When you come across someone like Dorothy who freely admits that she never really wanted any children, then you listen to the way she talks and look at her body language - there's a distinct lack of compassion and tolerance about her. You can fully understand why she never had any children of her own. She simply could never muster that much love.
I've watched the whole programme through and it's terribly sad. That comment from the agent haunts me, the one she made about 'dogs and horses' only figured in her plan, 'not children'. I also think she was hiding a lot defensiveness about Lena too. As if it was all simmering away just beneath her surface. She has had a lot of influence over poor Lena and a lot to answer for too. But I also feel her parents were naive to let her go to London with that cold, cold woman. She was a stranger who presented herself to the family shortly after watching Lena won Opportunity Knocks. The poor child has been traumatised by the pressure and enormity of the changes in her life. Being a compliant little girl, not wanting to risk displeasing her elders, Lena has done all that was asked of her, poor child, and been pushed and pulled every which way in the process. Rest in Peace Lena xxx.
I agree with everything you have expressed in your comments. The manager’s husband was a nasty piece of work and it fills me with dread to think his behaviour towards Lena as a child. I pray Lena is at peace, God bless her. She was a gentle soul and the two cold hearted who managed Lena saw her solely as a money making machine. In fact what happened to all the money she made? We can speculate but will never know the truth.
Poor Lena. I remember her when I was small watching her on Hughie Green Show. Fantastic voice. I wonder if she would have lived if she never went into showbiz
victor is my uncle. he is very sensitive about what happend . and back then there was no security over your children, you left them to explore the world. and thats what my uncle did and even to this day he doesnt regret his desisions of sending her to go live with her agent because lena forfilled her dreams of becoming a hudge star. but please , please be considerate and dont leave nasty comments. thank you so very much xx
Much love to your family, it is very easy for strangers to say what they would do in hindsight and forget to have empathy for families who have suffered such loss. Much love to Victor, and yourself xx
She looked normal and happy until she went to that school something must have happened to her I don’t think it’s the parents but maybe her place was on the island it looks beautiful like her so talented but fame is not happiness somebody made a lot of money out of this girl and she died on benefits horrible story but needs told to maybe stop it happing again what a pure innocent harmless girl who blamed herself the family seems great but as said this is so sad but she’s at peace now ❤
Poor Lena. What sort of parents send their 10,year old child off a small island to live with a snot bag like Solomon in a big city? It cant have been nice at all for her. RIP Lena. You were so special x
What a talent she had and being cute. She has grown into a lovely woman with a great voice to go with it. It is sad that is the way she died just like Karen Carpenter.
Dorothy Solomon , the manager was responsible for Lena’s eating disorder. Who in their right mind would put a 10 year old child on a diet , telling her she was getting too fat. A very cruel, cold and calculating woman who obviously only cared about her percentage.
I think she’s alright , But , to before in appearance she does maybe look a bit cruella de vil in in that senses. Could you tell me if that’s how you meant it or her attitude and everything?
Or I don’t if that’s how agents work in a way that perhaps they just jump the gun all the time or jump on the band wagon too much without thinking with new artists But that does wind me up when or people agents act in that way I think.
This really moved me. What a shame. I had forgotten about her, actually...I remember watching her on the Carol Burnett show back in the day, and I probably did see her on a couple of the British shows because my mother was English and loved watching ALL those shows. But, I only watched the documentary after noticing that Boy George mentioned her just the other day in one of his tweets. So sad. There isn't really much said about her own personal feelings, dreams, goals...it's too bad, it does seem she was in a way stunted and fell into a tragic depression, exacerbated by anorexia. I wish someone could have really saved her.
I don’t know I suppose it was like being at boarding school her manager actually said that,,what a cold hearted woman her manager was you can just tell she would’ve shown no love or comfort to poor Lena tucking her in at night ect reading her a story it all went so horribly wrong what a talent 🙁
as a kid growing up in Umtali , Rhodesia in the 70s , my sister & I were big fans of her , very talented , too young for show bizz , sad how her life turned-out . The pressure from her manager to lose weight , tour dates worldwide anorexia , failed marriage , living on welfare etc ... She was very popular back in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe ) back than , she even performed in South Africa back in the day .. R.I.P :( Lena Zavaroni
I grew up in the same town as her (Rothesay) and went to the same school, although she'd left some years before I was there. She would enter local talent contests, and eventually they barred her from doing so because she won all of them hands down. People still talk about her, her cousin sings there and there are still a number of Zavaroni's restaurants dotted around. It must have been terrifying for a 10 yr old to go from what was (and is) a very small holiday island to the big time so quickly.
I remember as kid I use to have her poster on my wall, such a bright star and talent on such a sad road. All we can do is remember them and how incredible they were.
I feel the “static” too. My therapist says it stems from PTSD and can be a dissociative identity disorder symptom. She definitely saw something different in her mirror than we saw
She had a beautiful voice, it was such a shame. Maybe we should let children be children and come into their own in their own time. There appear to be so many child stars who lead sad lives and die young.
The Agent is a cold cold person. Victor really didn't know what to do for the best. He didn't know what the consequences were. And also don't forget that initially Lena wanted to go and do all the work, she also didn't know that it meant going away for a long time, she was too young to understand. Perhaps if a family member had gone too !!! But they were only working classs people and were following advice from Dorothy Solomon.
I had an eating disorder when l was 22. I didn't like food. I couldn't put food in my mouth, that's when my own problems started😯. It can happen to anyone at anytime in your life.
