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From: The Gold Coast Transformed: From Wilderness to Urban Ecosystem (2015)
edited by Tor Hundloe, Bridgette McDougall, Craig Page

Little has changed in the economic drivers of tourism. Put photographs of a celebrity (movie star, singer, model) on the front pages or television news and we flock to where they were seen.
We don't expect many to recall Norma Ann Sykes (Honorary DLitt), but some might recognise the name Sabrina .
She visited the Gold Coast in 1959 on an extended tour of Australia.

She was a genuine celebrity -anything she did was photographed and splashed across the newspapers and television screens.
More tourists came. Gold Coast promoters, whether real estate developers or friendly politicians, still rely on celebrity culture to draw visitors

1959 - The school magazine of Grange Boys' Grammar School of Bradford, England, bemoans the lack of funding for school building maintenance:

If we had been a rocket-site. or a fashion store in the Central Area, things would have already been arranged, with Sabrina present to open the Headmaster's study with a gold-plated key. But since we are only a school, we have to wait our turn.

January 1959

The always-thrilling South Australian Bank Officials' Association Journal reported :

With both Billy Graham and Sabrina in Adelaide at the same time, and that time coinciding with the advent of TV, there is no doubt that our minds have been somewhat in a whirl. A large theatre-party has been organised to witness Sabrina in the flesh, but they have not been as fortunate as one officer, who was able to boast that he had lunched with this outstanding lady. Cross examination elicited the fact that he had indeed lunched at the next table to Sabrina quite by accident, and that next time he intended ordering oysters

5 January 1959 - The Age (Melbourne)

Record Crowd at Point Leo Carnival

A record crowd yesterday saw John Olsen, of Angelsea, narrowly defeat Victoria's top surf swimmer, Bill Knott, in the John Marshall memoria trophy race at the Point Leo surf carnival.

The crowd, estimated at 14,000, paid 520 pounds at the gate - a record for a Victorian club carnival... Tivoli star Sabrina presented the trophy to Olsen for his win yesterday.

Crowds moved into the competitors' area when sabrina surprised carnival officials by going swimming during the afternoon.

Police and lifesavers forced the crowds backwards while officials warned that they would halt the programme if the area was not cleared.

Read more details of Sabrina's visit to the Point Leo carnival in the ' Sabrina in Australia ' page

Read more about the Point Leo event - and watch the colour movie!

6 January 1959

"MAGGA DAN" LEAVES FOR ANTARCTIC.

Visnews filmed the polar ship "Magga Dan", leaving Melbourne for the Antarctic. Among the equipment they carried was an amphibious "duck" named after Doctor Sabrina, who was visiting Melbourne, and was present at the ship's departure.

The newsreel above does show Sabrina christening the duck! Watch the Sabrina parts of the video on Youtube. Note: there is no audio.

Another source (The Age) reported:

"Duck" Named after Sabrina

British TV and stage star, Sabrina, yesterday visited the members of the Australian Antarctic Expedition on board the icebreaker Magga Dan and christened an army "duck" to be used in exploration work.

The "duck" will be used to explore a part of the Antarctic coastline called the Sabrina Coast. The "duck" has also been named Sabrina.

Note: The Sabrina Coast does exist. It is between Cape Waldron and Cape Southard.
But, sadly, dear Sabrinafans, it is named after the ship used by John Balleny - the first to see the coast in 1839.

7 January 1959 (I think). Taken from an unpublished memoir .

I think one of the most hectic days I spent with Sabrina was when she decided she would like to go to a country race meeting. There was one at Woodend , about forty miles from Melbourne. It was arranged. Off we went with Mum [Annie] in tow. As soon as Sabrina appeared on the racecourse, the whole crowd stopped in their tracks. Again the photographers had a field day.

Above: Sabrina and her number 1 fan, Ron - who sent this photo - at the Woodend races.
She is wearing the infamous Ascot Races outfit.

The committee had set up a hospitality tent for us and Mother was enjoying the hospitality so much she decided we would all have a final drink at the Woodend Hotel with some of the members of the committee. I had the usual worry of getting Sabrina back to the theatre on time. Mother was enjoying herself so much that eventually we had to just get her out, put her in the car, and drive like hell to the Tivoli. It was really a funny day.

10 January 1959 - The Age

Sabrina Runs into the Law

Police yesterday made variety star Sabrina "run the gauntlet" for an alleged traffic breach on the Hoddle Street bridge, Richmond.

"They ordered me to drive back nearly a mile because I made a wrong right turn," Sabrina told the Players' and Playgoers' Association.

"As I drove back I held up the traffic and all the drivers glared at me."

Sabrina added: "They were the first, two hard- hearted policemen I have met here.

12 January 1959

Everybody was willing to coach Sabrina in the art of bowling when it was announced that she will bowl the first ball after tea in an International match at St Kilda, Victoria, on Sunday next, 18 January 1959. Here Sabrina is getting some advice by former Australian cricket captain, Ian Johnson , supported by England's Len Hutton , Walter Lindrum (left) world billiards champion, and Morrie Fleming , President of the Richmond Football Club.

12 January 1959 - The Age

Sabrina Was in Demand

GEELONG, Sunday - Hundreds of amateur photographers broke police cordons at Ocean Grove today to take close-up shots of English stage and television personality Sabrina.

Thousands of other people who were attending the Ocean Grove Surf Club's annual carnival crowded on to the beach when Sabrina appeared to present a pennant to the winning Warrnambool "march past" team.

18 January 1959

NOT LONELY NOW!

MELBOURNE, SAT.— More than 100 bachelors phoned Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre yesterday, offering to take out Sabrina.
Sabrina told the Players and Playgoers' Association this week that she had been in Australia six weeks and nobody had asked her out.
Last night she said she was overwhelmed by the countless invitations for her to go out.
"I couldn't possibly choose one now," she said. "It will take a lot of thought.
"I didn't expect anything like the number. I take back, all I said about them being bashful."
Among the calls yesterday was one from Adelaide.

