20 Years On - Clinton Inauguration and Audrey Hepburn Dies

Twenty years ago this coming Sunday (20^th January 1993) was the historic date shared by the inauguration of a US President and the passing of a movie superstar.

The inauguration of the 42nd US President marked the beginning of the first 4 year term of Bill Clinton as president and Al Gore as his deputy. Held in the capital Washington DC, Clinton was to be the first Democrat elected to be the leader of the western world for 12 years, taking over from George HW Bush and Dan Quayle.

Much has been written about the terms served by Clinton. From the Monica Lewinsky affair to impeachment, and his role in the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland (amongst others), upon leaving office, his Gallup Poll rating of 66% was the highest approval rating of any post war President, 3 points clear of both JFK and Ronald Reagan.

How did you rate the presidency of Bill Clinton?
What will he be best remembered for?

Please feel free to comment...... 

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On that same date, the World was saddened to hear of the passing of the lovely Audrey Hepburn. The Belgian born, British actress was not only one of the greatest ever female screen legends, but also a fashion and style icon.

Remembered for such great movies as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady and Roman Holiday (definitely one of Tatty’s favourites) and starring on Broadway as Gigi, as time went by she cut back on her acting work, devoting time to her role as an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

At the age of only 63, she died in her sleep of appendiceal cancer and is buried at Tolochenaz Cemetery in her adopted Switzerland.

She had been quoted as saying that “my career was a complete mystery to me, a total surprise from the first day. I never thought I was going to be an actress; I never thought I was going to be in movies. I never thought it would all happen the way it did.” 

Not at all bad for someone ranked as the third greatest female screen legend in the history of American cinema, and placed in the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. 

What are your memories of Audrey?
As mentioned earlier, I am still a great fan of Roman Holiday - which was your favourite film?
How do you think Audrey rates in the all-time female screen legends? 

Please feel free to comment.... 

Percy Thrower - 100 Years On

100 years ago this month, the UK’s premier celebrity gardener was born. Long before the likes of Charlie Dimmock, Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh hit our television screens, the only name when it came to the magical art of “green fingery” was the one and only Percy Thrower.

Born in rural Buckinghamshire on 30^th January 1913, Percy John Thrower became a British institution, being known throughout the country and further afield, for presenting gardening programmes both on TV and radio.

His broadcasting career started in 1956 when he was on the BBC’s “Gardening Club”, going on to present the iconic “Gardener’s World” from 1969 to 1976. But however famous he became, he always considered himself as a gardener first and a TV star second.

Gardening and horticulture ran in Percy’s family. Initially his father worked as a gardener at Bawdsley Manor in Suffolk and he went on to become head gardener at Horwood House in Bletchley (now a suburb of Milton Keynes). From an early age, Percy was determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and was apprentice to his father for 4 years upon leaving school. 

Further horticultural jobs followed, including working at the Royal Gardens at Windsor Castle, moving on to work in the City of Leeds Parks Department where he passed the Royal Horticultural Society General Exam. 

With his qualification, he moved on to the Derby Parks Department where he worked his way up to the positions of General Foreman and Assistant Parks Superintendant. Whilst based there he studied for and passed the National Diploma in Horticulture, and even became a lecturer at Derby Technical College.

In 1946 he became the Parks Superintendent in Shrewsbury, being responsible for a staff of 35. Intending to stay in this position for just 4 or 5 years, he actually remained there until 1974.

In the Blue Peter Garden

Between 1974 and 1987 he was known to millions of children as the Blue Peter Gardener, establishing the infamous Blue Peter Garden at BBC TV Centre. In 1983 it became national news when the garden was destroyed by vandals, breaking the hearts of the programmes viewers and Percy himself.

He was married to Connie – daughter of the Head Gardener at Sandringham – and they had 3 daughters, Margaret, Susan and Ann. When on TV and away from the cameras, he was renowned for always being accompanied by a black Labrador, of which he owned several in succession. 

He received the MBE in 1984 and had the honour of being the subject of Eamonn Andrews big red book for an edition of “This is Your Life”. He also received possibly the greatest accolade of all when appearing as a guest on the “Morecambe and Wise Show”. 

Percy died in 1988 at the age of 75 in Wolverhampton. In a radio interview shortly before his death, Percy acknowledged that his success came from being down to earth, straightforward and sincere, as well as keeping his feet on the ground.

Do you have a favourite celebrity gardener?
How do the likes of Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock compare to the legend that was Percy?
Did you ever have the pleasure of meeting the great man?

Please feel free to comment..... 

