Category Archives: Memory Lane

Mike Hodges: a brilliant filmmaker and great company

Posted on December 21, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Mike Hodges, who has died aged 90, was one of the greatest British filmmakers but producers often didn’t know what to do with him. He made only nine feature films but they include four splendid … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane | Tagged 'Croupier', 'Get Carter', 'I'll Sleep When I'm Dead', 'Pulp', Britt Eklund, Charlotte Rampling, Clive Owen, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Georgie Fame, Mike Hodges, Mike Kaplan, Patrick Stewart, The King's Head Islington | Comments Off

When Julie Taymor met Paul and Yoko

Posted on December 15, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Julie Taymor, who turns 70 today, is known best for creating ‘The Lion King’ among a long list of theatrical productionsi but her films are just as fascinating such as ‘Titus’, ‘Frida’, ‘The Tempest’,’ The … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Across the Universe', 'The Lion King', Elliot Goldenthal, Julie Taymor, Krakow Film Music Festival, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono | Comments Off

Charlie Rich loved the blues more than country music

Posted on December 14, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Charlie Rich, who was born on this day ninety years ago, was one of the biggest names in country music. His recordings of ‘Behind Closed Doors’ and ‘Most Beautiful Girl’ made him an international smash on … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Behind Closed Doors', 'Most Beautiful Girl', 'Pictures and Paintings', Charlie Rich, Charlie Rich Jr., Country Music Association, Keith A Lee, Margaret Ann Rich, Renee Rich, Sam Phillips | Comments Off

Stuart Margolin and James Garner: ‘a perfect friendship’

Posted on December 12, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Stuart Margolin, who died today aged 82, was one of the great screen sidekicks working regularly with James Garner. Traditionally, in film and on TV, there have been two kinds of heroes – loners and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, News, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Bret Maverick', 'Nichols', 'The Rockford Files', 'The Summer of George Adams', James Garner, Stuart Margolin | Comments Off

Recalling Little Richard, rock’n’roll’s greatest

Posted on December 5, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The first recording I ever bought was a 78rpm double-A side single of ‘Long Tall Sally’ and ‘Tutti Frutti’ by Little Richard, who was born 90 years ago today.

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Don't Knock the Rock', 'Long Tall Sally', 'The Blackboard Jungle', 'The Girl Can't Help It', 'Tutti Frutti', Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Little Richard | Comments Off

When ‘Dynasty’ star Linda Evans had my number …

Posted on November 18, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – On a sunny California day in the early Eighties, I had a long, leisurely lunch with Linda Evans, who turns 80 today, at La Scala on Little Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Dynasty', 'The Big Valley', afAR, Barbara Stanwyck, Bo Derek, Festival de Cannes, Joan Collins, John Derek, John Forsyth, La Scala, Linda Evans, Ursula Andress | Comments Off

Jerry Lee Lewis was no rock’n’roll hero to me

Posted on November 5, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Now that he has been laid to rest, it’s time to offer some balance to the hysterical reaction to the death of Jerry Lee Lewis. Given that today an artist can be cancelled on the basis … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ..., Uncategorized | Tagged Big Maybelle, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lloyd Price, Otis Blackwell, Sxreamimg Jay Hawkins, Wynonie Harris | 1 Comment

Life wasn’t always easy for Loretta Swit on ‘MAS*H’

Posted on November 4, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Loretta Swit, who turns 85 today, is regarded fondly for playing ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan in ‘M*A*S*H’ on TV for eleven years but life on that show wasn’t always easy for her. It was a struggle … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Cagney & Lacy', 'M*A*S*H', Alan Alda, Harry Morgan, Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell, Sharon Gless, Tyne Daly | Comments Off

Stefanie Powers loved to travel more than act

Posted on November 2, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – I spoke to Stefanie Powers, who turns 80 today, a few times on the set of her hit TV series ‘Hart to Hart’ with Robert Wagner (above) but my favourite encounter with her was an … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Hart to Hart', 'The Feather and Father Gang', 'The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.', Papua New Guinea, Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, William Holden | Comments Off

Recalling … a great afternoon with Deidre Hall

Posted on October 31, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – One of the true queens of the soaps, ‘Days of Our Lives’ star Deidre Hall, who turns 75 today, sent me a very nice note after I interviewed her in 1981 for a cover story … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Days of Our Lives', Canadian TV Guide, Deidre Hall, Dr. Marlena Evans, Salem Strangler, Wayne Northrop | Comments Off