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Press Release
 Peakpublish acquires ‘Coaldust to Stardust: Memoir of a Real Billy Elliot’ The memoir of Jackie Toaduff is a heart warming story about a boys dreams becoming reality through hard work, determination and a passion for singing, dancing and entertaining and against his parents wishes as a child. A true story of a boy working for 13 years as a coal miner whilst clog dancing every chance he could. He became the British Clog Dancing Champion, made 17 solo appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, his dancing admired by the Prima Ballerina, Margot Fontain and he danced with the likes of Hollywood star, Ginger Rogers and Princess Margaret (and then back to work down the pit the next day). It is the ultimate feel-good, rags-to-riches story and will inspire a whole new generation of struggling artists who might have never dreamt that they could escape their small towns and have their dreams come true, commented Rick McKay, Broadway producer. From coal miner to headliner, he enchants and fascinates all those with whom he would share the story of his life, said academy winning film actress, Margaret O’Brien. "My father danced on a table top, a chair, a piano, a bar top but he never danced on a barrel. How I wish he could have seen Jackie Toaduff do so and on a moving ship. Daddy would have loved it." said Ava Astaire McKenzie, daughter of Hollywood legend, Fred Astaire. The publisher, Geraldine Rose, says 'it is with great pleasure that we publish Jackie’s book. It is a wonderful story of a boy destined to work down the mines but determined to dance, and dance he did. It also gives an insight into how it was to be part of the glamorous world of Hollywood and showbusiness'. The author, Jackie Toaduff, says, 'I have been asked so many times to write my memoirs and now that I have retired from the world of entertainment it has given me time, over the last few years, to finally write it. I do hope it entertains.' Peakpublish has the world rights and it will be published in the UK in October 2009. Jackie Toaduff Jackie Toaduff, the son of a coal miner, was born in County Durham in the 1930's. He became a coal miner and worked down the pit for nearly 12 years. At the same time he was making a name for himself as a tap and clog dancer, eventually making 17 appearances at the Royal Albert Hall and becoming British Clog Dancing Champion. In his early twenties, he won a talent competition, which eventually enabled him to leave the pit and become part of a double act, entertaining in theatres and clubs worldwide. The War Office asked them to headline several shows abroad for the Combined Services and they made twenty seven trips round the world headlining shows in theatres and cabaret. They spent twenty years entertaining with their own shows on the QE2 and other prestigious liners. Jackie Toaduff dancing at the Albert Hall, London, 1956 |
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