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Clare Grogan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from C P Grogan)

Clare Grogan
Grogan performing live with Altered Images at Band on the Wall in Manchester, England, 2026
Grogan performing live with Altered Images at Band on the Wall in Manchester, England, 2026
Background information
Also known asC. P. Grogan
Born
Claire Patricia Grogan

(1962-03-17) 17 March 1962 (age 64)
Glasgow, Scotland
EducationGlasgow College of Technology
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • author
InstrumentVocals
WorksWith Altered Images
Years active1979–present
LabelLondon
Member ofAltered Images
Formerly ofUniversal Love School

Claire Patricia Grogan (born 17 March 1962), known professionally as Clare Grogan or sometimes as C. P. Grogan, is a Scottish singer, actress, and author. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the 1980s new wave and post-punk band Altered Images, as well as for supporting roles in the coming-of-age romantic comedy film Gregory's Girl (1981), and the science fiction comedy programme Red Dwarf (1988–1993) as the first incarnation of Kristine Kochanski.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Claire Patricia Grogan was born on 17 March 1962 in Glasgow. She, and her two sisters all attended the Notre Dame Convent School.[2] Her mother was Irish and born in Dublin.[3]

Aged 17, while she was dancing at the Glasgow College of Technology, a fight broke out nearby between patrons. Grogan attempted to head away from the violence but was injured by thrown broken glass, causing a deep facial wound and a prominent scar on the left side of her face. Grogan states her parents still find it hard to read about the incident. She began filming Gregory's Girl just three months after the incident.[4] In 1998, while she was working in a theatre at Watford, it was discovered that part of the glass was still in the facial tissue and had to be surgically removed.[5]

Acting career

[edit]

Theatre

[edit]

As a member of Scottish Youth Theatre, she was originally obliged to appear as "C. P. Grogan" because there was already a member of Equity named Claire Grogan. (The other Claire Grogan went on to become a photographer.) She would later drop the i from her first name.[6]

Grogan played the part of Rita in Educating Rita at Dundee Repertory Theatre in 1987.[7]

In 1996, she played a fitness instructor on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the play Lady Macbeth Firmed My Buttocks.[8]

Film and television

[edit]

While working as a waitress at the Spaghetti Factory restaurant in Glasgow, she was spotted by film director Bill Forsyth.[9] This led to her breakthrough acting role in 1981's Gregory's Girl as Susan. Because of her facial wound there were objections from the producers, but Forsyth refused to recast the role and Grogan was filmed mostly in profile. When filmed in close up, makeup artists covered Grogan's scar with Derma wax.[10]

In 1984, she played Charlotte in Forsyth's Comfort and Joy. In 1985, she was the receptionist in the BBC Television version of Blott on the Landscape. Grogan appeared in the second episode of the acclaimed The Monocled Mutineer in 1986. She had a recurring role playing Dave Lister's would-be love-interest, Kristine Kochanski, in series 1, 2 and 6 of the programme Red Dwarf. However, she was later deemed too old for the role.[11] Grogan has also appeared in the sitcom Father Ted (episode "Rock a Hula Ted") in a thinly veiled parody of Sinéad O'Connor[12] and in the television soap opera EastEnders as Ian Beale's love interest, Ros Thorne (1997–1998).

In 1992, Grogan appeared as Mary Catto in series 8 episode 21 of the detective fiction television programme Taggart (again credited as C. P. Grogan).

She had the role of Maggie in a 1998 comedy Jilting Joe, played an eye surgeon in a 2002 short film Bury It, appeared in the medical soap opera Doctors in 2003, and performed another Edinburgh Festival Fringe play Forbidden in 2004, as Lily, married to a Second World War Nazi officer but falling in love with a young Jewish woman.[13]

In 2006, Grogan portrayed Sandra Reeves, a control-freak office manager, in the film The Penalty King[14] played Cathy in an episode of the BBC paranormal drama series Sea of Souls, and May, Danny's mother, in the Scottish sitcom Legit. She appeared in the music video for Peter Kay and Matt Lucas' charity single "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", recorded for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day 2007, along with two TV films Wedding Belles and Forgiven.[15]

In 2011, Grogan had a role in the teen drama television series Skins as Shelley, mother of Mini McGuinness[16] and played Jenny Ferris in the Scottish gangster film The Wee Man in 2013.

