For Garry: Bette and me in 1972 ...

I had posted before here about seeing Bette Davis at the London National Film Theatre in 1972. Imagine my surprise today when the BBC here ran a 45 minute programme on Bette, compiled of various interviews and there is about 20 minutes footage of that NFT interview with broadcaster Joan Bakewell. I had no idea it had been recorded and never saw any of this footage before. As I remembered Bette was in good form that day and it was a splendid occasion.
Her friend Olivia De Havilland had done an interview two weeks before which I had also been to - a nice middle aged lady in a chiffon dress was smiling at us as we arrived in the foyer - it was Olivia! She must have told Bette about it as 2 weeks later Bette was appearing there, but it had not been published in the programme guide but somehow word had got out and the place was packed. My Australian friend Garry and I did not have tickets but joined the queue and got standing only tickets. But just before it began we spied 2 empty seats and bagged them. Then Bette sashayed in walking down to the stage from the back, with a fur coat slung over her shoulder, trailing on the ground behind her. It of course brought the house down ... She also answered questions from the audience and the whole thing was such a success she began touring with a similar Q & A show. 

Here though, there is just a glimpse of me, aged 26 then, at the far right of this audience shot .... just half of my actually - as left, in the blue shirt. - my sister has confirmed its me as I was then.  I knew I had been filmed at The Doors concert at The Roundhouse in 1968, but didn't realise I had been caught on camera at Bette' NFT interview too, as this had never aired here before, as far as I am aware. Those (1970-74) were the years I was meeting the likes of Dirk Bogarde, Lee Remick, James Mason, John Huston, Bette, Olivia, Ingrid Bergman, Angela Lansbury, Rex Harrison, Charlton Heston et al at these NFT discussions, often tied in to what stars were promoting then (Dirk was there for DEATH IN VENICE) and were much more amenable to meet the public - as per NFT label. .