Love Machine Q&A
Jane Eve (Colthorpe)

"Can't Stop the Music" costume for "I love you to Death" number sung by David Hodo. (147 KB)

I was fortunate to hear from another member of Love Machine, Jane Eve (Colthorpe)! Jane was very kind to not only consent to this exclusive interview, but she even passed along some really cool clippings from magazines, newspapapers and photos as well. A special thanks to Jane for taking some time to get in touch with her fans. Below you will find the images which Jane passed along, as well as caption for each. Click on each of them for a larger view. There are quite a few pics so this page may take longer to download than usual, depending on your internet connection. Each image will open in a new window and some of them are quite large. The file size of the full size images can be found in brackets within each photo caption. Enjoy!

Advertisement for Love Machine appearance on The Benny Hill Show. (317KB)

What was it like to have known Benny Hill, one of the world's best comic genius actors that England has ever produced?

Sadly, I was too young to appreciate his talent at the time and didn't quite realise his popularity in the US until a few years later, when I was working in Los Angeles on the movie "Can't stop the Music" with The Village People. When people heard my accent and realised I was English they would say, "Oh! We love your Queen and Benny Hil, do you know him?" I could then proudly say, "Yes, actually I do know Benny." (I've met Prince Charles but not the Queen).

A Love Machine promo photo L to R Theresa, Lorraine, Libby, me and Claire. (264 KB)

I had only just joined The Love Machine when I met Benny. In fact he came to see us in my first ever show for the group at The Penthouse Club in Mayfair London. I was so nervous, that during one of the dance routines to Stevie Wonders "Superstition", I completely forgot what I was meant to be doing and ran off stage in a panic, it was so embarrassing. After the show Benny came to our dressing room and gave me a huge bouquet of flowers and said "not to worry no-one noticed". and then smiled that cheeky smile!

Love Machine promo photo. (271 KB)

Benny then invited The Love Machine to do a dance number on his show and also appear in some sketches. At the time the group regularly hired Arlene Phillips to choreograph the dance routines for cabaret shows, so she choreographed a number for the show with costumes designed by her first husband. You can see it on YouTube. Unfortunately, we were only allowed "one take" of the dance routine and someone was over zealous with the dry ice, so there were puddles of water all over the floor. We were wearing fabulous new glitter boots which looked great but became very slippery. It was like dancing on ice! We can be seen slipping and sliding in and out of shot. Not funny at the time but hilarious to watch now!

Hot Gossip promo photo taken at MGM studios where we were filming 'Can't stop the Music'. (312 KB). L to R Perri Lister, Richard King, Jane Colthorpe, Unknown, Floyd, Debbie Ash, Kim Leeson, Unknown, Roy Gayle, Alison Hierlihy. (Thanks to David Hawkins for identifying those in this photo)

For the next show, Benny wanted us to use a different choreographer and suggested Flick Colby who choreographed Pan's People, the dance group that appeared on Top of the Pops on BBC TV every week. We were not sure about having Flick to choreograph a number for us at the time as The Love Machine was already a dance act before appearing on Benny's show, so we felt that he (Benny), wanted too much control over our choice of dance numbers and costumes. Although, thinking back, he had every right to choose, as it was his show. Flick choreographed a number called "Dancing in the Nude" which actually looks quite good now after all these years.

Hot Gossip from an EMI video I'm lying on Richard Lloyd King. (301 KB)

After that we performed in two more numbers. One called "Think of the Boys" and the other with Benny, Henry Magee, Bob Todd, Jackie Wright and Terry Dane in a spoof dance called "The Flash". We all appeared in sketches in the shows, which were always fun to do. We even did the famous chase at the end of the show.

Newspaper cutting. (381 KB)

By this time, Benny obviously had the idea of having a permanent dance group on his show and we, rightly or wrongly, decided that he wanted too much control. We wanted the decisions of what the group performed to be our own, so we parted from the show. But years later, when The Love Machine folded, Libby, from the group, went back to choreograph Hill's Angels and Lorraine to star in the show. A few years on, Libby called to say that Benny had asked if I would go back on the show, but by this time I had just had a baby and couldn't imagine myself wearing a tiny bikini again, so I declined.

Claire and me dressed as old ladies with Jackie Wright for Benny Hill chase sequence. (240 KB)

Were you always interested in working in Show Business?

Yes, my Mother sent me to a local dancing school at the age of four. She, too, had a passion for the theatre. When I was about eleven I started to realise that I really wanted to dance for a profession so I went to a boarding dance school called Bush Davies.

On location for Benny hill show with Claire, Libby and Theresa dressed as work men. (322 KB)

Did you have other areas you were interested in working?