21 January 1959

Casting into Albert Park Lake, Melbourne, are some of the 1500 young fishermen aged from 6 to 14 who took part in the Junior Anglers' Club fishing competition held by the Victorian Piscatorial Council. They competed for prizes presented later in the day by Sabrina . The night before the contest, 500 rainbow trout were released in the lake.

24 January 1959 : SABRINA ON A SHEEP STATION.

At weekend of January 25, Sabrina visited the one-thousand acre property of Mr. Terry Fogarty at Toolern Vale , thirty miles north-west of Melbourne. Mr. Fogarty is shown in our film lifting Sabrina on to a horse. Mr. Fogarty, who owns seventeen thousand sheep, is prominent in wool production and last year took a wool fashion show to London. The two dresses worn by Sabrina are made from wool from Mr. Fogarty's sheep.

The dark dress is a four ounce lightweight printed wool, cool in summer, warm in winter. The other is jersey - a finely woven wool. Both dresses are washable, crease-resistant, mothproof and stain resistant. The temperature while Sabrina was at the property was 122 degrees. The shearer in the shearing sequence is Eric Rogers , a Victorian champion shearer.

(From http://www.itnarchive.com )

Newsflash 2020 - I've finally uncovered the video of the event !

Death - and good things - come to those who wait.
This long-awaited lovely pic was found in 2014.

The caption on the back reads:

SABRINA MAKES HOT FASHION NEWS
Feb 20th, 1959

The sultry SABRINA had weather to match her mood when this picture was made on the picturesque Toolern Vale sheep station, thirty miles [48km] from Melbourne, Australia.
The temperature was 104 degrees [40 Celsius].
Wool certainly made its appeal to the shapely British star. Her frock is in a lightweight Australian wool print in strawberry pink. It was styled specially for her.

From an unpublished biography of one of Sabrina's Australian facilitators

One of the promotions that really brought tremendous Australian wide publicity was the Wool Board. Simon Shinberg of the Wool Board approached me for Sabrina to launch their summer weight wool weave, only 6 ounces a yard, which was going to be launched the following Autumn. The idea was for Sabrina to visit a sheep property, take a hand in shearing, riding, and lunch at the homestead.

All seemed straight forward till you had to have the job of organising Sabrina. She agreed on the condition that she got a full wardrobe of woollen frocks to take back to England. Off we drove in her mauve car, and once again we were late, but when Sabrina stepped out of the car in her spiky high heels, wearing one of the specially made woollen frocks, forgiveness reigned once more.

She smiled through all the demands of the press, shearing a sheep, riding a horse, walking through the bush, having Billy Tea. She was a photographer's dream, but behind the scenes I sweated as she kept rushing in and changing dresses. The Wool Board had never had their clothes so well promoted. It was a long time before the small township of Melton recovered from having Sabrina in their district.

This event has now earned its own Sabrina Incident page

An ad in the Melbourne Age for POP on 30 Jan 1959

19 February 1959 - The Age

So Long Melbourne. Thank you, Kay's

Lovely Sabrina in her Kay's Rental Car

Like so many visiting personalities, lovely Sabrina used a car from Kay's Drive Yourself Cars when she had shipped her own Vauxhall to Sydney. Before she went she complimented Mr. Kay on his extensive range of first-class motor cars.
You don't have to be an International figure to use a Kay's car. Their prices are within everybody's reach, and their tradition of service has made them Australia's and New Zealand's leading rental car organisation. So, for long term or short term rental, get the best car at the best price from Kay's, Little Lonsdale Street,

Phone MU7777.

See more of Sabrina's salesmanship

20 February 1959

Apparently Sabrina spends the evening with a surf champion who later got a bit boisterous in his sports car.
See the legal consequences .

21 February 1959 (Sun-Herald)

Sabrina Flies In — And Out

British showgirl. Sabrina, who flew to Sydney from Melbourne yesterday, will fly to Adelaide today to attend a regatta. Last night Sabrina said the Sydney Tivoli management did not want her to go to Adelaide, believing it would tire her before her opening appearance next Tuesday.

"But I promised the Henley-on-Torrens Regatta Committee some time ago that I would go to their regatta," she said. "I intended to fly from Melbourne to Adelaide but decided to travel via Sydney instead."

The Tivoli business manager. Mr B. Gordon, said the theatre had no objection to Sabrina visiting Adelaide.

Umm, yep. That makes sense.
Melbourne-Sydney-Adelaide is 2,600km.
Melbourne to Adelaide is 650km.

Sabrina's keen desire to get to Adelaide seems to be explained by the Adelaide Rowing Club:

The Rowing Association came up with one of the most risque and bizarre schemes to promote Henley-on-Torrens that has ever been tried before or since. They paid the British showbiz gal, Sabrina, renowned for her outstandingly developed bust, to act as help with the judging of the Ideal Henley Girl of 1959. When Sabrina sat down, she was besieged by males asking her questions and breathing down that magnificent cleavage.

Adelaide Rowing Club was the natural place to ask the lady to come and meet her ardent admirers, and everybody enjoyed the occasion, including Sabrina and the Boathouse Committee, with their ticket sales linked to the cellarette. Incidentally, Sabrina judged Miss Kay McKenzie, one of the A.R.C. nominees, as the Ideal Henley Girl.

The Prince Alfred College Chronicle (April 1959, No.233) added that they had a record number of entries in the 1959 rowing regatta, and "The presence of Sabrina at this regatta may also have added incentive to the rowers entering."

22 February 1959 - Adelaide

Sabrina launched the "Sabrina" hibiscus at Lasscocks in Adelaide , attracting a large crowd to the nursery. Want more Sabrina hibiscus info ?

She also attended the Henley-on-Torrens Regatta to enjoy the "glamour and charm" ( source )

24 February 1959 - Sydney

Opens in Pleasures of Paris at 8:15pm at the Sydney Tivoli . Performs until 29 April .
Matinees Wednesdays, Saturdays and holidays at 2pm.

With ( source )

Syd and Max Harrison, comedians
The Andrea dancers
Jackie Monnier, dancer
The Nicoli Brothers, dancers
Billy Baxter, Performer
The Mistin Juniors, performance group
Horrie Dargie Quintet
Edit Juhasz, Dancer

Sabrina (neé Norma Ann Sykes) meets guard-of-honour Bondi lifesaver Antony Treers on the steps of the Sydney Town Hall during her civic reception. Eager to please, and committed to public safety, Antony is keen to keep his eyes peeled for white pointers... um... white pointer sharks .

