Paul O’Grady is well-known for many things, but did you know about the time he was in a plane accident, dressed a deceased friend as Lily Savage, and was arrested during a raid on a gay bar?
Paul O’Grady was well-known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, his television presence, his political activism, and his affection for animals.
His life spanned nearly seven decades and included cleaning, drag, and Dr. Who.
Rubber gloves invasion
In 1987, O’Grady was performing as Lily Savage at the homosexual bar Royal Vauxhall Tavern during a police raid.
At the height of the AIDS epidemic, all of the officers were wearing rubber gloves, prompting Savage to joke, “Well, it looks like we’ve got help with the dishes.”
That evening, 10 persons were arrested, including Savage. After providing the desk sergeant the name Lily Savage, she reportedly responded “Lily Veronica Mae Savage” when asked for her “real name.”
A union of convenience.
O’Grady wed Teresa Fernandes, a model he referred to as “the lesbian Portuguese barmaid,” in 1977.
He called it a “marriage of convenience” and admitted to forgetting they were married after losing touch.
Regarding the relationship, he stated, “I had no idea we were still married until my manager Brendan told me, ‘If anything were to happen to you, everything would go to your wife. It’s like a real-life Corrie plot’.”
The couple divorced in 2005, and in 2017 O’Grady wed Andre Portasio.
Heroic plane accident survivor
When the pilot proclaimed an emergency landing, O’Grady offered assistance to the cabin crew.
“As everyone lowered their heads, I stood there blowing a whistle and yelling ‘brace’,” he said later.
There was a fire on the runway, so he opened the emergency exit and led everyone to safety.
Though he wasn’t scared, he later called it his bravest moment and a “white-knuckle ride.”
He experimented with being a mortician.
After O’Grady’s close friend passed away from AIDS, he honored a dying promise to style his hair and apply makeup, as well as dress him in full Lily Savage regalia.
O’Grady has lost many acquaintances to AIDS, including fellow performer Chrissie, whose real name is Danny Billington.
He told the Sunday People that Chrissie’s death appearance was “horrific.”
“His face was purple, but he looked fantastic afterward; I wouldn’t have made a bad undertaker.”
The hardest aspect was dressing him, he said: “I ended up on my back with Chrissie on top of me.
The situation bordered on farce, but Chrissie would have appreciated the dark humor involved.
Lily Savage’s career in advertising
Lily Savage became the symbol – or, more specifically, the legs – of Pretty Polly tights.
In addition, she appeared in advertisements for Ford, Oasis soft beverages, and a bingo company.
Recruitment Consultant
Mark Downie, a former colleague of O’Grady’s at Channel 4, disclosed that the star insisted that new positions on his program be posted at the local Job Centre.
He tweeted, “He wanted anyone and everyone to be able to enroll so they could receive the same opportunity he did”.
A kind and generous individual made the performance better.
A passion for canines
Paul O’Grady was noted for his drag queen persona Lily Savage, television, political activism, and love of animals.
Four dogs, goats, sheep, chickens, and barn owls inhabited the O’Grady family’s Kent farmhouse, among other creatures.
He named his production company Olga TV after one of his canines, Buster, and dedicated the second volume of his autobiography to Buster, describing him as “the greatest canine star since Lassie.”
