An
extremely comprehensive look at Rosemarie Ford's career from
1989 to the present. Written by Helen, messed with by Zen :)
Please let me know of any typos or errors, things along those
lines. And if you have any information on other shows she has
been in, or have further information on the shows listed here,
please contact me so I can include them here. Remember to check
for any updates that are added to this page.
1989
Royal Variety Performance
Rosemarie sings Don't Cry For Me Argentina from Evita and Memory
from Cats. At the time she had just become the understudy for
Grizabella in Cats. This 'gig' is said to be her first break
into stardom, as this is where she was spotted for the job at
Generation Game.
Bobby Davro's Sketch Pad
Rosemarie appears in
a sketch called "The Copper Song", where she and other
'police officers' do a song and dance, which involves helping
an old lady across the road, dancing around a pub, and getting
drunk.
1990
Bruce Forsyth's Generation
Game
September 1990 - December 1994
This is what Rosemarie is most well-known for - having worked
with Bruce, as his assistant, for five series of this programme.
Many fantastic moments of Rosemarie's career were featured on
this programme, and it is the show that launched her onto British
screens in the form of many appearences and other TV shows that
she has done over the decade since September 1990.
1991
Come Dancing
Just fourteen months after starting in Bruce Forsyth's Generation
Game, Rosemarie was asked to present a new, revived series of
Come Dancing and proved extremely popular. She brought a breath
of life into this programme, and also helped to save it from
being axed, after forty seven years of it being on television.
Aladdin, Theatre Royal,
Bath
Christmas 1991
Rosemarie appeared in this popular panto. She may have played
the Genie, like she did on the Generation Game Christmas Panto.
1992
The Greatest Show In Town
- Tregonwall Hall, Bournemouth International Centre
Summer 1992
This show runs every year at the BIC, and features music from
the musicals of the West End such as Cats, Starlight Express,
Evita and Sunset Boulevard. The shows last around two hours and
feature some fantasic music. Rosemarie appeared with Graham Bickley
(ex-Joey in 'Bread'). Melanie Stace also appeared in this kind
of show at the BIC, (The Magic of the Musicals), in the summer
of 1996.
Telly Addicts Christmas
Special
Christmas 1992
Rosemarie appeared in this celebrity edition along with Michelle
Collins, Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson.
Aladdin, Lyceum Theatre,
Sheffield
Christmas 1992
Rosemarie appears in the popular panto again.
1993
Entertainment UK
April 1st 1993
This is another programme, from the information from the BFI,
that showed that Rosemarie appeared in it. It says she was an
on screen participant, but it could have been anything from a
variety show to a game show.
Golden Songs of the Silver
Screen
Spring 1993
Rosemarie appeared in this with the French singer Sacha Distel.
Unfortunately, I don't know what songs were sung but I think
it would have been something along similar lines to the "Greatest
Show in Town" shows at the Bournemouth International Centre.
GOTCHA
3rd September 1993
This was the day when Rosemarie actually got GOTCHA'd*, on the
hill in Wiltshire. I know this from the plaque that was fitted
to the bicycle (before it got crushed by the army tank).
* GOTCHA'd - The act of being
embarassed on national television on a show known as GOTCHA,
by doing something horrifically humiliating, then being told
that you have indeed been set up and caught on hidden camera....
GOTCHA
4th December 1993
This was the day when Rosemarie's GOTCHA was shown on Noel's
House Party. There were three or four times during the GOTCHA
where Rosemarie's reaction was shown, by way of a little box
in the corner (especially during the bits with the sheep and
the army tank). Noel also spoke to Rosemarie before AND after
the GOTCHA to find out her thoughts on it.
Dick Whittington
Christmas 1993
Rosemarie appeared in this popular panto, at the Birmingham Hippodrome,
and played the lead role of Dick Whittington. She has played
this role three times altogether (in as many years). She was
also featured in the local paper, "The Express and Star",
placing her hands into a tray of cement outside the Birmingham
Hippodrome and visiting a nursery school in Birmingham.
1994
The Big Breakfast
31st May - 4th June 1994
Rosemarie presented this for a week, and made a fantastic job
of it. She managed to get through every morning with not too
many mishaps, and I personally think it was the best week of
The Big Breakfast I've ever seen. The early mornings only got
to her on the Thursday when she had a SLIGHT mishap with the
address on a postcard, but the rest of the week she was okay
with the early start.
Cats - Bristol Hippodrome
Summer 1994
Rosemarie played Grizabella in the Summer Season of this show,
in Bristol. I read in a newspaper article that she used to drive
between Bristol and London EVERY day, but I don't know if this
is true or not.
