Tracy Hyde
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tracy Constance Margaret Hyde, actress and model (born May 16, 1959, Fulham, London, England) [1] shot to fame in the 1971 film Melody after being discovered by film producer, David Puttnam. She learnt ballet at the age of four, did junior modelling for an agency and auditioned for a pickle advertisement. [2]
Writer/director Andrew Birkin (brother of actress Jane Birkin) saw photographs of the young Tracy and persuaded her mother Maureen to audition her for the title role of Melody Perkins. Birkin also recommended Tracy to director Waris Hussein, writer Alan Parker and producer David Puttnam. After screen tests and auditions, Tracy finally won the role. [3]
After Melody, Tracy appeared in a few TV appearances in the U.K. Trial (BBC, 1971), ITV Playhouse: The Greeks And Their Gifts (Anglia, 1972) and Love Story: Home For The Holidays (Associated Television, 1973). Due to the success of Melody in Japan, Tracy was invited over in 1972 for plans to make a film with her in the lead role. Unfortunately, due to budget restrictions, the film was never made.[4]
Tracy continued with her education and studied at a secretarial college, after leaving she was employed as a legal secretary for a law firm. Meanwhile, she appeared in Japanese magazines and calendars and visited Japan for the second time in 1977, when she was declared "Favourite actress" in Roadshow magazine. [5]
In the 1980s, Tracy made her film comeback in Dead End For Belinda (1980), The Orchard End Murder (1981) and Alice (1981) where she was re-united with her Melody co-star, Jack Wild. Numerous TV appearances including Sorry! (BBC, 1981-1982), Kinvig (LWT, 1981), The Gentle Touch (LWT, 1982), Now And Then (LWT, 1983-1984), Dempsey & Makepeace (LWT, 1985) and The Bill (Thames Television, 1988).
By the end of the decade, Tracy had disappeared from the limelight and married property master Allen J. Polley. [6]
In 1994, Japanese TV sought out Tracy and sent one of their reporters to go to the U.K. to find her. Mark Lester was contacted and when it was found that Tracy had moved to France, Mark and the reporter both went over there to search for her. She had moved there with her husband and her three sons. In 1999, Mark and Tracy were reunited again in another Japanese TV special. Tracy has since re-married and has returned home to London where she now manages the family business ,a kennel boarding service. [7] [8]
Darjan Sahanaja from the The Wondermints', an American retro-pop group wrote, sang and recorded a tribute track, "Tracy Hide".[9]
