http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9390856/Eva-Rausing-death-dogged-by-drugs-until-the-very-end.html
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Monday, 9 July 2012
Private Godrey
Was Arnold Ridley - best known as Private Godfrey in Dads Army like the character he portrayed?
Godfrey's Ghost is written by his son, Nicholas and is an affectionate portrait of a father. More of a memoir than a biography, it is usual is style.
Arnold Ridley was formerly known as a playwright - his most successful and well known being "The Ghost Train." When he was through no fault of his own, in financial difficulties - he sold the amateur right to the play for £200. With hindsight that was a very bad move, as the play went on to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds, but Ridley was never bitter or resentful and accepted that neither he nor other could have foreseen the play being so successful. The book in fact sets out how even being a hit in the first place was down to chance, luck and some sharp promotion.
The book recounts how the idea for the ghost train came to him after seeing a particularly bad play ! and how he had spent hours on a deserted station in the middle of nowhere at 3.30 -5.30 in the morning waiting for the connecting train to take him to his girl friend.
As his son asked - why didn't he write books, they seem so much more reliable than plays.
Other snippets - Ridley was called up for WW1 and had a dreadful time in battles like the Somme. He and a group of soldiers were recommended for a military medal but his commander recommended him for an even higher award. In the end the others all got medal and he didn't get one. That kind of luck seem to typify his life. He suffered from nightmares for years after WW1 and then was called up for WWII.
Ridely wrote his autobiography, but his son says it was not good and was repeatedly rejected by publishers. Partly because his recollection of events (apart from his early life) was hazy and partly because despite spending so many years in dads Army he covered that in just 3 pages !
The book dwells a lot on the relationship between father and son and being the son of a pretty famous dad. Nicholas seems clear that his dad wasn't to him "Private Godfrey" but that is the way he was often treated by the public.
Arnold Ridley won the football pools - only £1200, but enormously welcome to him at the time.
The world of repertory companies is now gone, but the often precarious nature of the actors profession remains - while some gain great wealth, for every Tom Cruise, there are those that never get beyond the bit parts and chorus, in between, are what John Le Mesuier called the jobbing actor - mostly in work, mostly not highly paid, but making a living.
Godfrey's Ghost is written by his son, Nicholas and is an affectionate portrait of a father. More of a memoir than a biography, it is usual is style.
Arnold Ridley was formerly known as a playwright - his most successful and well known being "The Ghost Train." When he was through no fault of his own, in financial difficulties - he sold the amateur right to the play for £200. With hindsight that was a very bad move, as the play went on to earn hundreds of thousands of pounds, but Ridley was never bitter or resentful and accepted that neither he nor other could have foreseen the play being so successful. The book in fact sets out how even being a hit in the first place was down to chance, luck and some sharp promotion.
The book recounts how the idea for the ghost train came to him after seeing a particularly bad play ! and how he had spent hours on a deserted station in the middle of nowhere at 3.30 -5.30 in the morning waiting for the connecting train to take him to his girl friend.
As his son asked - why didn't he write books, they seem so much more reliable than plays.
Other snippets - Ridley was called up for WW1 and had a dreadful time in battles like the Somme. He and a group of soldiers were recommended for a military medal but his commander recommended him for an even higher award. In the end the others all got medal and he didn't get one. That kind of luck seem to typify his life. He suffered from nightmares for years after WW1 and then was called up for WWII.
Ridely wrote his autobiography, but his son says it was not good and was repeatedly rejected by publishers. Partly because his recollection of events (apart from his early life) was hazy and partly because despite spending so many years in dads Army he covered that in just 3 pages !
The book dwells a lot on the relationship between father and son and being the son of a pretty famous dad. Nicholas seems clear that his dad wasn't to him "Private Godfrey" but that is the way he was often treated by the public.
Arnold Ridley won the football pools - only £1200, but enormously welcome to him at the time.
The world of repertory companies is now gone, but the often precarious nature of the actors profession remains - while some gain great wealth, for every Tom Cruise, there are those that never get beyond the bit parts and chorus, in between, are what John Le Mesuier called the jobbing actor - mostly in work, mostly not highly paid, but making a living.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
A Bob for Bob - More Book Reviews
The unpublished Bob Monkhouse - A interesting memoir about comedian Bob Monkhouse by his friend and fellow comedian of whom I have never heard. Bob comes across as incredibly hardworking and professional, kind and thoughtful in all he did. His friend doesn't come across so well, which at least shows commendable honesty ! There are plenty of Monkhouse jokes to make you laugh and interesting insights into his professional and private life.