I remember sitting in ma maws hoose in Edinburgh I wiz only 7 we had a bkack and white meter telly;the one you put ten bob bit in te back fur it ta work.We awe sat roond the telly and watched wee Lena sing on Opetunity Knocks with Huey Green she wiz fantastic.She sung mama hes making eyes at me.We heard that song and the next day nearly awe oor street wiz sining this song adults and wains alike.Lena Zavaroni you are a STAR and you still shine bright in my memory,you will always be in BW tv to me
"She didn't get enough love" - in Karen Carpenter video I've gave an example of an argentinian actress who had ALL love in the world, from mother, husband, three children and still it didn't save her from anorexia...And what the conclusions? There are no any. Anorexia nervosa is a desease like any other. Someone suffer from drugs, others from alcohol adiction.. Someone die from cancer, others from AIDS.. It's just a destiny.. Sad and cruel, but destiny... It's no one's fault, it's a life...
@newagemisfit Dorothy Solomon was an adult,people have every right to be tough on her.Did you know that Dorothy didn,t let her play with other children with the exception of a short while with Bonnie.Children and teenagers need friendship for normal happinees and I beleive sound mental health.
The manager should have stuck to caring for horses and dogs! She didn't have an ounce of mothering skills. Never at any point did the impact of Lena's mother's suicide get a mention. It must have been devastating for her
There should be some sort of law against child 'stars' They are give workloads that would burn out most adults at a time when their bodies and brains are developing...when the fame dries up in their teens, they crash. There are countless examples of former child actors/singers coming unstuck and dying in young adulthood
It was not Lena's mum and dads fault i blame that horrible woman manager who drove her to unhappiness and never let her live a normal childhood. Lena's parents where never with her because she was more or less taken from them. She is in peace no forever
I remember seeing her ALL the time, and you really can't begrudge her for all those appearances, she HAD the talent. I'm a few years younger than she, and to me (who was listening to a bit of a harder 🙄😉 sound), she was just , 'oh, not MORE Lena'. It was like EVERY parent, and grandparent wished she was their child. I know (unfortunately) very well the pressures put on kids (esp by stage mums) who don't realise they're living vicariously through their children. I saw horrible stage mums - no, they never were mean, per se, it's just that it's at that young age when kids are most wanting to listen to, and be approved by their parents they're not likely to say 'no' to a parent, who's intent on making their kid a 'star', and NEVER bothers with their child AS a CHILD. Kids NEED to be kids. To play with other kids their age. So many (idiots) who have kids now, don't bother to teach their kids ANYTHING during this time. Then, the 'magic' of puberty hits, and that's when they turn away from parents, and want to make their own identity. If you're raised in a bubble, like poor Lena was, going from listening - and doing - what she's told - to - almost like a magical dissolve, and she's independent, she had NOTHING to prepare her for living life like a human. I think she was always looking to be 'approved' by others, and sadly, never was able to develop her own independence. If there's an existence after this, I hope she's finally found peace and happiness 💐.
Wow I watched a smaller documentary about her the name is in my memory bank the first film said her dad was italian well the dad here is scottish it's quite bizzare how she could just be taken away from her family like that as well I'm puzzled she'd have been a ward of court it's Just bizzare how little coverage of such a prescious talent and some flash Agents acting like they owned her and it's just so tragic how reporters don't even seem to get facts right aboute her what a heartbreaking life
You're right. The more you read about Phil Solomon & his wife Dorothy driving around in a Rolls Royce etc What else happened? Why did she end getting Anorexia? No so-called 'journalist' seems to want to go near it for some reason.. There was alot of abuse in them days, show biz ind. Can of worms perhaps?
10 years old was a very young to be so far away from your own parents. I think if I were her parents I would be saying to her agent that I didn't really feel that she should be away from her home at that age - could you perhaps come back in about 7 or 8 years time.
I think there is no point in placing the blame, coz it's totally senseless.. "She was separated from her mom" - and what about kids who live in orphanage and dont have parents at all? Or children with abusive parents, like the ones of Barbra Streisand? "Her manager was cold" - where have you seen "warm" manager? All managers only care about money.
@ThePearlofeire At the end of this documentary (part 6) it is claimed that after the film had been made the Chief Medical Officer launched an investigation into the methods of care at the Montreux Clinic. This written statement was and is entirely false, as the investigation referred to began in 1997 and was concluded in Dec 1999 with the clinic being ordered to cease treatment by Jan 2000.
@newagemisfit The fact remains that Dorothy was not morally or justifiably entitled to take Lena and make money from Lena,s talent even if her parents handed Lena over to her,although there are indications that Lena,s parents were duped as Dorothy could 'talk the talk' so to speak and Lena parents were just regular working class people.
forget cheryl cole now this amazing lady had the biggest talent and most fantastic voice so sad things had gone for her i would have loved lena to have done west end shows she would have been brillant.
Hal, we are all upset over Lena's tragic death and we all express it in different ways. Sometimes it is easy to blame the parents and others... but Anorexia is a tragic disorder striking many people, not just show biz personalities. I understand how enraged you must feel over her senseless death. Me too, especially since having a personal connection with Lena since the very beginning. To blame the family only pours more grief on them.
Sometimes people are out of the reach of family, or friends, or outstanding therapists. Heroic acts by family and friends cannot save them. And that must hurt.
@newagemisfit Poor parenting: Lena was a long distance away from her own parents -so couldn,t have received any parenting-and Dorothy openly admitted in an article not liking children,Lena,s developed alcoholism-this points to Hilda having had depression in her life.
the thing is you can't make a 'career 'for a 10 year old. they don't rationally know what they want to do with their lives, even if they do claim they want the glory and perks of fame, they can't comprehend the costs. if the kid wants to perform they should send them to local theatre or talent shows.