10 September 2012 - Robyn wrote to say: Hi - the photo of Sabrina with the Bondi lifesaver - his name is Antony Treers , and he was from the North Bondi Lifesaving Club. He was my first boyfriend, and amazingly, we were still together for years after this photo was taken, on the steps of the Sydney Town Hall, where the lifesavers were forming a "guard of honor" for Sabrina when she was given a civic reception from the Sydney City Council. Hope this is of interest!!

[Sydney Morning Herald] See Sabrina's Guard of Honour: 30 Bondi Lifesavers! Watch the stars arrive approx 7:50.

With the fabulous SABRINA and a cast of international celebrities. Colourful Scenes! Exotic Dances! Production of Incredible Magnificence. A laughter-laden fun-packed Show of Shows!

LATEST IN STEREOPHONIC SOUND! Specially installed for "PLEASURES OF PARIS." A new era in Sound Reproduction for the Live Theatre!

Prices - Gala Premiere and Saturday Evenings: Stalls and Dress Circle: 25 shillings.
Grand Circle 6 shillings. Other evenings 20 shillings 6 pence. Matinees 15 shillings, 10 shillings 5 pence. Children half-price at Matinees.

The review in the Sun-Herald was not exactly gushing. It said, in part:

"Sabrina sings a little, acts a little, and moves in statuesque profile about the stage. Her singing is an unsuccessful attempt to blend the brazen brassiness of Betty Hutton and the simpering blonde coyness of Shirley Temple. Her acting is rudimentary. But she is enormously ornamental and she looks to be, behind it all, a nice girl."

25 February 1959 - Aberdeen Evening Express , p.7

The sultry Sabrina had weather to match her mood when this picture was made on the picturesque Toolern Vale sheep station, thirty miles from Melbourne, Australia. The temperature was 104 degrees. Wool certainly made its appeal to the shapely British star. Her frock is in a lightweight Australian wool print in strawberry pink. It was styled especially for her.

26 February 1959 - Nepean Times (Penrith, NSW) , page 8

AFTERMATH
Sabrina. The word is associated with something a little overdone in feminity. A truck went to the showground during the show, a big new truck, large both fore and aft. It was named Sabrina. You know, some people don't have much balance.

At the debut after-party, a journalist discovers Sabrina's talent for self-caricatures .

28 February 1959

Sabrina visits boys with polio at the Margaret Reid Hospital, Mona Vale Road, St.Ives, N.S.W.

Sabrina's Australian companion recalls :

"Sometimes I found Sabrina quite a tough young lady. She had suddenly been pushed into the limelight and "used". Then she would show a side that was really soft and kind. She said she would like to visit some polio patients, having had polio as a child and knowing she was one of the fortunate ones to live a normal life. A visit to the Fairfield Hospital was arranged and Horrie Dargie , himself a victim of polio, went out with Sabrina. No fuss, she just wanted to meet as many of the patients as possible and only allowed one photographer to be there to take a picture.

She met patients who had been in iron lungs for over four years; she chatted to them, gave them gifts, and signed autographs. It showed that other side of Sabrina. The public and media had made her what she was, and at twenty-two years old, she really did handle everything well; well, almost everything."

1 March 1959 - Sabrina goes fishing with quiz game king, Bob Dyer.

7 March 1959

Singer actor Sabrina displays bruises she received whilst being jostled by huge crowd during Australian tour

7 March 1959

Sabrina Put on the Pace

A Coogee surf champion was yesterday disqualified from holding a driver's licence for four years after "enjoying the company of Sabrina."

The surfer, George Edward Bevan, 24, of Creer Street, Randwick, pleaded guilty in Central Court of Petty Sessions to charges of having driven in a dangerous manner in Oxford Street on February 21 and disobeying traffic lights.

Constable J. Lashmore, of Daceyville police, said Bevan was skidding around corners in city streets at 40-50 m.p.h in his sports car and went through a set of traffic lights.

Mr F. France, for Bevan. said a strange set of circumstances led to these convictions. Bevan had been "enjoying the company of Sabrina" the night before.

Mr F. G. Pocock. S.M. fined Bevan £40 on the first charge, £20 on the second, and disqualified him for four years. He said he had thought of sending Bevan to gaol.

8 March 1959 - Sydney Morning Herald , p.108.

"FOUR FAMOUS MOTHERS" are going to be guests of honour at a Teamakers' Club cheque presentation party for the crippled children on the 18th. And guess who they are?

In order as given on the invitation: Mrs T. Bateman, Mrs P. Sara, Mrs J. Konrads and Mrs Ann Sykes (Sabrina's mum).

8 March 1959 – Before Friday 13th, the Sun-Herald asked some stars about their superstitions.

Sabrina says, "I have lucky charms which I take everywhere with me."
She has a lucky shell, a lucky stone (it's supposed to have an emerald inside it), a lucky Hawaiian god.
"I was very upset once when I lost my shell. Mother gets frantic when we can't find it," she says.

9 March 1959 - an elusive issue of Pix.

12 March 1959 - The Age

Sabrina as Torch Singer...

Sabrina as a would-be torch singer ... are in the new single-play 45's.

Sabrina, whose entertainment talents definitely do not include high- class singing has her first record double — Persuade Me, and a Man Not a Mouse (Philips).

"Sabby" suggests rather than sings these torchy titles, doing a good job with the second title.

See the Sabrina Song page - if you're brave enough.

14 March 1959 - The Canberra Times (page 1)

Sabrina Arrives To-morrow

World-famous British television and film star, Sabrina,will arrive in Canberra to-morrow.
She will travel from Sydney in a T.A.A. plane, arriving at the airport at 12.30.
She will later leave Canberra in a chartered aircraft to Cooma, from where she will inspect the Snowy scheme.
Sabrina is in Australia fulfilling an engagement with the Tivoli Theatre.
After her inspection of the Snowy scheme, she will return to Canberra, leaving again for Sydney on Monday afternoon.

