essaljay

The one man to me who was kindness personified was Bernard Bresslaw. I saw the carry on team in “Carry on London” at the Victoria Palace on three separate nights and went to the stage door each time after the performance. I’m not saying the cast were against giving autographs, that would be wrong. But some felt better about giving them than others. But Bernard Bresslaw absolutely shone. He was an imposing man standing 6 feet 7 inches dressed in a huge overcoat but he came out of the theatre each night with a smile as big as his face, chatting and laughing with everybody. On one occasion 2 coaches of pensioners were boarding just outside and he climbed aboard each one wondering up and down the seats chatting to everybody and on each of the nights I saw him he wouldn’t leave until he had satisfied himself that there were no more autographs or photos required. It’s funny, you meet some people in life and you think “This is a good man” or, as my dad used to call them “one of nature’s gentleman”. This term definitely applied to Bernard Bresslaw

Maralyn

Wrote to Peter Cushing years ago a few times and he was so nice and answered my letters and gave me some advice about becoming an actress(I was about to go off to Drama School at the time).

Christopher Lee who bothered after a literary discussion on Bram Stoker and the Dracula myth, to allow a few of us to gather around whilst he talked about his genuine interest in the subject. He was a perfect gentlemen!

Dear Dickie Attenborough who spent some time discussing Gandhi with me at an art exhibition preview. He held my hand the whole time he was talking to me and although I was nervous he managed to make me feel really relaxed. What an absolute sweety he is!

Almost bumped into Anthony Hopkins once (but don't really think this counts) when running to work . I was very late at the time. I was crossing over from the Ritz and I saw this short heavy man looking as if he thought I would mow him down. In that second, I realised it was him. I did not stop and he looked very relieved.

John Mills opened a gate for me once at the little church at Denham village when we were out walking one day with friends. He was with Lady Mills and although he was just about to turn eighty at the time could have passed for much younger. He smiled at us and I'm afraid I was so stunned at the time I didn't thank him. How ignorant is that! So it can sometimes be the fans who are the rude ones.

Lastly was once introduced by an aqaintance to the actor Paul Shelly he was very charming.

Maralyn

fooboo

Probably an obscure one for most but Huw Euron who plays Darren Howarth in "Pobol Y Cwm" is my mate from Uni :P

Steve Crook

He is, lovely man

Oh, I almost forgot. I was on the same flight back from the 2002 San Sebastian film festival as Bob Hoskins. As everyone gathered around the luggage carousel I waited for the right moment. Then I went up to him and asked "Can I shake the hand that throttled Roger Rabbit?". He laughed at that, shook my hand and we chatted for a while. A very nice bloke

Steve

kelp

I mentioned this some time ago, but when I was serving my Military Service at Windsor, I used to drive in from home. Every day, quite early I would pass through Datchet and as I passed by, Donald would give me a cheery wave, as if to say, just you and me up at this time of the day. Then I went on leave for a couple of weeks. Upon my return to barracks, I went through the village and there he was in his garden, and he gave me thumbs up, as if to say Your back then. This went on for about a year on and off. We never actually spoke to each other, but I felt like a friend. What a sad loss when he died.
Then of course I worked for Jerry Lewis the American comedian. Lots of people have differing opinions of Mr Lewis. I can only say that he was always kind to me as a young man just starting out in the business. We have remained in contact since those far off days. At 81 he is still writing and preparing for a stage production of The Nutty Professor. I hear Richard Beltzer is helping out.
Like Aitch, I have and still do meet some really obnoxious people, who are so up themselves they make you sick, but just stay away from them. No names no pack drill.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR...YOU MAY GET IT!

McGill

He was very good indeed, although not as good as Gregory Peck, it's also one of my favourite books & films too, and I went with some trepidation as it was also the first time I've been to the theatre but I needn't have worried it was a superb production.

smudge

Another meeting that sticks in the memory was Ewar Woowar (Edward Woodward) and the wonderful Michel Dotrice. Not wanting to miss the chance of meeting 'Callan' face to face a small group of us (dare I say older?) chaps were lurking outside the stage door of our local theatre one chilly Saturday afternoon.