@Utubeifuwant Lena’s Italian Grandfather moved to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute from Italy and Lena’s mother was a Rothesay lass whose maiden name was Jordan. I think the reason Lena was born in Greenock is because that’s where the maternity hospital was located for the Island.
@newagemisfit The programme makers were not looking to blame her,Dorothy Solomon incriminated herself in this programme by showing a genuinely horribly cold attitude and not being sorry one iota -and in past magazine/newspaper articles from the 70,s.
I really wish people would stop putting the blame for what happened to Lena on her parents. They were a poor family who probably imagined that their daughter could have opportunities that they would never have if they allowed her to pursue stardom. I do agree that her agent did not appear very well suited to caring for a small child. However, imagine this: She might very well have stayed on the island, developed anorexia anyway, and no one would ever have heard her beautiful voice. RIP Lena
@newagemisfit Something I read is that there is this theory that anorexics may have aspergers which is very mild autism,perhaps part of the reason for Lena becoming anorexic and maybe even the talent too.
I know someone who went to alot of trouble to contact Dorothy and travelled to an arranged appointment and Dorothy never turned up. Also she seems to feel she played no part in Lenas problems. I don't agree she took this child away and paraded her like a side show round the world and all over television and your not telling me she didn't do it for the money or the prestige. She could have done more to help by noticing if Lena was unhappy and by helping with family visits etc
The one person who could reveal the most about Lena's state of mind is her closest friend Bonnie Langford but she isn't included at all in this docu. though I'm sure Lena must have confided in her. I did find out some info. on the Solomon's, (google 'the wrath of Solomon- a life in music'). Very disturbing reading.
@cooking23 To uproot Lena from her island home and send her out into the big, bad world at ten years of age was far, far too early. If only they had waited just 4 or 5 years more she might still be with us. I can only assume that with her astonishing voice and confident stage presence, they just tended to forget how young she was. I have to point out that it is actually an agents job to make money for the artists on their books and for themselves, otherwise they would go out of business.
too much too soon, quite simply killed this girl, and dont forget the agents greasing their palms with her fame,,,,,,and down fall, where were they when she had nothing!!!
During the Pebble Mill interview with Lena and her manager (episode 2), Lena is confronted with a picture of her younger self in a hat. This clip was used in another documentary which I have a copy, and Lena can clearly be heard (off-screen) laughing at the picture. However, in this documentary Lena’s laugh has been erased. Why would anyone making a factual documentary alter actual footage? There is only ever one motive for altering evidence and that is to mislead.
@newagemisfit Dorothy said in a magazine or newspaper interview that she didn,t care much for children,not in this tv programme,although Dorothys body language wasn, positive-to say the least.I don,t know whether or not Dorothy but if she decided not to have kids of her own,its not relevant.She was a complete stranger.Bonnie done better in life because she had her family with her all the time and her childhood schedule doesn,t seem to be as hectic as Lena,s Michael Jacksons or Judy Garlands.
She died due to a lobotomy being performed, law states that the last lobotomy was 1967, but that's not true it was performed on her and that's why she died 😭
@ThePearlofeire "Give Food a Chance arises from the clinical experience of Dr Julie O’Toole, MD, MPH, over more than a decade, of treatment for eating disorders in children and young adults. Dr O’Toole rejects former theories that claim such disorders are caused by poor parenting, issues of control, rejection of adulthood, or society’s oppression of women. Instead, the author’s thesis is that anorexia in particular is a chronic, highly heritable brain disorder."
Rubbish. Anorexics have abnormal relationships with parents, as can be seen by Lena's parents compromising their relationship with her when she was a cild and letting a stranger take over.
@ThePearlofeire I don't know enough about what went on at the clinic to make any judgement. All I would say is it seems that Lena's physical condition was improved there. I have seen no evidence that anyone in Lena's life disliked children. I do know that some women are unable to have children and I imagine such a person might feel uncomfortable if asked on camera why they are not a parent.
@newagemisfit Had this been a 21 year old woman or man,things would be different.Lena was able to start the anorexic behaviours because there was no one making sure she ate.Even when not in the anorexic mindset, parents/foster parents/legal guardians make sure children have 3 meals a day,that is why the family eats together.
@newagemisfit Not saying Lena,s parents could have known this would result in anorexia as it it more likely that it would result in just depression,which is what they could have known. Anorexia came in as there is this emphasis on 'slender is beautiful,words were said to Lena to go on a diet but images are stringer(images of slenderness being around her that she seemed to take more notice of).
Martina Murray I work in mental health and this couldnt be further from the truth Im afraid. Fact is anybody can develope the mental health state in life. Often the route of mental health is unknown. People who have the appearance of excellent life conditions still develope depression and ofher related conditions
@newagemisfit Thanks for clarifying that and for the info on Hilda Zavaroni which is otherwisw quite sparse. She doesn't appear to have had much influence on Lena's life, all the decisions being taken by Victor, as in 'I decided to go for it'' and not 'We...' Had she no say when Dorothy assumed responsibility for Lena? It seems incredible that she let her daughter go off round the world with someone she hardly knew. Hilda Zavaroni died in 1989 from a tranquilizer overdose Wikipedia
Yes I think she should have stuck to dogs and horses. Looking after a child especially one as talented as Lena, did neither of them any good. And no, Rothesay is not full of fish and chip shops.