She starred as Myriam in the 2017 film Delirium,[17] filmed entirely at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Grogan co-presented, alongside the chef and author Gary Maclean, BBC Scotland's Corner Shop Cook-Off.[18] The six episode series originally aired from 19 February to 25 March 2020.[19][20]

Music career

[edit]
Grogan performing live with Altered Images at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, 2009

Grogan developed her singing career as the lead singer of Altered Images, originally a five-piece band that included Johnny McElhone (later of the Scottish rock band Texas), whom she met while studying for her Highers exams. It became a four-person band with the departure of two members and the addition of Stephen Lironi, who played both guitar and drums. The band had several hits in the early 1980s, including "Happy Birthday", "I Could Be Happy", "See Those Eyes", and "Don't Talk to Me About Love". The band broke up after the release of their third studio album, Bite (1983).

In 1984, Grogan appeared in the music video to "Young at Heart" by the Bluebells.

Grogan later attempted a solo career, but after her debut single "Love Bomb" failed to gain chart success in 1987, her debut solo studio album Trash Mad was never released. Grogan formed Universal Love School in 1989 with Lironi, performing a series of gigs around the UK. However, it was short-lived and produced no hit singles. In 2000, she contributed vocals to the song "Night Falls Like a Grand Piano" on the 6ths' second and final studio album Hyacinths and Thistles. She recorded a cover version of "Angels with Dirty Faces" for the Frankie Miller tribute album. The track "Her Hooped Dream" appears on The Ultimate Celtic Album.[21]

In 2002, Grogan performed as Altered Images on the Here and Now Tour which featured other well known artists from the 1980s. She performed on similar tours in 2005, 2008 and 2009. She appeared with Chesney Hawkes, Toyah Willcox and Limahl of Kajagoogoo as The 80s Supergroup in the 2011 series of Let's Dance for Comic Relief.[22]

Grogan sometimes covers for radio presenters on BBC Radio 6 Music.[citation needed]

Grogan appeared in Series 2, Episode 2 of John Shuttleworth's Lounge Music on BBC Radio 4 on 27 November 2016.[23]

Grogan began presenting shows on Absolute Radio 80s from 11 September 2017, presenting Monday to Thursday 8-9pm and Sundays 7-9pm.[24]

In 2021, Grogan duetted with Sharleen Spiteri on the track "Look What You've Done", from Hi, the tenth studio album released by Johnny McElhone's band Texas.[25][26][27]

Writing

[edit]

Grogan's first book was published in October 2008, a children's novel (aimed at age 7 and up) titled Tallulah and the Teenstars, about a girl, Tallulah Gosh, who forms a pop band.[28]

In 2015, it was followed by Tallulah on Tour.[29]

Tallulah Gosh was an alias Grogan thought of using at the start of her career because Equity had already registered a Claire Grogan and a more showbiz name might help her career, but Bill Forsyth persuaded her that she would come to regret it.[30]

Personal life

[edit]

Grogan was the inspiration for the 1983 song "True" by the English pop band Spandau Ballet.[31]

Grogan married bandmate Stephen Lironi in Glasgow in 1994. They live in Haringey in North London, and adopted a daughter in 2005.[32]