16 March 1959 - The Canberra Times (page 3)

WARM WELCOME FOR SABRINA

Film and Variety star Sabrina is presented with a bouquet and gift by Mary Nedelj Kovil after arriving at Fairbairn Airport yesterday. Mobbed by 200 excited teenagers when she landed, Sabrina spent 20 minutes at the airport before taking off in a light plane for Cooma to inspect the Snowy Mountains project. Despite the hot weather, Sabrina wore a clinging black dress with a fur thrown around her shoulders. She will return to-day.

20 March 1959 - Daily Express

ROMANCE
PRINCE CHRISTIAN of Hanover, that indefatigable young man-about-town and escort of Sabrina, among others, has been following the current trend towards the Orient for companionship and romance.
For the past three weeks the girl on his sturdy arm has been an Anglo-Indian model. She is 21, strikingly beautiful, and her name is Shanti McGuire.
But there will be no permanent 'Indian - Hanoverian alliance'. She says: "It's finished. I don't want to see him or talk about him again — ever."
The prince says nothing.

20 March 1959 - Attends the Peter Pan Ball at Prince's, escorted by Noel Vincent.

From The Women's Weekly , 25 March 1959 - Social Jottings

I'M looking forward to the Peter Pan Ball at Prince's on March 20 - always THE glamor night of the Easter season, it promises to be better than ever this year. There'll be lots of guests over from Victoria, including Sir Rupert and Lady Clarke , the Jack deLittles (remember he was a super polo-player), and yachting brothers Frank and John Livingston . And last but not least, Sabrina will arrive about 11.30 escorted by Noel Vincent .

21 March 1959

Why Sabrina and Jack Davey are such good neighbors

25 March 1959

An Unusual Picture of Sabrina - Australian Broadcasting Commission magazine

29 March 1959 - Sabrina is mobbed at a charity fete .

At the Prince of Wales hospital fete, more than 100 people rushed to her car when she arrived at the hospital, and imprisoned her in it for several minutes.
A crowd of about 300 followed Sabrina around the fete, at times packing around her eight and nine deep.

Read the whole article.

1 April 1959 - Speculum, A Journal of the Melbourne Medical Students Society , No. 164, September 1959

YOUR GONADS AND YOU

You've got these glands, see? All over you. They make you what you are.
These glands aren't all as obvious to the eye as others. They're deep inside the body, pouring out their "secretions" (that's the stuff they pour out) into the blood.
"So what?" you say. "What's it in the blood for?"
Hah. That's the whole trick. It gets at the cells of the body. Marvellous, isn't it?
And that, briefly, is how it works.

[I don't care whether this was produced by students: that cartoon is an abomination! Ed.]

2 April 1959 - Dorothy Kilgallen

Prince Christian of Hanover , who introduced Sabrina to the international set now favors an exotic model with the fascinating moniker of Shanti McGuire.

10 April 1959 - The Sydney Morning Herald

85,710 have seen this mighty show [Pleasures of Paris]!
Book now! Season must conclude April 29!

11 April 1959 - from the book 'Mother of Rock' by Robert Milliken

A reporter tried to set up a 'cat fight' between Sabrina and Jayne Mansfield. The reporter tried it during an interview with Sabrina in Sydney, and also during a phone interview with Jayne. On 2 May, a headline appeared, " Sabrina? Never Heard of Her! "

16 April 1959 - The Stage , p.5

Jimmy White's News from down Under

The-Girl-the-Press-boys-like-department:

Sabrina has now more square inches of newspaper space than any other artist to visit these shores. Photographers fall over themselves to take pictures, and the columnists break their necks to mention her name.
Even the recent State elections couldn't dislodge her.
She has opened new Drive-in- Banks; sold cars; made umpteen appearances for Charity: was refused admission to one of Sydney's swankier hotels (closely resembling London's Savoy) whilst wearing the clingyest, tightest matador pants (gold lame) and sweater, and sundry other items of interest. We've even had Sabrina's favourite recipes;
Sabrina's favourite knitting patterns: Sabrina's favourite sports and hobbies. She likes swimming on Sydney's famous beaches: we had a photo of her in a bikini, coming out of the surf to prove it. Just shows what the biggest smile in show biz will do for a girl.

18 April 1959 - Appears in Aussie WEEKEND Magazine - with Elvis and Inger Stevens.

This was the article showing incognito Sabrina shopping in King's Cross in a black wig.

21 April 1959 - "Figures don't Lie," says Sabrina. You'll get more out of a Morris from Peter Lloyd's."

22 April 1959 - Sydney Morning Herald

Dr Billy Graham, the American evangelist, told women in a record weekday crowd of 33,000 at the Sydney Showground last night that they should not dress like Sabrina.

He said women should make themselves as attractive as possible to their husbands, but they should not dress like Sabrina or "paint themselves like a Jezebel."

Read the article

25 April 1959

Pleasures of Paris closes its season at Sydney Tivoli.

Read the programme.

No more Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2pm. No more nightly performances at 8:15pm.

An ad in the Melbourne Age for POP on 30 Jan 1959 - thanks to Lord Corey of Fulton

27 April 1959

Sabrina appears at Lee's Theatre Restaurant in Kensington, Sydney, with Sammy Davis Jr.

Fortunately, the caption on the picture above alerted us to the fact that Sabrina was the one on the left. We don't know who is on the right.

April 1959 - The Glamorous Headline Hunters , Modern Man

May 1959 - Australian Televison Screen magazine

7 May 1959 - Daily Express

There is a lemon-coloured three-piece suite being made for Sabrina up in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. It is for her new flat in Bayswater. So what? So this: It is made of FUR.

9 May 1959

The Making of the Caltex ad and the Ardath Hit Parade - Pix magazine [Australia]

9 May 1959

VAUXHALL Velox Sedan , latest model, 3,854 miles. Used only by the fabulous SABRINA during her triumphant Australian tour. This car is mauve in colour, has leopard-skin upholstery and is fitted with push-button radio and many other extras. First to see will buy at VAUXHALL PARK
589 Princes H'way.
ROCKDALE.

Now, don't you wish you'd opened the paper and seen that ad? Sigh... Ed.

