Remembering Oliver Reed...

[SirOllyBolly]

Originally Posted by stevie boy I Loved Olly Reed, he was larger than life, and also a very good actor people sometimes forget this

He certainly was gifted - but sadly people tend to remember his chat shows appearances rather than his earlier film successes.

Just watch The Devils or Women In Love to get a taste of Ollie's enourmous talent and undobuted on-screen charisma.

YouTube: A tribute to The Devils

[moonfleet]

Great actor was Mr Reed, great drinker too but that made the full of him.
I do like him in K.Russell's - Love-, T.Fisher's - Night of the werewolf- and T.Gilliam's -Time Bandits-

[moonfleet]

....And I hardly tried to find - The Devils- in dvd

[SirOllyBolly]

Originally Posted by moonfleet Great actor was Mr Reed, great drinker too but that made the full of him. I do like him in K.Russell's - Love-, T.Fisher's - Night of the werewolf- and T.Gilliam's -Time Bandits-

T. Gilliam's Adventures of Baron Munchausen is what I'm sure you meant.

[harryfielder]

Thank you Sir O.B. I just watched the clips from The Devils (it's the first time I've seen the film)
I got to work on the film in 1970 as stand/in to Dudley Sutton for 16 weeks.
I thought this was Olivers best role and will buy it as soon as I can on DVD.
Here's some of my memories from 38 years ago.

1971
THE DEVILS…Director…Ken Russell…
Oliver Reed…Vanessa Redgrave…Dudley Sutton…
I worked for about sixteen weeks on this film standing/in for Dudley and doing every crowd scene possible..
From the first day on set I could not believe what I was seeing.
A bevy of young girls dressed as Nuns walking around the set topless.
Reg Prince, who was Oliver Reeds stand/in said to me ‘’Stop looking Aitch, or you’ll go blind’’
I said ‘’I’ll risk one eye’’.
After the first couple of days it was back to looking at the Racing Post.
I thought this film was Dudley’s finest performance. How he could remember all those very long speeches was beyond me.. (That’s the difference between an actor and a supporting artist)
As I said, I got involved in many of the crowd scenes. Some days we had six Crowd Artists and another time six hundred.
After a couple of months Ted Morley the 1st A.D. said ‘’Come in at six in the morning Aitch, Ken’s got a little job for you’’ (Be wary of Ken’s little jobs)
I’m in the make up room bright and early the next day standing in just my underpants. (Not a pretty sight at six in the morning)
I’m painted off/white and grey and have rags tied about certain parts of my body.
One of the make up girls pours some rice crispies into a bowl. (I’m thinking it must be breakfast time.)
Then glue is applied one side of my face, shoulders and body and the rice is stuck on.
After that they’re painted yellow, red and a few other colours and it looks like I’ve got the plague. (That was the plan in the first place)
It’s nearly eight o clock now and I’m told I can go over to the Pinewood canteen and have a quick breakfast then go straight onto the set which was on the back lot..
The canteen was packed when I entered but within seconds I had a table to myself. (I wonder why?)
Later on at the back lot they’ve dug a huge crater and filled it up with raggedly dressed dummies and I’m going to lay on the top.. This is the plague pit and I’m starring. Murrey Melvin was blessing our poor disfigured bodies.
I had a smoke while they were lighting the set and it reminded me of that cigar advert Where the man is all at peace with his lot.. I thought to myself ‘’Is this it Aitch, on the scrap heap at thirty one years old’’
Another of Ken’s little jobs was to dress me up as a giant crow and to get drowned in the Pinewood pond. (Under the supervision of Peter Braham, Stunt Director)
Now in theory it’s quite easy to do. You float in the pond then sink into three foot of water whilst holding a plastic bottle of air in one hand and another one of blood in the other hand…(Simple)
As you sink you squeeze the bottles and the air and blood rise to the surface.
(Now here’s the rub)
The giant crows feathers wont let me sink.
After about ten minutes the brains on the film come up with plan B.
They will drop a huge weight with a steel ring in it to the bottom of the pond, then tie a rope around my waist under the feathers then through the steel ring.
Pass the rope To the three prop men standing on the other side of the pond and they will pull me under the water. (It gets worse)
By now I’ve been in the water for nearly an hour and I’m getting cold. The fish in the pond have got the hump with me and have started nibbling at the feathers and certain other parts of my anatomy. A couple of large brandies help with the cold and we’re Ready for a take. (Let’s do it) (now here’s the plot.)
I’m floating on the top and on a cue the prop men will pull me down to the bottom
As I’m releasing air and blood.. (Big thought) What about my own air supply.???
How will the prop men know when I’ve run out of air to breathe so that they can release the rope. Another large brandy and it’s decided that when I pull on the rope they will release it their end.
Well to cut an even longer story short the idea worked and after about six takes (And Six more brandies) Ken got what he wanted.


