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13 November 2014

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You are in: Wiltshire > History > Archive Films > Diana Dors: 1978

Diana Dors in 1978

Diana Dors in 1978

Diana Dors: 1978

Fading 50s film star Diana Dors came back to her home town of Swindon in 1978 for a book signing and wound up coming face to face with one of her old adversaries from school. Points West’s Gwyn Richards witnessed the encounter…

She was born Diana Fluck but dropped her rather awkward last name after being sent to the London Academy of Music and Drama aged 14 (although in later auditions she said she was 17) where she was spotted by a talent scout.

"They asked me to change my name. I suppose they were afraid that if my real name, Diana Fluck, was in lights and one of the lights blew…"

Diana Dors

In London her Fluck would change – so to speak (!) and she soon became a rising starlet and a glamorous actress who would become destined to take on the hardened blonde bombshells of Hollywood – including Marilyn Monroe.

Her pin-up status and flirty and flamboyant reputation preceded her, although as Points West’s Gwyn Richards would discover when he filmed her in February 1978, her childhood was well remembered by school friends and by those who knew her parents.

So it was into the lion’s den that Diana Dors gingerly stepped as she signed away copies of her latest paperback in a Swindon bookstore.

Peggy Miles - one of Diana Dors' school chums

School friend Peggy Miles

Surrounded by friends, fans and admirers she is seen cheerfully signing away – that is until Richards brings in one of Diana Dors’ old sparring partners from school.

It is an encounter worth watching, as it is difficult to work out who feels the more embarrassed!Ìý There’s laughter all round but one cannot help but feel a sense of awkwardness as Diana meets Peggy 35 years on.

Diana Dors, the Siren of Swindon, the girl from Marlborough Road, died from cancer six years later in 1984 and left behind a fortune worth £2m for her son Mark Dawson – but the money’s location was kept secret by a hidden code, and the whereabouts of Diana’s missing millions remains a mystery to this day.

Diana Dors signing books in Swindon bookshop

Diana Dors signing books

This rather enigmatic end to a charmed life paints a rather different portrait of Diana Dors – a bombshell she might have been but under her tough exterior was someone who kept them guessing right up to very end – and beyond so much so that her final gesture comes straight out of an Agatha Christie plot rather than from the scripts of one of her tawdry films.

There’s certainly more to Diana Dors than meets the Points West camera!

MORE FILMS FROM POINTS WEST

  • Use the right hand links to other local Where I Live sites to see more archive film from Points West.Ìý

last updated: 05/12/2008 at 14:19
created: 08/11/2005

Have Your Say

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Maureen luxton
I knew diana when lived in pinkneys green & where she banked io slough undes different names. Moathome@ovi.com

Kay Stevens
Please put her films back on TV,

Graham Padgett
Does anyone know the maiden name of Diana Dors's mother?

naomi polley
i am diana dors UK only lookalike.... if you google me, u will see.

claire field (fluck)
ah yes, thanks jay. I have noticed that my information is slightly wrong. My great uncle on my fathers side was actually her father. But still a blood relation. My grandfather was sydney ernest fluck from stroud england.

nikki
weirdd stuff ive been bought up to believe that my nan was her cousin too, but my nan was adopted and isnt around anymore so i cant ask her myself but ive always been really interested, im not sure if her adoptive parents changed her name or something because i dont know alot about my family history and it was my dad who traced it back.

jess griffiths
Am doing a family tree and is quite interesting to see how far back i can get it, am a tad lost atm tho. am trying to find out who Diana's Grandparents were, as her Grandfather is my grandmother's Uncle. Would appreciate any feeback from anyone who could help me find this out... as her grandfather was one of 14 children.. please e-mail me... jessgriffiths@hotmail.com

jaime
Diana dors was one of the best actrees that i never knew. I steel have fear thinking in one of her performance. I know the name of these tv movie in spanish: "La enfermera lo hara mejor"

ali watson
diana dors was englands best actress she was the best

jay chedgzoy
Hi Claire, Yes i find it interesting to i will leave my details for you to reach mePhone No: 07923807678Phone No2: 01744 601 668And I will be happy to talk with sometime.By For Now.

claire field nee fluck
Hi Jay chedgezoy, I think you may be related to me in some way. My fathers brother is believed to be diana's natural father. it would be good if you could get in contact some how as it would be interesting to see some of my relatives. Claire

matt yuill
mey diana at the home of dorothy squires in bray she was so natural and a very nice lady I took her small son jason out for a trip on dorothys cruisor and when we got back Diana said she owed me a favour I said maybe be one day she could give me a run in her powder blue rolls royce convertable she said we will go now it was fantastic the top was down and she took me to reading maidenhead and to her lovely mansion the orchard in windsor I felt like a millionaire we became good friends and she would often call me at dots and at my home in glasgow about two months before she died she called to say she would be in glasgow to open a shop she asked me to meet her at glasgow airport i did and what a day I had after the shop opening we went to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ where she recorded an intrerview then back to the airport where she was mobbed by fans she looked so well what a shock I got when dorothy phoned to say she was at a hospital in windsor and that Diana was slipping away dorothy was distraught so I left imediately to comfort her and stayed till after the funeral what a joy to have known Diana I hope Jason her son is well

Jay Chedgzoy
I think i'm relate to her but she'l be like my third cousin or something. i think it was my grandad's (Charlie Gowers)Cousin.

j.martin
Have been a fan for thirty years and think she was one of the best, and not given enough credit very much like her contmporary Marilyn Monroe though both are ver different and unique in thier own way with their own beauty, style and intelligence. Was eight when she died,half term and saw a whole day coverage of her and her death sad.She was great.

John cobb
I come from scotland my dad came from swindon she was a super actress who went before her time sadly missed

David Wainwright
so good to see Our Dianna, what a fabulous actress and personality she was , her uncle and aunt used to play the piano in my parents pub, The Belle Vue Inn on Victoria Road , now Longs Bar .

Tammy (Kollath) Marcus
I just found out this weekend that Diana Fluck is my cousin. My mother who is from England said that she is related to my grand mother, Margaret (Drury) White. She then stated that the family didn't say the name much because people mistook the last name as if they where swearing not saying their cousins last name. I can't believe that I have such a famous cousin and her sons I would love to meet. I to have a very curvy body and have been told that I look just like my grand mother when she was young.

felicity
i met her in reading and was so glad that i did she was so nice and down to earth a very much missed english star

Kevin Field (Fluck)
Superb! Good to see the archive footage is still available!

frank velasquez
it is too bad that artists like diana dors,cannot be appreciated for the contribution she made to the film industry, I'm a retired theatre mgr.

sarah
Diana seemed so lovely in person very down to earth. I am a huge fan of her's and allways will be. She is missed very much.

Mark
Brilliant video of Diana Dors.

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