please help to identify the people on the sleeve for Russ Abbot's 1985 single 'All Night Holiday'

https://img.discogs.com/qpfZq85ivsgorpUoSiVap8Lt2Lk=/fit-in/600x601/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1987579-1587219197-7412.jpeg.jpg

http://images.45cat.com/russ-abbot-ode-to-a-spouse-cnr.jpg

so on the front you have Russ himself holding the ghetto blaster, George Michael standing to his left, Russ again as C. U. Jimmy with Elton John to his left and Mike Read (?) to his right ... it looks like Strawberry Switchblade either side of the bearded guy ... is that Hazel O'Connor in the bottom left corner? Is the bearded guy buried up to his neck in the sand John Peel (or maybe Kenny Everett?)

on the back you have Boy George on the right, but I don't recognise any of the others ... the guy in the black speedos looks a bit like Paul Gascoigne, but I don't think anyone knew who he was in 1985? Maybe some of them are just friends of the artist (Mike Ryan) rather than celebrities? I'm particularly interested in the identity of the strange ghostly figure watching the beach party from the helicopter.

wow, i've seen this record cover a million times and yet i now realise that i have never actually seen it at all. until today!

hazel o'connor could be toyah instead?

noel edmonds in the helicopter obv

Isn't Toyah really small? like 5ft or less.

there's a photograph featuring Rose McDowell on the sleeve for Earth Covers Earth by Current 93 making her possibly the only person to appear on a record sleeve by both Current 93 and Russ Abbot (except possibly the helicopter wraith)

Bearded guy buried up to his neck, Phil Collins maybe?

Back cover guy in bowtie looks like Keith Floyd

I like to think this was the same day and she went from eating watermelon on the beach with Mike Read to hanging out in a forest with Douglas P

https://img.discogs.com/slltE3xbRML8aqbZFVqdWu9iZz8=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-322485-1399844083-8447.jpeg.jpghttps://img.discogs.com/UF50Vq8u8UlwTeOaNed1UtLjCt0=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-322485-1399844079-9960.jpeg.jpg

Tony Blackburn on the left?

Or Bryan Ferry. Can't be sure

Robert Plant to the left of George?

or Rick Parfitt from Status Quo?

I was just about to say, "Is that Rick Parfitt?"!!!!!

I have never seen Rick Parfitt look so miserable though.

Is Harry Enfield carrying Camilla Parker-Bowles there?

Kinda looks like members of Bananarama on the cover

the woman being carried has got bella emberg's eyes and nose. is it supposed to be her as pamela anderson?

I don't know what Roger Chapman of Family is doing buried up to his neck in sand though.

I'm assuming from the presence of Fidel Castro that the beach is in Cuba

i thought it was midge ure next to george michael

the guy with the BUTCH t-shirt and the bowtie does look a bit like Keith Floyd, but why would Keith Floyd be at a beach party with Russ Abbot and a load of pop stars? if it's not Floyd ... there's something naggingly familiar about him but I can't place him, I feel like he might be some long forgotten light-entertainment journeyman?

i think it's more likely to be dustin gee in the 'butch' shirt and les dennis with the long blonde wig

Jill Bryson of Strawberry Switchblade is sat next to Mike Read which is interesting as their manager suggested they date 'for the publicity' (when their career was on the slide), as he had mentioned his interest

dustin gee as david hasselhoff obv xp

Doesn't look like Dustin Gee tbh.

Unlike the other uncanny likenesses.

my logic is that its the cast of the russ abbott show doing a bad parody of baywatch on the back

Ah, I didn't know Dustin and Les were regulars on Russ Abbot's Madhouse.

scratch that: maggie moone as boy george, les dennis as marylin, dustin gee as hasselhoff, bella emberg as pammy

They'd have to be nostradamus level to be parodying baywatch in 1985

Maggie Moone? Never heard of her!

oh shit, you're quite right

that was an xp

I was thinking Rod Stewart in the jeans

And Bob Carolgees in the no. 6 hat with a beard made of Spit

this is maggie moone:

https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-14515324/images/55b106d855539ZAsCXHq/Les-Bella-and-Russ_600.jpg

Big Beads Bella

there is writing the helicopter that i can't quite read. does it say NE1? if so, gotta be noel surely?

