RIP, continued.

Anthony Harvey (1930-2917), aged 87. Harvey directed one of our perennial favourites THE LION IN WINTER in 1968, I remember seeing it at the old Odeon Haymarkt in London, where the sight of Queen Eleanor arriving at Chinon by boat was terrific on the large screen. Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole of course had huge success here, with another Oscar for Kate, and it also featured that rising talent Anthony Hopkins, Timothy Dalton, John Castle and Jane Merrow (whom I had met a few years previously). John Barry's faux-medieval score and the authentic settings were major pluses too. We will be seeing it again this christmas. It proved to be Harvey's biggest hit, though he worked with Hepburn twice more, and other director credits included THERE MY BE GIANTS and DUTCHMAN. He had also been editor on such films as Kubrick's LOLITA, and DR STRANGELOVE, THE WHISPERERS, THE MILLIONAIRESS, THE L-SHAPED ROOM and THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD plus THE ANGRY SILENCE and I'M ALRIGHT JACK. 
Below: Harvey with Hepburn and Robert Helpmann. 

Shashi Kapoor (1938-2017) aged 79. One of Bollywood's most recognisable, photogenic stars throughout the 60s and 70s.  His breakthrough role was in the 1963 Merchant-Ivory film THE HOUSEHOLDER, and then in their SHAKESPEARE WALLAH, BOMBAY TALKIE and HEAT AND DUST. Other international films include PRETTY POLLY in 1969 and SAMMY AND ROSIE GET LAID in 1987, as well as his many Indian films in the booming Bollywood film industry. He was married to Jennifer Kendal, sister of Felicity, whose parents toured India with their Shakespeare productions.

Christine Keeler (1942-2017) aged 75. English model and showgirl, at the heart of the Profumo scandal in 1963 (I was 17 at the time and remember reading avidly about it.  The story is too well known to rehash here, but she was involved with the Minister for Defence John Profumo,  as well as  Soviet spy (at the  height of the Cold War) as well as society osteopath Stephen Ward. Profumo lied about his involvement with her in the House of Commons and discredited the Macmillan government. Her later life was dogged by the scandal. It was a high price to pay for being a symbol of the Swinging Sixties. 

Karin Dor (1938-2017) age 79. Another of the Eorobabes who departed this year, Karin had a substantial career in European films. I know her best from Hitchcock's TOPAZ in 1969, where she is stunning as the Cuban who is helping the Americans
. Hitch gives her a perfect death scene as she is shot with that purple dress billowing out around her as she falls.  She was also an early Bond girl in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE in '67. 

Suzanna Leigh (1945-2017), aged 72. Another of those decorative British blondes popular in the mis-60s: she was the posh one in THE PLEASURE GIRLS (1965) and co-starred with Elvis in PAADISE HAWAIIAN STYLE, and in BOEING, BOEING in '66 with Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis - we did not feel the need to see that. Soon it was stinkers like THE DEADLY BEES, THE LOST CONTINENT, LUST FOR A VAMPIRE and various tv series. 

Keith Chegwin (1957-2017) aged 60. Another British TV stalwart 'Cheggers' worked mainly in childens' television and morning shows, and seemed unfailingly popular. 

Strictly finalists ?

Our 2017 season of STRICTLY COME DANCING is coming to a close, with the semi-final this weekend. Here are three sizzlers from last week's Musicals theme. We expect these three to be in the final ...

Period pieces 1: Miss Marple / Mapp & Lucia

An investment for those long winter nights is a reasonably priced boxset of all 12 BBC Miss Marple stories featuring Joan Hickson as the intrepid detective of that perfect 1950s English village St Mary Mead. Hickson, usually seen in comic roles (YANKS, UPSTAIRS & DOWNSTAIRS, PLEASE TURN OVER etc) is just perfect here.

The 1960s Marple films with Margaret Ruthrford were comic trifles, and much as I like Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie their later Marples were all wrong, and the films silly and stuffed with guest stars (step forward as usual David Walliams).

