BAFTA suffered an expletive laden night last night and has struggled with making immediate apologies to the two black stars who got the 'N' word involuntarily shouted at them.
I don't know what it is with these organisations that they need to 'consider' events before making an apology. Is it to do with admitting blame and fearing a legal injunction? I don't know.
They also forgot to mention in the Obits section that James Van Der Beek died. They dropped in Robert Duvall, so you wonder what made then unable to drop in James aka Dawson Leary aka The B### in Apartment 23, after all he died the same week.
I used to watch Dawson's Creek on Sundays usually with a hangover. Good looking actors spout dialogue and perform actions well above their character's ages and experience - all in a lovely photographed leafy suburbia. Van Der Beek had a Spielberg-type role as an aspiring filmmaker and his starryeyed look was a perfect fit and would often bring forth groans of frustration from this viewer - "Just say you love her, Dawson!" etc etc. Nonetheless a very enjoyable series, at least for the first three seasons.
He was good in Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, two movies that didn't quite set his cinema career alight, but I enjoyed them both at the time. Later, in a veiled impersonation of himself, he was hilarious in Don't Trust the B### in Apartment 23. He died too young, too too young. RIP.
He did Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and this terrific song, Laughter in the Rain, a fave on my Dad's reel-to-reel. But you always thought listening to it that it had to be a female singer with the dreamiest vocal.
Sad indeed. I've been a fan all my life, saw him live, got most of his recordings. During the lockdown he gave mini-concerts on YouTube almost daily which I think are still available.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 9,316MI6 Agent
edited March 17
Very sad to hear of the death of Len Deighton, but at least he had a very good innings. Surely he's the last of the older authors (born in the 1920s) of the Golden Age of Spy Fiction? I love the Harry Palmer films and have them all on Blu-ray but have sadly never read any of Deighton's novels though I did read a bit of The Ipcress File years ago before giving up on it. I definitely need to get back to Deighton as his contribution to spy fiction is massive.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Yeah, The Ipcress File book is fairly different to the film, where Palmer doesn't get out of London for most of it. I think one episode of The Avengers had more in common with Deighton's Ipcress, it had Christopher Lee in it if I recall.
Deighton worked a bit on the film From Russia With Love, I think, though not noticeably and co-wrote much of the unused Warhead screenplay with Sean Connery.
There was a fine evening devoted to him on BBC4 less than a year ago, I think. I didn't go in for his cook book because it's very meat based (I lean towards being a pescatarian -fish mainly - these days) but I will do the thing he suggested of adding a teaspoon of water to the broken egg for an omelette, to compensate for the slight dehydration an egg endures from the moment it's hatched.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 9,316MI6 Agent
edited March 17
I recall back in January 2006 there was a Len Deighton Night on BBC Four where I think they showed a few of the Harry Palmer films and then broadcast an interesting new documentary/interview called "The Truth About Len Deighton". I taped it at the time and later acquired a broadcast DVD version of it from someone. It was a really good programme - thoroughly recommended.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
RIP Len Deighton, not my fav spy author by a long chalk but well-regarded critically and commercially. Yes, probably the last of the writers from a golden age of espionage. [Is Adam Diment still alive?]
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 9,316MI6 Agent
I believe Adam Diment (born 1943) is still alive and living in Kent. I tried to make contact with him a while ago via LinkedIn but predictably I heard nothing back. I did dig up a lot of research material on him though for a possible future article. The only other one I can think of from around that time who is still alive is Martin Waddell (born 1941) from Northern Ireland who created the character Otley, later filmed starring Tom Courtenay in the lead role.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Sad to read that Nick Pope has died aged 60. He was Britain’s UFO expert. He worked at the MoD investigating UFO phenomena and later as an author and broadcaster. RIP.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I was sorry to read that Joy Harmon passed away a couple of weeks ago. She was the blonde girl washing the car in CoolHandLuke, the sexiest scene ever put to film.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 30,872Chief of Staff
Comments
Chi Hon Tsoi , Game of Death pagoda opponent
Bruce Liang , kung fu actor......great kicker
Bud Cort , 90s Batman and Superman toon voice
Tom Noonan , Robocop 2
(Peter Greene shot himself in armpit.....weird)
40yrs since Adolfo Celi passed
BAFTA suffered an expletive laden night last night and has struggled with making immediate apologies to the two black stars who got the 'N' word involuntarily shouted at them.
I don't know what it is with these organisations that they need to 'consider' events before making an apology. Is it to do with admitting blame and fearing a legal injunction? I don't know.
They also forgot to mention in the Obits section that James Van Der Beek died. They dropped in Robert Duvall, so you wonder what made then unable to drop in James aka Dawson Leary aka The B### in Apartment 23, after all he died the same week.