@newagemisfit The Montreux Clinic seemed to have temporarily at least helped Lena.But it did seem odd to me from what I have seen in other documentaries made in the early 1990,s.There was a patient who was a young woman who when slightly recovered was put to help a young boy with anorexia.This young woman as it happens was Scottish too.
I think the problem was parental love got mixed up with greed (yes, greed, or at least a failure to hold onto their daughter as a daughter), handing a child over at 10 to an agent means your parents are complicit in turning you into a money making performer & this becomes part of the relationship, to a young mind that is now a conditional relationship. The clinic would have treated her along the lines of having an unconditional relationship I think.
@newagemisfit - Not sure why you singled me out as a target for your sarcastic, rude post. Perhaps because I was polite and not dogmatic in my opinions - a target for a bully who didn't want to confront the more strident posters? I qualified my post by saying that the agent wasn't a bad person; there was one 'maybe' ; and I wrote that the agent's pattern of speech may have been misleading. My childhood was not perfect (whose is?) but it's a fact that early fame often damages performers.
@ThePearlofeire Dorothy Solomon never ever cared about Lena,It was all about business.Lena helped make Dorothy stay very rich.Dorothy actions were excessive particularly when it is in connection with a child/young person that we are talking about here.
@newagemisfit Name your source,you could be right but that does not discredit this documentary or the newspaper articles that mentioned Dorothy Solomon putting Lena then aged 10 on a diet and the wrongness of taking her away from her home and family or not having herlive with people who actually cared about her such as Martha and David Fisher.Also exposong her to a hectic schedule at too young an age.
@ThePearlofeire I think what happened to Lena opened DS up to all kinds of hindsight fuelled criticism. She would have been well aware the programme makers were looking for a ‘wicked stepmother’ character to blame. I do not think though that her actions in caring for Lena (that we know about) were excessive.
everyone around her from her naive father, aunt and especially the AGENT has to have responsibility even the horrid husband..the agent kept telling her to lose weight..i hope the agent rots in hell..no mention of the mother..and why didn't her sister help?..why did she end up with no where to live telephoning form a box wtf?..meal ticket for everyone..and EVERYONE LET HER DOWN..SHAME ON YOU ALL YOU SHOULD ALL BE SORRY!
@cynthiacher The dresses Lena wear where fashionable in the 70s but in the 80s they where not that agent of Lena's was part to blame for Lena life and i am only guessing this agent also told her what to wear and how to express herself when singing tho i agree with you this was not necessary as Lena's voice was one in a million and she did not need to do that,, RIP LENA XXX
@newagemisfit Rejection of adulthood:it varies. Alot of the times it is the pressure to succeed that contributes to eating disorders and other mental health problems.Lastly:societys oppression of women:a young girl doesn,t suddenly wake up one day and say that she feels oppressed. Its much more insidious and girls don,t realise this as we grow up with it and don,t know any better when still children.
@newagemisfit the talent on its own wouldn,t destroy a person,it would be the fact that a very young or vulnerable person would be in demand to perform all of the time and suffers stress as a result.
@newagemisfit Its the general acceptance that being slender is beautiful and fuller figure women are never put on a pedestal in the fashion,pop music or on TV that appeals to young people-obviously on its own,it is not the cause.I should add that there are males with eating disorders as I think I have mentioned in earlier comments.Depressive mental illnesses often come from a lack of love and stress.
Thankfully, things have changed tremendously in the 7 years since you posted your comment: Adele, Cindy (full figure Barbie doll), several full figure actresses and plus sized actors. Lovely to see such diversity.
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I visited her grave last week she still gets fresh flowers put on it by somebody
I can't believe that she travelled alone, without parents! That must've been very difficult for a kid her age!
When you come across someone like Dorothy who freely admits that she never really wanted any children, then you listen to the way she talks and look at her body language - there's a distinct lack of compassion and tolerance about her.
You can fully understand why she never had any children of her own.
She simply could never muster that much love.
I don't like dorothy at all. I'm afraid. Not a very caring woman. Lena Zavaroni had a lovely voice beautiful inside and out
I've watched the whole programme through and it's terribly sad. That comment from the agent haunts me, the one she made about 'dogs and horses' only figured in her plan, 'not children'. I also think she was hiding a lot defensiveness about Lena too. As if it was all simmering away just beneath her surface. She has had a lot of influence over poor Lena and a lot to answer for too. But I also feel her parents were naive to let her go to London with that cold, cold woman. She was a stranger who presented herself to the family shortly after watching Lena won Opportunity Knocks. The poor child has been traumatised by the pressure and enormity of the changes in her life. Being a compliant little girl, not wanting to risk displeasing her elders, Lena has done all that was asked of her, poor child, and been pushed and pulled every which way in the process.
Rest in Peace Lena xxx.
Poor Lena 😞
I agree with you, I would never have allowed my Daughter to go with a woman that evil and dangerous. She must have done something to her.
I agree with everything you have expressed in your comments. The manager’s husband was a nasty piece of work and it fills me with dread to think his behaviour towards Lena as a child. I pray Lena is at peace, God bless her. She was a gentle soul and the two cold hearted who managed Lena saw her solely as a money making machine. In fact what happened to all the money she made? We can speculate but will never know the truth.
