Irish actress, singer (1960?2013)
Bernadette Therese Nolan
(17 October 1960 ? 4 July 2013) was an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly
lead vocalist
of the girl group
the Nolans
. She was the second youngest of sisters
Anne
,
Denise
,
Maureen
,
Linda
and
Coleen
. From the age of two, Bernie was brought up in
Blackpool
,
Lancashire
, England.
The Nolans began in 1974 and went on to have seven UK Top 20 hits, including "
I'm in the Mood for Dancing
" (1979), "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980) and "Attention to Me" (1981). They won the 1981
Tokyo Music Festival
with "Sexy Music". Bernie left the group in 1995 to become an actress. On television, she had roles in the
Channel 4
soap opera
Brookside
from 2000 to 2002 and the
ITV
police drama
The Bill
from 2002 to 2005, while her numerous roles in stage musicals included Mrs. Johnstone in
Blood Brothers
(1998?2000), Hannah Owens in
Flashdance: The Musical
(2008?2009) and Mama Morton in
Chicago
(2012). She was also a member of the Nolans line-up that reformed for a successful tour of the UK and Ireland in 2009. Bernie died from
breast cancer
in July 2013.
Early life and career
[
edit
]
Nolan was born in
Dublin
in 1960,
[1]
the seventh of eight children born to Tommy
[2]
and Maureen Nolan.
[3]
The Nolan family moved from Dublin to Blackpool in 1962 and began performing as the Singing Nolans.
In 1974, the sisters formed the Nolan Sisters, later shortened to
the Nolans
, and made their TV debut that year on
Cliff Richard
's show,
It's Cliff Richard
. In 1975, they supported
Frank Sinatra
on his European tour. In 1979, they released their biggest hit "
I'm in the Mood for Dancing
", which reached number three in the UK and was the first of seven top twenty hits. The others, with Bernie Nolan usually singing lead vocals, were "Don't Make Waves", (1980) "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980), "Who's Gonna Rock You" (1980), "Attention to Me" (1981), "Chemistry" (1981) and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (1982). The Nolans sold millions of recordings worldwide, particularly in
Japan
where they sold over nine million albums and won the 1981
Tokyo Music Festival
with the song "Sexy Music". Bernie also composed songs during this time, when she wrote two tracks for their 1982 album
Portrait
. In 1991, the group won the Planning award
(
企?賞
,
Kikaku-sh?
)
of the
33rd Japan Record Awards
for
Cover version
of Japanese pops.
[4]
Acting
[
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]
Bernie Nolan first acted as a cast member on the BBC Saturday morning children's show
On the Waterfront
. Critics positively reviewed her gift for comedy. The Nolan sisters and their music were a running gag on the show, and Bernie was joined by her sisters for a musical performance during at least one episode. Bernie left the group in 1995 to concentrate on her own acting career, which began with her 1993 performance in the stage play,
The Devil Rides Out
. She played Mrs. Johnstone in
Willy Russell
's
Blood Brothers
in the UK tour for over two years. She was the first of four Nolan sisters to have played the role, being followed by
Denise
,
Linda
and then
Maureen
. For this, the sisters earned a place in the
Guinness Book of Records
as the most siblings to play the same role at different times in a professional production.
In 2000, Bernie Nolan joined the cast of
Channel 4
's soap opera
Brookside
as Diane Murray after being noticed by Paul Marquess whilst starring in
Blood Brothers
. She left Brookside in 2002 when her character was killed off. She then went on to play Sheelagh Murphy in
ITV
's police drama series
The Bill
, which she starred in until 2005.
In 2006, Nolan took part in Channel 4's series
The Games
. Her stint on the game was to raise money for charity, including Alzheimer's and children's charities. In 2007, she starred in the play
Mum's the Word
, playing the character 'Robin' which she reprised in the 2008 tour (alongside her sister, Maureen who played Jill) and once again in 2010. During the summer season of 2007, Bernie appeared at the Blackpool
North Pier Theatre
in her own production, Soap Queens (And Kings!)
.
[5]
In 2008, Nolan appeared in the UK touring production of
Flashdance the Musical
for over a year, playing Hannah Owens.
[6]
In January and February 2010, she participated in the
ITV
celebrity reality television programme
Popstar to Operastar
, reaching the final, where she lost to
Darius Campbell
. In 2012, she appeared as Mama Morton, in the UK tour of the musical
Chicago
.
[7]
Return to singing
[
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]
Nolan released the single "
Macushla
" in 2004 with the proceeds going to charity. It peaked at No. 38 in the
UK Singles Chart
in March 2004.
[8]
Regarding this release,
Lorraine Kelly
wrote: "I wouldn't have expected anything else from one of the hardest working women in showbiz". In 2005 she released her debut solo album
All By Myself
. The album consists mainly of power ballads, including the song "Better Place", written by Nolan's husband in memory of their daughter, Kate, who was
stillborn
in 1998. In 2009, four of the Nolan sisters, Bernie, Coleen, Linda and Maureen, reformed for a successful 23 date tour of the UK and Ireland. To coincide with the tour, they released an album,
I'm in the Mood Again
, which reached No.22 in the
UK Album Charts
.
Personal life
[
edit
]
Bernie Nolan married drummer Steve Doneathy in 1996, in Lancashire. The couple lived in
St Anne's on Sea
, Lancashire, and then in
Weybridge, Surrey
.
[9]
In 1998 she gave birth to their daughter Kate, who was stillborn, and another daughter, Erin, in 1999.
[10]
Bernie had previously been in a relationship with
Bradley Walsh
.
[11]
Illness and death
[
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]
On 23 April 2010, it was announced that Nolan was suffering from
breast cancer
.
