Chapter 1 – THE INVITATION

Chapter 1 – THE INVITATION

I meet Richard Burton and he invites me to lunch.

By 1979 the Movie Business was booming in Toronto and everybody wanted in.

One of the strangest things about being in the Movie business is that people who have no experience what so ever will ask you if you can get them a job. When you ask them what they can do, they always answer "anything" which is not a good answer.

I met Jerome Simon through Tom Hedley who was writing a script for him. I often had drinks with Tom and Bob Markle at the Brunswick House and one day Jerry Simon turned up for an impromptu script meeting with Tom. When I learned that he was  making a movie I asked him for a job. I had no real experience, I had an afterhours bar was basically an Artist and probably my main asset was that I knew everybody. I too would have done anything to get into the movie business. As it was I had one important qualification I was persistent.

 So I got into the Movie business in the late seventies by phoning a producer, 'Jerry Simon' twice a week for 2 years. The fact that I started by asking for a job as Locations Manager and got a job as Assistant Producer is beside the point.

Our Movie company was UDO productions (which was named after Richard Widmark’s character Tommy Udo in the movie Kiss of Death) *

As a Movie company we were not very good, in less than a year we had made one terrible movie, had just sold the rights of a not so bad one and were working on a maybe, interesting one. Jerry came from a very rich family. His grandfather owned the Park Plaza Hotel. Unfortunately Jerry was at the least a drunk and probably an alcoholic.

* I see that both Jerry and I have been removed from the credits of Double Negative

So although we had two actual offices we did 99% of our business sitting at the bar of the 22 at the Windsor Arms Hotel. At this time we were negotiating for the script rights of 'Playboy of the Western World' and were phoning London first thing every day about 9 o clock our time when Jerry was still fairly sober. He only sounded blurry which could be blamed on a bad line and anyway it was the end of the day over there and it was at least reasonable that one had had a few at lunch. We were also hammering out another deal in LA., and this was a different story when we phoned at two our time and it was only ten in the morning there. Jerry would already be half-cut, loud and slurring badly and I finally convinced Jerry that he either had to stay sober or let me handle most of these calls.

It is worth noting that the movie we made 'Double Negative' or 'Deadly Companion' in video starring Michael Sarrizan and Susan Clark was the first movie to show all the old Second City regulars (John Candy, Katharine O'Hara Joe Flaherty etc. in minor roles, this was because George Bloomfield was the director. Kenneth Welsh was in it and it was also the film debut of Maury Chakin and Michael Ironside.

Howard Duff also starred in the movie; we became pretty good friends and had lunch together almost every day. He had been in Hollywood since the thirties and told great stories. The first day I met him he introduced himself with his tag line. "I'm Howard Duff and if you don't think I'm tough, just remember I was married to Ida Lupino for twenty years"?

It was Friday and Pay-day and I came in late again because I just had to get fired. I had to get fired because in my eagerness to get the job in the movies, I had agreed to work for only $200.00 a week ($600.00 when we were shooting). This wasn't quite as bad as it sounds. I did get a car, and a gas card as well as all my lunch and bar bills at the Windsor Arms paid for. It just didn't cover my rent or TV payments and stuff like that and so I had to scramble to get by.

Now Jerry liked to think of himself as a Harry Cohn and loved to fire people. Most people don't take kindly to being fired but I had neatly turned it to my advantage by putting a Severance Pay clause in my contract. (Jerry also loved contracts.) If he fired me he had to pay me 3 weeks Severance Pay. So I managed to get fired every other week in order to survive and had come to depend on it. Just like he had come to depend on me and therefore when he sobered up for a minute on Monday he always hired me back.

This week he was like a rock and he ignored all of my ploys and insults, I tried everything but he would just smile auspiciously and say "I am not going to fire you this week Gary." Then he would smile smugly at his own self control and order another drink to celebrate. After a couple of these he realized he had an important call to make later to LA. and decided to remain half-sober by going to a movie.

He hated to go to movies alone so he usually paid me $20.00 extra to accompany him. I was trying to soften him up for firing me, by holding out for $50.00. I mean really, being forced to watch 'Escape from Alcatraz 'for the fifth time was almost worth 50 bucks. Jerry loved Clint Eastwood movies and we usually toured the suburb and rerun theatres watching them over and over again.

