The Stage

Stars weigh in behind Max Miller statue fund

Published Tuesday 15 June 2004 at 09:55 by Jeremy Austin

Bruce Forsyth, Paul Merton, Russ Abbott and June Whitfield are among the stars who have helped raise more than £8,000 of the £30,000 needed to erect a statue of Max Miller in his home town of Brighton.

They have responded to a personal letter from the president of the Max Miller Appreciation Society and its Get It Up for Max fund, Roy Hudd. He called for funds for a statue to be erected on a site at the edge of the Brighton Pavilion gardens.

Said Hudd: “We always said we would raise the cash ourselves. Miller fans, ordinary folk from all over the country - and there are loads of them - have raised most of the money. Now his admirers in the business - and there are lots of them too - are rallying around.”

He continued: “It is great that the city council is supporting our plans. We are working closely with them to get the statue unveiled early next year. Max lived all his life in the area, residing finally in Burlington Street, where he died in May 1963.”

Other celebrities to have contributed to the fund include Brian Murphy, Victoria Wood, Betty Driver, Pam Ayres, Edward Woodward, Ian Lavender and Val Doonican.

MMAS chairman John Henty added: “It shows what wide support there is for the project. Ordinary people from all over, big stars in the business, MPs, a former mayor together with the leader of the council and other councillors too are all getting behind us to recognise, in permanent form, one of the most famous sons of the city.”