Norma Wisdom

Has anyone read this snide piece of 'journalism'? I must say I only read the Mail online for light entertainment - but this has seriously annoyed me:
The Weirdo Of St Trinian's: New book claims Alastair Sim had more than a scholarly interest in young girls | Mail Online

I posted this comment - but I doubt that they will use it:

A classic example of exploiting the dead; inference without evidence.
What kind of world are we living in when a good, kind man, who gave so much pleasure to his audience; is pulled apart in such an insidious fashion?
We do not own the lives of the people who entertain us - and Sim had every right to keep his public and private life separate. He didn't foist his beliefs on people or become part of the tawdry publicity machine - he remained true to himself.
I fail to see why an interest in the welfare of young people is so strange; particularly when Sim and his wife lost three babies. As to his wife being only 12 when they met; it sounds as though Sim behaved honourably by ensuring his future wife's mother was fully involved as a chaperone.
Of the children Sim and his wife cared for, only positive things have been said by Cole and Howard-Davies. Where are the 'tell all' accounts of life in the 'clutches' of the couple?
The gay slur is laughable – he was an ACTOR.

Oi! You've broken all our bottles! I'm telling Mr Grimsdale of you......

Andy H

Hi Norma. I've posted something very similar. I didn't save my post, but it went something like:

What does the author hope to achieve with this nasty book? It is an evil attack on a man long dead and unable to defend himself. How would he like it if I rifled through his bins and published my interpretation of his life?

Dame Starry

PLEASE NOTE: This article may not be representative of the actual book!

There was another recent article in the same newspaper supposedly about an autobiography on James Robertson Justice written by BritMovie's own 'Hoggers'.
James Hogg, the author, was furious as it bore no resemblence to the book that he had written!

It may be the journalist's own impression of Alistair Sim and completely separate to the actual autobiography to which it has been linked.

I, for one, would be interested to hear from somebody who has actually read this book.

DS x.

Norma Wisdom

Hi Andy,
You put it more far succinctly than I managed!
The author's 'bottom line' in this case can only be money - how sad that this will not buy him back his respect ( assuming it had a previous existence).
It is interesting that 'no comments have been posted' -well none framed in the barking mad language beloved of the Mail.
I've become accustomed to saving my postings to them, because invariably my responses are not 'in line' with their grubby thinking; I just wanted to let off steam at this poisonous piece..

Oi! You've broken all our bottles! I'm telling Mr Grimsdale of you......

Norma Wisdom

Hi Dame Starry,
I agree that the book and the article must be separated. However, I did refer to the piece as 'snide journalism'.
Such a piece is utterly in line with the ethos of the Daily Mail. They like to quote out of context and serve up only the 'juiciest' morsels.
However, by its very nature, the author's rationale for a biography needs closer interrogation than that for an autobiography.
As to the Simpson book - I cannot wait to read it - and will re- read Dance and Skylark so that I can make comparisions between a reported life and a lived one.

Oi! You've broken all our bottles! I'm telling Mr Grimsdale of you......

Harleybloke

I love Sim but I will keep a mile away from such a book.

Sim? The man was genius, not the first word that comes to mind about this Journo.....

.....You couldn't hear it, if they were shooting at me with howitzers!

Harbottle

Good grief what a tawdry enterprise. I like the suggestion that Sim was obviously gay as he dressed in woman's clothing for the St Trinian's films! I suppose we must now suspect Dickie Attenborough of being a mass murderer due to his starring role in 10 Rillington Place The fact that the "writer" of this tome regards Alastair Sim as having 'limited acting ability' tells us all we need to know about the competence of this purveyor of trash.

Dame Starry makes a very good point though about how the contents of the book may have been twisted by this 'newspaper'.

Wicked Lady

I don't know Harbottle, Dickie was a little too convincing in 10 Rillington Place for my liking. But I get your point.

It's funny how different sectors of the Arts are judged for their behaviour, isn't it? If the article had read "Bon Scott had more than a passing interest in young girls" nobody would have cared less.

I tend to take anything the Mail says with a large lump of salt. They are the lowest form of sensationalist gossip mongers. And the whole bally lot of them are unfit to clean Mr Sim's dearly departed boots.

hoggers

When I first made contact with the DM it was "oh what a wonderful book" and "he was such an interesting character" etc. I then signed a contract that promised "a true and accurate reflection of the work" so I stupidly expected just that.

It's true that sales increase after these articles are published, but sometimes at a price. The JRJ article was vitriolic in the extreme, bore no resemblance to the book and caused a great deal of upset to a lot of JRJ's friends; a few of whom had contributed to the book. I was left with a lot of bridges to build and unfortunately there are still one or two people who won't speak to me as a result of what was printed.

I'm going to stick to interviews on local radio stations next time!

Steve Crook

If you don't contact them and they decide to write about it - they'll print whatever they like to make it sound as scandalous as possible.


Whereas if you do contact them and get interviewed by them - they'll still print whatever they like to make it sound as scandalous as possible

Steve

orpheum

There is an article in the Daily Express and it highlights the matters referred to in the Mail.I dont think that you can blame the papers entirely on this.If the author has written these things about his subject then you cant expect the press to ignore them,particularly as tjhey can keep in all the innuendo without fear of being sued.
Yet can i just say that just because he was one of the greatest actors of the 20th Century we cannot expect any biography to hide ant faults that he had.

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

hoggers

You've hit the nail on the head Steve. Best just left alone unless you're happy to give them carte blanche.. Contracts with these people mean nothing.

Wee Sonny MacGregor

Unless I'm mistaken it's the same journo who did the business on Hoggers' book. In that case I'd read the book and could see where the hack had put in the innuendo. I guess it will be the same with this book. No sense in blaming the author when the book's not out.

What's odd about the article is that, apart from suggesting, ludicrously, that Sim had limited acting ability, it can't quite make its mind up whether he was a paedophile, gay or a crossdresser, or all three! Only the feeble minded will take the Mail's article seriously.

Valerie

Alistair Sim was a genius!! When are they going to bring out Laughter in Paradise on DVD? this is one of my favourite comedy films.

Val

Better the chaos of creativity than the tidiness of idleness.

Gazza

I'm afraid in the eyes of the DM, they're all the same thing.

Reading that article made me sad for all sorts of reasons.