Naked English ladies, the sequel: a card, a film, public appearances

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The 11 Ladies of Rylstone, England, became international celebrities two years ago after posing nude for a calendar to raise money for cancer research.

Since then, they have seen their bare bodies spread across 40-foot billboards, they've sung almost-nude in front of Prince Charles and they've met singer Lionel Richie and actress Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen on the nighttime soap "Dallas."

It would be hard for the group of grandmotherly types from the English countryside to top all of that.

But they'll certainly try.

On a stop in Seattle to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Washington and Alaska with a charity auction tomorrow, they unveiled autograph cards featuring six of them topless and decked out in pearl necklaces, lounging at a table.

Shocking? Maybe.

But it's totally in character for this chatty, straight-talking group.

The women plan to sell the cards locally to raise more money for the London-based Leukemia Research Fund, said Angela Baker, whose husband, John Richard Baker, died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1998. His death prompted the women to launch their wacky calendar campaign.

The calendar sold more than 350,000 copies, including 200,000 in the United States, raising about $750,000.

The women think they can do more.

"Because there are no more calendars, we wanted something to bring to Seattle to sell," said Tricia Stewart, Mrs. October of the original calendar.

Not only are the women going to sell autograph cards, they're preparing to read a script for a film based on their story. The film is being funded by Disney's Buena Vista studios and directed by fellow Brit Nigel Cole, who made last year's comedy "Saving Grace."

Shooting is expected to begin this summer, with a release next spring. Box-office proceeds will go to cancer research.

The ladies already are gearing up for ritzy movie premieres in Britain and the United States.

"We'll have to get some nice frocks!" chimes Lynda Logan, Mrs. July. Her husband, Terry Logan, photographed the calendar and the new card.

Logan says more people openly acknowledge them in the United States than in Britain. But the response in both countries has been phenomenal.

"It doesn't feel real," Logan says of their good fortune. "We keep nipping ourselves to see if we're dreaming."

Baker promises that the group - though downsized a bit - will continue raising money for as long as they can keep coming up with ideas.

"Or," Logan jokes, "we'll get so old and wrinkly that no one'll want to see us."

The local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society can be reached at 1-888-345-4572.

Tyrone Beason can be reached at 206-464-2251, or e-mail tbeason@seattletimes.com.