Richard Harris

[cobus]

I was part of the SADF liaison team assisting in the shooting of "The Wild Geese" in Northern Transvaal, South Africa,



We all found Richard Harris to a most charming person to have around, no airs and graces totally without guile, as was Hardy Kruger.



We spent many a night round a Braai (barbecue) swopping lies and drinking Castle lager in the company of these two fine men.



cobus

[Freddy]

Many thanks for that Cobus. I assume SADF stands for South African Defence Force.



Hardy Kruger will be 80 now, last time I heard he was living in Africa. He is also a novelist.



regards



Freddy

[cobus]

Many thanks for that Cobus. I assume SADF stands for South African Defence Force.

Hardy Kruger will be 80 now, last time I heard he was living in Africa. He is also a novelist.



regards



Freddy

You are correct regarding the SADF, Freddy.



If I recall correctly Hardy Kruger had a game farm in Tanzania, but he gave it up for a bad job due to political intimidation by the locals. I was quite astounded to see how much he had aged (haven't we all!) when I watched a documentary he did about Franz von Werra (the role he played in "The one that got away").



His son starred in "Stauffenberg" a movie about the 20th of July plot to kill Hitler, the resemblance is there however. Hardy Kruger started his own cinema career starring in a III Reich propaganda movie "Junge Adler"



I found Richard Burton to be heavy going, bad news especially once the grog started flowing, he could be very condescending and arrogant, Roger Moore was somewhat aloof initially, but he was fairly easy going once you got to know him, but for a good time Richard Harris and Hardy Kruger were second to none.

[Azanti]

Cobus - one of my fave British movies if all time.



How was Richard Burton?

[jacobean]

I read in the Melvyn Bragg biog of Burton that his arthritis and back problems were particularly aggravating during filming which may account for his mood. You notice this as he drinks whiskey at Matteson's house - he lifts and drinks it in a very odd manner with both hands as if he was in severe pain.



Also in the book is the story that half of Harris's fee was withheld after he got drunk one night during the production - his contract stated that he wasn't allowed to. Of course I cannot be sure if this is true!!

[NappieB]

I was part of the SADF liaison team assisting in the shooting of "The Wild Geese" in Northern Transvaal, South Africa,

We spent many a night round a Braai (barbecue) swopping lies and drinking Castle lager in the company of these two fine men.



cobus

Cobus:



I briefly travelled in Africa in the late 60s with a colleague of the real Mike Hoare. When we were in Komatipoort (en route to what was then Lorenzo Marques) I remember drinking Castle Lager, Lion Ale and another beer called Rogue - all South African brews.



I think that Castle Lager is the only brand now remaining...shame really, I loved Rogue beer!

[wyngarde45]

john simpson says he interviewed Burton on location in africa finding him mourning the break up of marriage to taylor and shouting 'F*** OFF' to an assistant director when asked to come on set

[Azanti]

All lovely insights, thanks. I am certainly glad I got to meet Richard Harris in my lifetime.

[Freddy]

A lovely video of Mr. Harris and Mr. O'Toole at Twickenham

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOU3gDncP4k&amp;feature=relmfu" target="_blank">

[didi-5]

Great find Freddy! Thanks for sharing.

Richard Harris is very much missed ... a great actor and an interesting character. His book of poems (I, In The Membership of My Days) showed a writing talent, and of course his recording of MacArthur's Park is incredible.

[Nimuae]

I have the double LP of Richard and his three sons reading those poems - excellent. They are a very talented family !

[didi-5]

I didn't know there was an LP - I only have the book!

As for his sons I've watched Jared's career with interest and I know Damien went into directing, but is Jamie still in the business?

[Richard_in_wales]

The Northern Transvaal is beautiful, I spent a while there when living in Rhodesia a wonderful country.

[TimR]

The Northern Transvaal is beautiful, I spent a while there when living in Rhodesia a wonderful country.

Rhodesia - that sounds fascinating. I remember being so intrigued as a boy by what would it would have been like to live in those former colonies, while they had their old names.

[TimR]

What a gifted actor Richard Harris was, so much larger than life. I remember him in Cromwell and Man in the Wilderness around the same time. He was in Camelot - which I thought was terrible - but he was by far the best thing in it. He was also in The Molly Maguires at that time - a good, under-rated film.

[Nimuae]

I didn't know there was an LP - I only have the book!

As for his sons I've watched Jared's career with interest and I know Damien went into directing, but is Jamie still in the business?

Hi, didi, It is an excellent LP, maybe not to everyone's taste, but I like it and it is a good way of remembering an excellent actor. I was hoping that they would re-release it as a CD - but not so far. They have it on Amazon :-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/i-membership...5077691&sr=8-3.

The last thing I heard of Jamie being in was "The rise of the planet of the apes" last year. I think he has emigrated to america.

[Nimuae]

What a gifted actor Richard Harris was, so much larger than life. I remember him in Cromwell and Man in the Wilderness around the same time. He was in Camelot - which I thought was terrible - but he was by far the best thing in it. He was also in The Molly Maguires at that time - a good, under-rated film.

He was brilliant as Cromwell and in the Molly Maguires with Sean Connery - I have both of those - and Juggernaut, maybe not such a good film but a good romp. Camelot was dreadful - I did buy it just for RH and Vanessa Redgrave - the film itself is just too twee for my taste.

[didi-5]

Camelot is wonderful! But of course, we can't all like the same things.

[christoph404]

Richard Harris was a great theatre actor as well, I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in London in Pirandello's "HenryIV" ,must have been early 90s, and he gave an electrifying performance ,the best thing I've ever seen on a theatre stage on account of his performance, it was just brilliant.
I'd also second Tim R's view regarding The Molly Maquires, a very underrated film indeed with great performances from all the cast.

[Richard_in_wales]

Rhodesia - that sounds fascinating. I remember being so intrigued as a boy by what would it would have been like to live in those former colonies, while they had their old names.

It was certainly a better country when Rhodesia; a land of plenty back then, now they can barely feed themselves.