Paul Kligerman, a subject of the Seven Up! documentary series, recently revisited his childhood anxieties about marriage.. In a 1964 segment, the seven-year-old expressed a specific dread regarding his future wife's cooking habits.
The 1964 fear of green vegetables
The Seven Up! series is one of the most ambitious sociological projects in television history, tracking 14 children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds every seven years. Among them was a young Paul Kligerman, whose candidness provided one of the series' most enduringly human moments. When asked by producers if he wanted to get married, the seven-year-old Paul Kligerman admitted he was hesitant because he feared a wife would force him to eat greens, stating, "I don't like greens... say, she gives me greens... and that's it."
According to the Daily Mail, this clip has resurfaced as part of the promotion for the latest installment, 70 Up.. The moment captures the innocent, narrow focus of childhood, where the prospect of lifelong commitment is weighed against the distaste for a specific vegetable. For viewers, the clip serves as a poignant baseline for the man Paul Kligerman would eventually become over the next six decades.
From a London children's home to Melbourne
The early life of Paul Kligerman was marked by instability, as he spent his childhood in a London children's home alongside another series participant, Symon Basterfield. This living arrangement followed a "messy divorce" between his parents,which left Paul Kligerman in a vulnerable position during his formative years. This trajectory highlights the class and familial struggles that the Seven Up! series often explores, contrasting the lives of those with stable support systems against those without.
By the time the 1970 film 7 Plus Seven was released, Paul Kligerman had emigrated to Australia with his father and brother. Despite the change in scenery, the transition was not without emotional hurdles. As reported in the documentary 21 Up, Paul Kligerman admitted that he often struggled to express his emotions and lacked confidence during his young adulthood, reflecting the lingering impact of his early childhood displaceent.
How the Up series mended Paul Kligerman's relationship with his mother
While Paul Kligerman found stability in Australia, his relationship with his mother remained estranged for many years. However, the very process of filming the Seven Up! series acted as a catalyst for reconciliation. Because the production required participants to return to the UK for interviews, Paul Kligerman was provided with a structured opportunity to reconnect with his mother.
This intersection of media and personal life demonstrates the unique power of the Up series; it is not merely a passive observation of life but an active participant in the subjects' histories. For Paul Kligerman, the documentary served as a bridge, allowing him to heal a familial rift that might have otherwise remained permanent.
A 48-year marriage and the lessons of 70 Up
Despite his childhood fears of "greens," Paul Kligerman eventually found lasting partnership. He began dating a woman named Sue and the couple married in 1978, settling in Melbourne. By the time the series reached 28 Up, the couple had two children. Now appearing in 70 Up, which airs on ITV1 and ITVX, Paul Kligerman has been married to Sue for 48 years and is now a devoted grandfather.
Throughout his adult life, Paul Kligerman maintained a grounded professional existence, working as a bricklayer, an employee at a sign-making firm, and a maintenance worker at a retirement village. In the latest series, he reflects on the necessity of family to make a life "whole" and emphasizes the importance of kindness and forgiving others for their failings, noting that his father, who passed away roughly ten years ago, did a "good job" raising him.
The missing perspective of Sue Kligerman
While the narrative focuses heavily on Paul Kligerman's evolution, there remains a notable gap in the reporting: the perspective of his wife, Sue. The source material does not include her account of their nearly five-decade marriage or whether the childhood fear of green vegetables ever manifested as a real point of contention in their household.
Furthermore, the details of the "messy divorce" mentioned in the early years remain vague. While Paul Kligerman has found peace and forgiveness, the specific circumstances that led to his time in a London children's home are not fully detailed, leaving the early trauma of his childhood as a backdrop rather than a fully explored subject.
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