The main Marple stories like MURDER AT THE VICARGE, 4.50  FROM PADDINGTON, and my particular favourite AT  BERTRAM'S HOTEL are all iincuded and it will be a pleasure to see them again. See Miss Marple label for review of this,

I already have the 80s series of MAPP & LUCIA,  the blissful comic capers of those two warring ladies in Tilling in Sussex, in that perfect period between the wars, with Geraldine McEwan, Prunella Scales and Nigel Hawthorne all perfectly cast, as are all the other characters. I have reviewed this in more detail at Mapp & Lucia label. 

RIP, continued ...

Rodney Bewes (1937-2017), aged 79.   Distinctive-looking British actor, best known for THE LIKELY LADS (1964-1966) and WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY LADS? (1973-1974) which captured the aspirational Seventies perfectly, as well as being marvellously funny as we followed the misadventures of Bob (Bewes) and his grumpy pal Terry (James Bolam), forever carping and mocking Bob's suburban lifestyle with his wife, the formidable Thelma (Brigit Forsyth). 

In later years Bewes seemed the forgotten man of British TV comedy, as Bolam blocked any repeats of the hit series for many years. It is bliss seeing them again now.  He continued working on the stage and doing lucrative voiceovers.  Rodney was also Tom Courtenay's pal in BILLY LIAR (1963) - he and Tom had shared a flat. It seems he and Bolam had a falling out which led to the series not been seeing much. I have just ordered them on disk now to  re-live them all again. Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais' comedy is up there with the best of the 70s British tv comedy series, like HI DI HI or ARE YOU BEING SERVED? 

Keith Barron (1934-2017), aged 83. Another stalwart of British TV, and a familiar face from one's TV viewing, Barron was in everything from CORONATION STREET to BENIDORM, via hit series DUTY FREE, and series as varied as Z -CARS, UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, DR WHO and the Dennis Potter plays STAND UP, NIGEL BARTON and VOTE, VOTE FOR NIGEL BARTON. The Yorkshire actor was a familiar face and certainly kept busy from 1961 to 2015. 

David Cassidy (1950-2017), aged 67. The Seventies pop and tv icon.

The Crown

Slight reservations about the massive Netflix series THE CROWN, Series 1 is now a 4 dvd pack (10 one-hour long episodes), as they film Series 2.  One can see the quality and the interesting casting, but it moves at a slow pace and Buckingham Palace seems a very gloomy, dark place, with all those older ministers and courtiers - but I presume thats how the Fifties are perceived now.

Stealing the show four episodes in is the venerable Dame Eileen Atkins as Queen Mary, a role she has played a few times. Claire Foy and Matt Smith are growing into their roles, but will be replaced by older actors as the decades pass .... John Lithgow is a terrific Churchill, and there's Jeremy Northam (Anthony Eden), Greg Wise (Lord Mountbatten), Harriet Walter (Lady Churchill) and more, who capture the essence of their characters, without being lookalikes. Victoria Hamilton is a perfect Queen Mother, but Jared Harris seems all wrong as George VI (it begins with him coughing up blood, while drinking more whiskey and endlessly smoking, and shooting wildlife. The very busy Alex Jennings would be much better here, but he plays the brother who abdicated. Showing the coronation scene mainly through his eyes is genius. Vanessa Kirby looks like being an ideal Princess Margaret too.

Surely though Princess Elizabeth knew she would always be queen and was trained to step into her father's shoes, so why all the nervous stares and looking like a scared rabbit in the early scenes. The marriage in 1947 and the births of her first two children (surely important events for her) are glossed over too. Still, there will be a lot to cover ... television costume drama at its best then, these early episodes are directed by Stephen Daldry and its written by Peter Morgan (THE QUEEN). Its certainly better than the risible VICTORIA!

Series 2 starting next month continues from 1956 so we should see a lot more of Margaret once she meets Tony Armstrong Jones.

Above: the Royal Family at Windsor Royal Lodge, by Herbert James Gunn, 1950.

RIP, continued ....

Barbara Cook (1927-2017),  aged 89.  Barbara was one of the legendary Broadway divas and remained much-loved to the end. She starred in several musicals (starting with Bernstein's CANDIDE and as Marian the librarian in the original THE MUSIC MAN ("Till there was you"), and later re-invented herself as a top solo artist, after weight and alcohol problems, filling out Carnegie Hall, and also did several appearances in London. Sondheim insisted on her for that 1986 Concert version of FOLLIES, where in an all-star cast (Lee Remick, Elaine Stritch, Carol Burnett) her versions of "Losing My Mind" and "In Buddy's Eyes" are standouts. Thank goodness its on dvd. I must now check out her available recordings. 

