London Again- Friends and Other Good Times!

Danger Man

Don’t think my feet have touched the ground since I got to London this time….so many nice people and treats enjoyed by yours truly so far.  To start will mention one event for which I came, a retrospective tribute to Patrick McGoohan at the Elstree Studios...where they shoot the Harry Potter Films, The Crown, the Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones etc, etc.   I worked there a lot in the 1960’s in various shows:   The Saint with Roger Moore, Randall and Hopkirk, The Avengers to mention a few and the place has changed a bit, but is still recognisable.   Had some really good times and laughter…Roger was a delightful man, who never took himself too seriously, was always easy and light…a real pleasure to work with.

Roger and Me

I remember car scenes with Roger and me in a stationary car, which rocked, with a huge vertical drum going around beside us, with scenic pictures on it and wind machines blowing our hair…days before Computer Graphics.  I think maybe it was more fun than a man or two sitting in front of a computer creating the same effect.

The Prisoner

As I have said, ad nauseum, I adored working with Patrick McGoohan, terrific, charismatic actor.  Other guests at the evening including Alvin Rakoff and John Hough, both who have had significant careers and we all remembered Patrick with same respect and appreciation as he got from us when he was alive. Here’s a little scene from my favourite episode of Danger Man (Secret Agent) which I did with him.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhUw04FbAh0

Been to a lot of theatre here so far…the two favourites to date…… An Ideal Husband, full of UK star names and a wonderful production…Oscar Wilde at his best….witty, perceptive and above all human. what a great talent and what a sad end to his life, as seen in Rupert Everett’s latest film: The Happy Prince

Edward Fox is in An Ideal Husband…did what I consider one my best performances on stage with him in Country  Dance by James Kennaway, who wrote Tunes of Glory.

The other production which I loved was performed by a group of young actors , the Intermission Youth Theatre doing Othello, a shortened version, with some of Shakespeare’s dialogue mixed with modern street dialogue…modern dress performed in a boxing ring….Ring of Envy….wow what an amazing moving experience…..I loved it.  Don’t often get moved to tears in theatre, but this did it for me.  Shakespeare as it is meant to be…we need more theatre like this for young people everywhere!  Mark Rylance is one of their patrons…so you get the picture!