I used to watch Dawson's Creek on Sundays usually with a hangover. Good looking actors spout dialogue and perform actions well above their character's ages and experience - all in a lovely photographed leafy suburbia. Van Der Beek had a Spielberg-type role as an aspiring filmmaker and his starryeyed look was a perfect fit and would often bring forth groans of frustration from this viewer - "Just say you love her, Dawson!" etc etc. Nonetheless a very enjoyable series, at least for the first three seasons.
He was good in Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, two movies that didn't quite set his cinema career alight, but I enjoyed them both at the time. Later, in a veiled impersonation of himself, he was hilarious in Don't Trust the B### in Apartment 23. He died too young, too too young. RIP.
Sad news - Neil Sedaka has died aged 86.
He did Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and this terrific song, Laughter in the Rain, a fave on my Dad's reel-to-reel. But you always thought listening to it that it had to be a female singer with the dreamiest vocal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtIibcNDQ6o&list=RDMtIibcNDQ6o&start_radio=1
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Sad indeed. I've been a fan all my life, saw him live, got most of his recordings. During the lockdown he gave mini-concerts on YouTube almost daily which I think are still available.
RIP Len Deighton, British spy author. Creator of "Harry Palmer"
I've loved his books most of my life, and read them multiple times. I think I'll be reading them again soon, and can't recommend them highly enough.
@Sir Miles , @CoolHandBond , @Silhouette Man
Very sad to hear of the death of Len Deighton, but at least he had a very good innings. Surely he's the last of the older authors (born in the 1920s) of the Golden Age of Spy Fiction? I love the Harry Palmer films and have them all on Blu-ray but have sadly never read any of Deighton's novels though I did read a bit of The Ipcress File years ago before giving up on it. I definitely need to get back to Deighton as his contribution to spy fiction is massive.
Yeah, The Ipcress File book is fairly different to the film, where Palmer doesn't get out of London for most of it. I think one episode of The Avengers had more in common with Deighton's Ipcress, it had Christopher Lee in it if I recall.
Deighton worked a bit on the film From Russia With Love, I think, though not noticeably and co-wrote much of the unused Warhead screenplay with Sean Connery.
There was a fine evening devoted to him on BBC4 less than a year ago, I think. I didn't go in for his cook book because it's very meat based (I lean towards being a pescatarian -fish mainly - these days) but I will do the thing he suggested of adding a teaspoon of water to the broken egg for an omelette, to compensate for the slight dehydration an egg endures from the moment it's hatched.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I recall back in January 2006 there was a Len Deighton Night on BBC Four where I think they showed a few of the Harry Palmer films and then broadcast an interesting new documentary/interview called "The Truth About Len Deighton". I taped it at the time and later acquired a broadcast DVD version of it from someone. It was a really good programme - thoroughly recommended.
RIP Len Deighton, not my fav spy author by a long chalk but well-regarded critically and commercially. Yes, probably the last of the writers from a golden age of espionage. [Is Adam Diment still alive?]
I believe Adam Diment (born 1943) is still alive and living in Kent. I tried to make contact with him a while ago via LinkedIn but predictably I heard nothing back. I did dig up a lot of research material on him though for a possible future article. The only other one I can think of from around that time who is still alive is Martin Waddell (born 1941) from Northern Ireland who created the character Otley, later filmed starring Tom Courtenay in the lead role.
This is very good obit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cervgrvekxzo
So sad to hear of Len Deighton’s death…I’ve read a few of his books…but my favourite of his is SS~GB, which I’ve read several times…RIP 🍸
Sorry to hear about the passing of Len Deighton. As like @Sir Miles I liked SS-GB very much.
From today's Express.
And from today's Times.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
RIP Chuck Norris 86. One of the great action stars of the ‘80’s.
Chuck Norris was one of the grand old men of action cinema. He even trained with Bruce Lee and fought him on screen. RIP.
His screen debut
"The Wrecking Crew" 1968 starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm (back to camera). Soon they'll be fighting
Legendary martial artist and writer. RIP Chuck Norris.
Nicolas Brandon, best known for playing Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. died aged 54. So many good memeories from watching that series. RIP.
Oh, no, Dawson, now Xander.... another great TV show loses another star....RIP Nicolas Brandon
A traditional online tribute to the late Chuck Norris.
Valerie Perrine died recently aged 82, with Parkinson's.
Here she is in Superman: The Movie - a neat, comic role for her.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Sad to read that Nick Pope has died aged 60. He was Britain’s UFO expert. He worked at the MoD investigating UFO phenomena and later as an author and broadcaster. RIP.
I was sorry to read that Joy Harmon passed away a couple of weeks ago. She was the blonde girl washing the car in Cool Hand Luke, the sexiest scene ever put to film.
I hadn’t heard he’d died…I’ve listened to him a fair bit.
Yes, I saw her obituary in the Times and thought of you, given your user name. Anyway I kept the obit and kept meaning to post it - here it is.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
In honor of Memorial Day, thank you to all who have served in the military. All over the world. Thank you for all your sacrifices.
Thanks, NP, it’s a good obituary.