I found out about this actress of the 1960s from the English music
magazine "Word" which said that she was the original Liz in John
Schlesinger's 1963 production of "Billy Liar" (based on Keith
Waterhouse's original novel). She had a nervous breakdown during
production, whereupon Schlessinger cast an unknown actress, Julie
Christie, who went on to become Lara in David Lean's "Dr Zhivago"
(1965), and a future Oscar winner for "Darling" in the same year.

But what happened to Topsy Jane, the original Liz? She was in Tony
Richardson's 1961 production of "Loneliness of the Long Distance
Runner" - which also coincidentally starred Tom Courtenay (who was in
"Billy Liar").

I've tried looking for her on the web - Google and imdb.com included -
as well as trying the Actors' Benevolent Fund in the UK. But no luck!
Does anyone know what happened to this young woman who once had so
much promise?

*Whatever happened to the English actress Topsy Jane after her nervous
breakdown on the set of Billy Liar? 
*What was her original name, date and place of birth?
*Where is she now? 
*What is she doing?
*And where can she be contacted?

It seems strange that someone who started out working in such
prestigious projects and with such prominent actors and directors
should have simply disappeared. I really would like to find out any
information at all - or simply be pointed in the right direction for
further research.

If the fee isn't sufficient, please let me know and we can negotiate.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sunbad --

I'd love to know, too.  Here's a little something I found that might
help lead one of the official Google Researchers to the answer.  It's
a reply to someone who wrote to the London Daily Mail in 2002 asking
what happened to Topsy Jane:


DAILY MAIL (London)
June 14, 2002
SECTION: Pg. 62
LENGTH: 912 words

HEADLINE: A Topsy-turvy talent;
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

ABOUT five years ago I popped into a cafe in Liskeard, Cornwall, after
busking with my guitar, and an older lady by the name of Topsy struck
up a conversation with me about music.

She went on to tell me that she was an actress who had appeared in The
Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner, and that she was to have
played Billy Liar's screen girlfriend Liz until she became ill.

Sadly, people tended not to believe her, and were less than impressed
- a typically English cynicism.

However, I did some research and discovered that Topsy Jane was
originally offered the role. I haven't seen her since, but she was
known to frequent the taverns of St Cleer, Cornwall, still not in the
best of health. The contrast between her destiny and Julie Christie's
is poignant.

Paul Program, Pensilva, Cornwall.

Topsy Jane also appeared in a wonderful BBC TV production of Jean
Anouilh's "Time Remembered" in 1961 or 1962 -- with a captivating
photograph in the Radio Times! I wonder whether that production is
available in some kind of recorded format?