We were sitting at the bar in the 22 at this impasse when THE VOICE from behind me said,

Like to join me for Lunch Luv?

It was Richard.

I had read somewhere that he called his friends 'Luv' and since I had only met him yesterday I was more than a little taken by his generous familiarity and of course said I'd love to join him for Lunch.

I told Jerry I would see him later and headed out the door.

Jerry bellowed after me so I asked Richard where we were lunching and that I would meet him there in 10 minutes. At this point I didn't care too much what Jerry had to say I just hoped he would fire me quickly so that I could relax and get back to work. Jerry pleaded with me to take him to lunch. I wouldn't do it and he was furious. He threatens and fumed but he was already drunk and there was no way I was going to ruin this lunch. I waited briefly for him to fire me but he caught himself and I headed out the door to Meyers in Yorkville.

It had all started the day before, I had come in late as well, trying to get fired. I got to the 22 around noon and since Jerry was on the phone I joined Ivor Downie at the 'Producer's Table'. Ivor was sitting with Ron Berkeley and introduced him as Richard's Make-up man on 'Circle of Two' which they had just started shooting. Jerry had owned 'Circle' but we had sold it to Bill and Hank and I was still working on some loose ends. I had no sooner ordered a beer when suddenly in walked the famous Richard and sat in the booth beside me, just like that. He had finished shooting early and was waiting for Susan to return so he decided to join Ron. Ron introduced him to me and Ivor. I was almost speechless, I mean when he spoke the earth seemed to tremble. It was something like sitting down having a beer with the Angel of the Lord. He was impressive.

THE VOICE was something else. And I was not easily star struck, some of my closest friends were big name stars and I hob knobbed daily with the Rich and Famous, but his presence was truly awesome, all at once he was an Actor, Thespian, Charming, Rogue, Philanderer, Famous Drunkard and Rich, with the million dollars a movie to boot.

The 'Producer's Table' was the booth nearest the bar and a bunch of us shared this table, where we mostly drank and talked about putting together our latest pictures. Deals were started at noon finished at five and destroyed by nine, to be reconvened the next day.

We had a sort of unwritten rule that when anybody had serious business to do, you would give everybody else the nod and they would move on to another table until you were finished. This worked well as it meant we got our business done but also shared our contacts socially which helped everybody. Now we're sitting there listening to the wondrous voice telling us great stories, when Bill Marshal and Hank vander Kolk the producers of 'Circle' came in. Apparently they had hadn't met Richard Face to Face yet and they were trying to piggyback another movie right after 'Circle' and had sent Richard the script to read. They pushed in to the now crowded booth, giving Ivor Downie and I the nod to buzz off and leave them to business. But with Richard there, there was not a chance we were leaving that table that day. They grunted and nodded at us but to no avail and soon gave up and started to talk business with us there anyway and glaring at us at every opportunity.

All this time Richard had the same large glass of white wine in front of him, His then wife Susan Hunt claimed she had Richard on the wagon. To Richard this meant he was  technically on the wagon, this he told me meant that he drank no hard stuff but only beer and wine. I couldn't help but notice his almost 'nervous' routine with the glass, As he talked he would pick it up and look at it carefully and then rotate it slowly every couple of minutes He seemed to wait carefully until everyone at the table was ready to order another round.

Then he would lift the glass slowly and with a little

salute he would open his throat and down the whole eight ounces in a single yet somehow dignified gulp.

Hank asked "Did you read the Patman script?"

Yes I loved it, It is very funny.

Bill "Will you do it?"

Oh no. . . you don't want me for this. I tell you Dick is who you want, he would be perfect.

(We all struggled to figure out who he meant. Richard had the habit of talking about anybody by only using their familiar first name. Lawrence of course became Larry and Dick was Richard Harris.

Hank coaxed "But we would like you to do it."

No! No! It’s not my type of role. Why not try Sean or Michael.. That’s it. Michael.. he would be perfect.

I will cast this picture for you yet.

Would you like me to call him for you?

We all struggled a bit to make sure we knew who he was talking about. Richard downed his wine and Daytime Don the waiter brought another round. Bill and Hank were still glaring at us and very carefully making sure that Ivor and I paid for our own drinks.

Bill was determined "We really don't want anyone else; we would really like you to do it."