Elsa Martinelli (1935-2017), aged 82. Italian actress, Eurobabe and model. Elsa was one of our Italian favourites, the slim fashion model stood out from the usual statuesque beauties. She was a top model by the mid-fifties and was spotted for the Kirk Douglas western THE INDIAN FIGHTER, where she certainly looked the part. She alternated between American and Italian films (such as my favorite, LA NOTTE BRAVA in 1959), and Vadim's dreamy vampire film BLOOD AND ROSES. Her best known role is probably that of Dallas in Howard Hawks' 1962 African saga HATARI! where she has that delightful sequence with the baby elephants "Baby Elephant Walk" as scored by Henry Mancini. She also squared up nicely to John Wayne. There was also a little seen Charlton Heston comedy, and we like her in the swinging London spy saga MAROC 7 in 1967, and slinky euro-thrillers like THE 10TH VICTIM. She was also in Welles' THE TRIAL and his bored companion in THE VIPs. Also in FOUR GIRLS IN TOWN in 1957, MANUELA, RAMPAGE and more.  

Robert Hardy (1925-2017), aged 91. The splendid Robert Hardy was another long-standing veteran of British theatre, film and television. I seem to have been watching him almost all my life .... his most famous role must be of the country vet in James Herriot's ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, a long runner in the 1970s and 80s. He also played Churchill several times. Other tv roles included THE TROUBLESHOOTERS, Sir Tobt Belch and other assorted Shakespeare roles, and he did CORIOLANUS with Olivier in 1959. I remember him as the Earl of Leicester in a 1967 BBc series KENILWORTH, and of course he was also in the HARRY POTTER films,

My employers engaged him to host a prestigious evening event at the Tower of London in the 90s, and he was a great success, despite it raining.

Sam Shepherd (1943-2017) aged 73. The acclaimed Pulitzer-prizewinning American playwright and actor, who captured aspects of American life perfectly with plays like FOOL FOR LOVE. His film career began with DAYS OF HEAVEN, and THE RIGHT STUFF and more routine fare with BABY BOOM, STEEL MAGNOLIAS etc. 

Hywel Bennett (1944-2017), aged 73. Popular British actor of his era, who later found success on television as SHELLEY and of in EASTENDERS etc. His film career though in the late 60s and early 70s was typical of the tatty fare the British cinema descended into then: that dreadful film of LOOT (review at Orton label) , PERCY, PERCY'S PROGRESS (about penis transplants), THE BUTTERCUP CHAIN, etc THE VIRGIN SOLDIERS was fitfully amusing in 1969. I never liked THE FAMILY WAY with that grotesque role of the father as played by John Mills, and his other two with Hayley Mills, TWISTED NERVE and ENDLESS NIGHT were rather unpleasant too. At least he progressed to Dennis Potter plays like PENNIES FROM HEAVEN.

Ty Hardin (1930-2017), aged 87. Ty was quite a busy guy what with 8 wives and 10 children, and fitting in playing BRONCO on tv and assorted movie roles in tough guy movies like BATTLE OF THE BULGE, CUSTER OF THE WEST, MERRILL'S MARAUDERS etc, but we have fond memories of him here in THE CHAPMAN REPORT in 1962 in those spray-on shorts, getting Glynis Johns all in a tizzy, or in BERSERK!, a circus cheapo made in England in 1967 where he is Joan Crawford's love interest.

Glen Campbell (1936-2017), aged 81. Another titan of American popular country music, The Rhinestone Cowboy's work with Jim Webb will endure, also in movies since TRUE GRIT in 1969

'Gross Indecency' at the BFI ...

July 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of a landmark in LGBT rights - the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales (not Scotland?). Though the Sexual Offences Act 1967 hardly put a stop to persecution, it was a step forward in a climate of fear and ignorance, where any on-screen depiction of gay life assumed enormous currency. British cinema boasts a long history of carefully coded queers, but taboo-busting gathered steam in the late 1950s. This BFI (British Film Institute) season spans two decades, bracketed by the 1957 Wolfenden Report and the onset of AIDS in the early 80s. 