Dick Whittington
16th December 1994 - 5th February 1995
Rosemarie appeared in this panto at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.
Once again, she took on the lead role of Dick Whittington. Also,
this was the panto where Lesley Joseph was featured on This Is
Your Life.
1995
Lesley Joseph - This Is
Your Life
January 1995
Rosemarie was a guest on Lesley Joseph's This Is Your life, recorded
at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton. I regret missing the first
ten minutes of this programme as I would have loved to see Rosemarie's
- and Lesley's - reaction.
Noel's House Party
February 18th 1995
This was the day when Rosemarie really embarrassed Noel. She
came to the door dressed in a beige mac, which she removed later,
and spoke to Noel. She then put the record player on, removed
the mac and started dancing with Noel and put her hands all over
him. When the music stopped, she used Noel as a balance and put
her right leg on his shoulder. Noel looked at her and said, "I
suppose I have to make a wish", and someone in the audience
said, "We'll wish for ya", and both Rosemarie and Noel
laughed. She then went out of the door and Noel said, "I
didn't know she was going to change the ending - we haven't been
doing that all day!". She really embarassed him!
Challenge Anneka
Spring 1995
Rosemarie appeared in this, as a volunteer for the bed-push on
behalf of the WRVS. She also met Anneka Rice in St Barts, had
her photograph taken for the book and was not that impressed
with one of Dave Chapman's jokes. She won the bed-push by the
way and also managed to end up having her head squashed AND being
rolled on top of, by - an overexcited - Mr Blobby (who took quite
a shine to her!)
DIY Dilemmas
17th June - 22nd June 1995
Rosemarie presented this special set of five programmes on GMTV,
every morning, for a week. It aimed to show women that DIY was
easy to do, and that we should not rely on men all the time.
It showed how to do everything from changing a window pane, to
laying a piece of lino and replacing a patch of wallpaper. She
also spoke to Lorraine Kelly on the Monday and Friday mornings
after the film had been shown.
Come Dancing
10th July - 12th September 1995
This ten-part series of Come Dancing was the last full series
to be shown before it was axed, and then re-commissioned in April
1996. At the end of this series, Rosemarie sung a blues song
with Andy Ross and the Orchestra.
GOTCHA Hall of Fame
28th August 1995
This was the second time Rosemarie's GOTCHA was shown on television,
along with four others. Only the GOTCHA was shown on this one.
Pebble Mill
28th September 1995
Rosemarie appeared on this on the Friday before she started as
Grizabella in Cats. She sang two songs and talked to Alan Titchmarsh.
Cats
1st October - 20th December 1995
Rosemarie took over the role of Grizabella, from Clare Burt who
was on maternity leave, and she said that it was the first time
she had played Grizabella in London. She took a break from Cats
for Panto, and then went back into it afterwards.
Dick Whittington
21st December 1995 - 5th February 1996
Rosemarie appeared in this panto at the New Victoria Theatre
in Woking, Surrey. Once again, she took on the role as Dick Whittington.
She did this whilst taking a break from Cats for a couple of
months over Christmas.
1996
Cats
5th February - 14th July 1996
After her break in Panto, Rosemarie went back into Cats until
July 14th. She has not done any shows in the theatre since, apart
from The Good Old Days in Leeds, but Brian said he thinks she
may go back into some kind of show sometime in the future.
Sharp Shooters
Spring 1996
Rosemarie appeared on this as part of a section on Richard and
Judy, showing Techniques of Animal Photography. It showed Rosemarie,
her labrador or golden retriever Elsa and an animal photographer
walking through a park in London and taking various photos of
Elsa. Rosemarie was included in one of the photographs as well.
Full Swing
25th May - June 1996
This was a golf gameshow hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck, and Rosemarie
provided the voice over. Each week she introduced Jimmy Tarbuck,
told us about the virtual reality golf course and told us about
the star prize. We never got to see Rosemarie during the series,
we only got to hear her voice. It would've been nice to see her
as well!
The Big Breakfast
September 11th 1996
Rosemarie appeared on this on the morning of the first International
Come Dancing Special. She took part in Judge the Grudge and was
interviewed by Vanessa Feltz.
International Come Dancing
Show One
September 11th 1996
This was the first of two International Specials, that were made
after strong protest to the axing of Come Dancing earlier on
in 1996. It featured Rosemarie, wearing a cream suit, introducing
four European teams competing against each other and it was an
extended fifty minute programme.
Good Stuff
September 12th 1996
Rosemarie appeared on this Carlton programme, and reviewed the
film "Emma". She went to Chiswick House, West London
and told us what she thought of the film, and it also showed
a few clips of "Emma" in-between her thoughts as well.