[12]
In October 2010, she stated that she was cancer-free after having undergone
chemotherapy
and a
mastectomy
, and was taking
herceptin
.
[13]
In February 2012, she announced that she was no longer taking cancer treatment drugs, and was completely free of cancer.
[14]
At the end of October 2012, Nolan announced that the cancer had returned and had
metastasised
to her brain, lungs, liver and bones.
[15]
Anne and Linda Nolan suffered from the disease in 2000 and 2006, respectively; both recovered.
[16]
Bernie Nolan died in her sleep, at her home in Surrey, on 4 July 2013, aged 52.
[10]
[17]
Nolan's funeral service was held on 17 July 2013 at the
Grand Theatre, Blackpool
and she was later cremated at
Carleton Crematorium
. Her ashes were then buried alongside those of her stillborn daughter.
[18]
Discography
[
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]
Studio Albums
[
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]
Title
|
Details
|
Year
|
The Singing Nolans
|
- Released: June 1972
- Label: Nevis
- Formats:
LP
|
1972
|
The Nolan Sisters
|
- Released: 1975
- Label: Hanover Grand
- Formats: LP
|
1975
|
20 Giant Hits
|
- Released: 7 July 1978
- Label: Target
- Formats: LP,
MC
- Released in Japan in February 1981
|
1978
|
Nolan Sisters
|
- Released: 19 November 1979
- Label:
Epic
- Formats: LP, MC
- Released in Japan as
Dancing Sisters
|
1979
|
Making Waves
|
- Released: 17 October 1980
- Label: Epic
- Formats: LP, MC
|
1980
|
Portrait
|
- Released: 19 March 1982
- Label: Epic
- Formats:
CD
, LP, MC
- Released in Japan in December 1981 as
Don't Love Me Too Hard
|
1982
|
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
|
- Released: 1 November 1984
- Label: Towerbell
- Formats: CD, LP, MC
|
1984
|
Tenderly
|
- Released: 1986
- Label: Stoic/Spartan
- Formats: LP
|
1986
|
Playback Part 2
|
|
1991
|
Rock and Rolling Idol
|
- Released: 21 August 1991
- Label: Teichiku
- Formats: CD
- Ky?ko Koizumi
cover album
- Japan-only release
|
Tidal Wave
|
- Released: 21 September 1991
- Label: Teichiku
- Formats: CD
- J-pop
cover album
- Japan-only release
|
The Hottest Place on Earth
|
- Released: 21 May 1992
- Label: Teichiku
- Formats: CD
- Featuring
Princess Princess
cover songs
- Japan-only release
|
1992
|
Please Don't
|
- Released: 23 September 1992
- Label: Teichiku
- Formats: CD
- Kay?kyoku
cover album
- Japan-only release
|
The Nolans Sing Momoe 2005
|
- Released: 19 January 2005
- Label:
SMDR GT Music
- Formats: CD
- Japan-only release
- Re-recording of
Playback Part 2
|
2005
|
I'm in the Mood Again
|
- Released: 28 September 2009
- Label:
Universal
- Formats: CD
|
2009
|
EPs and mini-albums
[
edit
]
Title
|
Details
|
Year
|
The Singing Nolans
(
Silent Night
)
|
- Released: December 1972
- Label: Nevis
- Formats: 7"
EP
|
1972
|
Dancing Sisters
|
- Released: 21 July 1980
- Label: Epic
- Format: 10"
mini-album
- Japan-only release
|
1980
|
Greatest Original Hits ? 4 Track E.P.
|
- Released: March 1983
- Label: Epic
- Formats: 7" EP
|
1983
|
The Nolans
|
- Released: March 1984
- Label:
Scoop 33
- Formats: 7" EP, MC
|
1984
|
Singles
[
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]
Single
|
Year
|
"Blackpool"
(as the Singing Nolans)
|
1972
|
"
But I Do
"
(as the Nolan Sisters)
|
1974
|
"(Won't You) Make a Little Sunshine Shine"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
1975
|
"Rain"
(as the Nolan Sisters)
|
1976
|
"Thanks for Calling"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
"
When You Are a King
"
(as the Nolan Sisters)
|
"Love Transformation"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
1977
|
"Love Bandit"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
"
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
"
(as the Nolan Sisters)
|
1978
|
"Harry My Honolulu Lover"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
1979
|
"Spirit, Body and Soul"
(as Nolan Sisters)
|
"
I'm in the Mood for Dancing
"
|
"Don't Make Waves"
|
1980
|
"Gotta Pull Myself Together"
|
"Who's Gonna Rock You"
|
"
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
"
(Japan-only release)
|
1981
|
"Attention to Me"
|
"
Sexy Music
"
(Japan-only release)
|
"Chemistry"
|
"Don't Love Me Too Hard"
|
"Crashing Down"
|
1982
|
"Dragonfly"
|
"Dressed to Kill"
|
1983
|
"
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
"
(Japan-only release)
|
1985
|
"Goodbye Nothin' to Say"
|
"Let's Spend the Night Together"
|
1986
|
"I'm in the Mood for Dancin '89"
(re-recording)
|
1989
|
"Take Me All"
(Japan-only release)
|
1991
|
"Rock and Rolling Idol"
(Japan-only release)
|
"
Tidal Wave
"
(Japan-only release)
|
"Sexy Music"
(re-recording; Japan-only release)
|
"Colourful Nolans"
(Japan-only release)
|
1992
|
"Mother Earth"
(Japan-only release)
|
"I'm in the Mood for Dancing"
(re-recording)
|
1995
|
Works
[
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]
References
[
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]
External links
[
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]
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Studio albums
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Compilations
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Singles
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Related articles
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International
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National
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Artists
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