Richard paused to think.

Bill added "How much would you want to do it?"

Richard twiddled his glass and winked at me.

Why I'd do it for one hundred thousand dollars. . .

Everyone gasped, Richard always asked for a million dollars even if it was only in Canadian money. Then he added the kicker.

. . . If I can select my own leading lady.

Hank asked cautiously "Who would you want."

That English actress of course . .oh what's her name. . . you know who I mean...

His eyes twinkled.

Everyone tried to anticipate his choice. Vanessa? Julie?

No  um ..You know uh . . . Black hair . . .

Bill or Hank (searching) "Diana . . . Riggs?"

Richard's eyes danced with delight as he fingered his glass carefully.

No, no. You know that English girl,

the one with the purple eyes and

the big big tits...

Richard downed his wine.

Waiting for it . . .

I was the first to get it I snorted it out.

"ELIZABETH!

He was having them on. The chances of getting Elizabeth Taylor for this movie was slim and none.

Ivor, Ron and I laughed and laughed. Bill and Hank smiled faintly asked for Michael's number and left. It was from this little episode that Richard invited me to lunch. I can only guess he appreciated a good audience.

Richard told great stories about other actors. He would sometimes add "He is a fag you know" In a voice like that was the saddest thing in the world.

Chapter 2: THE LUNCH

Chapter 2: The Lunch

When I got to Meyer's in Yorkville Richard jumped to his feet to introduce me to a bunch of Toronto Movie people that I already knew. They were more than a little surprised to see me with Richard and probably thought I had some deal cooking. The lunch was in aid of yet another movie project that Richard was wanted for and he soon laid it to rest. Ron introduced me to his daughter who had just flown in that morning and they kept a little separate from the main group. As I think back to it he invited me because I was just a bloke. I think in spite of all his celebrity at heart he was just a bloke and called on me for support.

With lunch mostly out of the way we were all treated to a performance of Richard the Raconteur and he was wonderful. He told struggling actor stories, about young repertory actors on the summer theatre circuit. I had never heard them before and I am sure they are an inside joke sort of thing among British actors.

As I found out a dozen or so stories later, He seemed to interchange the names sometimes using himself or other English actors of note in the starring role.

This young actor is playing the summer circuit, up in the Lake district, at a place called Ashton on Sod, or the likes.

For that week in town, he is the local hero, the Star and Celebrity about town and of course he is always invited up to the local Lord and Lady's Manor for the weekend.

Now you know there is an old saying "At the palace, the butler is more Regal than the King."

So he arrives at the Manor on his old motorcycle and is met at the door by this Butler, who insists on carrying his old suitcase up to his room.

"Unpack your bags, Sir?"

He of course refuses, he doesn't want the Butler to see his shabby belongings.

The butler sniffs. "Baath before dinner, Sir?"

The Butler has him so intimidated that he reluctantly agrees.

The Butler leaves and to his horror returns with an entourage of servants dragging a huge old fashioned metal bath tub that they place in the middle of the room.

He watches stunned as they parade in and out with buckets of steaming hot water. "Wash your back Sir?" The butler sniffs and reaches to help him off with his clothes.

He adamantly refuses and finally gets them all to leave and looks at the monstrous tub.

What can he do, he doesn't want a bath, he doesn't need a bath, he'd had a shower before he left. What can he do, he doesn't want to insult the Butler either, so he takes the soap and lathers it up and stirs the water around a bit to make it look like he had a bath. But it doesn't look dirty enough, so he looks around for bit of dust or something and then he sees the fireplace, so he goes over and gets a fingerful of soot and stirs that in the bath.

To his absolute horror the water now turns jet black.

He is aghast; he can't possibly let the butler think he was that dirty. He peeks out the door but there is no way he can drag the tub to the loo. He looks around the room and sees a large window so he desperately drags and pushes the tub over to it.

He opens the window, and tries to lift up the heavy tub. He can barely tip it up but he gets around behind it, and with all his strength he manages to lift up one end. So he lifts it up and tries to pour it out the window, only the heavy tub overbalances, and flips itself right out through the window and down it goes. It crashes through the glass roof of the conservatory barely missing the Lord and Lady who are waiting for him over tea.

He looks down and sees the total mess he has made.

What can he do? He can't face up to it.

