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Category Archives: Interviews
Mel Gibson, great filmmaker, shame about the demons
By Ray Bennett LONDON – I’ve spent time with Mel Gibson, who turns 65 today, and always found him to be genial, open and likeable even though he gave me a clue about his demons in an interview in 1984. … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane
Tagged 'Mrs. Soffel', Apocalypto, Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson
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Jack Elam on westerns, auditing, acting … and that fly
By Ray Bennett LONDON – With his blind left eye, American character actor Jack Elam, who was born 100 years ago today, made a perfect villain in hundreds of TV shows and feature films but he told me he was a better … Continue reading
Martin Shaw hasn’t always been a TV copper
By Ray Bennett Martin Shaw, who turns 75 today, is known best for playing TV coppers in “The Professionals” and “Inspector George Gently” but he also has had a long stage career in roles from Stanley Kowalski to Lord Goring … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Television, Theatre
Tagged 'Inspector George Gently', 'The Professionals', Martin Shaw
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Recalling Peter Cook and his effortless comedy
By Ray Bennett LONDON – Peter Cook, who died 25 years ago today aged 57, was the funniest person I ever saw and ever met. He was naturally, effortlessly funny but he was never ‘on’ in the way some comedians … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television
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Sidney Lumet on high comedy and great acting
By Ray Bennett LONDON – American filmmaker Sidney Lumet, who was born 95 years ago today and died in 2011, made a series of fine and gripping social dramas from the 1950s through the 1980s but he was a big … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ...
Tagged 'Garbo Talks', Anne Bancroft, Cary Grant, Greta Garbo, Sean Connery, Sidney Lumet
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Michael Caine: recalling a class act at the 2000 Oscars
By Ray Bennett Spending time with Michael Caine is always a pleasure and since today is his 86th birthday, here’s one of my favourite encounters from 2000. LOS ANGELES – It’s ironic that the word on everyone’s lips following Michael Caine’s … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Interviews
Tagged 'The Cider House Rules', Academy Awards, Guy Green, Ken Annakin, Michael Caine, Oscars, Ronald Neame
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Russell Baker: a gift ‘for fooling around with words’
By Ray Bennett LONDON – The great New York Times columnist Russell Baker, who has died aged 93, was one of my journalistic heroes and when I interviewed him in 1989 he turned out to be everything I’d hoped. He … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Interviews, News
Tagged Masterpiece Theatre, New York Times, Russell Baker
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Randy Newman at 75: Part Two – Film composer
By Ray Bennett LONDON – Randy Newman, who turned 75 on Nov. 28, has Academy Awards, Grammy Awards and Emmy Awards and he is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s also a very funny man. He told … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ...
Tagged 'Ragtime', 'The Natural', 'Toy Story', Festival de Cannes, Randy Newman
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Recalling … giggling over lunch with the great Cleo Laine
By Ray Bennett LONDON – It was lunchtime at the Hotel Pontchartrain in Detroit and things were getting a bit silly. Cleo Laine was talking about Kurt Weill and the Berliner Ensemble when someone mentioned Monty Python and soon she … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Music
Tagged Cleo Laine, Eric Sykes, Hotel Pontchartrain, Jimmy Edwards, John Dankworth, Kurt Weill
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