OLIVER REED IN KEN RUSSELL’S…THE DEVILS.
The moral of this story is, don’t mix brandy and water. (Oh happy days)
The photo was signed to my wife Mary.
The Devils was a great film to work on and I’d like to thank all the cast and crew for making it such a fun time.
I’d like to say a very special thanks to the wonderful 2nd A.D. Mr. Vincent Winters.
Vincent was a child actor and his great claim to fame was the film ‘’THE KIDNAPPERS’’ Made in the fifties. He played the younger of the two brothers who find a baby on the Scottish Moors and want to call it Rover... (A wonderful film)
I had a row with him twenty years later and never got to say sorry.
Vincent has since died and I’m still sorry. (God bless)

Aitch,

[Grey Wyler]

I was working on front desk duties on the night of the premiere of THE BRUCE in Glasgow. A civic reception was held before hand, with the usual local politicians, five minute VIPS and coat tail riders. There was mild excitement amongst staff at the prospect of seeing Reed, and the usual speculation about him being pissed.

I always try and make it look as if i am not in the slightest interested when confronted by a star or celebrity, and to be honest i did not rate the man too highly. He turned up about 10 minutes late, slightly the worse for wear, and accompanied by two trendy young self important nothings who wanted to whisk him upstairs to the drinks reception as quickly as possible for a photo call. The man was not for budging though, a fierce but friendly handshake and he chatted for several minutes about the city, the film and as friend he hoped to bump into.
Totally starstruck fopr the first and only time in my puff. It just did not seem forced, there was almost a gentleness to him. Something i will never forget.

One movie well worth seeking out is Sergio Sollima's Revolver starring Reed and Fabio Testi, an absolute belter of a film.

Bless you, Oliver Reed. A true star in every way

[dremble wedge]

Originally Posted by Grey Wyler I was working on front desk duties on the night of the premiere of THE BRUCE in Glasgow. Bless you, Oliver Reed. A true star in every way

I wonder if Ollie knew just how popular he was?

I went to see The Bruce at the cinema in the summer of 1996 - it was on for one night only and I was the first into the auditorium. Upon purchasing and then taking my ticket the staff asked about the film as it was only having one screening and it seemed a bit of a mystery to them.

"Oliver Reed's in it" I said by way of explanation.

"Really? Brilliant!" they replied nodding with satisfaction.

No more needed to be said. There was a great deal of residual affection for the chap as his rare cinematic appearances in his last decade were greeted with delight from audiences in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Funny Bones and The Return of the Musketeers when I saw them.

[batman]

Originally Posted by Grey Wyler Totally starstruck fopr the first and only time in my puff. It just did not seem forced, there was almost a gentleness to him. Something i will never forget. Bless you, Oliver Reed. A true star in every way

That sounds like the Ollie I met. A wonderful and genuine man.

[stevie boy]

there is a book out about,Reed,Harris,Burton & O'Toole, looks good

[moonfleet]

Originally Posted by SirOllyBolly T. Gilliam's Adventures of Baron Munchausen is what I'm sure you meant.

Yes, it was "Munchausen" of course
M.