So says the introduction to the two-month BFI season, but as a young gay at the time - 18 in 1964 and new in London - there didn't seem to be any restrictions on our lives. There were a few bars and clubs one could go to, but the gay boom of the 1980s and 90s was a long way away. I remember those pioneering BBC "Man Alive" documentaries, and VICTIM (getting an extended run at the BFI) was an early success.

The season highlights several rare items I have reviewed over the past few years (gay interest/British labels) like SERIOUS CHARGE, THE LEATHER BOYS, THE WORLD TEN TIMES OVER, TWO GENTLEMEN SHARING, and they have dug up those two rather exploitative items THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE and the terrible STAIRCASE, as well as GIRL STROKE BOY and the transgender drama I WANT WHAT I WANT, as well as NIGHTHAWKS, and an extended run for PRICK UP YOUR EARS. There is also a rare 1960 TV production on the trial of Oscar Wilde with Micheal MacLiammoir's celebrated portrayal of Oscar (below) - but not the two Oscar Wilde films of that era. Or indeed the 1970 DORIAN GRAY or GOODBYE GEMINI with their looks at early London drag pubs like the Vauxhall Tavern - or those 60s British films DARLING and THE PLEASURE GIRLS with their uncomplicated happy homosexual friends of the heroines. Murray Head does a Q&A after a screening of SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY - one still remembers the audience gasp at kiss, when seeing the film a second time, at a suburban cinema ...

Television is also currently getting in on the act, with a raft of programmes on Channel 4 and maybe on BBC, as well as on MTV where sassy drag queens with attitude, led by Rupaul,  are playing appropriate pop videos, from the likes of Madonna, Kylie & Co. Rupert Everett did a nice programme last night 50 SHADES OF GAY, so it was back to Heaven, The Colherne and other gay London locations of the last 50 years; Stephen Fry, Simon Callow and others explored BRITAIN'S GREAT GAY BUILDINGS (more Heaven, The Vauxhall Tavern, Old Bailey, etc), and POP PRIDE & PREJUDICE covered the gay pop scene, with lots of Bowie, Boy George, George Michael, Jimmy Sommerville, Marc Almond, etc. 

BBC's Radio3 are even doing a 90 minute programme on the making of VICTIM, with actors playing Dirk and his partner, director Dearden, co-star Sylvia Syms etc. Presumably based on Dirk's version of its making, as in his "Snakes and Ladders" book. I don't think I need listen to that. Sylvia is still here of course, but presmably too old to play her younger self ...

Coming up is a new dramatisation of that inflential 1954 court case involving Peter Wildeblood and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, with Mark Gatiss, AGAINST THE LAW, which BBC2 will screen this autumn - I also reviewed the previous 2007 one in 2013. A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL:

http://osullivan60.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/wildblood.html

London Pride is this Saturday 8th, so the city will be thronged as will Brighton for Pride in August, with the Pet Shop Boys doing a full concert.  

A treat: Lee and Dirk in The Vision, 1987

A thousand thanks to Colin for finding this - one of my Holy Grails - a 1987 BBC film with two of my top favourites, which was only ever shown once by the BBC and since unavailable. It is now on dvd, so thanks again Colin - just what I needed after a few days in hospital. 

Dirk Bogarde and Lee Remick head an outstanding cast (including Eileen Atkins and Helena Bonham Carter) in this powerful drama from the creative team behind SHADOWLANDS. Originally screened (in January 1988) as part of BBC2’s acclaimed Screen Two strand, THE VISION is a disturbing reflection on an era of televangelists, burgeoning satellite channels and ruthless media manipulation – quite timely then for 30 years ago.

Bogarde plays James Marriner, a faded, unhappily married for TV presenter, reduced to margarine commercials and opening supermarkets, who is persuaded to front The People Channel – a right-wing, evangelical satellite network poised to launch in Europe. Determined to recruit “Gentle Jim” as a reassuringly familiar anchorman, the network’s steely, seductive boss Grace Gardner (Remick) proves hard to refuse.

As the network’s first live transmission looms, Marriner – whose personal life is now under surveillance – has become deeply uneasy about its aims. Garner, however, makes it clear than any attempt to alert viewers to her organisation’s true agenda, will bring about a devastating retribution. 
Written by William Nicholson and directed by Norman Stone. 

