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Living life as a lookalike: Austin Powers, Oliver Hardy, Gary Barlow and Hagrid
Brian Allanson as Austin Powers.
Variety can be the spice of life for a celebrity lookalike. Paul Robinson reports on one act whose versatility means he has a character that will suit just about every fun occasion.
He could be forgiven for the occasional worry about developing a split personality.
For dad-of-two Jem Frazer is the Leeds lookalike who’s not satisfied with life as just the one celebrity double.
Jem, 42, from Tingley, is perhaps best known for ‘being’ silent movie comedy legend Oliver Hardy.
More recently, though, he has conjured up plenty of work as Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant played by Robbie Coltrane in the Harry Potter films.
But that’s not all – Jem’s repertoire also includes Fred Flintstone, Herman Munster, Henry VIII and even outrageous Little Britain character Bubbles Devere.
And today, in the third part of a Yorkshire Evening Post focus on the lookalike world, he lifted the lid on some of the good and not-so-good experiences he’s had on the road.
Jem, who was a piano tuner before becoming a full-time entertainer, definitely lived the showbiz dream the night he was booked as one half of a Laurel and Hardy act for a businessman’s party in Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera.
He said: “The house was built on the side of a hill. We were shown the house below which was owned by Elizabeth Taylor and the house above, which was owned by Bill Gates.
“There was a marquee next to the house which was on massive stilts, as the hill was so steep.
“It was an amazing construction that took the event company three weeks to build.
“We did meet-and-greet as the guests arrived – it was like a who’s who of the time.
“There were only about 100 of them but they included people like Richard Branson and Jackie Stewart.
“Jonathan Ross was the host for the evening and after our performance in the main room he invited everyone to stand up and go to a balcony overlooking the bay.
“As this happened, music started and an incredible fireworks display began from a boat.
“If that wasn’t enough, there was then a filmed message from Stevie Wonder.
“In it he said it was his pleasure to send a message – but then said it would be much more fun if he delivered it in person.
“That was the cue for a screen to rise and for Stevie and his full band to be sitting there.
“They played his hit Happy Birthday and then carried on and did an hour-long set. What a wonderful night.”
Jem, who is on the books of Morley-based agency A-List Lookalikes & Entertainment, admits that assignments aren’t always as successful as his Cap Ferrat jaunt.
He said: “I was asked to go on an inaugural flight from Leeds to Londonderry and surprise people and entertain them during the journey.
“It sounded interesting until the plane took off. I had 15 businessmen all pretty much dressed the same.
“They were not remotely interested in meeting a character, let alone being entertained or having a photograph taken.
“Luckily the flight was only about 50 minutes, 35 of which I spent sitting in my seat praying for it to end so I could get off and get changed!”
Jem’s fellow ‘A-Listers’ include Dan Maines, who works as a Gary Barlow tribute act.
Dan, from Cleckheaton, says one of the secrets of his success is his love for the songs that have made Gary a fixture at the top of the charts with Take That.
He told the YEP: “If you don’t particularly like [the celebrity you ‘do’] then you probably wouldn’t be bothered to study literally every interview and every live show, as I believe you need to do to become the best.”
Asked to describe the big attraction of tribute work, Dan said: “It is literally the closest thing you could ever get to being famous!
“For that two hours that you’re on stage, you really do feel like the real thing. Hearing people screaming ‘Gary’, it is such a buzz and one of the most amazing feelings.”
What about advice for people thinking of trying their hand in the industry?
“Go for it,” says Dan. “If you do, though, you have to throw absolutely everything you’ve got into it if you want to do it for a long time.”
Another lookalike on A-List’s books is Brian Allanson, a 53-year-old dad-of-two from Robin Hood’s Bay who doubles as comedy film character Austin Powers.
He says his role has its roots in an era before the retro secret agent was even a glint in the eye of creator Mike Myers.
“There are photographs of me in the 1970s at secondary school when I used to wear the same kind of glasses and had similar hair [to Austin],” said Brian.
“As soon as I saw the promotional photos of the first Austin Powers film in 1997, I knew I was a dead ringer.
“In 2004 I went to a fancy dress party as him. Reviewing the photos from the party, I knew that with a professional costume and a bit of tweaking I’d be able to ‘step on the good foot and do the bad thing baby!’.”
Brian added: “My favourite aspect of the work is meeting a very varied mix of people and sharing a little in their story, from the backroom boys and girls to chief executive officers.
“One thing this work has reinforced is a simple belief that we are all the same under the surface.”
* Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a lookalike? Send your pictures to shirley.whitehead@ypn.co.uk and we’ll print the best in Friday’s YEP.
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