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An Introduction to the art of lookaliking..
Have you ever passed someone in the street - a bearded gentleman perhaps - and thought, "that was a bloody good Rolf Harris"? Later, you may regale your mates in the pub with stories of your Harris doppleganger... Fuelled by drink, you may embelish your story with props "He was holding a didgireedoo and cuddling a small puppy underneath his safari jacket". It's a fool's paradise... Deep down you know your 'Harris' was nothing more than a bearded white male. End of story.

The true Lookaliker would have followed the potential Harris and studied him at close range. True, there may be some Harris there, but not enough to merit a Lookalike. Closer inspection may reveal a touch of Ricky Tomlinson... A real coup would be to notice that bit of Francis Ford Copolla. Well done! You've got your first cross breed! Here's the breakdown of figures:

30% Copolla

35% Tomlinson

35% Unassigned

But how do you allot your 'percentages' to this cross breed? Here's a breakdown of the rules of percentage allotment:

THE MINIMUM PERCENTAGE ALLOWED FOR A LOOKALIKE IS 20%
THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BREEDS IS FIVE
Each card will be colour coded so:
single = 1 lookalike in one person
cross-breed = 2 lookalikes in one person
tri-breed = 3 lookalikes in one person,
quad-breed = 4 lookalikes in one person
and quin-breed see left (very very rare) = five lookalikes in one person

Your breakdown of figures for a tri breed could well be 20%, 25%, 55%... But it takes real skill to get to this level. Many years of lookalike spotting and study are required to reach this standard. A true master can get one glance at a lookalike and break him/her down into breeds within minutes.
Lookalike agencies aren't a good guide for the true lookaliker.

I mean just take a look at some of these jokers! (Jennifer Aniston, Mel Gibson on the left, Leo Sayer, Ant and Dec..)

Neither is a lookaliker interested in 'Stars In Their Eyes'. Sure, everybody knows a half decent pop star lookalike, but how many can couple genial Catchphrase host Roy Walker with an obscure backbench MP?

CROSS GENDER BREEDS are allowed. A stunning Female Frank Carson was spotted at a railway station recently. These kind of sightings are the Holy Grail for Lookalikers. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Always carry a camera!
If unsure, get a discreet snap for study at a later date. Never expect to find more than one breed in a Lookalike. Your Bob Hope may not need another breed added. He could be in the 90% region anyway (again, highly unsual) so an additional breed would be null and void.

Busy high streets are a good hunting ground for Lookalikes. You can hang around outside your local Marks and Spencer and watch the crowds pass by. There are some real gems to be found amongst the general public.

Old football sticker albums are a good source of material. The Hull City left back from 1983 may well hide a decent Rod Hull / Noddy Holder cross breed.

Finally, TV is always a good Lookalike resource. Big sporting events with large crowds can be a real treasure trove. A colleague swears he saw a lovely Salman Rushdie at a cross country race, cheering the winner over the line. Videoing an event such as this is invaluable, as it allows you to study it at leisure, making use of the pause button.

© Neil Adamson

An Introduction to the art of lookaliking..
Have you ever passed someone in the street - a bearded gentleman perhaps - and thought, "that was a bloody good Rolf Harris"? Later, you may regale your mates in the pub with stories of your Harris doppleganger... Fuelled by drink, you may embelish your story with props "He was holding a didgireedoo and cuddling a small puppy underneath his safari jacket". It's a fool's paradise... Deep down you know your 'Harris' was nothing more than a bearded white male. End of story.

The true Lookaliker would have followed the potential Harris and studied him at close range. True, there may be some Harris there, but not enough to merit a Lookalike. Closer inspection may reveal a touch of Ricky Tomlinson... A real coup would be to notice that bit of Francis Ford Copolla. Well done! You've got your first cross breed! Here's the breakdown of figures: