Should we? Or Should we not? That is the question!

[Moor Larkin]

The fact that he was gay would only affect his fans to the extent that Rock's appeal was based on their sexual fantasies of him.

Romantic fantasies... please........

I must confess that the somewhat confused publicity about Jodie Foster makes my romantic fantasies about her characterisations and the *dreams* her characters form in my own head as I watch a movie, no different. So far as she is personally concerned I seem to think, "So what - I aint ever gonna meet her anyway". But I'm inclined to wonder that if she started banging on about it all the time (like Ann Heche did), then perhaps I'd think differently..... because she would just *break the spell* somehow..... But then again, I'm not sure because she acts so well.

It's the problem when *personal personality* gets mixed up with *stage personality* I suppose. I wonder if people would have found Tony Hancock so funny, if they had known he was so miserable and addicted to alcoholic at the same time we were laughing at (with) him. Now of course, he's dead, so it makes no difference to how funny he seems to be, in old footage.

[didi-5]

I think Rock Hudson retains a firm (but possibly ageing) female fanbase too.... even if he was *lying* through his beautiful teeth.

Not lying ... acting. What went on in his private life made no difference to the fact he was a good actor and gorgeous with it. So what if he liked the boys rather than the girls?

[Sgt Sunshine]

I do believe Jennifer Connelly has yet to make a film that I would not want to see......Amazingly that doesn't hold true for all the Godessess...



Cheers
Sgt S

[CaptainWaggett]

It's the problem when *personal personality* gets mixed up with *stage personality* I suppose. I wonder if people would have found Tony Hancock so funny, if they had known he was so miserable and addicted to alcoholic at the same time we were laughing at (with) him. Now of course, he's dead, so it makes no difference to how funny he seems to be, in old footage.

Hancock comes over as pretty miserable in the Face to Face interview (as does Adam Faith who, IIRC, fails to come up with anything he actually enjoyed about being a superstar ).

[alan french]

Hi,
Just tuned in.

It seems to me that we public seem to have differing attitudes. There are some people we seem to still follow in films and records, while others we seem to come down hard on.

I remember Eddie Fisher was a popular singer. He made a television special for us in the UK. It got all the publicity, and yet it was a flop. It came in the wake of him having an affair. This may have been the reason his show failed to attract. And other stars also have affairs and they still continue to have success.

There has been reference to Jonathan King and Gary Glitter. Their sexual activities have ruined their carrears. Michael Jackson was investigated, but his case was dropped. Irrespective what people thought, he still had a huge following.

I am a great rock 'n' roll fan. Some heroes in that genre have had reputations. In the case of Jerry Lee Lewis, his carrear did take a down turn, but it has since come back. Phil Spector produced some great records. When I hear them now, I think what a pity this man has committed murder. Why did he spoil his carrear?

If I was to judge whether I like a record or not, because the star is not nice, would I buy any records? Would I watch any films?

It seems some people, we may sympathise, while others, we feel very strongly against. Even if it means avoiding their work.

Am I perfect? Jokingly, I say, apart from my faults I am. Who am I to Judge? But in some cases the edge of enjoyment can be spoiled. I seem a little mixed up myself on this. But I think it is an important question.

Alan French.

[Moor Larkin]

Not lying ... acting. What went on in his private life made no difference to the fact he was a good actor and gorgeous with it. So what if he liked the boys rather than the girls?

I agree with you but so what if John Wayne was whatever he was? [see upthread] It's the same question but is it the same answer?

Hancock comes over as pretty miserable in the Face to Face interview (as does Adam Faith who, IIRC, fails to come up with anything he actually enjoyed about being a superstar.

Yes, I guess Hancock was well-known to be *miserable*, but then that was also his comedic persona, so it all fitted perhaps. The tragic clown is not unusual I guess and certainly the endless angst of Barrymore before his disaster only seemed to add to his popularity amongst the mass audience at the time.

As to Adam Faith, I would have had him down as 'serious-minded' rather than miserable. I think he very early recognised his pop fame as the mirage of the lucky moment, and turned to more sustainable ways of making his living.

[Steve Crook]

As to Adam Faith, I would have had him down as 'serious-minded' rather than miserable. I think he very early recognised his pop fame as the mirage of the lucky moment, and turned to more sustainable ways of making his living.

He wasn't very happy after he tried to become a financial advisor - and lost all his money. He was declared bankrupt owing £32 million

Steve

[Moor Larkin]

He wasn't very happy after he tried to become a financial advisor - and lost all his money. He was declared bankrupt owing £32 million

He lived a roller-coaster of a life in many ways.....

