Author Archives: admin

Elvis: The man who fell to earth and changed the world

Posted on January 8, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Little more than 10 years after the end of World War II, Great Britain was a cold, grey place in 1956 when Elvis Presley, who was born 90 years ago today, dropped from the sky. He changed … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Music | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Elvis: The man who fell to earth and changed the world

Thinking of my Dad on New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 31, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett My late older brother Roland phoned from England on New Year’s Eve to tell me that our Dad, Alexander Bennett, had died. I thought it was 35 years ago but another year has slipped by and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Thinking of my Dad on New Year’s Eve

Larry King on his love of smoking and ‘lucky’ heart attack

Posted on November 19, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett Longtime TV interviewer Larry King, who was born  90 years ago today, almost didn’t make it to 60. He told me: “I got a lucky break. I had a heart attack.” One dark February morning in 1987, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Larry King on his love of smoking and ‘lucky’ heart attack

How a love of sports made Garry Marshall a comedy legend

Posted on November 13, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Garry Marshall, who was born 90 years ago today, said one of the reasons he became one of the most prolific and successful producers of TV sitcoms was because he was a sports nut. “I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

35 Years Ago: The Day the Los Angeles Herald Examiner Died

Posted on November 1, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett As people came into work at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner newspaper on Nov, 1 1989, everyone appeared to be on edge. There was something in the air. We had a desultory budget meeting and all managing … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged | Comments Off on 35 Years Ago: The Day the Los Angeles Herald Examiner Died

Film producer John Brabourne on working with David Lean

Posted on October 9, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett Every year when I was at Ashford Boys Grammar School in Kent, England, there was an event known as Speech Day. All the masters donned their scholastic black robes adorned with the colours of their alma maters … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Film producer John Brabourne on working with David Lean

When Maggie Smith called me a horrible man

Posted on September 27, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett To meet a movie actor you admire can sometimes be a disappointment but Maggie Smith, who has died aged 89, was exactly how I hoped she would be. She told me off and swept away. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged | Comments Off on When Maggie Smith called me a horrible man

When I mixed up Frankie Avalon with another former teen idol

Posted on September 18, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett ‘It wasn’t exactly Elvis in Las Vegas’. That was the lede in our story after my colleague Ron Base and I interviewed Frankie Avalon, who turns 84 today,  when he performed in cabaret at a seedy nightclub … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, Film, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on When I mixed up Frankie Avalon with another former teen idol

That time when Lauren Bacall gave me a smacker

Posted on September 16, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett ‘You know how to whistle, don’t ya? Just put your lips together and blow.’ Whenever I watch the movie ‘To Have and Have Not’, that provocative line Lauren Bacall (photo below) says to Humphrey Bogart always gives … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ..., Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on That time when Lauren Bacall gave me a smacker

Composer Maurice Jarre’s ups and downs scoring films

Posted on September 14, 2024 by admin

By Ray Bennett French film composer Maurice Jarre, who was born 100 years ago yesterday, is invariably linked with director David Lean but there were other filmmakers he worked with more than once and he had interesting anecdotes about them. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Music, World Soundtrack Awards | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Composer Maurice Jarre’s ups and downs scoring films