Marti Caine, born Lynne Denise Shepherd (26 January 1945 – 4 November 1995) was an English actress, dancer, presenter, singer, writer, and comedian who gained fame from the television talent show New Faces and became a major variety star.
Caine was born in Sheffield and during her childhood Caine's father died from cancer and she suffered sexual abuse from her paternal grandfather. Caine's mother had a history of alcoholism and drug abuse.
At the age of seventeen Caine married a local butcher's boy and became in her own words "just another starry-eyed wannabe... married with two babies, an ex-beauty queen, stuck on a council estate, with little hope of fulfilling any dreams for a better life."
At nineteen, and unable to pay the £19 cost of her mother's funeral expenses, she auditioned as Lynne Stringer (her married name) at the Chapeltown Working Men's Club outside Sheffield. This resulted in a three-week stint singing under the name Sunny Smith, followed by a spell as Zoe Bond. Her husband Malcolm Stringer chose her eventual stage name from a gardening book, though Marta Cane (tomato cane) was misspelled at an early gig and 'Marti Caine' remained with her.
After working many years on the club circuit in Yorkshire as a stand-up comic and cabaret singer, Caine rose to national prominence when she appeared on the show New Faces in 1975. She won that year's competition, beating Lenny Henry and Victoria Wood (for whom she had immense professional respect, referring to her rival as 'uniquely talented...').
She went on to make more television appearances including the self-titled Marti Caine on BBC2; showcasing her dance, comedic and musical talents. Her seventeen-year marriage broke down in 1978, making front-page headlines in the national press. They had two sons, Lee and Max. At the time, Caine was reputed to be earning over £100,000 per annum. She married again eight years later, to the TV producer Kenneth Ives.
- Wild World: Marti's duet with Tony Christie
- Honky Tonk Woman: Typically flamboyant dance sequence from TV show
- The Biggest Aspidistra in the World: Marti singing a music hall comedy number in tribute to Gracie Fields
- I've Never Been to Me: Montage sequence accompanying Marti's 1978 single
- Regina Fong Gala 2008: Drag queen Mrs Moore impersonating Marti's New Faces persona
- Joe Longthorne: The Ultimate Collection (1997) [Duet with Marti on "I'll Never Love This Way Again"]
- The Very Best of Joe Longthorne: Volume II (1992) [Duet with Marti on "I'll Never Love This Way Again"]
- Heritage Foundation Plaque, BBC TV Centre, London (2001)
- The Marti Caine Fund, set up to support the Children with Leukaemia Trust (1996)
- Honorary Doctorate, Sheffield Hallam University (1995)
- Sheen, sculpture by Mick Farrell dedicated to Marti (1995)
- Woman of the week, Woman magazine (1986)
- Star Award, Funniest Lady, Swap Shop (1979)
- Winner, New Faces (1975)
- Marti (CD, 1996) [Concert recordings with the Ronnie Hazlehurst orchestra]
- Point of View (LP, 1981)
- The Lady's Gonna Sing (LP, 1979) [Co-produced by Karl Jenkins]
- Behind the Smile (LP, 1978) [Produced by Karl Jenkins]
- Nobody Does It Like Marti (LP, 1976)
- "Can I Speak to the World, Please?" / "Tin Heart and the Rebel" (1982)
- "I'll Never See You Again" / "Bitch is Love" (1981)
- "One More Night" / "What's the Weather Like Outside?" (1979)
- "I've Never Been to Me" / "You" (1978)
- "Woman In Your Arms" / "Let Go" (1977)
- "Momma's Song" / "Nobody Does It Like Me" (1975)
- LateNightTales presents After Dark (Compilation CD, 2013) (Features 1982 track "Love the Way You Love Me")
- You Are Awful... But We Like You! (Compilation CD, 2000) (Features 1978 single "I've Never Been To Me")
- Sweet Inspiration (Audio book, cassette, 1994) [Interview with Alan Titchmarsh]
- Disconet Vol 4:7 (Compilation LP, 1981) (Features 1981 single "Can I Speak to the World, Please?")
- Nobody Does It Like Me (LP & cassette, 1979) [Third re-release of 1976 debut album]
- Nobody Does It Like Marti Caine (LP, 1977) [Second re-release of 1976 debut album]
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