By Ray Bennett
The Old Vic has announced full casting for its production of Cole Porter’s “High Society” based on the film musical version of “The Philadelphia Story”, which will open on May 14 following previews that begin on April 30. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
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”. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
The stories of veterinarean James Herriot, who wrote “All Creatures Great and Small” and died 20 years ago today aged 79, remain immensely popular and they attract many tourists to Yorkshire but they did not make him a fortune. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
I love the movies of Robert Altman, who was born 90 years ago today and died on Nov. 20, 2006, because some are masterpieces and the ones that are not invariably have moments of wonderment and magic that occupy the mind. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
Jack Palance, who was born on this day in 1919 and died on Nov. 10 2006, had one of the scariest physiognomies in movies but my favourite memory of him is of a wink. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
Count me among those who will hate to see Jon Stewart walk away from “The Daily Show” and I wish he could have heard what Johnny Carson told me about his own temptations to quit “The Tonight Show”. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
Rockabilly star Gene Vincent, who was born on this day 80 years ago and died on Oct. 12, 1971, had a huge influence on my musical tastes with ’50s tracks such as “Be-Bob-a-Lula” and “Right Here on Earth”.
I interviewed him in the early 1960s backstage at a music venue in Gravesend, Kent, called the Co-op Hall just a few years after the car crash in which Eddie Cochran (pictured below) died and Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were both seriously injured. Continue reading
By Ray Bennett
“What the hell kind of question is that?” It’s 1985 and I’m sitting with Robert Wagner, who turns 85 today, in his luxury trailer on the Warner Bros. lot where he was making the shortlived TV series “Lime Street”. Continue reading
20 David Niven movies you should see
By Ray Bennett
David Niven, who was born 105 years ago today and died aged 73 in 1983, gave Ron Base and me the best quote of all time.
The Oscar-winning British actor was on a book tour to promote his first memoir, the brilliant “The Moon’s a Balloon”, in 1972. Ron and I, who worked at The Windsor Star across the river, went to a Detroit hotel ballroom for a lunch – a hospital fundraiser – at which Niven was to speak. We were told we could interview him afterwards. Continue reading →