The Story Behind the Movie: True Grit (1969)

Movie Poster

Starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall and Dennis Hopper (amongst others), True Grit (1969) was an American Western classic that told the story of a US Marshall (Wayne) and a Texas Ranger (Campbell), being hired by a young girl (Darby), to help track down her father’s murderer, deep inside Indian territory.

The movie was based on the novel written by Charles Portis and was directed by Henry Hathaway. The screenplay, written by Marguerite Roberts, had the distinction of being described by Wayne as the best he had ever read.

Awards

John Wayne

John Wayne won a Golden Globe and a ‘Best Actor’ Academy award for his role as Marshall Rooster Cogburn. Indeed, in an illustrious career spanning 50 years, it was to be his only Oscar, and is generally thought of as being awarded more for sentimental reasons to honour his illustrious career, rather than for the actual role he played. Many critics actually consider his portrayal of Cogburn as ‘over-the-top’ and ‘hammy’.

Casting

Kim Darby

Kim Darby was not the original choice to play the part of Mattie. Mia Farrow was originally cast, and was thought to be very keen on the role. However, whilst making a previous film in England, she had been advised by her then co-star Robert Mitchum, never to work with Henry Hathaway under any circumstances as he was ‘cantankerous’. 

For that reason, she approached the producer of “True Grit”, Hal B Wallis, with the request to replace Hathaway in the director’s chair with Roman Polanski, with whom she had previously worked on ‘Rosemary’s Baby’. When Wallis refused, Farrow quit the role.

It is believed that John Wayne had promised the part to his own daughter Aissa, but Hathaway refused to cast her. Wayne later pressed for the role to be given to singer Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters) who he had previously met when hosting a show. She actually read for the part, but was turned down, mainly because of her lack of acting experience. Others considered for the role included the likes of Tuesday Weld, Sally Field and Sondra Locke.

Although playing the part of a 14 year old girl, at the time of filming Kim Darby was closing in on her 22^nd birthday. Darby and Wayne did not get on at all. He considered her to be ‘unprofessional on the set’ and they hardly spoke a word to each other off camera. He is actually quoted of saying that “she was the goddamn lousiest actress I ever worked with.” 

Glen Campbell

Kim Darby wasn’t the only member of the cast that Wayne had problems with. It is believed that there was also friction between him and another co-star Robert Duvall.

The role of Texas Ranger ‘Le Boeuf’ very nearly went to Elvis Presley, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was insistent that to play the part, he would require top billing. When this was not forthcoming, Glen Campbell received the nod, although Hathaway disliked his portrayal describing it as ‘wooden’. He later went on to claim that the singer was only cast so that he would go on to have a hit with the theme song, therefore helping to promote the movie.

Sequels and remakes

Some 6 years after the original movie, John Wayne reprised his role in “Rooster Cogburn”, this time directed by Stuart Millar and co-starring Katherine Hepburn. It was to be his penultimate film and was poorly received by critics, being only a moderate hit at the box office. Even with the indifferent reviews, there were plans to make a further sequel entitled “Sometime”, but it never came to anything and Wayne’s last performance on screen came a year later in “the Shootist”. He died of stomach cancer in 1979.

Hailee Steinfeld

In 2010, the Coen Brothers produced a remake of the original starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld (in the role of Mattie). This adaptation kept much closer to Portis’ book, focussing more so on Mattie’s point of view than the Cogburn character, and has all the hallmarks of the Brothers usual stunning cinematography and authentic dialogue and accents. 

The fact that Steinfeld is more similar in age to her character doesn’t go amiss either, and her performance is powerful, believable and indeed a joy to watch.

Ratings

The Coen Brothers remake gains an IMDB rating of 7.8, which is a half point better than the original version. It has to be said that both adaptations have their good aspects, but the rating is probably a fair judge on the merits of the two productions.

Which version of the movie did you prefer?
Did you ever read the book? If so, what did you think? Did either movie do it justice?
Can Jeff Bridges be compared to John Wayne?

Please feel free to comment.....

Great British Comedy Actors – Reginald Marsh

Fans of British sitcoms of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s will fondly remember Reginald Marsh for playing the parts of Jerry’s boss ‘Sir’ in The Good Life, the similar role of ‘Sir Dennis Hodge’ in Terry and June and Mildred’s Brother-in-law ‘Humphrey’ in George and Mildred, however he had a long, varied career in producing and acting.

One of my personal favourite performances was when he played the Bus Depot Manager in an episode of Sykes, alongside such greats as Eric Sykes, Hattie Jacques and Deryck Guyler. This was when Eric and Hattie got jobs as a bus driver and clippie, turning the route into an “airline on wheels” in the north London streets.

Born in London (17 September 1926), the young Reginald grew up on the English south coast in Worthing.