Possibly Maggie Philbin under the helicopter, no doubt reminiscing about her time with Noel on Swap Shop.

thinking that's possibly kim wilde having a picnic on the front?

1985 is too early for Baywatch. Def. Marilyn behind Boy George.

Wanna hear An Ode to a Spouse now

100% Marilyn

What's the badge on bearded guy's cap? Is it a hammer and sickle or Turkish flag?

Alan Freeman in the bowtie?

xp isn't it '6'?

Maybe that's Patrick McGoohan.

I thought Ode to a Spouse would be a heartfelt tribute to (checks wiki) Patricia Simpson, m. 1966, comedian going into cloying sentimental mode, but it is just a Chas n Dave knock off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_TRBJ-HmjA

what u up to woof?
Listening to Russ Abbott b-sides.

Both sides of this and Atmosphere were among the earliest music I got to hear, though the other B side now sounds especially peculiar coming from an entertainer of his era
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOof8bFOkFg

the album that both Atmosphere and All Night Holiday appeared on (I Love A Party) included a cover of Stevie Wonder's Happy Birthday, but sadly this doesn't appear to be on youtube

oh wait, here it is - if you ever wanted to hear Russ Abbot singing about Martin Luther King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAfcdJNsK8M

Is the guy with the boombox that boxer?

Mike Yarwood in the bowtie?

Black swimsuit maybe Rory Bremner?

He wasn't famous then.

... no, hold on, he was! He's been around for a long time!

i'm sorry soref, but i just couldn't make it though the whole of that stevie cover

Woman on left looks a but like Paula Yates.

bit ffs

agree that bow tie guy is Keith Floyd.

Barry McGuigan is the boxer who may be the guy with the boombox.

xxp or Hazell Dean? (going mainly by the hair)

bow tie guy also looks a bit like michael elphick which reminded me of this abomination and it's highly disturbing lyrical content:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNRyhagcjiA

Black speedo guy looks like long jumper Greg Rutherford, impressive as painted a year before he was born.

xp Fred West with a record contract

lol isn't it just? terrifying and it just keeps getting worse as it goes on

full body shudder at the "watch out for me, i'm behind a tree" bit

Reginald Bosanquet - 'Dance With Me' (from the same school of singing as Michael Elphick)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwVB_NGM1E

god im howling at that elphick song

wondering if you could actually be jailed for that song

Not really that far off from Bowie's 'Love You Til Tuesday'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-3GI7n-MaI

^^^ not actually the original version of the video - someone's dicked around with it but you get the general idea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRv3i8mIcFs

A highlight of Gotcha! for me is using the verse melody of 'She's A Woman' on orchestra hit preset

Regretting listening to the Elphick in full just before going to bed

I have never heard of any of these ppl besides the Strawberry Switchblade women and Boy George

the Elphick song was written by Billy Brindle who has a youtube account with some more of his compositions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSOyBooYjbk

he also wrote a single for Stu Francis called 'Santa's Tears'

Going to pitch a re-make of William Wyler / John Fowles' The Collector so I can have that Elphick song played over the end credits.

he also wrote a single for Stu Francis called 'Santa's Tears'

Time to remind you all of my Stu Francis poll.

Ooh, I could vote in an ILM poll

Elphick would've been rehearsing for his role as Jake the Poacher in Withnail & I round about the same time as "Gotcha" I think.

Just realised that Elphick was just 32 years old when in Quadrophenia as Phil Daniels's dad.

https://i.pinimg.com/474x/cc/f8/65/ccf8654c8da1495e1bd09994a0a89f75.jpg

wau @ that Michael Elphick song

fucking dark innit?

Regardless of the image used in the youtube clip, I don't believe that is the 12" "Extended Butterfly" mix, which sadly seems to be unavailable online.