So sad💔💝🙏
Poor Lena. I remember her when I was small watching her on Hughie Green Show. Fantastic voice. I wonder if she would have lived if she never went into showbiz
Rest in peace Lena, never forget you, you were a year older than me.
victor is my uncle. he is very sensitive about what happend . and back then there was no security over your children, you left them to explore the world. and thats what my uncle did and even to this day he doesnt regret his desisions of sending her to go live with her agent because lena forfilled her dreams of becoming a hudge star. but please , please be considerate and dont leave nasty comments. thank you so very much xx
Much love to your family, it is very easy for strangers to say what they would do in hindsight and forget to have empathy for families who have suffered such loss. Much love to Victor, and yourself xx
He seems a lovely man. I really feel for him. ❤
There for the Grace of God! Her family seems so caring!
Victor and Hilda were wonderful parents to Lena, she and her cousin wanted to be singers and Lena was able to fulfill her dream
She looked normal and happy until she went to that school something must have happened to her I don’t think it’s the parents but maybe her place was on the island it looks beautiful like her so talented but fame is not happiness somebody made a lot of money out of this girl and she died on benefits horrible story but needs told to maybe stop it happing again what a pure innocent harmless girl who blamed herself the family seems great but as said this is so sad but she’s at peace now ❤
Poor Lena. What sort of parents send their 10,year old child off a small island to live with a snot bag like Solomon in a big city? It cant have been nice at all for her. RIP Lena. You were so special x
What a talent she had and being cute. She has grown into a lovely woman with a great voice to go with it. It is sad that is the way she died just like Karen Carpenter.
"No my dear - I stuck to dogs and horses - never in my plan" ... says it all!!!!
So tragic!!!
So so sad, I am similar in age to Lena and grew up loving her. She was my idol. Gone too soon RIP Lena, never forgotten xx
I don't care how talented my child was, I could never just send her off to live with her agent. And that agent! She's so...Cruella de Vil.
If they new now how that would kill her so sad
Dorothy Solomon , the manager was responsible for Lena’s eating disorder. Who in their right mind would put a 10 year old child on a diet , telling her she was getting too fat.
A very cruel, cold and calculating woman who obviously only cared about her percentage.
I think she’s alright ,
But , to before in appearance she does maybe look a bit cruella de vil in in that senses.
Could you tell me if that’s how you meant it or her attitude and everything?
I’m just a bit confused
Or I don’t if that’s how agents work in a way that perhaps they just jump the gun all the time or jump on the band wagon too much without thinking with new artists
But that does wind me up when or people agents act in that way I think.
This really moved me. What a shame. I had forgotten about her, actually...I remember watching her on the Carol Burnett show back in the day, and I probably did see her on a couple of the British shows because my mother was English and loved watching ALL those shows. But, I only watched the documentary after noticing that Boy George mentioned her just the other day in one of his tweets. So sad. There isn't really much said about her own personal feelings, dreams, goals...it's too bad, it does seem she was in a way stunted and fell into a tragic depression, exacerbated by anorexia. I wish someone could have really saved her.
Karen Folques 😢😢😢❤❤❤
Damn
I don’t know I suppose it was like being at boarding school her manager actually said that,,what a cold hearted woman her manager was you can just tell she would’ve shown no love or comfort to poor Lena tucking her in at night ect reading her a story it all went so horribly wrong what a talent 🙁
as a kid growing up in Umtali , Rhodesia in the 70s , my sister & I were big fans of her , very talented , too young for show bizz , sad how her life turned-out . The pressure from her manager to lose weight , tour dates worldwide anorexia , failed marriage , living on welfare etc ... She was very popular back in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe ) back than , she even performed in South Africa back in the day .. R.I.P :( Lena Zavaroni
I grew up in the same town as her (Rothesay) and went to the same school, although she'd left some years before I was there. She would enter local talent contests, and eventually they barred her from doing so because she won all of them hands down. People still talk about her, her cousin sings there and there are still a number of Zavaroni's restaurants dotted around. It must have been terrifying for a 10 yr old to go from what was (and is) a very small holiday island to the big time so quickly.
The agent is a vile, cold, emotionless creature with no compassion or soul
That's exactly the character of an agent.
Just Tragically Sad RIP Lena
I remember as kid I use to have her poster on my wall, such a bright star and talent on such a sad road. All we can do is remember them and how incredible they were.
I feel the “static” too. My therapist says it stems from PTSD and can be a dissociative identity disorder symptom. She definitely saw something different in her mirror than we saw
God bless you Lena
My goodness, I wish I had a tenth of the talent she had.
What a supertalent! Feel sorry for her dad and sister !
She was so amazing so sad her career went wrong she would have been a big star today i wish you were still lena we all miss you.
She had a beautiful voice, it was such a shame. Maybe we should let children be children and come into their own in their own time. There appear to be so many child stars who lead sad lives and die young.
Tremendous voice from a sweet girlxx
The Agent is a cold cold person. Victor really didn't know what to do for the best. He didn't know what the consequences were. And also don't forget that initially Lena wanted to go and do all the work, she also didn't know that it meant going away for a long time, she was too young to understand. Perhaps if a family member had gone too !!! But they were only working classs people and were following advice from Dorothy Solomon.
It reminds me of Karen Carpenter she was a young singer too!
Eating disorders, they don't like food.😯
I had an eating disorder when l was 22. I didn't like food. I couldn't put food in my mouth, that's when my own problems started😯. It can happen to anyone at anytime in your life.
