hmmm, interesting. harold Davidson was the one who booked Sinatra and was his friend, but thats their step father. Apprently their real surname is Sapherson, so that's probably their father's real name. I too always thought the burn accident was to do with his photography, and resulted from the developing chemicals, but then I read that line about the "phone-based accident" and thought, what the hell? Apparently their were photos at the time of Barry's face wrapped in bandages in magazines, and something about this just seems like it was a kind of stunt or ploy to get out of stressful touring, as Paul had a near nervous breakdown earlier from the same stress. Just an interesting dark corner of pop history.
I've got at least one photo of BR in bandages from the time, I'll see if I can dig it out. From memory it did not look very convincing, but I may be wrong.
Found, them. I'll email them to you. You can tell they're complete fakes. BR is swatheed in bandages round his head and hands but is stil lquite able to board a plane unasisted! Like you say, he doesn't look now like he was ever bruned, certainly not the extent these bandgaes suggest anyway! The pics and article are from a German magazine so I cannot read what happened, but I do recall it was said to be related to a photogrpahy accident. Just a celeb stunt atthe time I guess, worthy of Tonmy Secunda himself!
Thank you so much. This may sound weird, but those photo's are hilarious. He looks like the invisible man!!! There is no way he was burned this badly and look how he does today. This had to be a publiscity stunt. My brother speaks German, I'll send him the pics and he'll translate. Thanks again
Yes indeed, a very 60s publicity stunt that probably didn't convince nayone at the time either! Do let us know the gist of the article when translated.
I have posted an article from Weekend magazine about this on my website - he says he wasn't burnt so badly but he had the bandages on for protection... http://heroculte.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/barry-ryan-is-a-man-alive/
I remember my mum hated the song Eloise and when I asked her why, she said it was because Barry Ryan got seriously burned when they were filming a video for it. Apparently there was supposed to be some stunt in a phone box and it went wrong, I've never found anything to back it up
It is very very strongly rumoured that Paul and Barry Ryans real father was in Fact Frankie Vaughan, they do look just slightly like him even .....
Another interesting but usless fact:- Paul and Barry where from Leeds and started off as Hairdressers beforev taking up a pop career ....
..........like Guy and David, alias The Five Day Week Straw People. Guy was later half of Toni and Guy. There were stong links between hairdressing and psychedelia - check out the explosion of bouffant perms in 1967.
..........like Guy and David, alias The Five Day Week Straw People. Guy was later half of Toni and Guy. There were stong links between hairdressing and psychedelia - check out the explosion of bouffant perms in 1967.
Thank you. This made my laugh. Then it struck me it may well be serious! I always thought that the burns were caused during a photoshoot. It was supposed to be a "hot-line" joke but got a little overheated. I remember a photo in the NME at the time.
Sapherson was Marion Ryan's maiden name and at the time there was some scandal saying that the twins were illegitimate. Their surname being Sapherson, it is likely that was true. While it was largely unsaid, Marion's career subsequently took a nose-dive
Hi, just come across this forum. My dad passed four years ago and in his belongings was a photo of a very young Paul and Barry in the Royal Oak in Middlesbrough, England, they were doing the penny push. The boys mum, Marion was born on Cannon Street in Middlesbrough and grew up living opposite my dad. I could upload for all to see if interested, but, not sure where to put them. I also have a lovely photo of Marion from our local paper the Evening gazette.
I recall something about Barry being burned by an exploding phone while in Germany! He was flown back to the UK in his "invisible man" get up and was then sent off on a cruise to recuperate.
It was a bit like the Bob Dylan motorcycle accident...it did happen but the consequences were exaggerated as an excuse to cancel exhausting commitments without being sued.
I don't know if this helps anyone,i was also b leeds 1944 and from my house to roundhay open swimming pool I passed there house I think it was elmet ave I knew which house it was.
