘man who made drag respectable’ he was the highest paid entertainer in Britain and commanded a huge army of loyal female fans.
On stage he wore fantastically elaborate and expensive gowns and sent up icons such as Marlene Deitrich, Diana Dors and Miss World.
“Women love me,” he said. “I don’t degrade them. Sleazy impersonators get their laughs by having people laugh at them. I do the reverse. I love laughter, glitter and glamour.”
La Rue had a natural rapport with audiences and they flocked to his shows. His West End revues were always sell-outs packed with coach parties and he was the most glamorous of all pantomime Dames.
Success brought him huge wealth - a top London nightclub, three houses and a hotel but in 1983 he was the victim of a financial scam and lost his entire fortune. Unembitttered he said: “They can take away my money - but they can’t take my talent.”
Feted and honoured by showbusiness La Rue was a Royal Family favourite and appeared in three Royal Variety Shows. In recent years he had been touring the UK in music hall and variety shows and was due to appear at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham in June in a production of Entertaining Mr Sloane.
Spokesperson Pat Lake-Smith said: “Danny has had a stroke but without the paralysis. He has been ordered by his doctors to rest completely. He has great inner strength and is deeply grateful for all the kindness that has been shown to him at this difficult time.”
La Rue always claimed he would never retire: “I want to die backstage,” he said in 2005. “And when I’m gone I want my boobs dipped in gold.”
Also from The Stage
To contact the Stage news team email newsdesk@thestage.co.uk or call 020 7403 1818, selecting option 2 (editorial) followed by option 1 (newsdesk).
If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
Follow The Stage on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest entertainment industry news to your desktop or mobile.
Latest news
- Exclusive: New Off-West End venue to replace Westminster Theatre after ten-year wait
- A replacement for the old Westminster Theatre will finally open this autumn, following a protracted and sometimes…
- Third London Great Gatsby adaptation announced
- A third London stage adaptation of The Great Gatsby has been announced in two days, with a musical version due to…
- Wilton’s to re-bid to HLF following £700k grant
- Wilton’s Music Hall is to re-apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund for financial support for its renovation plans, after…
- Cuts force Theatre Writing Partnership to close
- Theatre Writing Partnership, the development agency formed more than a decade ago to support and promote new…
- Madani Younis announces debut Bush season
- Madani Younis has unveiled his inaugural season as artistic director of London’s Bush Theatre, saying he intends to…
- Two stage adaptations of The Great Gatsby to open in London
- A New York ensemble is to stage an eight-hour production of The Great Gatsby, as part of the London International…
Content is copyright © 2012 The Stage Media Company Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)