When EW & MD arrived they were very friendly. MD jokingly criticised me for taking her picture whilst she was in her pre-performance curlers. Some of the other cast members had spirited themselves away in the theatre, ignoring or avoiding our small group. Michele actually asked if we'd got everyone else's signatures, to which we had to say no.

No problem - after our chats and getting them back into the theatre with a few hard bangs of the door (the door-keeper had gone AWOL!) MD whisks up our programmes and 5 mins later they arrive back, fully signed. That is 'above and beyond' in my books !

Next day I made sure she got a copy of AND SOON THE DARKNESS, as she said she hadn't seen it in years...

Top couple !

Smudge

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Steve Crook

Except by Victoria Wood, he's a regular member of her repertory company. I particularly liked him in VW's drama Pat and Margaret (1994)

Steve

batman

Some more I have remembered. While 'resting' I did several brief stints as a waiter. The nicest people who come immediately to mind were .... Brian Murphy, Aimi MacDonald, Paul Daniels, Midge Ure, Wayne Sleep and 'Fascinating Aida'. All of them were courteous and polite and good tippers too!

Bats.

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Azanti

Fell, seems we know some of the same people. Some of the actors below are close friends of mine, some friends and some I have have met through work but all of them are lovely, professional and generous people.

Jason Flemygn - sitting at the end of bed in the hospital with a bacon sarnie for me, when I came two after being unconcious for two days.

Danny Webb - fantastic versatile British actor of stage, screen and film who is criminally underated.

Lindsay Coulson - Spoke to on numerous ocasions.

Todd Carty - lead the standing ovation of the audience to a theatre piece I was involved with.

Donald Sumpter - Another crimally underated supporting British actor

Charlotte Coleman - Kind, generous, talented and sadly no longer with us.

Annabelle Absion - (excuse spelling) warm, kind person

James Hazeldene - very kindly came to see a play I invited him to, shortly before his death.

Mark Strong, Lesley Manville - both left lovely messages for me on my answer phone and two of the best British actors around.

Last and by no means least - The great Dame Judi Dench, probably the nicest person I have ever met in the business, and I have been very fortunate to have been invited to have a glass of plonk with her on several ocasions. She is not only an incredible actor but the warmest human being I have met in my lifetime.

Dame Starry

I have long had a great affection for both Danny Webb and Donald Sumpter - the latter having recently been seen as Connie Beauchamp's father in "Holby City" - and have always thought that neither gets the deserved recognition; it's nice to know of somebody who has actually met both to confirm that they are also rather nice in real life - and, of course, all the others you mention as well.

Thank you for that,

Starry x.

batman

Peter Ustinov came to give a speech at a place where I had been working .... I was told to follow him round with a video camera. He asked me what I was doing and when I explained he became very grumpy. not with me but with the fact that I had been told to do this. He was OK with me but when he met the director he tore him off a strip. He was less grumpy after that. I spoke with his PA who said they had been stuck in the car for about 4 hrs due to the driver getting lost! During dinner, which he was to speak after, he invited me to sit at his table as long as I put the camera away, which I did. It transpired he was afraid that his speech would be recorded. A very mercurial man but blessed with great charm. I enjoyed my brief time in his company.

Bats.

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orpheum

My late father met Ustinov by the pool at the Tel Aviv Hilton many years ago>Ustinov told my dad that when he had jsut got out of customs at the airport and was asked by an Isreali journalist "What is your first impression of Israel" to which Ustinov looked at him and replied"You".
I was fortunate enough to see ustinov lecture at the NFT andf years later at the THeatre Royal Haymarket.He was a very talented man and a superb raconteur.We are all that much poorer for his passing.

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

Dame Starry

You lucky bas.......thing!

YDSL x.

Dame Starry

"D'you know what I mean, darlings?"

Whatever happened to her? She was lovely.

YDSL x.