Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
British actor known for his roles in Hammer Horror films and for his collaborations with director Ken Russell.
On the island
Eight records
The keepsakes
No book or luxury recorded for this episode.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:25What did you want to be as a youngster?
I wanted to be an ice hockey player. I remember um there was an ice hockey player called Chick Zamic that played for Nottingham Panthers. I wanted to be called Chick Zamic and I wanted to be an ice hockey player. Um other than that I think I wanted to be a sailor and then I wanted to be a doctor because I fell in love with nurses.
Presenter asks
0:58Why show business?
I wanted uh why show business? I can't spell, I can't add up. Uh a lot of people said that I should go into theatre. Um I didn't really want to go into theatre because the idea of theatre at that time bored me, simply because I didn't want to say the same thing every night to the same people, maybe for a run of six months. I wanted to go into movies because I believed that movies um represented the the fairyland of life and I wanted to involve myself in the fairyland because I love fairyland, I believe in it very strongly. I I therefore went into the media that that that perpetrated that feeling, which was movies. I started as a film extra.
Presenter asks
1:37In your days as a film extra you were typed as Smart Crowd or Rough Crowd. Which were you?
I was rough crowd.
Presenter asks
2:38What was the first film that really gave you a chance to show what you could do?
Well, my bank manager believes that it was The System first film which I made for Michael Winner. In terms of my artistic life, I believe that my association with Ken Russell does run smoothly. I think that with Debussy was a moment in my life when I broke through as something else other than the man that wore the teeth.
Presenter asks
4:25Another film you did quite recently, The Three Musketeers for Richard Lester, was that fun to make?
It was great fun, yeah. And I'm very pleased to see that for once films are being made for family entertainment.
Presenter asks
4:41Through all the crises the film business has been through, you've kept working. How?
Yes, I have. Um simply because I go where the money is. I'm a professional actor. Um I believe contrary to popular belief and contrary to some critics that the film industry in this country is in a bit of trouble. I go where the money is because I'm a professional. I've always said this, I've said this in the press before, nobody ever says to Jackie Stewart or anybody says to Fitapoldi, you don't drive a motor car in Germany and Spain and South America and Rome and Germany and the Nuremberg ring simply because you're driving too many cars. I go where the money is. I will keep on working simply because I have a sense of responsibility and I know that one day the sun is going to set. Plus the fact that I enjoy it.
“I wanted to go into movies because I believed that movies represented the fairyland of life and I wanted to involve myself in the fairyland because I love fairyland, I believe in it very strongly.”
“I go where the money is because I'm a professional. I've always said this, I've said this in the press before, nobody ever says to Jackie Stewart or anybody says to Fitapoldi, you don't drive a motor car in Germany and Spain and South America and Rome and Germany and the Nuremberg ring simply because you're driving too many cars. I go where the money is. I will keep on working simply because I have a sense of responsibility and I know that one day the sun is going to set.”
“I have an illiterate younger brother called Simon who works as my publicity agent. He would be in a home if I didn't help him. My elder brother works looking after my business concerns. I think the only reason I use my brothers on my concern is because I know where to find them.”