Yes he was in Fincher’s TGWTDT, as the grandfather(?) of the girl who went missing. Also in another favourite of mine, The Man Who Would Be King as Kipling.
As you say NP, he did seem to be going from strength to strength at his age doing such high profile films, so something of a shock hearing of his passing. IMDB are recording the cause as complications after a fall, which is sad.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
There's an excellent full-page tribute to Plummer in today's Times.
It does seem in the 60s you had various clubs of actors. Plummer's obit talks of his great stage roles and his heavy drinking which was par for the course back then. Or was it - Burton, Harris and O'Toole did all that, but then you had another bunch of actors such as Connery and Caine who trod a different path - never trod the boards to speak of, but went straight from rep into telly work and then the big screen. Moore, too. Connery might have hung out with the heavy drinking crowd but he was never quite in that club and I think I read that Caine pretty much gave up on drink some time later, could be wrong about that. He certainly never did drugs.
It does seem that it's the fall that does it for you past a certain age... Des O'Conner went that way too, though he was pictured laughing and giving the thumbs up through his window during lockdown just a while before.
Was Plummer ever considered for Bond? Although I think he was Canadian, he had somewhat of a British accent. He took over the role of Sir Charles Litton, in "The Return of the Pink Panther" (1975) from David Niven. I remember thinking he was pretty suave, and brought some of the charm Roger Moore was at the time demonstrating as 007.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
Was Plummer ever considered for Bond? Although I think he was Canadian, he had somewhat of a British accent. He took over the role of Sir Charles Litton, in "The Return of the Pink Panther" (1975) from David Niven. I remember thinking he was pretty suave, and brought some of the charm Roger Moore was at the time demonstrating as 007.
I'm not sure about Bond but I know he was offered the role of rival spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File (1965) but he turned it down to star in The Sound of Music (1965), something he later regretted.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Funny, isn't it? Whether he likes it or not, The Sound of Music was a legendary role for Plummer. And, of course, Harry Palmer was the defining role for Michael Caine - you just can't see Plummer in that role, not least because of his resemblance both physically and in manner to Guy 'Count Lippe' Doleman as Palmer's superior, Ross.
On the subject, it was rumoured that Connery might have been in the running for the Captain Von Trapp role in SoM. You can sort of see it, but Plummer knocked it out of the ball park. Nobody Mickey-takes Plummer's English accent for that film (Canadian Shamadian) but the Scottish Connery would have been ribbed for his 'Austrian' accent.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
Funny, isn't it? Whether he likes it or not, The Sound of Music was a legendary role for Plummer. And, of course, Harry Palmer was the defining role for Michael Caine - you just can't see Plummer in that role, not least because of his resemblance both physically and in manner to Guy 'Count Lippe' Doleman as Palmer's superior, Ross.
On the subject, it was rumoured that Connery might have been in the running for the Captain Von Trapp role in SoM. You can sort of see it, but Plummer knocked it out of the ball park. Nobody Mickey-takes Plummer's English accent for that film (Canadian Shamadian) but the Scottish Connery would have been ribbed for his 'Austrian' accent.
Yes, things often work out for the best though it may not seem like it at the time for those who miss out or feel disappointed that they didn't get one role over the other. As one door closes another door opens.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Saddened to read of the death of Peter Lawrence, not a celebrity but a father who went to his grave without knowing what happened to his daughter, Claudia, RIP.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
There was an Internet cafe round the back of John Lewis in Oxford Street... lacking a computer back then I would visit it, paying a quid an hour to post, often enough on this website. This was over a decade ago, it's long shut.
I recall going in as Peter Lawrence was coming out, I'm pretty sure it was him. He had an ethereal happy-go-lucky gleam about him that only those who are really going through the wars and trying to make the best of it can have, sort of 'keep smiling through' or else you cry.
There are hints and whispers of what happened to his daughter, Claudia, namely in terms of her being murdered I mean, and I don't really know why this captured my imagination more than some of the other missing persons investigations. It's all so awful, it really is, and again the investigation was affected by the usual pseudo slut-shaming, the idea that being. woman not wholly forthcoming about her private life or sex life, she somehow 'had it coming' or what have you. State operators such as the police but also social services do like to perpetuate the idea that someone 'had it coming' or there's another side to it all, to mitigate from their own investigative shortcomings.
It's all so awful, it really is, you feel for everyone involved.
Ronald Pickup has died aged 80, RIP. He was in Never Say Never Again, but I’ll always remember him as the forger that got too greedy for Edward Fox’s liking in The Day of the Jackal.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
Ronald Pickup has died aged 80, RIP. He was in Never Say Never Again, but I’ll always remember him as the forger that got too greedy for Edward Fox’s liking in The Day of the Jackal.
RIP Ronald Pickup. He's one of those actors who pops up in many films that I like. One moment always stands out to me. He has the most dramatic line in the later Forsyth adaptation, The Fourth Protocol.
"It's the detonator for a bomb..(very long dramatic pause)...an atomic bomb!"
It's been reported on various Bond sources, that Bill Cartlidge has died. He was an assistant director on YOLT and an associate producer in TSWLM and Moonraker.
