From Liverpool Streets to Hollywood Estates: The Unlikely Journey of Terry Moogan
Terry Moogan’s life story reads like a Hollywood script itself, a rags-to-riches tale punctuated by brushes with fame, fortune, and a profound personal transformation. From a youth steeped in poverty and petty crime on the streets of Liverpool to serving the elite of Hollywood’s Golden Era, Moogan’s journey is a testament to the power of chance encounters and the possibility of redemption. The author of the memoir "Liverpool Bank Robber to Hollywood Butler," is currently working on a follow-up, promising further insights into his extraordinary life.
Before the glitz and glamour of Beverly Hills, Moogan’s world was defined by hardship and a struggle for survival. Growing up in post-war Liverpool, he was surrounded by poverty and a culture of survival that bred a spirit of defiance. "All the kids are very tough children in the city, and we all hung around gangs," Moogan recounted. "Liverpool’s got a history of gangs, very powerful men… We’d just come out of the war in England, and we had nothing. We didn’t believe in anybody. We had to survive."
Moogan and his friends turned to petty crime to make ends meet. He described how they would congregate by the docks, pilfering whiskey and vodka from warehouses to sell to local pubs. Skipping school and shoplifting were commonplace. By the age of 16, he was involved in bank robberies. "We had no money," Moogan explained. "We had a little bit of food. My father was absent, and I was left to my own devices to do what I wanted."
A turning point arrived in 1975 when his brother offered him a chance to escape Liverpool and find work on the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner in Southampton. Initially hesitant, Moogan felt lost and tempted to revert to his old ways. "I’m absolutely lost," Moogan recalled. "I didn’t know what to do. The only impulse I had was to go out and steal again. But my brother gives me money and says, ‘I’m taking you to Southampton.’"
The Queen Elizabeth 2 became his gateway to a new world. Starting in the galley, despite lacking culinary skills, he quickly transitioned to a waiter position. This role brought him closer to the ship’s elite passengers. Fate intervened when the chief steward offered him a job in the penthouse, where the stars mingled.
It was on the Queen Elizabeth 2 that Moogan met Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, a chance encounter that would dramatically alter his life’s trajectory. Moogan engaged with Taylor, who, during a conversation, suggested he consider a career in Hollywood, either as an actor or, more realistically, as a butler. "Have you ever thought about being a movie star?" she asked. "You should at least be a butler in California. They’ll love you there."
Initially, Moogan dismissed the idea. "Me, an actor? I’m a tough guy. That wasn’t for me." However, Taylor’s words resonated with him. She saw potential in him, offering a glimpse of a life beyond the poverty and crime he had always known. Her gesture, he said, gave him hope.
He even admitted to contemplating stealing Taylor’s prized jewels, a temptation he ultimately resisted. "I couldn’t steal from Elizabeth Taylor," Moogan said. "She was so beautiful; I just couldn’t do this to somebody like her. My mind also started thinking about redemption and having a life that I didn’t know, a life I couldn’t imagine for myself. [If I stole from Taylor], theyd come after me and I would probably have gotten 10 to 20 years if I got caught."
In 1980, at the age of 23, Moogan embarked on a new chapter, arriving in Los Angeles with little more than a dream and the memory of Taylor’s encouragement. He found work as a butler through the International Domestic Agency in Beverly Hills.
His first job placed him next door to Lucille Ball, at Jack Benny’s former residence. Moogan quickly developed a rapport with the iconic comedian. "I got to know her. I used to take the garbage out for her. I would joke with her, and she would make me a cup of tea so we could chat. I used to tell her, ‘You look like my mother because my mother had red hair, too!’ I pretended not to know who she was. I think that made her warm up to me. She was always lovely to me, and I never hesitated to take out the trash for her."
In 1982, Moogan began working for Maggie Eastwood, Clint Eastwood’s wife, during a period when the couple was divorcing. Despite the circumstances, Moogan found the Eastwood household to be a surprisingly normal and welcoming environment. "They had two kids," Moogan said. "Clint was getting divorced at the time, but . . . I remember the home feeling like a genuine home. Very lived-in, comfortable, clean. The children were very kind and polite. It was not at all what I expected from a movie stars home."
He described Clint Eastwood as reserved but a loving father. "Clint was very reserved and quiet. He would come by, and I’d give him a beer. He would sit on the patio to relax and always spend time with the children. And they adored him. I could tell he was a fantastic father, one who was genuinely interested in their lives and wanted to be with them."
After four months with the Eastwoods, Moogan was assigned to work for Frederick R. Weisman, a prominent art collector and businessman. Eager to impress his new employer, Moogan played Frank Sinatra’s "My Way" while tending to the house, a decision that backfired spectacularly. Weisman reportedly exploded, recounting his infamous barroom brawl with Sinatra at The Polo Lounge in 1966.
According to Moogan, Weisman claimed the incident stemmed from Sinatra’s "rowdy" behavior and an alleged antisemitic remark. The confrontation escalated, resulting in Weisman punching Sinatra and ultimately being struck on the head, presumably with a telephone, rendering him unconscious. "I couldn’t control myself, Terry," Weisman reportedly told Moogan. "I jumped out of my seat and punched him off his chair. My fist landed perfectly on his nose. . . . The next thing I know, I was waking up in the hospital…"
Despite the initial outburst, Moogan found Weisman to be a fascinating character. "He was quite the fascinating guy," Moogan said.
From 1985 to 1986, Moogan worked for actor George Segal, whom he described as charming and friendly. "He was charming," Moogan said. "He and his wife were quite friendly. He loved entertaining his guests and I would have to make my Irish stew. He and his friends, between the crude jokes and the chest-puffing, were really no different from the men of Liverpool I knew from my youth… I loved working for him."
Moogan retired from the butler service in 1992, and continues to reside in California. Reflecting on his life, he expresses deep gratitude for Elizabeth Taylor’s encouraging words, which set him on a path to a better future. "Life today is good," he said. "I’m a great believer of God now. I walk the path of the Lord. I’m grateful for the opportunities I was given. My life [changed] for the better."
Terry Moogan’s story serves as an inspiring reminder that even the most unlikely individuals can achieve extraordinary things, and that a single act of kindness can have a profound and lasting impact on a person’s life. His upcoming follow-up memoir promises to delve even deeper into the lives he touched and the lessons he learned during his remarkable journey from the streets of Liverpool to the heart of Hollywood.