He just grabs his old suit case sneaks down the stairs, hops on his motorcycle and chugs off back to town hoping he will never see them again.

We all laugh but there is more.

Of course next weekend the Lord and Lady have guests all gathered around and the Lord says "We had this actor chap up here last weekend. He threw his bath tub out of the window."

"Strange people these actor chaps."

Richard's eyes shone, and he sounded very much the upper class English Twit as he repeated it again.

"Strange people these actor chaps. Threw his bathtub out the window?"

With his usual perfect timing Richard downed his wine as we roared with laughter.

A man sends over another bottle of white wine. Richard salutes with his glass. The waiter refills our glasses.

Richard fingers his freshly filled goblet and starts another tale.

I was on that same sort of circuit myself early in my career, I was playing one of the summer theatres and the Lord and Lady invited me out to the local Manor for the weekend.

I meet the Butler at the door and he sniffs down his nose at me and shows me to my room. I didn't pay too much attention at the time but I knew vaguely that it was in the old part of the manor, it was a long narrow room, painted white with a four poster at the far end with a night table and a lamp. I was to find out later that there was no electricity in this part of the manor.

There was also a fireplace and near the door an ornate antique writing desk with a fresh bouquet of flowers in a vase.

So the Butler starts to open my bag and offers to help me dress for dinner but I don't want him to see my poor belongings so I got him out of there and put on my old threadbare theatre tux and went down for cocktails before dinner. We had dinner, it was pleasant enough. I of course already had a taste for fine liquor in those days and not a lot of money to buy it so I was delighted to find the Manor had a well stocked bar and a fine collection of single malt whiskies and I got right in to it. I must have drank A TOTAL OF two bottles myself  by the time I tottered off to bed about twelve and fell into deep sleep.

Well, after all that Scotch I wake up in the middle of the night totally dehydrated and absolutely parched. I must have a drink of water, and it's then that I realize there is no electricity in this old part of the mansion and that I don't have a match for the lamp and I don't know where the loo is, and its pitch black as well. I am absolutely dying of thirst after drinking all that scotch and I must have a drink, of anything. I am lying there feeling very miserable when I remember the vase of flowers. Ah water! So I get out of bed and feel my way from the night table to the window and pat my way down the wall, past the fireplace down the wall I feel around blindly for the desk and the flowers. Only in the dark I tip it all over and I can feel the water dripping everywhere, so I push and pat the water on to the floor and since I can't see anything I must give up and head back to bed. I feel my way along the wall and past the fireplace, then I pat my way along the wall until I feel for the night table and crawl back into bed. I pull the sheets over me and lay there very miserable until first light and then to my horror I see it wasn't the flowers I knocked over. I had knocked over a huge writing horn full of ink and the ink was everywhere, over the desk and the floor then there were my hand prints all over the wall across the mantelpiece, then all along the wall again across to the night table and all over the bed clothes. The mess was everywhere it was hopeless.

What could I do? I was thoroughly embarrassed. How can you possibly explain it?

I packed my things hitchhiked back to town and then caught the next bus to London

We all wait for it.

You can see the Lord telling his guests the next weekend. "We had this actor chap over last weekend, you know he dipped his hands in ink and printed his hand prints all up and down the walls of his bedroom wiped them off on the bed sheets and then disappeared"

"Strange people these actor chaps."

Long pause. twittish

"Strange people these actor chaps."

Again Richard tipped his glass and drained it in his unusual manner while we cheered his tale. It is hard to describe how well he told them. The stories were completely new to me and the perfection of the voice and timing were awesome

I believe The Voice could read his laundry list to thunderous applause.

The rest of the locals excused themselves and paid for the lunch. Someone else sent over another bottle of wine and Richard smiled and saluted. Ron and his daughter stayed at their end of the table. Richard and leaned over to me and in a conspiratorial tone whispered.

You know, I have a terrible confession to make. . .

I waited expectantly.

I love puns.

It was not exactly what I expected, but I do love puns myself.

My favorite is "One man's Mede is another man's Persian."

Mine is the cry of the 60's hippie

"Give me Librium or give me Meth."

He smiled and lifted his eyebrows in appreciation for a fellow devotee.

  I loved a good play on words but Elizabeth said she couldn’t stand the punishment.