10 May 1959 - From 'Echoes', The Coburg High School Magazine, Vol.XIV. 1959. (Victoria, Australia). P.18.

After a free lunch from the big canteen we got two buses to Long Gully, about 12 miles up in the Adelaide Hills. The view coming back was astounding, quite apart from the fact that "Sabrina" drove past in a car. Our days were full of enjoyment and this one was no exception, for the social that night was a great success.

13 May 1959 - Woroni - Newspaper of the C.U.C. Students' Union (Canberra University, page 1)

Thought For Tomorrow

"I used to get very annoyed when people took pity on me, and I still do."

— Sabrina.

13 May 1959 - The Biz (Fairfield, NSW, Australia) Page 6

Looking Around , by Tom Fitzpatrick

This here "fabulous" is getting a bit overdone.
"Fabulous" Gold Coast.
"Fabulous" Forster.
"Fabulous" Sabrina .
Can understand the latter because she really stands out and how!

28 May 1959 - The Stage (London)

More Dates for Sabrina

Following successful three months' season at Melbourne and Sydney, Pleasures of Paris, the vaudeville revue starring Sabrina, continues to triumph in other Australian cities and has been given further playing time.
At present playing to packed houses at the Royal Adelaide, where it
closes on June 7, "Pleasures of Paris" opens, with a gala premifere,
on June 11, at His Majesty's, Perth. After a season at that theatre, a tour of New Zealand will follow. Supporting contributions to a line production include Syd and Max Harrison, the Andrea Dancers. Billy Baxter, the Mistin Juniors, Jackie Le Monnier, Crocker and Clarke, Nancy Spiers, and David Sterle.

June 1959: A Sabrina Exclusive for Photo Digest

1 June 1959

Appears in The Pleasures of Paris in the Theatre Royal, Adelaide, South Australia until 10 June 1959

The Show Girls, Presenting Company, Dance Troupe
Tivoli Ballet, Presenting Company, Dance Troupe
The Dancing Men, Presenting Company
Les Existentialists, Presenting Company
The Models, Presenting Company

Cast:

Joanna Carrass, Actor
Billy Baxter, Comedian, compere
David Clark, Comedian
Barry Crocker, Comedian (read Barry Crocker's memories of Sabrina from his book)

David Clark, Sabrina and Barry Crocker (right)

Ted Fitton, Comedian
Max Harrison, Comedian
Syd Harrison, Comedian
Nancy Spiers, Ballet dancer
Hal Moschetti, Composer
Jackie Monnier, Drag Queen
David Sterle, Dancer
Sabrina, Performer

Crew:

Angus Winneke, Designer
Len James, Musical Director
John Robertson, Stage manager
Winnie Gill, Wardrobe Mistress
Tuppy Downs, Choreographer

3 June 1959

The Biz (Fairfield, NSW) , page 8

CABRAMATTA DISTRICT NEWS

Some TV Highlights

The "Stan Freberg Show" which was written and produced by the American record star in which he plays the principal role, will be shown on Channel 7 on Sunday, June 7, as a special attraction of the Caltex Theatre.

The show was wholly produced at the ATN studios at Epping, and ranks as the biggest project of its kind ever undertaken by the station. More than 30 people, including the principles, chorus and ballet, appear before the camera, and the music was provided by the full ATN Orchestra.
The show took weeks of preparation and rehearsal, and two complete recordings were made.

The show takes as its basis an excursion by Freberg into Television Land, and is patterned along the comedy lines which have made him one of the top comics of the day. All the material used, however, is entirely original. Freberg was determined that the programme should exploit all the facilities of television.

The highlights will include a visit from "Orville." the man in the moon, and "Mirror Monahan," a skit of T.V. westerns.

Freberg's special guests on the show are the English beauty, Sabrina , and the Horace Dargie Quintet. The leading artists appearing with him are Kevin Brennan , John Grey and Robina Baird .

6 June 1959

The most ambitious TV variety program ever produced by ATN, the "Stan Freberg Show." will be presented tomorrow night at 8 o'clock on the Caltex Theatre.

Freberg wrote the script and produced the program at the ATN studios during his recent Australian tour.

Other artists in the show include Sabrina , the Horrie Dargie Quintet , Kevin Brennan , John Gray and Robina Baird . Kathy Lloyd and Betty Prentice are the singers.

7 June 1959

Pleasures of Paris closes in Adelaide.

7 June 1959 - Appears on Sydney TV.

ATN Channel 7 TV, 8.00pm: The Caltex Theatre — "The Stan Freberg Show" starring Stan Freberg ; guest artist Sabrina , Horrie Dargie Quintet , Kevin Brennan and Kathy Lloyd .

There's still time to see the Caltex Stan Freberg Show on Astor. Australia's First TV Choice!
See this 1.75 hour long, side-splitting show that you'll remember for ages... brought to you by CALTEX. The show was recorded on miracle Video Tape at ATN before Stan Freberg returned to the United States... you'll see Sabrina too, in startling dimension and crystal clarity on your new Astor TV... the set more people buy!
21" Taper-Line Lowboy, model D8K - 189 guineas.

9 June 1959 - Saskatoon Star-Phoenix

Probably Fans

PERTH, Australia, (Reuters) — Some 3.000 men and women swept aside counters, wrecked showcases and scattered display goods to swarm around busty English show girl Sabrina when she opened a contest to find Western Australia's most beautiful head of hair at a store here Monday.

Policemen linked arms to form a ring around Sabrina, who measures 41½-18-36, but the weight of the crowd crushed protectors and protected together.

11 June 1959

Pleasures of Paris premieres in Perth at His Majesty's Theatre.
Directed by Eric Edgley , it featured Sabrina, Billy Baxter and Barry Crocker .

11 June 1959 - Nepean Times - Penrith, NSW

Sabrina Came as Vegetable to Emu Plains on Saturday

The attendance was poor at the pet parade,doll show, and general get-together last Saturday afternoon at Emu. Plains, an occasion to benefit thefunds of the Emu Parents and Citizens' Association.

That's a pity, because a lot of people In the district have attended the old Emu school,and now they have grown tip,become fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, and for old times sake it would have been an idea if they'd gone along.

