Category Archives: Recalling …

How James Horner came to write the ‘Titanic’ song

Posted on June 23, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – American composer James Horner, who has died in a plane crash aged 61, won an Academy Award along with lyricist Will Jennings for “My Heart Will Go On” sung by Celine Dion in “Titanic”, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Titanic', Celine Dion, James Cameron, James Horner, Sissel, Sony Records, Will Jennings | Comments Off

Ready with a zippo for Elizabeth Hurley

Posted on June 10, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Happy birthday to Elizabeth Hurley, who turns 50 today. I met her at a party during the Festival de Cannes several years ago. I turned on the terrace and there she was in a white dress … Continue reading →

Posted in Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Passenger 57', Alex Datcher, Elizabeth Hurley, Festival de Cannes | Comments Off

When Peggy Lee wondered ‘is that all there is?’

Posted on May 26, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Miss Peggy Lee, who was born 95 years ago today and died on Jan. 21 2002 aged 81, had come close to death in 1985 and she laughed when she told me, “Don’t you know … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged Benny Goodman, Jack Webb, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Peggy Lee, Westwood Playhouse | Comments Off

A nod from Orson Welles was good enough

Posted on May 6, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – I never spoke to Orson Welles – who was born 100 years ago today and will be the subject of a two-month season at the BFI Southbank – but he did respond with a nod … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, News, Recalling ... | Tagged ', 'Chimes at Midnight', 'Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles', 'Orson Welles - The Great Disruptor', BFI Southbank, Orson Welles | 1 Comment

Recalling … Ernie Harwell, voice of the Detroit Tigers

Posted on May 4, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The first baseball game I ever saw was at Tiger Stadium in Detroit in 1970 and a bonus of living across the river in Windsor, Ontario, was that I was able to hear the club’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged Detroit Tigers, Ernie Harwell, Jim Coleman, Jose Feliciano, Leo Durocher, Tiger Stadium | Comments Off

Why Carolyn Jones did not want to kiss Elvis Presley

Posted on April 28, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – When I interviewed Carolyn Jones, who would have turned 85 today, she told me she had been sick but she did not tell me she was dying. Famous as Morticia in the 1960s TV series … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'How the West Was Won', 'The Addams Family', Carolyn Jones, Elvis Presley, John Astin, Paddy Chayefsky | 16 Comments

A birthday card from Paris from Gregory Peck

Posted on April 5, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Gregory Peck and I were born on April 5 and when he turned 80 he sent me a card from Paris on which he wrote, “This French graffiti describes perfectly how it feels to be 80 … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Old Gringo', 'The Blue and the Gray', Abraham Lincoln, April 5, Gregory Peck, Jane Fonda, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Orbit Video, Ruth Gordon, TV Guide Canada | Comments Off

How I introduced Martin Short to Steve Martin

Posted on March 26, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The memory of how I introduced Martin Short, who is 65 today, to Steve Martin still cracks me up but I’ve discovered that I’m the only one who thinks it’s funny. It was backstage at … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Theatre | Tagged Anne Lockhart, Bernadette Peters, Martin Short, Pee Wee Herman, Roxy Theatre, Steve Martin, Steven Kampmann | 1 Comment

Dashing into action to the aid of Rachel Weisz

Posted on March 5, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz, who turns 45 on March 7, is Mrs. Daniel Craig now but there was a moment, a single moment, when she only had eyes for me.

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Theatre | Tagged 'A Streetcar Named Desire', Olivier Awards, Rachel Weisz, Rob Ashford | Comments Off

When Mr. Spock invited me on a day out

Posted on February 27, 2015 by admin

By Ray Bennett It was the familiar voice of Mr. Spock on the phone although Leonard Nimoy, who died today aged 83, at the time was soon to publish his defiant memoire, “I Am Not Spock”.

Posted in Film, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television, Theatre | Tagged 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Star Trek', Leonard Nimoy | Comments Off