Claire Lutter - Biography

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Submitted by Gary on Sun, 2011-08-07 20:04
Name: 
Claire Lutter
Date of Birth: 
1952
Place of Birth: 
Perth, Australia
Troupe(s): 
Dee Dee Wilde's Pan's People

 

By Gary P. Rose

Claire Lutter was born in 1952 in Perth, Western Australia. She wanted to be a dancer from the age of four and began studying ballet at home. She later went to France where she finished off her training in Cannes. She then joined a company and did cabaret for a while before moving to London where she undertook more ballet studies. Following this, she joined the Second Generation dancers and appeared with them on "The Rolf Harris" television series.

She then worked in cabaret for a season at the Stork Room in London. Also in the show was dancer Libby Roberts and, after the show finished, Claire and Libby decided to form a new dance troupe which they called the Love Machine. They recruited two other girls, including Lynn Collins, and performed in nightclubs all over the country. After some time, Lynn and the other girl left and were replaced by Teresa Lucas and Jane Eve (later known as Jane Colthorpe from Hot Gossip). This new line-up was seen on "The Benny Hill Show" from 1976 to 1977.

After "The Benny Hill Show", Claire appeared in West End shows. She performed in "The King and I" at the London Palladium, starring Yul Brynner in the titular role, and played Tintinabula in "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" with Frankie Howerd and Patrick Cargill. The play opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on the 14th November 1986 and ran for 49 performances.

She worked on television in "Space: 1999" and "Russ Abbot's Christmas Madhouse" and appeared in two feature films "Never Say Never Again" and ""Shanghai Express". She worked on trade shows and commercials, danced with other groups, including Dee Dee Wilde's Pan's People, and also did some choreography.

She has a long-time boyfriend, actor Rayner Bourton, who played the original Rocky in "The Rocky Horror Show" stage production in 1973..

(c) G. P. Rose 2012

 

Tags: 
Claire Lutter
Dee Dee Wilde's Pan's People

14 comments

Submitted by TOTP FAN on Tue, 2012-01-17 16:56
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Claire Lutter

Submitted by panfan on Tue, 2012-01-17 19:29
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Thanks TOTP Fan, I'll add that in as her biography photo.

Submitted by TOTP FAN on Wed, 2012-01-18 10:56
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Here's some info on Claire,

She was a founder member of a Dance group called Love Machine. As LM she went on to dance on The Benny Hill Show 1976-77. 

She is the long-term girlfriend of the actor Rayner Bourton who played the first Rocky in the Rocky Horror Show,

She appeared in two films, Never Say Never Again and Shanghai Express and on stage in The King And I..

Dave 

Submitted by Gary on Wed, 2012-01-18 13:50
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Thanks for submitting this info, Dave. Every little helps when doing biographies and you're sure to be credited for being the source of info.

Thanks again

Regards

Gary

Submitted by cornershop15 on Tue, 2012-02-07 14:53
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More information about Claire in these articles, Gary. Did you know she's Australian?

 

From the same photoshoot :

"Picture by Joe Berger", I think.

Submitted by cornershop15 on Thu, 2012-02-09 00:46
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Ten years later, Claire (right) took part in a photocall with unknown actress Kim Lee and Gordon Jackson. This was just after the last episode of The Professionals was broadcast and the incomplete caption says they're "celebrating" (something to do with the show).

I can't find any evidence that they were in the series and can only think the Asian theme might be to do with it being shown in that part of the world for the first time. Purely a guess. Dated 12th April 1983:

 

.

Submitted by Gary on Thu, 2012-02-09 10:07
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Thanks for providing information for Claire's biography. It was greatly appreciated

Gary

Submitted by cornershop15 on Thu, 2012-02-09 17:11
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Glad to be of help, Gary. You've done well to add more details to her Biography.

Daily Express, 16th August 1984

Is this the same Claire Lutter? It would be quite a coincidence if it's not. And yet the young lady in the picture is described as a "25-year-old Asian model" (she was a 21-year-old Australian in the other articles, from 11 years earlier), and there's no mention of her being a dancer. But the flower in the hair makes me think it is the same Claire. What do you think?:   

Another picture by Steve Wood. I must make a note of those I've posted here.

Submitted by Gary on Thu, 2012-02-09 17:28
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Thanks for this interesting article, cornershop. If it's not the same Claire, it's certainly looks like her!

Although Claire was born in Australia, she could have Asian origins. Looking at other photos, she looks Asian. 

Submitted by Gary on Thu, 2012-02-09 17:32
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By the way, cornershop, I liked your witty heading ('I can't believe it's not Lutter). That made me laugh!

Submitted by thedoctor on Wed, 2012-03-28 22:01
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Claire was never keen to show her passport - so the age probably got a bit "distorted" as time went on. The early reference is probably the accurate one.

Submitted by mojo2007 on Thu, 2012-02-09 19:02
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The article does call her a Londoner, and more than one model has lost years. I think its the same lovely.

Submitted by Gary on Fri, 2012-02-10 09:03
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I agree, mojo.

I think both Claire's are one and the same. She's obviously knocked a few years off her age

Equity doesn't allow two show buisness people to use the same name, especially if they are registered members in the same country and if they are working at the same period of time.

However, there are two actors named Ben Murphy - one is the American who starred in the Alias Smith and Jones TV series and the other Ben is British and appeared in the BBC series Eldorado. Because one actor is British and the other is American, Equity is more acceptable to them having the same name.

Submitted by cornershop15 on Fri, 2012-02-10 21:51
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I just think it's strange that Claire was credited as 21 in 1973 and 25 in 1984. Seven years is a lot of years to knock off for a woman who would have been 32. If the girl in the last article IS our Claire then she could pass for '25', I suppose.

Oddly enough, Gary, I chanced upon a TVTimes article on Equity rules for actors with the same name. While looking for more Lift Off details earlier, I found this in the magazine's TVTalk feature (28th November 1970 edition):

It's Ayshea Brough - for the record

Over 20,000 people are registered with Equity, the artistes’ union. And only two actresses with names that resemble Ayshea are listed.

One name is Ayesha – and she was listed first. So Equity have caused Ayshea, star of Lift Off, to add Brough, her married name, to her billing.

The Equity rules say there must be no duplication. And the first one on the roll has preference. In 40 years no one can remember having registered Ayshea or Ayesha.

Says Lift Off’s Ayshea, who is 20, “The union said I had no option but to add the Brough to keep on working. I’m surprised somebody has a similar name.”.