She’s the most attractive feature of a £1 million project, aimed at the charts! THE GUITARIST - a member of Britain’s ace instrumental group was adamant after meeting the girl duo sharing the same bill at Bournemouth. In the dressing-room he warned his mates: “Steer clear of the blonde, fellas. She’s mine!”
Earlier the pop star had been checking the stage gear when the two gorgeous girls arrived. “I thought he was the local electrician or something when he said Hello. He seemed quite nice,” recalled the blonde, a vivacious grey- green-eyed beauty with a wolf-whistle figure. “And after we’d been introduced he didn’t waste any time inviting me out!”
That was three years ago-and how Olivia Newton- John (21), an Australian-reared university don’s daughter, and today star of Toomorrow. Britain’s latest offering. remembers first meeting Bruce Welch, late of the Shadows. “I knew of the Shadows, of course,” she recalls, “But Hank was the only face I’d recognise then.”
Bruce and Livvy are engaged to marry and make a delightful couple. But plans for their future together have had to be shelved because of Toomorrow, which is both the group’s name and the title of their first film together, which Livvy describes as a “space musical.” Technically Toomorrow (it’s spelt double-o) is the brainchild of that other “OO” man, James Bond movie mogul Harry Saltzman and Monkees/Archies creator Don Kirshner and in excess of £1 million has been ploughed into the group’s formation.
Livvy’s Toomorrow men are Karl Chambers (22). from Philadelphia, whose musical claims to fame are that he drummed for Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight, and his mother sang with early Ellington. Then there’s piano/organist Vic Cooper (25), who’s worked with Tom Jones and Chris Farlowe. And the line-up’s completed by Ben Thomas (24), from Cairo Georgia. the group’s singer/guitarist. He’s worked with Peggy March, has aspirations about RADA, reads Hemingway, Wilde and Tennessee Williams and is engaged to that other raving beauty Susan George.
Livvy herself went to live in Australia in 1953 when her father was offered a university appointment. And her first encounter with the entertainment industry according to the hand-out, was when she was 12 and won a Hayley Mills, “look-alike” contest at her local cinema. A subsequent talent show win as a singer earned her a free trip to London, and that’s when it all started!
Having “rebelled” at her folk’s plans for her to follow an academic career, Livvy came back to Britain and formed a song-and-dance act with Aussie friend Pat Carroll. “Actually,” she said the big, round eyes wide and sparkling, “it was Athol Guy, of the Seekers, who suggested Pat and I should team up. It was a terribly rushed arrangement. We’d never even worked together on stage before.”
But the plan paid off, the girls were a success, and before they knew it were booked as supporting attraction to Cliff Richard and The Shadows at Bournemouth which is where we came in.
Toomorrow must undoubtedly make Livvy a big star and already her stunning good looks are stealing the limelight from the boys. The group’s record “You’re My Baby Now” is bound to establish the group’s name; and if it doesn’t the film - premiered with suitable showbiz pomp and circumstance at the London “Pavilion” will show their paces as actors.
But leggy Livvy says honestly: “I don’t see myself as an actress. The film has a very light-headed story - but more of a story than the usual pop films. Although we don’t have to act very hard. My dream would be something a bit more ambitious. I’d like to combine singing and acting and do a musical.”
And what about Bruce and marriage? Livvy laughed: “We’ve waited a long while now. A little longer won’t hurt anyway, who knows what Toomorrow will bring!”