International Come Dancing
Show Two
September 25th 1996
This was the second of the two International Specials (the final)
and Rosemarie was wearing a long black dress, with a slit on
the left side that went to her hip. It also featured an extra
contest to find the best individual Latin and Modern couples.
Again the programme was extended to fifty minutes long.
The Good Old Days
18th October - 19th October 1996
Rosemarie took part in this show at the City Varieties Hall in
Leeds. Out of the whole two hour show, she performed on stage
for around half an hour by singing two songs and playing the
spoons.
TV60 Awards
3rd November 1996
Rosemarie was in the audience of this awards show, and she was
shown a couple of times around the time that a clip of Bruce
Forsyth's Generation Game was shown.
Drop the Dead Donkey
3rd December 1996
Rosemarie appeared, as herself, in episode 57 of this popular
comedy on Channel Four.
Harry Enfield and Chums
11th December 1996
Rosemarie appeared on a sketch with The Three Scousers, that
was originally shown in 1994, and it showed her and Lesley Ash
jumping up and down and running after a coach. I was quite surprised
when the referred to her by name but even more surprised when
she actually appeared on this show.
Noel's and the Winner Is...
December 21st 1996
Rosemarie appeared on this, as a special guest presenter for
one of the awards, and read out the nominations and winner for
"The Event You'd Least Like To Watch Whilst Eating Your
Dinner". Afterwards, Noel waved a handful of worms at her
(after asking her if she'd like to be his Personal Worm Counter)
and made her scream quite loud.
The GOTCHA Hall of Fame
December 28th 1996
Again, Rosemarie was one of the five celebrities who had their
GOTCHA repeated on TV. This was the third time her GOTCHA has
been shown on TV and it also featured the conversation that Noel
had with her BEFORE the GOTCHA was shown.
1997
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
1st February 1997
Rosemarie was part of the audience for this special programme,
featuring Bruce Forsyth entertaining a celebrity audience. Although
she didn't ask a question on the televised version, I am quite
sure that she would have asked him something and this may be
featured on the version of the programme that may be available
to buy on video, sometime next year. I was sure that she would
appear on this because she worked on Bruce Forsyth's Generation
game for FOUR years.
Esther
March 7th 1997
Rosemarie took an 'active' part in this discussion of Ballroom
Dancing in Britain. She was shown quite a few times and she shared
her views about Ballroom Dancing with the rest of the audience.
The programme was called "Shall We Dance". This show
was repeated on August 29th 1997.
Laurence Olivier Awards
April 2nd 1997
Rosemarie appeared (very) briefly on this twice. The first time
she was shown was when Robert Lindsay won the award for Best
Actor in a Musical. She was shown clapping and smiling for a
couple of seconds too.
Divorce Me Darling, Festival
Theatre, Chicester
10th July - 27th September 1997
This is Rosemarie's latest role as a wife who suspects her husband
is a love cheat. A review of the show can be found at Divorce
Me Darling, written by Brian, who saw the show on August 29th
1997.
Cat Crazy
24th July - 28th August 1997
This is a programme devoted to the cat, that was shown on ITV
for six weeks. She presented it with Rolf Harris, and - from
what I saw on the first show - did the outside broadcasts, which
involved her travelling around the country meeting Cat Fanatics.
1998
Rolf's Amazing World of
Animals
24th May - 28th June 1998
This is Rosie's latest project, and is similar to Cat Crazy,
except she now gets to travel the world meeting fans of ALL animals,
instead of just Britain meeting fans of Cats.
Through The Keyhole
7th, 11th, 13th, 22nd May, 8th June 1998
This is a show Rosie seems to have become attached to, having
appeared on it three times within the space of a week!!! David
Frost seems to have taken a shine to her as well :-)
Wogan's Web
29th May 1998
Rosie appeared on this at the end of the show. She was interviewed
by Terry Wogan, and then did a Lambada, Tango and Waltz with
him. There were a few funny moments, such as her admiring Terry's
thighs, and letting us know why she has suddenly had an influx
of appearences.
Cats the Musical video
November 1998
Rosemarie does an outstandingly fantastic job playing the sleek
and sexy Bombalurina in the new Cats video, which took a period
of several months to complete, involving orchaestra recordings,
performer voice-overs, editing, and of course the production
number shoots. Probably for the first time, Rosemarie Ford is
known over the pond in the states, where the video is widely
advertised.
1999
Robert Lindsay Jr.?...
Rosemarie Ford and
Robert Lindsay are expecting a baby in November/December, although
the latest news on the baby is not know just yet.
If you know of other things
Rosemarie has been involved in recently, please contact me! Your
help is greatly appreciated.
