Isle of Man Post Office celebrates David Bowie's acting career with new stamp collection

The Isle of Man Post Office has issued the first stamps to celebrate David Bowie's acting career. Credit: IOM Stamps / PA Images

David Bowie's acting career is being celebrated with a new collection of stamps.

Eight stamps have been released by the Isle Of Man Post Office and features the three legs of man which replaces the 'O' in Bowie.

The stamps will go into circulation on 12 September and honour the films the late David Bowie has acted in - and his broadway performance of The Elephant Man.

The collection has been designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, who worked closely with Bowie on his post-2002 album releases.

This is not the first time the Isle of Man Post Office has paid tribute to performers before. Last November it published a seven-stamp Sir Barry Gibb set.

1999 film Everybody Loves Sunshine was filmed on the Isle of Man. Credit: Isle of Man Post Office

Stamp designer Jonathan Barnbrook commented, "I didn't want to create just another series of nice pictures of David Bowie from record covers.

"The stamps had to have a connection to the Isle of Man, which is where Everybody Loves Sunshine comes in.

"But, they also needed to show something about Bowie’s career that hadn’t been fully explored, which is why we concentrated on his achievements as an actor."

Andrew Goth who wrote, directed and starred in the Manx-filmed Everybody Loves Sunshine, said: "The Isle of Man was a great place to film."

Pulrose Power Station was used to portray a prison, while Athol Street in Douglas also featured in the film.

"We were welcomed with open arms", Goth said, "Bowie told me how much he liked being on the island.

"He told me he'd been to see Peel Castle and Castle Rushen, as medieval history was one of his big interests."

Bowie, who would have been 75 this year, stayed at Castle Mona during the filming.

David Bowie during filming of Everybody Loves Sunshine. Bowie told the director "how much he liked being on the Island." Credit: Gordon Fairweather

Gordon Fairweather, who is a big fan of Bowie's photographed the singer and actor during filming at Pulrose Power Station. He recalls the singer and actor's time on the Isle of Man.

"I thought it was great. I wrote him a letter and he sent me back his autograph. The Isle of Man needs to do more work with film, there are so many beautiful places to film over here."

Maxine Cannon, the General Manager Isle of Man Stamps, noted how the production of the collection was a local affair: "This is very much a locally produced stamp issue.

"Jonathan was supported by Emma Cooke from EJC design and also Paul Ford. They worked together to bring the designs to life.

"Words and Spaces worked to exact standards to produced the most beautiful finished print quality. Our friends at Isle of Man advertising have also helped us with point of sale systems

General Manager Isle of Man Stamps, Maxine Cannon, at the unveiling of the stamp collection at Pulrose Power Station. Credit: ITV News

"It took us six years to get to where we are. Securing permissions, the rights from the state of David Bowie but finally we're here".

Which David Bowie's films feature in the stamp collection?

  • Bernie in 'Everybody Loves Sunshine' (filmed on the Isle of Man in early 1998)

  • Jareth the Golbin King in Labyrinth

  • Major Jack Celliers in Merry Chrismas, Mr. Lawrence

  • The title role in Baal

  • John Merrick in The Elephant man

  • Paul Ambrosius von Przygodski in Just a Gigolo

  • Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth

The stamps go on sale next week and coincide with unseen footage of David Bowie being released in Moonage Daydream on 16 September.


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