After leaving school he started work in a bank, but was always passionate about acting and the stage working in many amateur productions. At the age of 16 and already signed up with an agent, he got his first part in JB Priestley’s “East End”, playing a juvenile.

Moving on he then started work for 12 years in repertory theatre, gaining as much experience as possible in numerous different productions. His next job was working as a contestant finder for Granada TV's legendary 60’s gameshow, Criss Cross Quiz.

In 1962 he gained the part of bookmaker ‘Dave Smith’ in the long running soap Coronation Street, leaving in 1976. He went on to work with comedian Harry Worth in his TV shows and in other sitcoms such as How’s Your Father and Never Say Die. He has also been seen in Emmerdale Farm, Crown Court, Bless This House, The Sweeney and often appeared in Children's Film Foundation productions.

Marsh had six children from two marriages, one of his sons being a Down’s syndrome sufferer and he was an active supporter of MENCAP.

In later years he retired to the Isle of Wight, where he died on 9^th February 2001, at the age of 74.

It must be said that most people would not necessarily know the name of Reginald Marsh, as he was never what could be classed as a major TV star, but he had one of those distinguished faces that will long be remembered. 

Whatever Happened to 'Watching' Star Emma Wray?

'Watching' was a British television sitcom that aired between 1987 and 1993. Produced by Granada TV, it told the bittersweet story of a mismatched couple, Brenda Wilson and Malcolm Stoneway. 

Liza Tarbuck (left) and Emma Wray (right)

Both lived in the Merseyside (Liverpool) area, Malcolm in the 'posh' Wirral town of Meols and Brenda over the River Mersey in the confines of the city itself.

The title 'Watching' stemmed from Brenda's fascination of people watching, usually with her sister Pamela in the Grapes public house and Malcolm's love of bird watching, which later became a passion for Brenda as well.

Many fans will remember loud mouthed Brenda's undoubted talent for nearly always having an answer to anything and would have had their emotions well and truly churned by their on/off romance.

The Granada TV series was devised by writer Jim Hitchmough, being originally conceived as a comedy sketch written at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool. It was submitted for use by the BBC's satirical series 'Not the Nine O'clock News' but was subsequently rejected.

• The regular cast members  included Paul Bown (remembered for being the Student in the first Mr Bean TV show), Liza Tarbuck (daughter of comedian Jimmy and remembered for Linda Green), Patsy Byrne (best remembered for being Nursey in Blackadder II), John Bowler (PC Valentine in the Bill) and of course, the undoubted star of the show - Emma Wray.

Emma as Brenda

Emma (born Gillian Wray in Birkenhead, 1966 - more often known as Jill or Gill), actually won the part within 2 months of graduating with a BA in Theatre Arts, from the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Sidcup, Kent.

She is remembered in the series for not only playing the part of the caustic Brenda, but also singing the theme tune 'What Does He See In Me?'

In the years since the programme came to an end, all the stars have been seen on TV in various shows, although Liza works very much in radio these days and Patsy is now quite elderly and has retired. That is all except Emma (Jill).

After the programme came to an end in 1993, Emma was to appear in 'Stay Lucky', starring alongside Dennis Waterman (The Sweeney, Minder, New Tricks) and Jan Francis (Secret War, Just Good Friends), and later in the comedy/drama 'My Wonderful Life', with Tony Robinson (Blackadder, Time Team).

So what became of the 'Scouse' pocket rocket bundle of fire that made Malcolm's life so difficult, though so tantalisingly enriched?

It is believed that sometime in 2001, she decided to take an initial 2 year break from acting and use some of the money she had earned travelling throughout the far East, Africa and South America. 

In that time she started working with children (in a Thai orphanage) and soon realised that she found this work far more fulfilling than acting.

Since that time she has spent much time as a nanny, working with children of many ages, in many different parts of the world.

So will she ever return to acting and be seen back on our TV screens? 

It is no secret that many TV companies would be very pleased to hear from her again. Indeed, earlier this year she did a photoshoot (a link to which can be found by clicking HERE). 

The question does have to be asked, why has this photo gallery been produced after a period of anonymity of approx 12 years? Is a return to acting possibly in the offing?

Emma (Jill) had a compulsive energy on our TV screens, along with a great sense of comedy timing. 

Her presence is still greatly missed by many TV watchers.

Have you ever met Jill (Emma)?
Did you use to enjoy watching her in her many TV roles?

Please feel free to comment.....  

CLICK TO FIND OUT WHATEVER HAPPENED TO:

The On The Buses Cast

The All Creatures Great and Small Cast

Man About the House star, Richard O'Sullivan 
 Whatever Happened to the "Are You Being Served" Cast 

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