June 14, 2005
Lucy Richardson
Lucy Richardson, the woman John Lennon immortalized in The Beatles' hit "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," died on June 1 of cancer. She was 47.
While a student at the private Heath House School in Weybridge, Suffolk, Britain, Richardson became the subject of a drawing created by four-year-old classmate, Julian Lennon. That image inspired the boy's father to write the popular 1967 song, which appeared on The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Many believed the lyrics were simply a barely concealed reference to LSD, but John Lennon debunked this rumor in a 1975 interview.
Richardson grew up to become a successful art director in Hollywood. She worked on more than a dozen films, including "The Princess Bride," "The Saint," "Elizabeth," "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," "The Golden Bowl" and "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." Richardson won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special for her work on "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal" (1992). She also took home an Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Award for "Chocolat" (2000).
In 2003, Richardson was diagnosed with breast cancer. She endured two years of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, but the disease spread into her bones, then claimed her life. As an acknowledgement to the song that made her famous, Richardson's family and friends sprinkled crystals on her grave.
Download "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"
whilst I'm sad to hear of the death of Lucy Richardson, she was no in fact the inspiration behind the song. That was Lucy O'Donnell who is still very much alive! She is named in all the Beatles biographies and in the book "Hard Days Write" which charts all the inspiration behind Beatles tunes.
Posted by fran on June 27, 2005 4:41 PMFran,
John Lennon attributed to the song's inspiration to Lucy Richardson in a 1975 interview with The Daily Telegraph (http://www.entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,15627577-7484,00.html). To see the picture Julian drew, go to http://www.whatgoeson.com/gallery/lsdpic.jpg.
Posted by Jade Walker on June 30, 2005 10:35 AMI think Fran's right. Lucy Richardson wasn't a classmate of Julian's at all - she was a good five years older than him, whereas Lucy O'Donnell is exactly the same age and was in the same class. It's sad news about Lucy Richardson, and it's such an untimely death, but I don't think she's the same girl.
Posted by FinnMacCool on September 14, 2005 8:58 AMI knew Lucy Richardson, and my mother was a teacher at Heath House School while Julian was a pupil.
Lucy was my contemporary, and therefore not in Julian's age year, or near it, and while I am sorry to hear she is dead, I do not think the song can have been inspired by her, but rather by Lucy O'Donnell who was his age and also frequented the school.
This is well documented elsewhere.
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Posted by Matthew Baker on March 26, 2006 10:34 AMThe Rolling Stones postpone a show in the US to allow singer Sir Mick Jagger time to rest his voice...
Posted by Bryant Aguilera on November 12, 2006 10:12 PMI was at Heath House as well - My sister Georgina Holland (now Hicks) was in the same class . The girls was ,indeed,O Donnel
Posted by thor Halland on April 1, 2008 6:33 AM