The Accidental Impressionist
You know how some of the best stories start with a complete disaster? Well, Faith Brown’s comedy career began exactly that way. Picture this: she’s on stage, trying to impress a music agent who could change her life, when suddenly her dress splits right down the front. Most people would have run off stage in mortification. Not Faith.
What happened next turned a wardrobe malfunction into comedy gold. Faith Brown, born Eunice Irene Carroll in Liverpool back in 1944, has been making people laugh for over fifty years now. She’s one of those rare entertainers who can slip into anyone’s skin – from Margaret Thatcher’s stern political persona to Marilyn Monroe’s breathy sensuality.
But here’s the thing about Faith Brown that makes her special: she’s never been just one thing. While other performers stick to their lane, she’s bounced between TV variety shows, West End stages, and comedy clubs like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Growing Up Musical in Liverpool
Liverpool in the 1940s was already humming with the sounds that would eventually conquer the world. Faith Brown grew up right in the middle of it all, though back then she was still Eunice Carroll, attending St Francis De Sales School in Walton. Music wasn’t just background noise in the Carroll household – it was the family business.
The Carroll kids didn’t just sing in the shower. Faith and her four brothers formed “The Carrolls,” and they meant business. This wasn’t some cute family act for church socials. They were out there performing professionally, giving Faith her first real taste of what it meant to hold an audience’s attention.
When Faith hit her teens, she was already singing with Liverpool bands. At sixteen, she had the kind of stage presence that made people stop and listen. Her brothers kept the music going too, eventually becoming “Brotherly Love” while Faith started thinking about going solo. The 1960s Liverpool music scene was no joke – you had to be good to survive it.
When Everything Changed
So back to that famous dress-splitting moment. Faith Brown was performing, hoping to catch the eye of this important music agent. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Her dress split, she was exposed in front of everyone, and her big break seemed to be turning into her biggest nightmare.
Instead of panicking, something clicked. Faith started doing an impression while frantically asking her husband Len for a safety pin. The audience thought it was all part of the show and loved it. That music agent? He didn’t see a singer with wardrobe problems – he saw a natural comedian with incredible timing.
That was 1971, and it changed everything. The agent signed her as an impressionist, not a singer. Faith Brown had accidentally discovered her true calling. She wasn’t just good at copying voices – she could become other people completely, capturing their mannerisms, their way of moving, even how they thought.
Television Made Her a Star
“Who Do You Do?” was the show that really launched Faith Brown into the big time. Running from 1975 to 1976, it was like a showcase for Britain’s best impressionists. Faith held her own alongside comedy legends like Freddie Starr and Russ Abbot, proving she belonged in that elite company.
The real breakthrough came with “The Faith Brown Awards” in 1978. When 9.8 million people tune in to watch your comedy special, you know you’ve made it. London Weekend Television had taken a gamble on giving Faith her own show, and it paid off big time.
Two years later, “The Faith Brown Chat Show” proved she could do more than just impressions. Six episodes of Faith interviewing guests and showcasing her range as an entertainer. The TV Times clearly thought she was something special – they gave her their award for ‘Funniest Woman on TV’ that same year.
But Faith Brown wasn’t content to stay in her own shows. She became one of those faces you’d see everywhere – “The Cannon and Ball Show,” “Celebrity Squares,” “Blankety Blank.” Every appearance was a chance to win over new fans and show off different sides of her personality.
The “This Is Your Life” surprise in 1982 was pure television gold. Eamonn Andrews caught her completely off guard during “Game For A Laugh” rehearsals. Her shocked “You are joking?!” became one of those classic TV moments that people still remember decades later.
The Stage Called Her Name
Television made Faith Brown famous, but the theatre made her an artist. When she landed the role of Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard” in 2001, nobody quite knew what to expect. This was Andrew Lloyd Webber territory – serious musical theatre with serious expectations.
Faith showed up to the audition dressed as Norma – turban, red lipstick, the whole silent movie star look. She was so nervous that Len literally had to push her out of the car. But when she sang “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” something magical happened. Andrew Lloyd Webber started crying.
“Faith, you are my Norma Desmond,” he told her right there on the spot. According to people who know him, Lloyd Webber had never done anything like that before. Faith had found her defining role.
The tour was a revelation. “I have honestly never had a reaction from the public like I had for that show. Never,” Faith said later. Three awards and rave reviews proved that Faith Brown could handle serious dramatic material. Lloyd Webber himself said, “Glenn Close was fabulous, Elaine Page was excellent, but Faith Brown is my number one Norma Desmond!”
She didn’t stop there either. Miss Hannigan in “Annie,” Stella Winters in “Summer Holiday,” Sister Mary Regina in “Nunsense” – Faith kept challenging herself with different roles, different characters, different ways to connect with audiences.
Love That Lasts
Here’s something remarkable in show business: Faith Brown has been married to the same man since 1966. Len Wady isn’t just her husband – he’s her manager, her musical partner, and her best friend all rolled into one. In an industry where relationships crash and burn regularly, they’ve made it work for nearly sixty years.
“Len is my rock,” Faith says, and you can tell she means it. He understands the business because he’s a musician himself. When Faith needed to take risks or try new things, Len was there providing the stability that made it all possible.
They waited thirteen years for their daughter Danielle to come along, which made her arrival even more special. Faith has always been clear about her priorities – family first, career second. Even when she became a grandmother, she found ways to balance her professional commitments with being present for the people she loves.
There’s something endearing about Faith’s vanity too. She once hid behind her door and did an impression rather than let a delivery person see her without makeup. But she’s just as comfortable talking honestly about what it takes to make a marriage work in entertainment.
Still Going Strong
At 62, most people might think about slowing down. Not Faith Brown. In 2006, she headed into the Australian jungle for “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” It was a brilliant move that introduced her to viewers who might never have seen her classic TV work.
What’s kept Faith Brown relevant isn’t just nostalgia. Sure, people love her Margaret Thatcher and Marilyn Monroe impressions, but she’s also added Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Lily Allen to her repertoire. She understands that staying current means evolving while keeping what makes you special.
The Best of British Variety Tours aren’t just oldies shows. When Faith performs with acts like Cannon and Ball, they’re celebrating a whole era of British entertainment that knew how to put on a proper show. Faith’s philosophy sums it up perfectly: “You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but if I please a few of the people all of the time, that’s good enough for me.”
That’s wisdom earned through decades of performing. Faith Brown represents something we don’t see much anymore – entertainers who could do everything. Sing, act, do comedy, impressions, host shows, work an audience. In today’s specialized world, her versatility seems almost old-fashioned, but in the best possible way.
At 81, Faith Brown is still out there performing, still making people laugh, still proving that genuine talent and warmth never go out of style. From that accidental start in Liverpool to becoming a national treasure, she’s shown that sometimes the best careers are the ones that surprise you. She set out to please “a few people all of the time” and ended up delighting generations of fans who can’t imagine British entertainment without her.