Very sad 🥺
Sad story
I remember sitting in ma maws hoose in Edinburgh I wiz only 7 we had a bkack and white meter telly;the one you put ten bob bit in te back fur it ta work.We awe sat roond the telly and watched wee Lena sing on Opetunity Knocks with Huey Green she wiz fantastic.She sung mama hes making eyes at me.We heard that song and the next day nearly awe oor street wiz sining this song adults and wains alike.Lena Zavaroni you are a STAR and you still shine bright in my memory,you will always be in BW tv to me
"She didn't get enough love" - in Karen Carpenter video I've gave an example of an argentinian actress who had ALL love in the world, from mother, husband, three children and still it didn't save her from anorexia...And what the conclusions? There are no any. Anorexia nervosa is a desease like any other. Someone suffer from drugs, others from alcohol adiction.. Someone die from cancer, others from AIDS.. It's just a destiny.. Sad and cruel, but destiny... It's no one's fault, it's a life...
Who is it? I don't think love is enough to save us.
⭐missed 💞
My first crush. Teary eyed
@newagemisfit Dorothy Solomon was an adult,people have every right to be tough on her.Did you know that Dorothy didn,t let her play with other children with the exception of a short while with Bonnie.Children and teenagers need friendship for normal happinees and I beleive sound mental health.
thank you for posting :)
The manager should have stuck to caring for horses and dogs! She didn't have an ounce of mothering skills. Never at any point did the impact of Lena's mother's suicide get a mention. It must have been devastating for her
Absolutely I agree think her mum must have took ill seeing her daughter so ill looking so so heartbreaking 💔💝🙏
Poor lass.😢
Yeah you went for it…and left her alone and bereft,loosing her childhood and all those whom loved and cherished her, poor poor lass. Child x
What a wee superstar that voice RIP lena beautiful girl 😮❤ x
Although Bonnie Langford isn,t an expert I think she summed up Lena,s problem very close to the truth as she could.
I don’t think that her eating disorder can be blamed upon anyone but the
People whom tried to manage her…
Exactly, cause and effect.
There should be some sort of law against child 'stars' They are give workloads that would burn out most adults at a time when their bodies and brains are developing...when the fame dries up in their teens, they crash. There are countless examples of former child actors/singers coming unstuck and dying in young adulthood
Preciosa voz Lena For ever...La verdad
It was not Lena's mum and dads fault i blame that horrible woman manager who drove her to unhappiness and never let her live a normal childhood. Lena's parents where never with her because she was more or less taken from them.
She is in peace no forever
Great video(so sad!)
I remember seeing her ALL the time, and you really can't begrudge her for all those appearances, she HAD the talent.
I'm a few years younger than she, and to me (who was listening to a bit of a harder 🙄😉 sound), she was just , 'oh, not MORE Lena'. It was like EVERY parent, and grandparent wished she was their child.
I know (unfortunately) very well the pressures put on kids (esp by stage mums) who don't realise they're living vicariously through their children. I saw horrible stage mums - no, they never were mean, per se, it's just that it's at that young age when kids are most wanting to listen to, and be approved by their parents they're not likely to say 'no' to a parent, who's intent on making their kid a 'star', and NEVER bothers with their child AS a CHILD.
Kids NEED to be kids. To play with other kids their age.
So many (idiots) who have kids now, don't bother to teach their kids ANYTHING during this time. Then, the 'magic' of puberty hits, and that's when they turn away from parents, and want to make their own identity.
If you're raised in a bubble, like poor Lena was, going from listening - and doing - what she's told - to - almost like a magical dissolve, and she's independent, she had NOTHING to prepare her for living life like a human.
I think she was always looking to be 'approved' by others, and sadly, never was able to develop her own independence.
If there's an existence after this, I hope she's finally found peace and happiness 💐.
Wow I watched a smaller documentary about her the name is in my memory bank the first film said her dad was italian well the dad here is scottish it's quite bizzare how she could just be taken away from her family like that as well I'm puzzled she'd have been a ward of court it's Just bizzare how little coverage of such a prescious talent and some flash Agents acting like they owned her and it's just so tragic how reporters don't even seem to get facts right aboute her what a heartbreaking life
You're right. The more you read about Phil Solomon & his wife Dorothy driving around in a Rolls Royce etc
What else happened? Why did she end getting Anorexia? No so-called 'journalist' seems to want to go near it for some reason.. There was alot of abuse in them days, show biz ind.
Can of worms perhaps?
Her agent seemed a evil old money grabbing Harridan . Poor Lena. All the people that want it does
10 years old was a very young to be so far away from your own parents.
I think if I were her parents I would be saying to her agent that I didn't really feel that she should be away from her home at that age - could you perhaps come back in about 7 or 8 years time.
I think there is no point in placing the blame, coz it's totally senseless.. "She was separated from her mom" - and what about kids who live in orphanage and dont have parents at all? Or children with abusive parents, like the ones of Barbra Streisand? "Her manager was cold" - where have you seen "warm" manager? All managers only care about money.
@ThePearlofeire At the end of this documentary (part 6) it is claimed that after the film had been made the Chief Medical Officer launched an investigation into the methods of care at the Montreux Clinic. This written statement was and is entirely false, as the investigation referred to began in 1997 and was concluded in Dec 1999 with the clinic being ordered to cease treatment by Jan 2000.
@newagemisfit The fact remains that Dorothy was not morally or justifiably entitled to take Lena and make money from Lena,s talent even if her parents handed Lena over to her,although there are indications that Lena,s parents were duped as Dorothy could 'talk the talk' so to speak and Lena parents were just regular working class people.
Uploaded on my birthday but this is very sad.😢
the agent seemed a little over the top with her attitude and body language. bossy old battleaxe
forget cheryl cole now this amazing lady had the biggest talent and most fantastic voice so sad things had gone for her i would have loved lena to have done west end shows she would have been brillant.
