Close encounters of the famous kind

Many of us have had close encounters with a celebrity. It might be bumping into a famous footballer at Bunnings, spotting a singer in Spotlight or seeing a movie star on the street. However, two Living Gems homeowners had more than just a brush with fame.

Celebrity sightings by accident

Teresa Gent from Ruby by Living Gems has had more than her fair share of celebrity sightings and she has proof in an extensive autograph book.

One of her favourite celebrity encounters was with the legendary Bee Gees.

“It was the summer of 1972, and the Bee Gees announced a concert,” she said. “My husband and I were lucky enough to grab ourselves two tickets for the Sydney show which was an hour and half from where we lived.

“I heard an interview with them on the radio and it was mentioned they would be doing rehearsals in the days prior to performing.”

That’s when the young mum of two embarked on a scheme to meet her idols in person. As her husband Alan was working away, Teresa decided to
make an adventure of it with her two young children.

“I meticulously planned my trip,” she said. “I only got lost once and later ended up going the wrong way down a one-way street and got stopped by a policeman who simply smiled and waved a hand at me.”

Having safely arrived at the Horden Pavilion, Teresa didn’t have to wait long for the Gibb brothers to arrive.

“I asked for their autographs, and they willingly gave them,” she said.

“I was about to leave when Barry asked me if I’d like to sit in on their rehearsals. I didn’t need to be asked twice!”

But that’s not the end of Teresa’s stellar constellation of celebrity sightings. For a period, Alan worked for Channel 7 and international celebrities were a regular fixture.

Teresa was there with her autograph book at the ready.

“Comedian Spike Milligan was being interviewed by Mike Walsh and the public were invited to sit in the audience,” said Teresa. “I was such a big fan, so of course I was definitely going – and I ended up being the only member of the public to turn up!

“The station rounded up every offduty staff member they could to sit in the front rows for the filming.”

At the end of the interview Teresa went up on stage to ask for an autograph.

“But I didn’t realise that they were still filming. I went up to Spike and put a hand on his arm. And he said, ’Get your hands off me woman!’,” Teresa laughed. “That was so typically Spike.”

Teresa still got her autograph.

Her conversation is peppered with a rapid-fire list of famous names – Neil Sedaka, Gene Pitney, Kenneth Moore, Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers), dancer Robert Helpmann, and three members of the band Queen.

One famous encounter Teresa recalls with fondness was the time she had a lovely conversation with American actor Vincent Price who is best known for his roles in horror films.

“I’d been on my way down to see him at Channel 7 when I was involved in a minor car accident,” she said. “I was so disappointed by the idea that I was going to miss out on seeing him, so I phoned the station. And because I knew the girls there, I asked if I could speak to Vincent, and they put me through!

“I had a wonderful chat with him – he was so lovely – but what I didn’t realise was that there was a line-up of people who wanted an autograph with Vincent, including Alan who was getting the autograph for me, who had to wait and wait because I was speaking to him!”