Kaiser Barry?
Shady Tree
London, UKPosts: 3,150MI6 Agent
I'm in Vienna at the Schonbrunn Palace for a concert in the Great Gallery, feeling in a TLD mood in spite all the Mozart. I can't help noticing a resemblance between Kaiser Franz II. (I.) (1768-1835), whose portrait hangs in the palace, and one John Barry (1933-2011). Shorely they must be related?
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Comments
🙂 I can see a resemblance. Enjoy the concert!
While somewhat tediously googling John Barry and Vienna - didn't he do a piece for The Living Daylights, where was he filmed conducting the orchestra? - I happened upon his Desert Island Discs with Sue Lawley, worth a listen for Barry fans.
In a piece in this week's Times, the still sprightly 90something Don Black reminisced about his life, but suggests Barry was an abrasive presence. Black says he was the only one at his funeral - I assume he means who wasn't family - and that 'He didn't bother to talk with anyone he didn't think was much good.' It's quite damning coming from Black, who comes across as a mild, affable fellow, and given the celebrity world Barry moved in, then again as a composer you don't necessarily have a reason to continue schmoozing with the big names like Caine and Connery.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I do know Barry was pretty open about his dislikes...he once disparaged George Lazenby's performance in OHMSS by saying something on the lines of Lazenby couldn't create a boiled egg. But I guess genius is entitled to be a bit of a jerk.