Category Archives: Recalling …

When Ry Cooder discovered the blues

Posted on March 15, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Ry Cooder, who turns 75 today, told me that he knew that he would be a musician when he discovered the blues as a kid. When I first heard his slide guitar, I imagined he … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Buena Vista Social Club', 'Chavez Ravine', 'The Long Riders', Ry Cooder, Walter Hill | Comments Off

Shannon Tweed on being naked in films and magazines

Posted on March 10, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Many women I interviewed in Hollywood expressed disappointment or regret over appearing nude in movies or photo spreads. Shannon Tweed, who turns 65 today, was not one of them. ‘I can’t honestly say I wouldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Media, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Comments Off

Why ‘Nashville’ star Cristina Raines hated to sing

Posted on February 28, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Like many a young man who saw Robert Altman’s classic ‘Nashville’ in 1975, I was a little bit in love with Cristina Raines, who turns 70 today, She played a singer in a folk trio … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Flamingo Road', 'Nashville', 'Sunshine', Ava Gardner, Cristina Raines, Howard Duff, Keith Carradine, Mark Harmon, Michael Filerman, Robert Altman | Comments Off

‘Windmills’ and ‘Fields’ in ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’

Posted on January 8, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Lyricists Marilyn Bergman, who died today aged 93, and her husband Alan Bergman won the best-song Oscar in 1969 with Michel Legrand for ‘Windmills of Your Mind’ from ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ but they owed … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Strawberry Fields', 'The Thomas Crown Affair', 'Windmills of Your Mind', Alan Bergman, Beatles, Faye Dunawaye, Gent, Marian Ponnet, Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch, Michel Legrand, Norman Jewison, Steve McQueen, World Soundtrack Awards | Comments Off

Betty White on her TV shows, love of animals and a good pun

Posted on December 7, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Betty White loves a good pun. At least, she did when I had lunch with her when she was on ‘The Golden Girls’ in the mid-Eighties. This was her favourite at the time: Why are protestors always … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'The Golden Girls', 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', Bea Arthur, Betty White, Estelle Getty, Ray Richmond, Rue McClanahan | Comments Off

Recalling John Gardner, a master of the spy novel

Posted on November 20, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – John Gardner, who would have been 95 today, should rank with Eric Ambler, John le Carré, Len Deighton and Philip Kerr as a virtuoso of the serious British spy novel. He is known best now … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'The Liquidator', Boysie Oakes, Eric Sykes, Herbie Kruger, John Gardner, Rod Taylor | Comments Off

Recalling ‘Lou Grant’ star Ed Asner

Posted on August 30, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON: Ed Asner, who died aged 91 on Aug. 29, had a very long and successful acting career on television but he told me he couldn’t get arrested for the big screen. ‘I have run into downright … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Lou Grant', 'Skin Game', 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', 'Up', Ed Asner, James Garner, Toronto Sun | Comments Off

Peter Ustinov: a man of many voices

Posted on April 16, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Playwright, filmmaker, actor and raconteur Peter Ustinov, who was born 100 years ago today and died on March 28, 2004, was convincing in movies playing many different nationalities. One reason for that was because he … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Quo Vadis', 'Spartacus', 'Topkapi', Directors Guild of Great Britain, Peter Ustinov, Stanley Kubrick | Comments Off

When Adrian Lyne fled from a screening of ‘9½ Weeks’

Posted on March 4, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – British director Adrian Lyne, who turns 80 today, is known for his provocative films about sexuality but a preview audience for ‘9½ Weeks’ made him run for his life.

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Deep Water', 'Flashdance', 'Jacob's Ladder', Adrian Lyne, Elizabeth McNeill, Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, ‘9½ Weeks’ | Comments Off

When David Puttnam got tired of making movies

Posted on February 25, 2021 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Aside from being English, David Puttnam and I have two things in common. We are both devoted to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and we each obtained three O-level GCEs at school. He, of course, had … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Chariots of Fire', 'Local Hero', 'Memphis Belle', 'Midnight Express', 'The Mission', Alan Parker, amfAR, Bill Forsyth, David Puttnam, Irene Jacob, Lord Puttnam | Comments Off