Some of the historical figures looked pretty good, some of the more modern ones were shockers
As part of the silly season, for the Observer Magazine of 31 August 1980 the inestimable Clive James was asked to gauge whether visitors to Madame Tussauds in
London were getting their money’s worth when it came to their waxworks of contemporary celebrities. While praising its work on historical subjects, the answer from his selection was a resounding no.
But there’s a lot to be said for the sheer
comedy value of the off-kilter lookalike. It was a shame when Louis Tussauds House of Wax in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk – which had attained a well-deserved cult status owing to how unheimlich the models were – closed down in 2013. Clearly, the real thing, as it were, was just as capable of getting it all wrong.