Category Archives: Film

Laughing with Betsy Russell about screen nudity

Posted on September 6, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – A card arrived in the mail with the inscription ‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’ Inside, in strong cursive were the words, ‘Dear Ray, Thank you so much for that wonderful interview. I’m … Continue reading →

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Frederick Forsyth did more than write great thrillers

Posted on August 25, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – English writer Frederick Forsyth, who turns 85 today, has not only written clever and exciting thrillers such as ‘Day of the Jackal’ (starring Edward Fox, above)  and ‘The Odessa file’, he’s also prescient about world … Continue reading →

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‘Titanic’ Oscar-winner James Horner saw music in colour

Posted on August 14, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘Composing is so much like painting,’ the late James Horner told me. ‘I patch colour into certain things until I hear the sounds and then I know how much of the magenta or how much of … Continue reading →

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Don Black: ‘When I have a song to write I’m very happy’

Posted on June 21, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett London’s leafy Green Park means many things to many people, but to lyricist Don Black it will always be the place where he wrote the hit song “Tell Me on a Sunday” to the music of Andrew … Continue reading →

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Lyricist Sammy Cahn had a song for all occasions

Posted on June 18, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – American lyricist Sammy Cahn, who was born on this day in 1913, wrote scores of songs that everyone remembers but he told me that what kept him busy was penning lyrics for special occasions. 

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That time I was way-laid by the Happy Hooker

Posted on June 15, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – I went to London to see the Queen and met the Happy Hooker, who led me astray. Fifty years ago this month, Queen Elizabeth II was touring Canada and The Windsor Star newspaper sent me … Continue reading →

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How fame got the better of Treat Williams

Posted on June 13, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Treat Williams, who died aged 71 on June 12 in a motorcycle accident, became instantly famous in the movie version of ‘Hair’ in 1979. After shining brightly in Sidney Lumet’s fine 1981 cop picture ‘Prince … Continue reading →

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Robert Lansing, intense and unhappy with television

Posted on June 5, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘Television is just awful,’ Robert Lansing told me. ‘I’ve done a lot of it but not from choice. I’ve done an awful lot of garbage; an awful lot of lousy things. I’m not saying I’m … Continue reading →

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How Tina Turner dealt with her troubled past

Posted on May 24, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘As crazy as it was,’ said Tina Turner, ‘I laugh about it. ’ The queen of rock’n’roll, who has died aged 83, was talking about her difficult childhood in Tennessee and her abusive marriage to … Continue reading →

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When Joan Collins kicked me off the set of ‘Dynasty’

Posted on May 23, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Joan Collins was pointing at me. I was on the set of the hit primetime soap opera ’Dynasty’. It’s important to make yourself as invisible as possible on a busy TV soundstage so I stood … Continue reading →

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