I came back with another favorite

Then there was the man who bought a cattle ranch for his sons and called it the Focus Ranch because it was where the sons raise meat.

 'They came easily and more of them, 

When James Bond slept through the earthquake, he was shaken but not stirred.

Many people think that Edgar Allan Poe was a raven madman.

When I bought Elizabeth that diamond I said “This diamond has so many carats it's almost a turnip.”

Did you see ‘Where Eagles Dare”? At the premiere Clint whispered to me it should be called “Where Doubles Dare”

We were very comfortable trading puns and stories and people kept sending over bottles of wine.

Even the puns are delivered with profession aplomb and timing.

The ritual of the wine moved just a little quicker, we no sooner filled the glasses then another bottle appeared from someone. Rich nodded and smiled and saluted with his glass again and whispered to me that Susan would kill him. But he bravely had another glass anyway.

We traded a bunch more puns until even one more bottle was offered.

Ron noticed that Richard had had enough and he and his daughter got up and started to the door. Rich politely refused the bottle of wine and we followed them along the street. As we came to the corner we were stopped by a strikingly handsome and extremely well-dressed woman in her middle thirties. "Oh Mr. Burton Mr. Burton I have been waiting for hours to get your autograph.”Richard took her pen and signed her book

Isn't that lovely darling.

He smiled broadly and looked at me and winked.

I tell you what, how would you like to join us?

For any fan it had to be the invitation of a lifetime but she looked suddenly coolly distant, "what for? ""You are just going to the Windsor Arms to get drunk aren't you?"

Rich grabbed my arm and pulled me off with him laughing and laughing.

We caught up to Ron and told him the story and headed off to the 22 for just one more drink.

It takes all kinds . . .

It was close to four and the 22 had filled up and the producer's table was jammed full so we sat at a booth near the piano and ordered a drink. Daytime Don had seen us come in and hurried over.

"Jerry is looking for you," he warned me" and he is furious."

Ron and Richard were both concerned that I would be fired but I explained a bit of my special situation and they were both eager to join the game. I was inspired.

"Watch this." I saw Duke Redbird at the producer's table wearing a new huge white cowboy hat. I walked over and borrowed it from him, the somewhat surprised but obliging Duke let me have it and  I walked by Jerry and went to the washroom. The 22 was a dark and smoky place and Jerry didn't see well without his glasses and was even worse when he was drunk. He squinted and strained to see me when I came back, but I saw out of the corner of my eye that he recognized me OK.

I walked back over to Duke and gave him back his hat with thanks and sat back down with Rich and Ron.

Jerry staggered to his feet and reeled towards the cowboy hat and fired Duke   5 times

"I don't even work for you" offered Duke.

"Don't give me that shit" said Jerry You are fired and this time I mean it."

He staggered back and forth another four times firing the hat while we roared with laughter.

Susan came in shortly and collected the fairly drunken Richard, she was not a happy camper and Richard left sheepishly without a word.

 Jerry's secretary Heather showed up within the hour with my severance cheque and Ron and his daughter and I met up with Tatum O'Neal. 

We went out for dinner and on the town, we had a ball at Grossman's Tavern and my rent got paid for another month.

Jerry phoned me Monday morning, and as usual, I was forgiven if I would stop at the Liquor store on the way to the office.

Chapter 3: CHAMPAGNE and TIMOTHY

Chapter 3: CHAMPAGNE and TIMOTHY

I guess the most surprising thing about Richard was that he loved baseball. He could even rhyme off most batting averages as well as he could recite Hamlet. He told me that he always wanted to do a baseball movie on Hank Greenberg, he felt that Greenberg was robbed of the batting championship because he was Jewish.

Anyway the World Series started the next week and I asked Richard if he would like a bet. I took Philadelphia and he took Kansas City for $20.00 a game. 

Jerry had really gotten to me at noontime. We had been sitting at the bar as he phoned his lawyer Milton. Timothy Rouse the first AD on Circle came in and I joined him at the producer's table. There was only one other person in the bar and we could hear Jerry right across the room.

He bellowed out something to the effect that he could only get that much money if he lied to his mother.

