Big Bosomed Newcomer Sabrina Throws Britain into a Turmoil

The Miami News
Sunday 1 December 1957
and

A Pretty Face and Outsized Bosom Has Staid Old England All Agog

and several other titles in several other papers

Traditionally reserved Britain is all agog over a sensational blonde named Sabrina. Here is a humorous look at the girl who is probably better known than the Prime Minister.

By EDDY GILMORE

LONDON AP­ In the age of the awful gimmick, an unknown. little-talented but big-busted girl has become a household word in Britain.

Men travel hundreds of miles just to look at her.

She's had scores of marriage proposals.

Squads of policemen battled crowds fighting to get near her at Manchester.

The fire department had to be called to drive back the people in Leeds.

In another place her clothes were almost torn off her.

FRIGHTENING

This all took place In Britain, a land of traditionally reserved and undemonstrative people. It has the undertones of a frightening phenomenon.

The girl is Norma Sykes.

The gimmick is a pretty face, the lyrical stage name of Sabrina and her outsized chest measuring 41 inches. Sabrina says she's still growing.

Two years ago she came to London from Blackpool looking for work. Any kind of work. She labored as a waitress in a seamy section of London. She tried to get a job as a housemaid and when actually hungry, began posing for photographs, some of them in the nude.

SENSATION

Then comedian Arthur Askey put her in one of his television shows. He gave her nothing to do, assigned her no lines to speak. But he highlighted her tremendous frontage. That seemed to do it.

Overnight she became a sensation.

Askey denies that he copied the idea from Dagmar of past American TV programs.

"Sabrina was my idea," he said. "Not the name, but the gimmick. The idea was based on something Billy Merson used to do in British music halls 23 years ago.

"He had a musical act — a singer, pianist, cellist and flutist. All the time they were on stage a pretty girl with a nice figure sat by reading a book."

WE WANT SABRINA

Askey is not so completely identified with Sabrina that he's beginning to worry.

"I go to football games," he said, "and people yell, "Where's Sabrina?"

"Hall porters ask, "What, no Sabrina?"

"Taxi drivers stare at me and say, 'What are you doing out without Sabrina?'"

He shook his head.

She's certainly one of the most extraordinary things that has ever happened to show business.

Since her first series of programs with Askey two years ago, Sabrina has appeared in movies and other TV shows, made phonograph records and is now on the stage in a musical.

HIGH FEES

In her spare time she concentrates on personal appearances, opening stores, filling stations and shops — for a fee. She is paid 100 pounds ($280) for merely showing up and being seen. In a busy week she'll do nine personal appearances — 900 pounds ($2,520).

Last June she made an unheralded appearance at the Royal Ascot Races.

Hundreds of people surged forward to catch a glimpse of her, and the extremely low-cut white organdie gown she wore. Photographers stampeded to take her picture. Members of the nobility dashed out of White's exclusive champagne bar to stare at her.

Her only rival for attention was the Queen.

OUTRANK "MOTHER"

Boys at a well-known school were recently asked to name the 10 women they admired most.

Florence Nightingale was first. Joan of Arc came second. Sabrina was third. Fourth place went to mother.

If you polled the population of Britain more citizens probably would identify Sabrina as an overripe blonde that they would Harold Macmillan as prime minster.

She's been involved In most of the techniques of publicity, most of it highly unoriginal. She insured her bosom for 100,000 pounds ($280,000)

She poses as the professional dumb blonde — and doesn't seem to have to work hard to accomplish her purpose. She has memorized set answers to a large number of obvious questions.

But, behind all the publicity, the abnormal figure of 41-19-36, her desperate efforts to learn to speak well, sing, act and dance, there flickers a genuine note of sincerity.

"You know. I'm no actress," "she said. "I'm, I'm, why, I'm nothing.

"The other, day I had to fill out a form. Beside profession I put a question mark. Honestly, I couldn't think what I am."

In time, she said, she hopes to become an actress.

Told that the name of Sabrina comes from one of John Milton's poems, she looked a little dazed.

"No, I haven't read him. I don't have much time for reading you know."

EYES AMERICA

She also doesn't have much conversation. Sabrina goes on the premise that her dimensions are an adequate substitute.

Does she ever think of going to America?

"I never think of anything else."

Here, her pretty face takes on an almost professional stage expression.

"Things must be different there."

The tone is almost like a little girl's - when reciting.

"Here, I either go out with rich old men who take me to the right places, or with poor young men who take me to the wrong places."

She is much more natural, and even strangely attractive as she says:

"You know, sometimes I wonder just what it's all about."

(Picture appeared in the Miami News)