However, this is a free country, and does not demand compulsion in matters of this nature...

Vegetables have always had a certain attraction to be decorated. But there were limitations until more recent times, when modern ingenuity seemed to really get to work...

The one which took the writer's eye was one very-much publicised girl who had visited Australia in recent times, and who had certain part of her anatomy overdeveloped. The creator of this even had the expression of the girl in question on the face — to wit, a parsnip. The long legs were also parsnips.

12 June 1959 - from The Fort Street Girls' High School Magazine , Vol 5, no.17. October 1959. p.29 (New South Wales, Australia)

THE SCHOOL SPORTS DAY.

Our 59th Annual Sports Carnival was held on 12th June at Waverley Oval. This year, in addition to the usual events, three more were introduced. They were the Junior and Senior Long Jump, Hurdles and the March Past. During lunch time, the Fifth Years displayed their prowess at football in the grudge match of the season, the "Fort Street Terrors" against the "Saints". The world-famous celebrity, Sabrina, gave the kick-off , but she was forgotten in the stampede which resulted when it was announced that Elvis Presley had arrived at Mascot.

Editorial notes: 'Mascot' is Sydney's international airport. Since Elvis never came to Australia, the claim that Sabrina attended the sports day must also be subject to reasonable doubt!

17 June 1959

Find out how Sabrina was assaulted onstage by a fan in Perth ( Source )

See why Sabrina might have clobbered him.

Exactly when and why Sabrina went to Perth is unclear. There are no recorded shows or appearances there...

18 June 1959 - The Stage , page 3

Sabrina, who, following her Melbourne and Sydney triumphs, has now taken Adelaide by storm, and still getting nationwide publicity. She recently bought 16 cases of choice Australian apples to send to the Actors' Orphanage in England. To the same destination are added cases of pineapples, pears, and passionfruit which is about the finest gift she could give ... and to a very worthy cause.

Incidentally, Sabby hasn't forgotten the less-fortunate kids in Australia. She has made many unreported visits and gifts to war orphanages and crippled children's homes. Which is just one of the reasons why we like her.

1 July 1959 - The Age (Melbourne)

Sabrina slaps a youth who tried to kiss her onstage

July 1959

Sabrina at the opening of the "Nautilus SS" (a Shell service station), on the Stirling Highway, Cottesloe, Western Australia - July 1959

And thanks to the untiring dedication of Chris Keating, we now (June 2015) have extra photos of this great event. Thanks, Chris!

30 July 1959 - New Zealand Upper Hutt Leader, Volume XVI, Number 29

Sabrina Coming
"PLEASURES OF PARIS"
Sabrina, that much-discussed stage personality, will head the "Pleasures of Paris" revue company, due in New Zealand shortly. Her claim to fame seems to rest mainly on her body measurements. It is said that on her eight month tour of Australia she has averaged £1000 a week.

Her current show, "Pleasures of Paris" will play three and half weeks in Auckland, then go on to Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Timaru in the course of a twelve-week tour.

From Lancashire-born Norma Sykes — nobody — to Sabrina, is a big rise for a girl who, at 11 years of age, until 16, was in and out of hospital continuously with polio, osteomyelitis and rheumatic fever. On her recovery she went to work in London as a waitress, but the work was much too hard for her leg.

She made jewellery — a craft she had very successfully learned when she was in hospital. It was not long before she was posing for photographs. One made the front page of the Picture Post and this led to an immediate engagement for the Arthur Askey show. In this show she won the title of the "dumb blonde".

31 July 1959 - Reported in The Arizona Republic .

Sabrina Will Visit U.S.

British television star, Sabrina said yesterday her dream of going to America finally had come true. She announced she would start an 18-week tour in the fall* during which she will appear at Las Vegas, Nev., Miami, Fla. and New York. She will receive $150,000 for the tour, she said.

31 July 1959 - Daily Mirror

SABRINA'S £53,500 JOB
Sabrina, now touring New Zealand, announced yesterday that she is to be paid £53,500* to star in an American all-girl show in Las Vegas, Miami and New York. The show opens in November.

On the same day, The Age added...

She said today she was cancelling her planned Far East and South African visits and would go straight to Las Vegas after her New Zealand tour.

*$US 150,000.

In 2023, that's worth $US 1,567,665

1 August 1959

Sabrina celebrates my second birthday with Evie Hayes.

5 August 1959 - The Australian Women's Weekly (page 16)

A jug of wine and WHO?

... At the club's annual Ladies' Night recently cellarmaster Mr. George Fairbrother referred to a special riesling as "a bigger, full-bodied wine - the Sabrina of the lot." ...

A rather acid French claret - a bit sharp for most - was described as Kim Novak, perhaps a little unkindly to her.

A smooth burgundy from McLaren Vale, not lacking an exciting tang, was dubbed with the double-barrelled name Lollobrigittebardot.

6 August 1959  

Sabrina appears on the cover of Freelance in New Zealand

14 August 1959

Richard Attenborough was photographed tasting "this delicious consignment of Granny Smith apples. The gift of Sabrina - now touring Australia - to the Actor's Orphanage."

The Stage reported on 20 August, on page 4 that...

Sabrina, who is now touring Australia, recently shipped a consignment of Australian canned pineapples and fresh apples to the
Senior Australian Government Trade Commissioner in the United Kingdom asking him to present the fruit on her behalf to children of the Actors' Orphanage at Watford.

As a result Richard Attenborough, chairman of the Orphanage Fund, was at Australia House to receive the fruit from Philip R. Searcy.

20 August 1959 - The Stage (p.3)

Sabrina opened at St. James, New Zealand, last week and has been given a great spread of publicity, both on the air and in the press. She is supported by Syd and Max Harrison, the Andrea Dancers, Billy Baxter, the Mistin Juniors, Elia and Bob Carley, and Jackie Mannier.

20 August 1959 - The Stage (p.4)

Sabrina's Pineapples

Sabrina, who is now touring Australia, recently shipped a consignment of Australian canned pineapples and fresh apples to the Senior Australian Government Trade Commissioner in the United Kingdom asking him to present the fruit on her behalf to children of the Actors' Orphanage at Watford. As a resuit Richard Attenborough, chairman of the Orphanage Fund, was at Australia House to receive the fruit from Philip R. Searcy.