Michael Winner, who'd invested with Levitt after an introduction from Faith, remarked: 'Adam Faith is to financial advice what Frank Bruno is to English literature.'
Read more: Budgie goes bankrupt | Mail Online

[CaptainWaggett]

I agree with you but so what if John Wayne was whatever he was? [see upthread] It's the same question but is it the same answer?

Yes, I guess Hancock was well-known to be *miserable*, but then that was also his comedic persona, so it all fitted perhaps. The tragic clown is not unusual I guess and certainly the endless angst of Barrymore before his disaster only seemed to add to his popularity amongst the mass audience at the time.

As to Adam Faith, I would have had him down as 'serious-minded' rather than miserable. I think he very early recognised his pop fame as the mirage of the lucky moment, and turned to more sustainable ways of making his living.

Fraith is only about 20 in his Face to Face interview. He seems completely stumped when asked what is the best this about being a pop star (but that may be because he wasn't allowed see say 'unlimited sex with groupies' )

The best thing about the Hancock interview is that Freeman seems to believe that his middle name really is Aloysius

[Moor Larkin]

Fraith is only about 20 in his Face to Face interview. He seems completely stumped when asked what is the best this about being a pop star (but that may be because he wasn't allowed see say 'unlimited sex with groupies' )

Maybe he thought the interviewer was too serious-minded, even for him....... I gather a friend of Hancock's says it was after that Face to Face interview that Hancock veered completely off the rails..... Too much *self-analysis*.

My thoughts about Faith as a young man stem largely from an interview with him that I came across, in a magazine from about 1961/62 (forget which), where he talks about his *fame* being ephemeral. He also said that Danger Man was the best thing on TV and would benefit from being given a full hour. He had good taste and was quite a prescient young man too, it seemed to me.

[TomDaws]

My dislike of the Gallagher brothers has certainly made me disinclined to listen to Oasis.

[Mark O]

My dislike of the Gallagher brothers has certainly made me disinclined to listen to Oasis.

Yes, Liam called George Harrison a 'nipple', and called americans 'silly yanks', Noel said illegal drugs were 'acceptable', they both admited that pre-fame they used to break into vehicles and steal radios, having had that happen to me a few times in the 1980's and the anger I felt I wish they'd been prosecuted.

[GRAEME]

Since I don't need to believe that William Powell was really in love with Myrna Loy, I'd find it interesting (though suprising!) if I discovered one of them was gay but it wouldn't spoil my enjoyment of their films. But someone recently said, on this forum, that they rarely found gay men believable as leading men so I suppose it depends how much you can suspend your disbelief. Clearly some gay actors do have a fanbase that refuse to accept reality (which I always find slightly puzzling - is Kevin Spacey's sexuality really the only thing that's keeping us apart? )

Personally, I like the fact that I might have a chance with Kevin. That always adds a frisson to my repeated viewings of Fred Claus during the festive season ...

[cassidy]

I believe that stories came out about Bing Crosby's family life after his death, and Dean Martins daughter also had some moans about her father, but these guys did their job entertaining Joe Public. My own personal dislike is Jonathon Ross (what he and his mate Brand did to Andrew Sachs was beneath contempt) and there are others who seem to think that the F word is the best way to become popular on TV.

[Tigon Man]

Media saturation into the private lives of public figures makes it difficult sometimes to just concentrate on a performer on stage or screen. I'm not a big fan of either Hugh Grant or Steve Coogan but they have a point at the Leveson? enquiry, for some media folk it's difficult for them to even step in their chauffered limo without a pap leaping out from behind a hedge at them.

I love watching Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howerd, but like to remember them in performance when they were at their best. Neither were particularly nice off screen.

Of course in the case of Michael McIntyre what can you do? there's nothing memorable from him in performance either.

[Ray]

If I like a performer, then their public behaviour will not put me off watching them. I saw Lauren Bacall being very snotty to some fans who asked for her autograph in the early 70's. It never stopped me watching and enjoying her films.

Everyone says that Tom Hanks is a lovely guy, but I have no interest in watching him in anything.

Rex Harrison was another star I saw being rather unpleasant when his wife Rachel Roberts had taken the trouble to sign for fans.
I still went to see almost everything he did, because I admired him as an actor.

[foha80]

THE APPEAL

BY RUDYARD KIPLING

If I have given you delight
By aught that I have done,
Let me lie quiet in that night
Which shall be yours anon:

And for the little, little, span
The dead are borne in mind,
Seek not to question other than
The books I leave behind.

I no longer read biographies of the people I admire because it always seems to break the spell