No, only dance. Classical ballet was my first love and one of my first jobs was as a ballet dancer on an album cover for Jethro Tull, "A Passion Play" and in the film that was shown at his concerts at that time called "The Hare who Lost his Spectacles".

Claire and me as old ladies for Benny hill chase sequence kissing Jackie Wright. (233 KB)

Are you married or do you have any children?

Yes. I've been married to Nick for over twenty years now. We have been together since 1978 when we met while I was in the Love Machine. He joined us as tour manger/lighting/sound engineer and driver! We have two boys. One who is now twenty-one and working and living in London, training to be a sound engineer, following in Nick's footsteps. Our other son is eighteen. He has just finished his A levels and is going on to study sports management at university.

(Page 20) Cutting from Titbits magazine. (510 KB)

What kind of work did you do after the Benny Hill Show?

The Love Machine started to become more of a singing group and I really can't sing despite many attempts, so I was incredibly lucky to be asked by Arlene Phillips to join her dance group called Hot Gossip. Nick was also asked to take over the technical side of the group to do the sound and lighting and be tour manager.

(Page 21) Cutting from Titbits magazine (453 KB)

We were both with HG (Hot Gossip) for 4 years during which time I appeared in The Village Peoples' "Can't Stop the Music" and Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life". When Kenny Everett left Thames TV and went to the BBC, the two script writers on the show, Barry Cryer and Ray Cameron, were looking for dancer/actresses to be "The Naughty Bits", so I went along to the audition and the final choice was between myself and Jane Leeves! Jane of course went on to be a world famous star as Daphne in "Frasier".

Newspaper cutting. (212 KB)

I then had a short spell as a dancer in a cabaret style show on TV called "The Main Attraction" for an English choreographer called Brian Rogers. I was then asked by Arlene to be her assistant on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Starlight Express" in London, which was a very different experience for me to be on the other side of the 'camera' as it were! I always enjoyed appearing in the sketches on the Benny Hill show and later on the Kenny Everett show. I have also appeared in many TV commercials and photographic stills over the years. I still teach dance to adults and children and I also go regularly to Sadlers Wells Theatre in London to watch all types of dance there. The love of dance will always be with me.

'Can't stop the Music' from 'I love you to Death' number with David Hodo L to R Kim Leeson, me, Perri Lister and Alison Herlihy. (101 KB)

Did you have any close friendships with the other members of Love Machine or Hill's Angels?

We had to be good friends touring and sharing rooms together as we did. When we meet up we always have such a laugh talking about the great times we had together travelling all around Europe and the Middle East in a mini bus. We shared many unforgettable experiences and I have very fond memories of our time together.

Hot Gossip from The Kenny Everett TV show with L to R Floyd Pearce and Richard Lloyd King. (215 KB)

Would you take part in a featurette for a future Benny Hill DVD?

Yes, as long as I wouldn't have to wear a skimpy bikini again!

Julia Gale and me from TV show called The Main Attraction choreographed by Brian Rogers. (120 KB)

Have you been able to keep in touch with people from the Benny Hill Show?

No. The only people I've seen from the shows are the girls from The Love Machine, but I've also kept in contact with some of people from Hot Gossip.

'The Meaning of life' Every Sperm is Sacred me dressed as an old lady with Roy Gayle in front who I was in Hot Gossip with and still see regularly. (104 KB)

Would you be interested in a Hill's Angels or Love Machine reunion?

Yes. A few years ago I held a Love Machine reunion at my house. It was great to see everyone, including partners. Our managers Iain Burton and Michael Summerton came as well. We all had a great day looking at photos and laughing over all the funny times we had together.

The Meaning of Life - Christmas in Heaven (with false boobs). (80.9 KB)

Are you surprised by the response of fans to Love Machine and Hill's Angels?

In some ways, yes, as during the eighties I think Benny's popularity in England was sadly on the decline and he didn't have such a big following that he had had in the sixties and seventies. But now, with the resurgence of the adulation that Benny and all those involved have, I am not surprised. With the internet his fans from all over the world can unite. I'm sure it would have heartened Benny to know of his popularity worldwide. It's great fun reading the comments on YouTube about our dances and sketches from the Benny Hill show. The recent comments about us being in our sixties were soon corrected by WB!

Jane, on behalf of your fans and fans of Love Machine, as well Benny Hill fans all over the world, I would like to express a special thanks for taking part in this interview.

'The Meaning of life' Maddie Loftin and me dressed for 'Christmas in Heaven' scene with rubber boobs! (165 KB)

'The Meaning of life' - Christmas in Heaven with Heater Alexander and Maddie Loftin (with false boobs). (76.7 KB)

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