Eileen Atkins (in another of her then Mrs Glum roles) is Bogarde's unhappy wife, and Bonham Carter their daughter, Dirk and Lee play perfectly together, at this late stage in their careers - almost their final work. I met them both (separately) at the BFI in 1970 (I was 24) and got to talk to them both, as per other posts on them (see labels). Its a great role for Remick, which she plays with relish and looks great here in her early fifties, a few years before her death in 1991. (We also saw Atkins on stage then as Elizabeth I in Bolt's VIVAT REGINA with Sarah Miles as Mary Queen of Scots).

I suppose it now too much to expect to get Lee's other BBC productions, SUMMER AND SMOKE in 1972 and Henry James' THE AMBASSADORS, with Paul Scofield, in 1977, finally on dvd too? - in the meantime, great to see THE VISION again, and it is so timely, even if the 80s technology looks so dated now.  Then there are Bogarde's other TV productions, like THE PATRICIA NEAL STORY with Glenda Jackson ...

Eighties nights ...

The Jewel In The Crown / Your Cheatin' Heart / Wish Me Luck

How did I ever miss THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN back in 1984? Well, I was moving around and out a lot .... This 14 part series is one of the best British television productions ever, up there with BRIDSHEAD REVISITED. It is a fascinating saga of the British in India in the 1940s, as adapted from Paul Scott's four novels "The Raj Quartet". 

The British Raj: though their position seems secure, thoughtful English men and women know that "their" time in India is coming to an end. The story begins with an unjust arrest for rape, and the consequences of this echo through the series. Questions of identity and personal responsibility are explored against a background of war and personal intrigue.

Television moved at a slower pace then, long scenes unfold, which would be edited quickly now, and we have time to take in all the details of the many strands of narrative and all that fascinating scenery. The first two-hour episode draws one in, as one wants to see what develops between Daphne Manners, new in India and local boy Hari Kumar (Susan Wooldridge and Art Malik) and that rather sadistic army man Ronald Merrick (superlative Tim-Pigott Smith, who died recently).  After episode three, the story changes gear and we follow the aftermath. The casting again is the thing here. with a great array of British thespians: 

Peggy Ashcroft superb as ever as Barbie, Geraldine James, Judy Parfitt (in superbitch mode), wonderful Fabia Drake and Rachel Kempson, Anna Cropper, Rosemary Leach, Wendy Morgan, and good to see veteran Marne Maitland too, from all those 1950s films. plus Charles Dance, Warren Clarke and Eric Porter among the huge cast. 

We are now half-way through this 14-episode saga, seeing an episode a night. Bring them on, Directed by Christopher Morahan and Jim O'Brien.

More India coming up too: I never saw Lean's A PASSAGE TO INDIA then either, I can record it tonight - more Dame Peggy and Malik and that great cast in Lean's Indian epic, which has to be seen finally. 

YOUR CHEATIN' HEART: We loved this six-episode series back in 1990, its quirky and off the wall. Super to get it on dvd now, as we return to that late 80s country music scene in Scotland, with a young Tilda Swinton and John Gordon Sinclair, with great music from Eddi Reader. Ken Stott shines too, as we follow the misadventures of Cissie Crouch (Tilda) and Frank McClusky as they go on the run from some weird gangsters .... its full of Scottish humour, as written by John Byrne and directed by Michael Whyte.

WISH ME LUCK. More conventional stuff - another series of wartime resistance in Occupied France, as the plucky Brits parachute in female volunteers to help the Allies defeat the Hun. This ran from 1987 to 1990, three series. Cool Kate Bufffery is marvellous the main character Liz, with rather annoying Susannah Hamilton as the annoying Matty, 

Jane Asher is perfect of course as Faith Ashley, running the department back in London, with Julian Glover, and another agent is young Jeremy Northam. Warren Clarke is the German commandant who begins to suspect ......  We get thrill and spills as the agents try to keep ahead of the Germans, as the those radio broadcasts have to get made .... who will get caught? The 40s period flavour is well done,.

RIP, continued ....

