Marti Caine
| Marti Caine | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Lynne Denise Shepherd 26 January 1945 Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire |
| Died | 4 November 1995 (aged 50) Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
| Cause of death | Lymphatic cancer |
| Residence | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Comedian, singer |
| Years active | 1975 - 1995 |
| Known for | Winner and presenter of New Faces. |
| Height | 5' 7" |
| Spouse(s) | Malcolm Stringer (1962–1979) Kenneth Ives (1984–1995) |
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.
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