His commentaries with Michael Wilson and Lewis Gilbert are really funny.
RIP,Bill
Have you ever heard of the Emancipation Proclamation?"
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
Yes he was, met him at Pinewood twice. He had a lot of time for the fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Also a very funny man, RIP.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,672MI6 Agent
edited March 2021
Sad to hear of the death yesterday of film voiceover artist Nikki van der Zyl, aged 85. She was a largely unsung contributor to the earlier Bond films. As well as her dubbing of many of the Bond girls she was also the English coach to Gert Frobe on the set of Goldfinger. Quite a career.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Comments
Plummer was of course great in The Sound of Music although
Wasn't he in another Craig film aside from Knives Out - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo?
Guess I'm dumb but I thought that he'd have a few years in him yet seeing as he was still working in his 90s.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Showed his espionage chops in the wartime spy thriller TRIPLE CROSS
A great loss. Can't believe he was 91 !
As you say NP, he did seem to be going from strength to strength at his age doing such high profile films, so something of a shock hearing of his passing. IMDB are recording the cause as complications after a fall, which is sad.
It does seem in the 60s you had various clubs of actors. Plummer's obit talks of his great stage roles and his heavy drinking which was par for the course back then. Or was it - Burton, Harris and O'Toole did all that, but then you had another bunch of actors such as Connery and Caine who trod a different path - never trod the boards to speak of, but went straight from rep into telly work and then the big screen. Moore, too. Connery might have hung out with the heavy drinking crowd but he was never quite in that club and I think I read that Caine pretty much gave up on drink some time later, could be wrong about that. He certainly never did drugs.
It does seem that it's the fall that does it for you past a certain age... Des O'Conner went that way too, though he was pictured laughing and giving the thumbs up through his window during lockdown just a while before.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I'm not sure about Bond but I know he was offered the role of rival spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File (1965) but he turned it down to star in The Sound of Music (1965), something he later regretted.
On the subject, it was rumoured that Connery might have been in the running for the Captain Von Trapp role in SoM. You can sort of see it, but Plummer knocked it out of the ball park. Nobody Mickey-takes Plummer's English accent for that film (Canadian Shamadian) but the Scottish Connery would have been ribbed for his 'Austrian' accent.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Yes, things often work out for the best though it may not seem like it at the time for those who miss out or feel disappointed that they didn't get one role over the other. As one door closes another door opens.
You're aptly quoting a line from The Sound of Music!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Totally accidentally on my part. Believe it or not, I've never seen it!
I doubt she's heading for the same place as Phil Spector.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I recall going in as Peter Lawrence was coming out, I'm pretty sure it was him. He had an ethereal happy-go-lucky gleam about him that only those who are really going through the wars and trying to make the best of it can have, sort of 'keep smiling through' or else you cry.
There are hints and whispers of what happened to his daughter, Claudia, namely in terms of her being murdered I mean, and I don't really know why this captured my imagination more than some of the other missing persons investigations. It's all so awful, it really is, and again the investigation was affected by the usual pseudo slut-shaming, the idea that being. woman not wholly forthcoming about her private life or sex life, she somehow 'had it coming' or what have you. State operators such as the police but also social services do like to perpetuate the idea that someone 'had it coming' or there's another side to it all, to mitigate from their own investigative shortcomings.
It's all so awful, it really is, you feel for everyone involved.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Saw him do a show two years ago. Fantastic, I believe he really was unparalleled when it came to what he did.
RIP Ronald Pickup. He's one of those actors who pops up in many films that I like. One moment always stands out to me. He has the most dramatic line in the later Forsyth adaptation, The Fourth Protocol.
"It's the detonator for a bomb..(very long dramatic pause)...an atomic bomb!"
Just read that former Liverpool player and football pundit Ian St John, “Saint” to Jimmy Greaves’ “Greavsie”, has died aged 82, RIP.
Yes I thought Pickup was terrific. Although why he chose to play that particular part as Welsh I don't know! :)
Sad to hear of the death of Ronald Pickup from NSNA and many other films.
Very sad to hear of the passing of the great Ian St. John, a true Liverpool legend...aged 82
RIP Saint 🍸
It's been reported on various Bond sources, that Bill Cartlidge has died. He was an assistant director on YOLT and an associate producer in TSWLM and Moonraker.
His commentaries with Michael Wilson and Lewis Gilbert are really funny.
RIP,Bill
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Yes, I saw that today on Ajay Chowdhury's account on Instagram. Not seen anything on Wikipedia yet or from news sources. Sad news.
I saw the news of Bill's passing on JBR FB page.
He was very funny in those commentaries. I never had the chance to meet him. But he came across as a lovely man
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Yes he was, met him at Pinewood twice. He had a lot of time for the fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures. Also a very funny man, RIP.
Sad to hear of the death yesterday of film voiceover artist Nikki van der Zyl, aged 85. She was a largely unsung contributor to the earlier Bond films. As well as her dubbing of many of the Bond girls she was also the English coach to Gert Frobe on the set of Goldfinger. Quite a career.