Filmography

[edit]
List of acting performances in film and television
Title Year Role Notes
Gregory's Girl 1981 Susan film
Comfort and Joy 1984 Charlotte
Blott on the Landscape 1985 Hotel Receptionist TV series
Sunday Premiere 1986
Red Dwarf 1988–1993 Kristine Kochanski
The Play on One 1990 Anne
Taggart 1992 Mary Catto
Scottish Passport 1994 Presenter
Relax The Career Girl short
Father Ted 1996 Niamh Connolly TV series
EastEnders 1997–1998 Ros Thorne
Jilting Joe 1998 Maggie film
Bury It 2002 Eye Surgeon short
Doctors 2003 Lou Matthews TV series
The Afternoon Play 2004 Maw
Sea of Souls 2006 Cathy
The Penalty King Sandra Reeves film
Wedding Bellas 2007 Customer Hair Salon TV film
Forgiven Conference Chair
Legit May TV series
Comedy Lab Sandra
Coming Up 2008 Fiona Baird
Sometimes 2011 Lizz McCall short
Skins 2011–2012 Shelley McGuinness TV series
Waterloo Road 2012 Sandra Gordon
The Wee Man 2013 Jenny Ferris film
Six Degrees of Assasination 2014
Coffee and Cake Clare (segmant "Boy Toy") short
Loyal Joyce
Lucky Break 2016 Angela
An Ordinary Monday 2017 Detective Young
Delirium Myriam film
Still Game 2019 Herself TV series
Lost at Christmas 2020 Anna film
7 Miles Out 2026 Pamela Ryan

Discography

[edit]

With Altered Images

Solo

  • "Love Bomb" (1987)

Written work

[edit]
  • Tallulah and the Teenstars (2008)
  • Tallulah on Tour (2015)

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Clare Grogan". U&Dave. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. ↑ "Biographies: Clare Grogan". STV. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Clare Grogan On Reclaiming Altered Images & Playing Father Ted's Most Infamous Feminist". eonmusic: music for life.
  4. ↑ James Ellis (10 April 2003). "Clare Grogan". Metro. Archived from the original on 10 March 2010.
  5. ↑ "Centre Stage:Clare Gorgan on Success". The Herald. 14 November 2011 – via PressReader.
  6. ↑ "Altered Images – Now Claire must change her name". Evening Standard. 21 August 1984. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "University of Glasgow – MyGlasgow – Archives & Special Collections – Scottish Theatre Archive". www.gla.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "fringe round-up: Lady Macbeth Firmed My Buttocks". The Independent. 15 August 1996.
  9. ↑ "Alter Girl". The Herald. 8 September 2007. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  10. ↑ Scotland at the Movies: Attack on Gregory's Girl. Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  11. ↑ "How Clare survived 25 years in showbiz". The Evening Times. October 2007.
  12. ↑ Irish Times (29 July 2015). "The Secret Lives of Father Ted". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "Clare Grogan to Present Critics' Award for Theatre in Scotland – Edinburgh Guide". www.edinburghguide.com.
  14. ↑ "Altered Images star films in Brighton". The Argus. 9 October 2003.
  15. ↑ "Clare Grogan". IMDb.
  16. ↑ Wightman, Catriona (7 February 2011). "Clare Grogan explains 'Skins' role". Digital Spy.
  17. ↑ "Interview: Clare Grogan". scotsman.com. 19 August 2017.
  18. ↑ Armstrong, Gary (15 February 2020). "New food TV show Corner Shop Cook Off is ultimate test for Scotland's top celebrity chefs". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Corner Shop Cook-Off". BBC. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Corner Shop Cook-Off". BBC. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  21. ↑ "The Ultimate Celtic Album". Amazon UK. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  22. ↑ "Contestants – The Final". BBC. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  23. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 – John Shuttleworth's Lounge Music, Series 2, Episode 2". BBC.
  24. ↑ "Clare Grogan to host nightly on Absolute 80s". Radio Today. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  25. ↑ "Texas Announce New Album 'Hi'". Clash. 6 April 2021.
  26. ↑ "Texas announce new album Hi, share new single Mr Haze". Official Charts.
  27. ↑ "'Mr Haze' the new single from Texas out now". totalntertainment.com. 6 April 2021.
  28. ↑ "Singer Clare Grogan launches children's book". Birmingham Mail. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  29. ↑ "Clare Grogan: I drew on my pop star past to write a book for my daughter". The Guardian. 7 March 2015.
  30. ↑ Coventry, Laura (28 September 2008). "Novel character Tallulah Gosh is based on me, reveals Clare Grogan". Daily Record.
  31. ↑ "How we made: Gary Kemp and Steve Norman on True". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  32. ↑ "Clare Grogan: Love at first sight when I met my baby girl". The Mirror. 29 September 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
[edit]
External videos
video icon Clare Grogan talking about adoption for BAAF at YouTube.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clare_Grogan&oldid=1376623637"