Richard (Dickie) Dawson was born Colin Emm in Gosport and lived in Durley Road and Queens Road.  At 14 he joined the Merchant Navy and took up boxing during his three-year stint.  Back in Gosport he worked as a conductor on Provincial buses.  Best known in the UK for the US TV war comedy series Hogan's Heroes (Cpl Peter Newkirk).  In 1959 he married Diana Dors and she regularly visited his family in Gosport.  Link to IMDb page www.imdb.com/name/nm0206241

Nat Gonella the jazz singer and musician moved to Gosport in 1977 and lived in Clayhall Road with his wife.  Raglan House in Gordon Road was his home in his later years.  He died in 1998.  Many accolades on the jazz websites and a bio on www.cultureoncall.com/nat-gonella (Hampshire Cultural Trust)

Joe Jackson the singer-songwriter moved reluctantly to Gosport from Paulsgrove with his family when he was a teenager and lived in Meadow Walk and Shaftesbury Road.  He began frequenting the John Peel pub where he met local musicians including the Edward Bear band, which he was invited to join.  The band had two changes of name and then in 1976 Joe moved on.  Perhaps best known for Is She Really Going Out With Him, It's Different For Girls, Steppin' Out.  Still touring.  http://www.joejackson.com    Read all about Joe in A Cure for Gravity

Peter O'Flaherty the bass guitarist with Simon Dupree & the Big Sound was born and brought up in Gosport (The Crossways) and went to St Mary's School in Anns Hill Road.  From 1963 to 1973—before, during and after the Dupree years—he lived above Hugs the Jewellers in the High Street.  In 1973 he emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand.  Before finding fame with the Big Sound he played in local Gosport band The Classics

Tony Ransley the drummer with Simon Dupree & the Big Sound was brought up in Gosport.  After pop fame he ran a gents hairdressing salon in Brockhurst Road Gosport.  Before the Big Sound he played in local Gosport band The Classics along with Peter O'Flaherty 

Phil Shulman the sax and trumpet player and vocalist with Simon Dupree and the Big Sound was born in Glasgow but moved to Portsmouth early in his life.  During the Dupree years he continued living in Portsmouth, as did his brothers Ray and Derek (Simon Dupree).  After leaving Gentle Giant, which the Shulmans formed after the Big Sound, Phil went back to teaching and later ran the Rainbow's End gift shop at 13 Stoke Road Gosport with his wife.  For more about the Shulmans and Gentle Giant gentlegiantmusic.com/GG/

Mike Hugg (Hug) hails from Gosport and was the drummer with Manfred Mann and the co-founder of the group.  He co-wrote the hit single 5-4-3-2-1, which was also the theme tune for Ready Steady Go.  He had a hit single under the name Highly Likely with the theme song for Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads sitcom (What Happened To You)

In 1972 he wrote and sang Blue Suede Shoes Again.  The Village Home pub in Alverstoke gets a mention (and Julie, Norman and Deirdre).  Listen to it on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DjCeug46No

'Key members of the Manfred Mann line-up re-formed as The Manfreds in 1991...'
 
Read more www.themanfreds.com

Marcus Patric, actor.  Gosport born and bred Marcus (Patrick Gosling) starred in Hollyoaks and Echo Beach.  Winner of 71 Degrees North.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Patric

George Costigan, actor.  Widows, So Haunt Me, The Long Firm, See No Evil, Emmerdale, Happy Valley, Calendar Girls.  George's parents followed his career from their home in Forton Road.  Link to IMDb page  www.imdb.com/name/nm0182688/

Keith Allen lived in Gosport and went to Brune Park school.  Martin Chuzzlewit, Bodies, Robin Hood (Sheriff of Nottingham).  Gosport and Brune Park are mentioned in his biography Grow Up.  Link to IMDb page www.imdb.com/name/nm0020717/

Ian Bartholomew was brought up in Gosport and went to Brune Park School.  Harry, Without Motive, Coronation Street (the infamous Geoff Metcalfe) and plenty of theatre.  Link to IMDb page www.imdb.com/name/nm0058681/

Lilian Harry, author, was born and brought up in Gosport and some of her wartime romantic novels are set in Portsmouth.  Lilian now lives in Dartmoor.  The Girls They Left Behind, PS I Love You, Wives and Sweethearts to name but a few of her books  http://www.lilianharry.uk/

Philippa Gregory author − Wideacre, A Respectable Trade, The Other Boleyn Girl.  Circa 1979, Philippa was working as a journalist at 42 High Street, the Gosport branch office of The News, Portsmouth.  Her byline in those days, as a local Gosport reporter, was Pippa Gregory www.philippagregory.com