An extract from my second phone interview with Sabrina...

• Ray Bolwell and Sabrina went to New Zealand. It was at this stage that Sabby discovered that Ray was including his girlfriend's rent in his deducted costs - and since he was meant to be Sabby's boyfriend it was a personal as well as a financial slap in the face.

See a memory from a reader about that NZ episode which suggests a compromising position was engineered by Harry M Miller. Or is this something else?

• She and Ray went to Miami for her to work in a nightclub. Ray was charging everything to Sabby's room - including gifts for his new Miami girlfriend.
• She told Ray to get out of Miami and leave her alone, but he told Sabby he was writing a book ominously entitled 'Inside Sabrina.'
• Sabby consulted a lawyer and figured the supposed dirt he had on her could turn to mud if it were thrown. She agreed to pay his passage back to Australia as a settlement.
• She found him the slowest boat back to Australia: "it took six months for him to get back stopping at every port."

20 August 1959 - The Stage

Sabrina opened at St. James, New Zealand, last week and has been given a great spread of publicity, both on the air and in the press...

23 August 1959 (estimate) - Source/date unknown (taken from a scrapbook cutting)

Sabrina sat in the front stalls of the Princess Theatre last night. With her is manager Ray Bolwell , 25, of East St. Kilda.

Sabrina, in Melbourne for a busman's holiday from show business, was watching "The Tunnel of Love." At interval she went backstage to meet the star, Michael Pate .

Sabrina and her manager will leave Sydney for New Zealand next week with the Tivoli show "Pleasures of Paris."

Her big ambition before she leaves: to meet Danny Kaye in Sydney.

1 September 1959 - Thanks to Kiwi Dean for this elusive info. See the New Zealand picture page

Pleasures of Paris opens in Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand for a series of 11 days. This season was at St. James, 8pm, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm.

Prices: Reserved stalls and Dress Circle £1/2/5. Grand Circle, 14/3. Matinees 17/-, 8/10 (children half-price at matinees).

Sabrina in Wellington, 1 September 1959

Outside St James Theatre, Manner St, Wellington 1 September 1959.
The look on that kid's face is priceless.

8 September 1959

Meeting the "Miss Wellington Airport Girls" contestants, 8 September 1959

10 September 1959

TV and stage star Sabrina, carried the battle of the bulge to Maoriland recently when she vistied the famous village of Ohinemutu, at Rotorua during her tour of New Zealand with the revue "Pleasures of Paris". Here Sabrina is being welcomed in the traditional style by Rangi , the chief guide at the resort. Sabrina soon leaves for the United States for engagements at Miami, Las Vegas and New York. 10 September 1959

14 September 1959 (publication date)

"Tweetie Pie" meets Sabrina... Curvaceous SABRINA makes friends with 'Tweetie-Pie' the Budgie - when they met in Wellington, New Zealand recently. Sabrina was overwhelmed by the chumminess of the bird - which is owned by Mr A.F. Bird, owner of a rental car business in Wellington.

After the New Zealand run of Pleasures of Paris , Sabrina returned to Queensland, Australia...

The "12 weeks tour" announced above turned out to be optimistic.
Sabrina left Australia 8 weeks later on 14 November.

14 September, 1959 - Arrives at Eagle Farm airport, Brisbane, Queensland (from New Zealand)

On the same day, New Zealand's Wellington Uni student magazine 'Salient' invoked Sabrina's name and urged uni chancellors to 'keep abreast of the times'.

15 September, 1959

Brisbane, QLD. Movie actress Sabrina with a kangaroo (actually, probably a wallaby) in Queens St.
See many more pix of Sabby in Oz .

And of course she took a swim. See more of these on the Sabrina in Bathers page.

17 September 1959

Docs Toss Coins Inject Sabrina

BRISBANE, Australia (CP) - Several doctors at Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital flipped a coin Tuesday to decide who would give curvy British entertainer Sabrina an anti-cold injection in her hip. Sabrina asked for something to "stop a cold" when she visited the hospital.
The doctor who won refused to give his name — on "ethical grounds."

Later Sabrina tried to stop the City Hall clock - or its chimes.

She tried to speak to the Lord Mayor Alderman Groom to tell him that the chimes had awakened her at 6 a.m. after only four hours sleep.
Alderman Groom was not available, but she passed on her request to his secretary to "try to fix her little problem."

17 September 1959

From the Melbourne Age

Slim Dusty meets Sabrina at "The Pub with no Beer"

Meet him at the Melbourne Royal Show, with his All-Star Western Parade

Joy McKean , Melody Trail Cowgirl

Mighty Young Samson of Greece. See him lie on a bed of razor-sharp nails while huge rocks are smashed on his chest. £200 offered to any man who can perform the same feats as Samson can perform.

The Vilsteys , Continental Aerial Trapeze artists.

Johnny Coles & the Colesmen , Sensational Rock Group from England.

Lavina , Belle of the West in her old-time saloon Can-Can.

Boogie Barry Thornton and his twangy guitar.

Slim Dusty's Bushland Recording Band .

Free Deputy Sheriff's Badges and souvenir fans for the boys and girls. Old Age Pensioners admitted free.

See his GOLD RECORD... Meet SLIM DUSTY in person.

Read more about Slim's connection with Sabrina , written by Slim's wife.

19 September 1959

Sabrina commences in The Sabrina Show at the Theatre Royal in Brisbane.

Sadly, we don't know how long the show ran, but we have the programme !

8 October 1959 - Daily Express

'Publish' says Sabrina
Actress Sabrina is willing that the novel " Cinderella Nightingale " shall be republished provided certain incidents which could have been taken to refer to her life are cut out.
This was said in the High Court yesterday when an action brought her and her father, Mr. Walter Sykes against author Robert Muller was withdrawn.
They accepted his assurance that he never intended any passage to be read as referring to either of them.

8 October 1959 - The Age

Sabrina Says...