Cheryl Cole can't sing
I ve stuck to Dogs and Horses...... say it all for me. Poor Lena
too much pressure put on her...thats why she had AN
What would anyone do in that situation back then . I expect many parents would have taken the same path. Poor lena and her family x
Hal, we are all upset over Lena's tragic death and we all express it in different ways. Sometimes it is easy to blame the parents and others... but Anorexia is a tragic disorder striking many people, not just show biz personalities. I understand how enraged you must feel over her senseless death. Me too, especially since having a personal connection with Lena since the very beginning. To blame the family only pours more grief on them.
She was 2 young to be put down to London with no family about her heartbreaking 💝💔🙏
I got took from family home at age 8 believe me it does give you eating disorders and depression I know. 💔💝🙏
Sometimes people are out of the reach of family, or friends, or outstanding therapists. Heroic acts by family and friends cannot save them. And that must hurt.
Godbless you sir and lena and all your family and friends
@newagemisfit Poor parenting: Lena was a long distance away from her own parents -so couldn,t have received any parenting-and Dorothy openly admitted in an article not liking children,Lena,s developed alcoholism-this points to Hilda having had depression in her life.
the thing is you can't make a 'career 'for a 10 year old. they don't rationally know what they want to do with their lives, even if they do claim they want the glory and perks of fame, they can't comprehend the costs. if the kid wants to perform they should send them to local theatre or talent shows.
@Utubeifuwant Lena’s Italian Grandfather moved to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute from Italy and Lena’s mother was a Rothesay lass whose maiden name was Jordan. I think the reason Lena was born in Greenock is because that’s where the maternity hospital was located for the Island.
poor thing , im sorry but her family never should of let her leave her home
@newagemisfit The programme makers were not looking to blame her,Dorothy Solomon incriminated herself in this programme by showing a genuinely horribly cold attitude and not being sorry one iota -and in past magazine/newspaper articles from the 70,s.
I really wish people would stop putting the blame for what happened to Lena on her parents. They were a poor family who probably imagined that their daughter could have opportunities that they would never have if they allowed her to pursue stardom. I do agree that her agent did not appear very well suited to caring for a small child. However, imagine this: She might very well have stayed on the island, developed anorexia anyway, and no one would ever have heard her beautiful voice. RIP Lena
@newagemisfit Something I read is that there is this theory that anorexics may have aspergers which is very mild autism,perhaps part of the reason for Lena becoming anorexic and maybe even the talent too.
I know someone who went to alot of trouble to contact Dorothy and travelled to an arranged appointment and Dorothy never turned up. Also she seems to feel she played no part in Lenas problems. I don't agree she took this child away and paraded her like a side show round the world and all over television and your not telling me she didn't do it for the money or the prestige. She could have done more to help by noticing if Lena was unhappy and by helping with family visits etc
The one person who could reveal the most about Lena's state of mind is her closest friend Bonnie Langford but she isn't included at all in this docu. though I'm sure Lena must have confided in her.
I did find out some info. on the Solomon's, (google 'the wrath of Solomon- a life in music').
Very disturbing reading.
this is terrible...why wasnt she treated
@cooking23 To uproot Lena from her island home and send her out into the big, bad world at ten years of age was far, far too early. If only they had waited just 4 or 5 years more she might still be with us.
I can only assume that with her astonishing voice and confident stage presence, they just tended to forget how young she was.
I have to point out that it is actually an agents job to make money for the artists on their books and for themselves, otherwise they would go out of business.
too much too soon, quite simply killed this girl, and dont forget the agents greasing their palms with her fame,,,,,,and down fall, where were they when she had nothing!!!
During the Pebble Mill interview with Lena and her manager (episode 2), Lena is confronted with a picture of her younger self in a hat. This clip was used in another documentary which I have a copy, and Lena can clearly be heard (off-screen) laughing at the picture. However, in this documentary Lena’s laugh has been erased. Why would anyone making a factual documentary alter actual footage? There is only ever one motive for altering evidence and that is to mislead.
When you're in your 20s, your very shy.
@newagemisfit Dorothy said in a magazine or newspaper interview that she didn,t care much for children,not in this tv programme,although Dorothys body language wasn, positive-to say the least.I don,t know whether or not Dorothy but if she decided not to have kids of her own,its not relevant.She was a complete stranger.Bonnie done better in life because she had her family with her all the time and her childhood schedule doesn,t seem to be as hectic as Lena,s Michael Jacksons or Judy Garlands.
She died due to a lobotomy being performed, law states that the last lobotomy was 1967, but that's not true it was performed on her and that's why she died 😭
@ThePearlofeire "Give Food a Chance arises from the clinical experience of Dr Julie O’Toole, MD, MPH, over more than a decade, of treatment for eating disorders in children and young adults. Dr O’Toole rejects former theories that claim such disorders are caused by poor parenting, issues of control, rejection of adulthood, or society’s oppression of women. Instead, the author’s thesis is that anorexia in particular is a chronic, highly heritable brain disorder."
Rubbish. Anorexics have abnormal relationships with parents, as can be seen by Lena's parents compromising their relationship with her when she was a cild and letting a stranger take over.
@ThePearlofeire I don't know enough about what went on at the clinic to make any judgement. All I would say is it seems that Lena's physical condition was improved there.
I have seen no evidence that anyone in Lena's life disliked children. I do know that some women are unable to have children and I imagine such a person might feel uncomfortable if asked on camera why they are not a parent.
