12 British Stars Who Hid Their Fame From the Neighbours

The whole country knew their faces. The people next door just knew a neighbour. A comedy legend serving petrol, while customers told him he looked like himself. A woman with two Oscars at a supermarket checkout, while a small boy stared and said it would come to him in a minute. Britain's most famous cleaner buying batteries at Boots. These are twelve much-loved British stars who lived quiet, ordinary lives among ordinary people, and the towns and villages that kept their secret. From Barry Evans, Geoffrey Hayes, Jacqueline Pearce and Clive Dunn to Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Jean Alexander, Ronnie Barker, Vera Lynn, Penelope Keith, Maggie Smith and Norman Wisdom: the shows we loved, the quiet lives they chose, and what their neighbours remember. Every story comes from their own words, local people, obituaries and interviews. Did you ever live near a famous face, or meet one in a shop? Who should be in Part 2? Tell us in the comments. Like and subscribe for more true stories of the stars we grew up with.