‘They’ say one man’s misfortune is another man’s luck – and this is particularly true in the business of show.
There are many examples of a performer dropping out of a stage, film or TV production to be replaced by someone less well-known, which proved to be their lucky break.
Some 58 years ago, American singer PJ Proby – he of the deep voice and short ponytail – was part of a ‘pop package’ touring the UK with Cilla Black, Tommy Roe and various Liverpool acts managed by Beatles guru Brian Epstein.
Proby (still with us at 84!) had achieved chart hits including “Hold Me” and “Somewhere”, which he interpreted as ‘Some-A-Where’, and was seemingly headed for a long, lucrative career.
Then…disaster!
At one venue, in the middle of a song, his tight trousers split open. The tour promoters and theatre managers yet to host the tour, deemed this an outrage to public morals and he was promptly taken off the tour.
If I tell you the rip in his trousers was just above the knee, you may wonder how a naked knee, could outrage public morals.
Mind you, I’ve seen some horrible ones walking around The Mumbles in shorts weather!
The previous year, an unknown Welsh singer named Tommy Woodward recorded “Chills and Fever” under the name Tom Jones, a song which failed to chart.
Around the time Mister Proby’s knee offended the easily offended, Tom released “It’s Not Unusual”, which started getting so much radio play, the tour promoters booked Tom to replace PJ for the remainder of the tour.
The combination of the song being played on the radio and the fact that pop fans were seeing Tom perform ‘live’ all over the country, raised his profile*…and a star was born.
*The one he had before his famous nose job!
Ironically, when the tour (minus PJ) visited the Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Tom hadn’t been added to the bill. The acts were juggled around and Cilla, backed by Sounds Incorporated, closed the show.
I know this because a friend of mine who was there, still has the souvenir programme and the ticket!
Surely, 58 years later, that is unusual!