Roy Barraclough (1935-2017), aged 81. Sad indeed to read of the passing of another British television legend, Roy Barraclough, from the golden age of CORONATION STREET when his devious Alec Gilroy presided over the Rovers Return pub
 with his wife Bet Lynch. Roy and Julie Goodyear were a priceless double act. Roy was also a panto dame, had a long career on stage and television, and was also equally memorable with the late Les Dawson as that gossiping double act Ada and Cissie. Glory days indeed (unlike now with those dismal characters and storylines).

Peter Sallis (1921-2017), aged 96. Another veteran of British theatre, film and television. In a long career he clocked up over 150 credits, from all those early films roles and television series like THE PALLISERS, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, FIRST OF THE SUMMER WINE, the WALLACE & GROMIT cartoons, LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE. He also did a lot of theatre appearing with all the great names of his era. 

People we like: some current British actresses ....

We ran a post the other week on some current British actors we like (see below), so here are some of the current British actresses wowing us …

Olivia Colman of course is approaching National Treasure status, with her great work in the BROADCHURCH series, as well as being Mrs REV., and also compelling in THE NIGHT MANAGER, among others.

Ditto Sarah Lancashire, who has come along way from being Raquel in CORONATION STREET. She is electrifying in the HAPPY VALLEY series (where Siobhan Finneran - no longer O'Brien in DOWNTON ABBEY or living it up in BENIDORM - was also stupendous as her sister), and also in LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX, which also features Nicola Walker.

Does anyone do grim and glum like Nicola Walker?  She first drew our attention in SPOOKS some years ago,  was stunning in SCOTT & BAILEY, and shared honours in LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX with Sarah Lancashire. Also on stage recently in the revival of Arthur Miller’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with Mark Strong.

We also like Elizabeth Berrington, equally at home in comedy and drama, and in everything from WATERLOO ROAD to STELLA via THE TRACY ULLMAN SHOW and CAMPING.

Thandie Newton has re-invented herself in LINE OF DUTY which has another great role for Vicky McClure, who has sort of crept up on me, not having noticed her much before, though she was impressive in THE SECRET AGENT last year.

Of the newer girls Keeley Hawes continues to impress, 
I missed her though in the previous series of LINE OF DUTY, but she is fun in THE DURRELLS. 

Then there is Gemma Atherton, currently getting better and better and more noticed.

These and more are all evidence that British drama is thriving, good to see roles too for older actresses like Anne Reid. That SCOTT & BAILEY duo, Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp, are also at the top of their game …

People We Like - continued ... some British actors

Douglas Hodge, and as Grimes in the current DECLINE AND FALL. (He was a terrific Zaza in LE CAGE AUX FOLLES a few years back).

Rory Kinnear, and as the Frankenstein monster in PENNY DREADFUL.  (also recently in THE IMITATION GAME, SKYFALL, SPECTRE, and theatre including another HAMLET and THE THREEPENNY OPERA). 

Patrick Baladi may have started off playing Nancy in a school production of OLIVER! but is kept busy now, in the current LINE OF DUTY among others - we like him in  the STELLA series with Ruth Jones, where he looked good wearing leathers, and he marries a man in Tom Hollander's REV.

Hugh Bonneville, now that he has left the Earl of Grantham behind at DOWNTON ABBEY, seems to be having fun, amusingly dragging up in PADDINGTON (right), and being hilarious in DAVID WALLIAMS & FRIEND, as well as BBC series W1A, and that surprise turn in DA VINCI'S DEMONS. Looking forward to PADDINGTON 2. 

Daniel Boys, actor and singer, recently seen in the BOYS IN THE BAND revival.

Then of course there's Tom Hollander, and Aidan Turner (POLDARK and handsome! - see Poldark label.)

FEUD ?

WHEN is this going to be screened here in the UK? The word is good and it looks super, with Susan Sarandon an effective Bette Davis and Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford. Alfred Molina looks right too as BABY JANE director Robert Aldcrich .... 9 episodes I understand, we looking forward to this Ryan Murphy extravaganza.

RIP, continued ...

Chuck Berry (1926-2017), aged 90. Indeed one of the pioneers of rock'n'roll whose electric rhythm'n'blues guitar paved the way for those who followed, like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who covered his songs, like "Roll Over Beethoven" in their early days. His guitar licks, duck walk, brash self-confidence, and those songs about teenage life: cars, girls, dance parties created it all. There was always though, as per some lurid reports, a touch of sleaze about Chuck, but he kept on going decade after decade, Who is left from that era? Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino ....

