Category Archives: Interviews

That time when Stanley Baker needed a cigarette

Posted on February 28, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Stanley Baker needed a cigarette. The Welsh actor, who was born on this day 95 years ago, was at an after-party following a screening in 1967 of his action picture ‘Robbery’. Pictured above left with … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ... | Tagged 'Robbery', 'Sands of the Kalahari', 'Zulu', Cy Enfield, George Peppard, Michael Caine, Stanley Baker, Stuart Whitman, Where to Go in London | 1 Comment

Why composer John Corigliano has been so choosy

Posted on February 16, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Prolific American composer John Corigiliano, who turns 85 today, scored just three feature films, earned two Academy Award nominations and won for ‘The Red Shoes’. ‘For me, writing for film has everything to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Music | Tagged 'Altered States', 'Revolution', 'The Red Violin', John Corigliano, Samuel L. Jackson, Varese Sarabande | Comments Off

John Williams said he never takes Spielberg for granted

Posted on January 24, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘My hope is that I can work with Steven for many years to come,’ composer John Williams told me. That was in 2000 by which time he had written the scores for sixteen Spielberg-directed movies … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Music, Recalling ... | Tagged John Williams, Steven Spielberg | Comments Off

Recalling … Lloyd Bridges, famous star with famous sons

Posted on January 15, 2023 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – ‘Oh, you shouldn’t bother with Lloyd,’ said Dorothy Bridges, the actor’s wife of nearly forty years. ‘You need to talk to my boys, Jeff and Beau.’ It was 1976 and she had every reason to … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Places, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Airplane!', 'High Noon', 'Sea Hunt', Beau Bridges, Charlton Heston, Hiram Walker, Jeff Bridges, Lloyd Bridges, Rob Reiner | Comments Off

Don’t mistake Anthony Hopkins for roles he plays

Posted on December 31, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – No one expects Anthony Hopkins, who turns 85 today, to be anything like Hannibal Lecter but he told me people do often assume he’s like other roles he’s played. ‘I get a lot of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews | Tagged 'Remains of the Day', 'The Mask of Zorro', Anthony Hopkins, Martin Campbell | Comments Off

Ted Danson’s epiphany in the African desert

Posted on December 29, 2022 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Ted Danson, who turns 75 today, has had an astonishingly successful career on television but there was a time when he wanted something else. After his sitcom ’Cheers’ became a massive hit in the early … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Interviews, Memory Lane, Recalling ..., Television | Tagged 'Cheers', 'We Are the Children'', Ted Danson | 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

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

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