@newagemisfit Had this been a 21 year old woman or man,things would be different.Lena was able to start the anorexic behaviours because there was no one making sure she ate.Even when not in the anorexic mindset, parents/foster parents/legal guardians make sure children have 3 meals a day,that is why the family eats together.
@newagemisfit Not saying Lena,s parents could have known this would result in anorexia as it it more likely that it would result in just depression,which is what they could have known. Anorexia came in as there is this emphasis on 'slender is beautiful,words were said to Lena to go on a diet but images are stringer(images of slenderness being around her that she seemed to take more notice of).
Martina Murray
I work in mental health and this couldnt be further from the truth Im afraid. Fact is anybody can develope the mental health state in life. Often the route of mental health is unknown. People who have the appearance of excellent life conditions still develope depression and ofher related conditions
@newagemisfit Thanks for clarifying that and for the info on Hilda Zavaroni which is otherwisw quite sparse.
She doesn't appear to have had much influence on Lena's life, all the decisions being taken by Victor, as in 'I decided to go for it'' and not 'We...' Had she no say when Dorothy assumed responsibility for Lena? It seems incredible that she let her daughter go off round the world with someone she hardly knew.
Hilda Zavaroni died in 1989 from a tranquilizer overdose Wikipedia
Maybe hilda couldn't cope with seeing her daughter getting ill so sad and heartbreaking for both💔💝💝🙏
Yes I think she should have stuck to dogs and horses. Looking after a child especially one as talented as Lena, did neither of them any good. And no, Rothesay is not full of fish and chip shops.
@newagemisfit The Montreux Clinic seemed to have temporarily at least helped Lena.But it did seem odd to me from what I have seen in other documentaries made in the early 1990,s.There was a patient who was a young woman who when slightly recovered was put to help a young boy with anorexia.This young woman as it happens was Scottish too.
I think the problem was parental love got mixed up with greed (yes, greed, or at least a failure to hold onto their daughter as a daughter), handing a child over at 10 to an agent means your parents are complicit in turning you into a money making performer & this becomes part of the relationship, to a young mind that is now a conditional relationship. The clinic would have treated her along the lines of having an unconditional relationship I think.
@newagemisfit - Not sure why you singled me out as a target for your sarcastic, rude post. Perhaps because I was polite and not dogmatic in my opinions - a target for a bully who didn't want to confront the more strident posters? I qualified my post by saying that the agent wasn't a bad person; there was one 'maybe' ; and I wrote that the agent's pattern of speech may have been misleading. My childhood was not perfect (whose is?) but it's a fact that early fame often damages performers.
@ThePearlofeire Dorothy Solomon never ever cared about Lena,It was all about business.Lena helped make Dorothy stay very rich.Dorothy actions were excessive particularly when it is in connection with a child/young person that we are talking about here.
@newagemisfit Name your source,you could be right but that does not discredit this documentary or the newspaper articles that mentioned Dorothy Solomon putting Lena then aged 10 on a diet and the wrongness of taking her away from her home and family or not having herlive with people who actually cared about her such as Martha and David Fisher.Also exposong her to a hectic schedule at too young an age.
Sounds deadly. What would Susie Orbach say about it?
According to Wikipedia, Lena was born in Greenock, Scotland a then shortly afterwards the family moved to Rothesay where she grew up. Is this correct?
i got skinny as 3stone..till i was ammited into a ed unit..but i fear im going bk agian :( rib dear lena
@ThePearlofeire I think what happened to Lena opened DS up to all kinds of hindsight fuelled criticism. She would have been well aware the programme makers were looking for a ‘wicked stepmother’ character to blame. I do not think though that her actions in caring for Lena (that we know about) were excessive.
We don’t hear much about the mother in this did she not have any input at all?
She committed suicide
I don't believe the agent when she said dogs and horses were 'never in my plan'. She looks like she wanted to cry.
everyone around her from her naive father, aunt and especially the AGENT has to have responsibility even the horrid husband..the agent kept telling her to lose weight..i hope the agent rots in hell..no mention of the mother..and why didn't her sister help?..why did she end up with no where to live telephoning form a box wtf?..meal ticket for everyone..and EVERYONE LET HER DOWN..SHAME ON YOU ALL YOU SHOULD ALL BE SORRY!
@cynthiacher The dresses Lena wear where fashionable in the 70s but in the 80s they where not that agent of Lena's was part to blame for Lena life and i am only guessing this agent also told her what to wear and how to express herself when singing tho i agree with you this was not necessary as Lena's voice was one in a million and she did not need to do that,,
RIP LENA XXX
@newagemisfit Rejection of adulthood:it varies. Alot of the times it is the pressure to succeed that contributes to eating disorders and other mental health problems.Lastly:societys oppression of women:a young girl doesn,t suddenly wake up one day and say that she feels oppressed. Its much more insidious and girls don,t realise this as we grow up with it and don,t know any better when still children.
@newagemisfit the talent on its own wouldn,t destroy a person,it would be the fact that a very young or vulnerable person would be in demand to perform all of the time and suffers stress as a result.
@newagemisfit Its the general acceptance that being slender is beautiful and fuller figure women are never put on a pedestal in the fashion,pop music or on TV that appeals to young people-obviously on its own,it is not the cause.I should add that there are males with eating disorders as I think I have mentioned in earlier comments.Depressive mental illnesses often come from a lack of love and stress.
Thankfully, things have changed tremendously in the 7 years since you posted your comment: Adele, Cindy (full figure Barbie doll), several full figure actresses and plus sized actors. Lovely to see such diversity.
Wot sought of a father let a little ten year old go away