"TV In Sydney and Melbourne has a lot to learn," said English variety artist Sabrina in a Perth (W.A.) press statement recently.

"A lot more money has to be spent on production and a lot more on scenery," explained Sabrina.

Sabrina's statement was made on the eve of the opening of TVW-7, Perth commercial TV station.

Also, Sabrina gave this advice to young TV artists.
Don't be stampeded to the top. I was at the top before I could act and before I could sing.

You must not appear too often. People get sick of you.

Once you put on an act on TV, every one has seen it. The next time you appear it has to be in another act.

 

19 October 1959 - The Sun (Melbourne AUS)

MELBOURNE, Australia- (UPI)—A crowd of screaming teen-agers mobbed U.S. rock'n'roll singer Fabian Forte on his arrival here today...

On the same plane was curvaceous TV star Sabrina, who went unnoticed by the mob.

 

28 October 1959 - The Sun (Vancouver)

Hugh O'Brian was surprised to find himself so popular in Australia. Seems that Sabrina, whom he dated a couple of times, is now in the Antipodes on a P.A. tour and all she talks about is Mr. O'Brian, whose "Wyatt Earp" Is very much liked down there.

3 November 1959 ( Sun-Herald )

SABRINA
ENFIELD BOULEVARDE HOTEL
14 CORONATION PARADE, ENFIELD.
Join in a toast and give this very lovely artist a resounding Australian farewell prior to her departure for U.S.A.

MEET HER IN PERSON IN ALL SECTIONS OF THE HOTEL
WEDNESDAY 4th November, EVENING.

12 November 1959 - The Bulletin and Scots Pictorial

Sabrina Goes West

Sabrina is tired of "beery and boring" Australian men. And so she takes off to-day from Sydney for America. She wants to play cowboys and Indians in TV Westerns.

She actually went East, but we don't want to be a boring Australian.

14 November 1959 - The Toledo Blade (Ohio, USA) reported:

Unfair To Sabrina - Sydney, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Blonde, curvy British entertainer Sabrina left yesterday for the United States with the complaint that after six months in Australia, people began taking her for "just another uninteresting Australian." (Hmph! Ed.)

Sabrina and manager Ray Bolwell at Mascot leaving for USA

Sabrina leaves for America, 13 Nov 59

14 November 1959 - The Courier News (USA)

Sabrina Cancels U.S. Show

SYDNEY, Australia, (AP) – SABRINA, the curvaceous British showgirl, said Friday she cancelled a $52,000 appearance in a Las Vegas nightclub because her Australian manager can't get a U.S. visa.

Manager ROY BOLWELL said he applied to the U.S. consulate for a visa three weeks ago and has been given no "satisfactory reason" for being refused.

Sabrina, who has been on tour in Australia, pouted, "I've said goodbye to my friends a half dozen times and I'm still here. It is very embarrassing."

November 1959: Arrives in the United States (again) where she stays doing mostly nightclub work in Manhattan's Latin Quarter until March 1963 — with side trips to Canada, Cuba , and Venezuela.

Sabrina gets off the plane in New York..

Venezuelan Sabrina Fans please report your Sabrina memories here !

24 November 1959 - Was in Hollywood with Steve Cochran.

10 December 1959 - The Age

U.S. Newsmen Dazzled by Sabrina

HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 9.
An ankle-Iength sapphire mink coat covering her 41½- 18-30 figure, England's glamorous Sabrlna dazzled reporters yesterday as she returned to Hollywood from a 12-month tour of Australia.

She dazzled them further when she shed her coat to reveal a form-fitting white sheath dress with a silver belt.

Asked about her future plans, Sabrina said she was going to Las Vegas, Nevada, to see about an engagement there, and added:—"But I would really like to buy a home here." (in Hollywood).

Sabrina spoke to the reporters freely, ignoring publicity men who were at the conference.

14 December 1959 - Winnipeg Free Press , by Joe Hyams

... The other day I learned that Sabrina — real name Norma Skyes — was in Hollywood scouting movie and television offers after a year in Australia where she did stage shows...

"Generally speaking my figure has been overplayed in the press." Sabrina stretched a little like a tiger in a cage so I was aware of how much of her figure there was to be overplayed.

"That kind of publicity has gone too far. I don't want to get publicity that way anymore. The figure is secondary . . . Mind you, I don't know what I would do without it. It's a kind of package deal — but don't write about my figure, please. Write about the fact that I'm in America, a land I've dreamed of visiting ever since I was a little girt. I want to own home and a swimming pool, the works. But I find Los Angeles is rather like the Barrow Boys in England who put all the best food in front of the cart."...

Read the whole article

28 December 1959 - Sydney Morning Herald

Cold Shoulder in Hollywood for Sabrina

LONDON, Dec. 27 (A.A.P.)

Hollywood is ignoring Sabrina, says a report in the "Sunday Express."

A dispatch from Hollywood to the newspaper says she is sitting in a small flat despondently watching her money and her enthusiasm dwindling quickly.

"The distance from the film star hotels of Beverly Hills grows further as the days go by," the report says.

"In Hollywood nobody knows who she is, and, more important, nobody shows any inclination to find out."

Sabrina said, "I can't tell you how depressed I am. When I first saw [?*] Hollywood two years ago it seemed so glamorous.
"But now I've seen it at close quarters I hate it. It's all so nothing. There's no culture.

"My year in Australia has probably convinced some people I'm dead. That's why I clobbered that man during my act a few months back.

"I knew it would make the papers in London. I needed publicity.
"What I want is a new gimmick. The bust thing is finished now."

* The image of the newspaper article in Google Books is damaged and neither OCR nor I can decipher it. Please let me know if you can read it.

1959

Queen Sabrina - Modern Man Yearbook 1959

1959

Sabrina beats any cow!

The Journal of the Sydney University Veterinary Society published their 21st edition of Centaur (G.J. Stratford, Ed). Page 24 recalled:

Who'd be a film star? Especially a busty blonde one? Well, Sabrina is, and Boy! did she get it. We had to pick on someone, and as Sabrina seemed to be fronting up well, we thought she'd make an ideal subject.

Read more.

And the Brits were glad to celebrate Sabrina's return from Australia.