On the Way Home is the diary of Laura Ingalls Wilder - of Little House on the Parie fame. It records a trip that she made in 1894 with her husband and daughter moving from South Dakota to Missouri. It is basically a day to day commentary on who they have met that day, the local crops, land prices, where they camp etc. Nothing much happens, quite often they meet people in waggon going from Missouri to South Dakota seeking a better life ! It must have been a strange time in the history of the USA. The native Americans had been almost obliterated, there was no longer a frontier or new territory to settle. Years of bad harvests meant real hardship for many. In all a historic record of interest to few I guess.
On the Way Home is the diary of Laura Ingalls Wilder - of Little House on the Parie fame. It records a trip that she made in 1894 with her husband and daughter moving from South Dakota to Missouri. It is basically a day to day commentary on who they have met that day, the local crops, land prices, where they camp etc. Nothing much happens, quite often they meet people in waggon going from Missouri to South Dakota seeking a better life ! It must have been a strange time in the history of the USA. The native Americans had been almost obliterated, there was no longer a frontier or new territory to settle. Years of bad harvests meant real hardship for many. In all a historic record of interest to few I guess.
Friday, 29 June 2012
Friday, 22 June 2012
Just Greedy
It has been revealed that comedian Jimmy Carr has been paying tax at just 1%. Given that he is already a very rich person, it is just plain greedy. The Prime Minister thinks it is morally wrong, other have said he is acting within the law and if anyone is to be criticised, it is the Government for not closing tax loopholes.
The two views are not mutually exclusive. In terms of avoiding tax, the arrangement seems little more than fraud. Mr Carr gives someone else his pay then borrows it back as a 'loan' - but a loan he won't be asked to repay.
The two views are not mutually exclusive. In terms of avoiding tax, the arrangement seems little more than fraud. Mr Carr gives someone else his pay then borrows it back as a 'loan' - but a loan he won't be asked to repay.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Food Fraud
Anyone with a unwheming belief in the power of the free market ought to take a look at "Swindled - The Dark History of Food Fraud from Poisoned Candy To Counterfeit Coffee" by Bee Wilson. ISBN-13: 978-0691138206.
Not so long ago, left to the market, Pickles were green from toxic copper, children's sweets gained their bright colors from lead and other poisons, and the white bread of the upper crust was often bleached with alum.
Nor sadly does government legislation solve everything - Wilson makes it clear that watering down, coloring up, bulking out, and plain poisoning are still with us, as are dyes, flavorings, and the catch all 'additives'. Even labeling is of limited use as it has not been kept upto date.
Advertisers continue to con people with for example highlighting "low fat" while not mentioning the high salt and sugar they have replaced the fat with. Buyer beware indeed !
Not so long ago, left to the market, Pickles were green from toxic copper, children's sweets gained their bright colors from lead and other poisons, and the white bread of the upper crust was often bleached with alum.
Nor sadly does government legislation solve everything - Wilson makes it clear that watering down, coloring up, bulking out, and plain poisoning are still with us, as are dyes, flavorings, and the catch all 'additives'. Even labeling is of limited use as it has not been kept upto date.
Advertisers continue to con people with for example highlighting "low fat" while not mentioning the high salt and sugar they have replaced the fat with. Buyer beware indeed !
Friday, 1 June 2012
The sex pistols are possibly the most overrated band in history.
They are trying once again to cash in on the Jubilee as they did in 1977 when it was the Queens Silver Jubilee.
Sadly, their song is utter tripe - "God Save the Queen, Fascist Regime" - well it wasn't and has never been a fascist regime in the UK. Its a insult to people who have experienced fascism. Johnny Rotten wanted to call the song after one of the other lyrics - "No Future" - as a prediction it was way out, we now know his future was doing adverts for butter on TV and appearing on celebrity programmes.
As for being anarchist and an anti Christ - not only does it not rhyme, it a slight exaggeration to put it mildly. Still they have a loyal following amongst people who don't like to think to much. Apparently they are exciting :-O.
I concede happily that a lot of bands latched onto 'punk rock' but the vast majority of these had little in common with the sex pistols and quite often wrote good songs to good music.
They are trying once again to cash in on the Jubilee as they did in 1977 when it was the Queens Silver Jubilee.
Sadly, their song is utter tripe - "God Save the Queen, Fascist Regime" - well it wasn't and has never been a fascist regime in the UK. Its a insult to people who have experienced fascism. Johnny Rotten wanted to call the song after one of the other lyrics - "No Future" - as a prediction it was way out, we now know his future was doing adverts for butter on TV and appearing on celebrity programmes.
As for being anarchist and an anti Christ - not only does it not rhyme, it a slight exaggeration to put it mildly. Still they have a loyal following amongst people who don't like to think to much. Apparently they are exciting :-O.
I concede happily that a lot of bands latched onto 'punk rock' but the vast majority of these had little in common with the sex pistols and quite often wrote good songs to good music.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)