Joni Sledge (1957-2017), aged 60. One of the Sledge Sisters who were huge disco stars in the late 70s and early 80s. We know and love those songs: "We Are Family", "He's The Greatest Dancer", "Lost in Music" indeed,

Robert Osborne (1932-2017), aged 84. Film historian, writer and television presenter, We did not really know him here in the UK, but Osborne was the face of and host for TCM - American version - with his informed and affectionate comments on Turner Classic Movies and all the seasons and stars he interviewed. I got some of his introductions and interviews on disks sent from friends in New York. We could have done with him over here, 

RIP, continued .... first of the new year

John Hurt (1940-2017), aged 77. Sir John has departed after a long battle with cancer, but was working as busy as ever (he is in the current JACKIE). I remember his start in 1962 in THE WILD AND THE WILLING and he became one of England's major actors, as in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, SINFUL DAVY, and came into his own in the 1970s with his immortal Quentin Crisp in THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT and his demonic Caligula in I CLAUDIUS, and 10 RILLINGTON PLACE.

Then came THE ELEPHANT MAN where he is unbelievably touching, plus MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, 1984, THE FIELD, harbouring the creature in ALIEN and so many more. I saw him around town a few times, and at the BFI promoting 44 INCH CHEST in 2010, where he is a terrifying Peanut. The legendary actor with that distinctive voice clocked up an amazing 204 credits including that dreadful 1982 film PARTNERS, see Hurt label. He is terrific too in LOVE AND DEATH ON LONG ISLAND. He also reprised Quentin Crisp in AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK in 2009. 

Mary Tyler Moore (1936-23017), aged 80. Mary who starred in THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW as Mary Richards, changed the roles of women on American TV, being independent and career-focused, after her stint as Dick Van Dyke's wife. I have fond memories of her show, and we love her as Miss Dorothy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, She also did a film with Elvis, among others, and was Oscar-nominated for her ice-queen wife in Redford's ORDINDARY PEOPLE in 1980. Her MTM Enterprises production company was a major player too, with those spinoffs from her show: RHODA, PHYLLIS, LOU GRANT among other sitcoms and drama series such as HILL STREET BLUES.

"In the Ritz elevator you just go up and down"

Emmanuelle Riva (1927-2017) age 89. One of France's leading actresses, she was Oscar-nominated for her brilliant portrayal in AMOUR in 2012. She came to prominence in Resnais's HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR in 1959, other leading roles included Melville's LEON MORIN PRIEST with Belmondo in '61, KAPO, THERESE, ADUA AND HER FRIENDS (see next review, above) and more. 

Lord Snowdon (1930-2017), aged 86. Several notices mentioned that the least interesting thing about the former Anthony Armstrong-Jones was that he married into the British Royal Family. That wedding to Princess Margaret in 1960 was a major event - I recall the newsreels. He was one of the bright new photographers of the late 50s and early 60s, joining "The Sunday Times" in 1962 just as they launched that new colour supplement era. Jones was as distinctive a photographer as David Bailey and the others, covering the spectrum of celebrities and exposes of disabled and homeless people. He was also an inventor and passionate supporter of disabled people, making several documentaries. He and the Princess were, along with The Burtons, the celebrity couple of the era, and he continued being on cordial terms with The Royals after his divorce, and his colourful private life continued unabated.

Gorden Kaye (1941-2017), aged 75. Comic actor Gorden was of course Rene in the long-running BBC series 'ALLO 'ALLO, which poked fun at all those wartime dramas, as it mined comedy and made fun of the Germans, the French, the British etc. He also played the role on stage and survived a serious accident when a billboard hoarding crashed through his car windscreen in 1990.

Larry Steinbachek (1960-2016), aged 56. One of the original members and keyboard player of 80s electro band Bronski Beat. "Hit that perfect beat, boy".

Fran Jeffries (1937-2016), aged 79. Singer and dancer Fran (who had married to Dick Haymes and Richard Quine) brightened up some movies, including her terrific number in THE PINK PANTHER in 1963.