I was a big fan of marion ryan, I used to go out with a girl carol and meet paul/barry at the swimming pool with some more girls liz,chris some more girls/boys I cant remember them all some went roundhay high school and some to braimwood.
Meeting paul/barry happened quite often mostly after school or w/ends,they were about 8/10 of us
My cash strapped uncle sold a bronze of my cousin, Sarah to one of the Ryan brothers. He was an art student in Birmingham and did this bronze of his first born as a baby, but was too poor to keep it. Anyway, it sold for £60 in about 1970 which certainly paid a few months rent.
Our father's actual name was Lloyd George Fred, known as Fred or Freddie. He was a real ladies man, a charmer until he died. Unfortunately he had a bad habit of divorcing his wives when his children were very young. Marion, Paul and Barry’s mother, was his second wife, my mother was his third wife, but the first one to give him a daughter, me. For some reason he didn’t have time for any of his four sons from each marriage. When Marion became famous my half brothers were in their teens, my mother used to iron their clothes and get them ready to appear on 'What’s My Line' with their mother. By the time they became famous he had already left my mother too. (While she was in hospital having a serious operation).
He came back a few times and then he took me to live with him as insurance for his old age! We became very close by the time I was in my 20s he adored his grandchildren. Unfortunately in his late 70s he started with Alzheimer’s. Just before he died another daughter found him. He was so happy, when he told me I thought he was getting muddled up as usual. As it happens I was quite ill when he died. At least I spoke to our eldest half brother and our youngest half sister. The last time I spoke to Barry and Paul was when I was 16. Dad took us to stay with them, and Barry‘s beautiful wife Princess Mariam for a week or so when they lived in Richmond Park. I was very naive in those days, having lived in a provincial small seaside town. So obviously I didn’t give a good impression. I was so upset when one of our aunts told me Paul had died some months previously: But as usual I was given no more information, our father was not the best by a long way; so I understand why Barry never wished to acknowledge the rest of his family.
That incident happened in the summer of 1969 at a fotoshooting for Bravo magazine. That was the leading music/youth magazine in those days. They sometimes did some telephone events for fans, who could call "their star" at a certain time. They planned this for Barry Ryan and to illustrate that millions tried to get through to him, they had the idea for a pic of him holding a smoking telephone. But something went wrong, the telephone exploded and caused some minor burns. According to some report only few scars remained on his ear and on his neck. Bravo turned it into a big story for weeks showing him as a bandaged mummy. According to some later interviews the shock for him was bigger than the wounds. Barry Ryan remained popular in Germany, but that incident was never talked about, when he appeared on some tv shows.
My half-brothers were/are no relation to Frankie Vaughan, and they were certainly not Illegitimate!
You should get your facts straight before you put them online!
I know because they were/are two of my half-brothers!
Dads name was Lloyd George Fred Sapherson. Known as Fred or Freddie. I have given a fuller explanation of our lineage above but basically; Dad was married three times. His eldest son was from his first marriage. The twins Paul and Barry were his sons from his second marriage to Marion Ryan. My brother Brian and I (his only daughter, at the time) were born during his third marriage to my mother Heather. All his marriages ended after the first 3 or 4 years. Please see above for further details. N.B. I have used my maiden name of Sapherson here.
Thanks Mr Shed, you're not a relative of the legendary Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson are you? Hope ol' Barry is doing Ok as he is in the dangerous age category.
What happened to the Ryan brothers?
During 1969 Barry had an accident which caused serious burns to his face. In the 70s Paul moved to the USA, but later left the music business and opened a chain of hairdressing salons. He died of cancer in 1992.
C'mon Phil! 20 000 is closing in. I've got faith in ya big fella. Bring it on home.:clap:
No Mr One Shed, I happened to just inherit my father's house with said double garage, along with my sister, so technically I would be "One Half of Double Garage With Lotsa Junk & No Car Either Nick", I was boasting above my station obviously! And no I am not from Yorkshire one upping you, or rather downupping you! Cheers, Nick the Bragger