My Los Angeles holiday gave me a chance to read The Richard Burton Diaries*, which were published at the end of last year (reviewed at the time in The Guardian here).
One of the fascinating aspects of the diaries was the actor's relationship with journalists. Though he loved to read newspapers, he didn't have much time for the people who wrote them.
He was, as many journalists reported during his lifetime (1925-1984), very friendly towards most of them. He ate and drank with them, and appeared at ease in their company. But, in private, he clearly despised them.
A voracious reader of books and papers, his diaries contain several references to his enjoyment in reading the International Herald Tribune and the British Sunday papers. At one point, he reveals that his then wife, Elizabeth Taylor, loved him to read out stories from the News of the World.
On 11 November 1968, he...
One of the fascinating aspects of the diaries was the actor's relationship with journalists. Though he loved to read newspapers, he didn't have much time for the people who wrote them.
He was, as many journalists reported during his lifetime (1925-1984), very friendly towards most of them. He ate and drank with them, and appeared at ease in their company. But, in private, he clearly despised them.
A voracious reader of books and papers, his diaries contain several references to his enjoyment in reading the International Herald Tribune and the British Sunday papers. At one point, he reveals that his then wife, Elizabeth Taylor, loved him to read out stories from the News of the World.
On 11 November 1968, he...
- 4/17/2013
- by Roy Greenslade
- The Guardian - Film News
The Sunday Telegraph's John Preston has set us a riddle. He tells how a house clearance turned up a box of old photographs in which a Fleet Street showbiz writer, Dick Richards, was pictured with a string of 1950s Hollywood stars.
There is Dick discussing a script with Marilyn Monroe, shooting the breeze with Burt Lancaster, eating ice cream with Ginger Rogers and hanging out with Frank Sinatra.
Others show him with Joan Crawford, Charlie Chaplin, David Niven, Walter Pidgeon, Angela Lansbury, Lassie and Roy Rogers with his horse Trigger.
The article reproduces a publicity poster in which Richards is billed as "the liveliest film writer" in the Sunday Pictorial.
But Preston says we know "frustratingly little" about him. I don't recall him and I thought Lionel Crane, or Ralph Champion (or both), were the Hollywood correspondents for the Sunday Pic.
I have discovered, on a site called Whirligig, that...
There is Dick discussing a script with Marilyn Monroe, shooting the breeze with Burt Lancaster, eating ice cream with Ginger Rogers and hanging out with Frank Sinatra.
Others show him with Joan Crawford, Charlie Chaplin, David Niven, Walter Pidgeon, Angela Lansbury, Lassie and Roy Rogers with his horse Trigger.
The article reproduces a publicity poster in which Richards is billed as "the liveliest film writer" in the Sunday Pictorial.
But Preston says we know "frustratingly little" about him. I don't recall him and I thought Lionel Crane, or Ralph Champion (or both), were the Hollywood correspondents for the Sunday Pic.
I have discovered, on a site called Whirligig, that...
- 2/27/2012
- by Roy Greenslade
- The Guardian - Film News
London, Jan 15: The script of the first James Bond film had to be re written as the writers had initially decided to make 'Dr No' a monkey, according to an autobiography by late Albert R Broccoli and Donald Zec.
The producers of the film, Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli were absolutely shocked when they came to know about the first draft, as they did not think a monkey, even with a high Iq, could in any circumstances be 007's 'merciless antagonist'.
The autobiography also revealed that Ian Fleming, author of James Bond stories attended several meetings before the picture started.
After one of the meetings,.
The producers of the film, Harry Saltzman and Albert R Broccoli were absolutely shocked when they came to know about the first draft, as they did not think a monkey, even with a high Iq, could in any circumstances be 007's 'merciless antagonist'.
The autobiography also revealed that Ian Fleming, author of James Bond stories attended several meetings before the picture started.
After one of the meetings,.
- 1/15/2012
- by Ketali Mehta
- RealBollywood.com
A chasm exists between the modern popular press and celebrities - the people who have become an indispensable part of tabloid newspapers' editorial content.
It wasn't always the case, as I wrote in my London Evening Standard column yesterday. There was a time when stars were not only not afraid to enjoy the company of journalists, but eager to do so.
Donald Zec, the Daily Mirror's superb showbusiness writer during its glory days of yore, is fond of telling how he once flew into Los Angeles and within an hour of arriving at the Beverly Wilshire hotel received a call from Humphrey Bogart chiding him for failing to honour his promise to get in touch immediately he arrived in town.
Zec then spent a weekend on Bogey's yacht with Lauren Bacall and assorted celebrity friends.
When I mentioned this on a BBC Scotland radio show yesterday the interviewer said this...
It wasn't always the case, as I wrote in my London Evening Standard column yesterday. There was a time when stars were not only not afraid to enjoy the company of journalists, but eager to do so.
Donald Zec, the Daily Mirror's superb showbusiness writer during its glory days of yore, is fond of telling how he once flew into Los Angeles and within an hour of arriving at the Beverly Wilshire hotel received a call from Humphrey Bogart chiding him for failing to honour his promise to get in touch immediately he arrived in town.
Zec then spent a weekend on Bogey's yacht with Lauren Bacall and assorted celebrity friends.
When I mentioned this on a BBC Scotland radio show yesterday the interviewer said this...
- 11/24/2011
- by Roy Greenslade
- The Guardian - Film News
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