Author Archives: admin

Jill St. John wanted to share recipes but not Robert Wagner

Posted on August 19, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Jill St. John, who turns 85 today, has brightened big and small screens in countless TV shows and movies including her big splash as the first American James Bond girl, Tiffany Case, in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ opposite … Continue reading →

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When Steve Martin became my biggest fan

Posted on August 14, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Carl Reiner greeted me in his hotel room in Toronto and said, ‘Steve Martin is your No. 1 fan.’ Performers become fans of critics, of course, only when we write something they like. Their film ‘All of … Continue reading →

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Giggling over lunch with the great Cleo Laine

Posted on July 25, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – It was lunchtime at the Hotel Pontchartrain  in Detroit and things were getting a bit silly. Cleo Laine, who has died aged 97, was talking about Kurt Weill and the Berliner Ensemble when someone mentioned … Continue reading →

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Terror in London: From joy to agony in a single day

Posted on July 7, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – It’s no great surprise in London when your local Underground station is closed. It’s a creaky old system and there’s never enough money, so you shrug and start walking. But on Thursday morning, July 7 … Continue reading →

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TV broadcaster Bill Moyers regarded the elite as the enemy

Posted on June 26, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Veteran TV newsman Bill Moyers,  former New York Newsday publisher and press secretary to President Lyndon Johnson, has died aged 91. As a broadcaster, he often spun off bestselling books from his TV productions and in 1989 … Continue reading →

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Lalo Schifrin on his love of the music for ‘Tango’

Posted on June 26, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin, who has died aged 93, is known for his concerts, recordings, film scores such as “Bullitt”, “Cool Hand Luke” and “Dirty Harry” and TV shows such as “Mission: Impossible” and “Mannix” but one … Continue reading →

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The look on Anne Murray’s face was one of sheer terror

Posted on June 20, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – One of Canada’s most successful singers, Anne Murray, who turns 80 today, became a huge international entertainer but she told me two things had made her nervous – performing in Las Vegas and at the … Continue reading →

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Frederick Forsyth did more than write great thrillers

Posted on June 9, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – English writer Frederick Forsyth, who died today aged 86, not only wri0te  clever and exciting thrillers such as ‘Day of the Jackal’ (starring Edward Fox, above)  and ‘The Odessa file’, he also was prescient about … Continue reading →

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When US TV censored hip-swinging Tom Jones

Posted on June 7, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Fans of “The Voice” might not suspect that the venerable Sir Tom Jones, who turns  85  today, was censored on American television when he was younger. His show “This is Tom Jones” aired on the … Continue reading →

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Tony Curtis on Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas and more

Posted on June 3, 2025 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Nobody loved being a movie star more than Tony Curtis, who was born on this day 100 years ago and who died in 2010, and as he got older he liked nothing more than to … Continue reading →

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