"Your governor is a real boon to the Canadian Film Industry isn't he?" Tim uttered dryly as he gestured towards the bar. It was none other than Blake Edwards himself bemusedly watching the hapless Jerry destroy the reputation of the Canadian Film business as any sort of professional entity. I couldn't stand it and I went over and reached around him and clicked off the phone and hustled him out of the bar. I gave him a proper tongue lashing for conducting business in public and so loudly. Even through the usual alcohol haze he realized that it was not very smart and took it silently. We went to another bar that had TV so we could watch the first game of the series.

I let Jerry off at the door and then found a nice 'No Parking' space. Jerry had a theory that at the end of the year it was cheaper to pay parking tickets than to pay for parking and it was certainly more convenient. These were the days before 'Green Hornets' and 'Towing' and he might have been right except that when I was angry at him I would just park anywhere and rack up 5 or 6 tickets a day. Jerry gamely stuck by his theory as I ran the tickets up into hundreds of dollars and stuck it to him even more when I was really angry.

Philly won the game and we went back to the 22. Jerry sat at his corner in the bar and sat by myself at the producer's table when in walked Bob Harris. Bob was Richard's Valet and while we were on a first name basis he was very formal today and said "I believe this is for you sir." He handed me a crisp new $20.00 bill that I swear was freshly pressed and ironed. I took it with thanks and Richard came in a few minutes later.

 I told him I had a tradition that when I won a bet I always bought the loser a drink. He sat down with some glee; he liked that tradition and was right there when I won again the next game to buy me a drink and one for himself.

Richard explained that generally he never carried any money or credit cards on him. He always had an account or his staff took care of such details. This had gotten him in to real trouble in Switzerland when he made a spur of the moment run into to town to get some cigarettes (he had an account at the store. There was some construction and a detour and he hit a rut and damaged a wheel so badly he had to leave the car. He said it was very difficult to get anyone to believe that it was indeed Richard Burton hanging out in front of the local Cafe trying to borrow some coins for a phone call. There was a notorious insane asylum in the neighbourhood and it took some hours and the police to straighten it all out.

That evening I met Murray MacLauclan for some drinks. Murray was an old friend and was entertaining some Japanese acquaintances he had met on his tour in Japan. Meichiko Suzuki was the granddaughter of Admiral Suzuki and a very popular personality on Japanese TV a sort of Barbara Walters of Nippon. The other 2 gentlemen were a Record Company Rep and Music Promoter. It was a difficult conversation at best Meichiko spoke English pretty well but the others English was limited and the conversation remained somewhat stilted and very polite and formal. The talk was mostly on the music business and Toronto touristy things, and some mention of importing Murray's next album to Japan.

Murray was always the consummate gentleman and host and tried very hard to make everyone feel comfortable in spite of the language barrier but the tone continued to very simple and very Very formal. After 3 or 4 drinks the men indicated they had other plans and rose to leave. They bowed very stiffly and about 3/4s down. I nodded politely but Murray tried very hard to mimic their bows but went a little too far which caused Meichiko to utter rather caustically

"Don't Kiss his ass Murray San, he isn't going to sell your fucking records.'

The shock of the language after such forced formality caused me to convulse in laughter. When the dust settled the men left and Timothy Rouse hearing the laughter joined Murray and Ms Suzuki and I.

Timothy had helped get Murray's girlfriend Karen a part in the movie. He tried very hard to impress Miss Suzuki by buying as many bottles of Dom Pergion as there was time for. I do not remember much after that except going home very late and very drunk.

The next day was pretty much a write off, Jerry and I went to lunch  which we often did. It was probably the most difficult part of my job. Jerry didn't eat so much as he used to feed. He was a fast, loud messy eater and with his drinking and talking at the same time I was always sort of ready to have to perform the Himlech manoeuvre  on him. After lunch we went to a sports bar and watched the game  which Philly won again and I went back to the 22 to collect again.

Bob was waiting for me like he didn't have anything else to-do except give me my crisp new $20.00 bill. Richard and Ron came in from set and joined me at the producer's table.   It had been a rather crazy day Ron told me. it was an early call on Toronto Island and they had to hold the ferry because Tim hadn't shown up. They left without him and Hank was just furious. Richard liked Tim and kept asking Hank what had happened to him."Where's Tim?"He kept asking.   Hank got madder and madder and finally as the ferry approached the island he announced that Timothy was fired. The doors open on the other side and there is Tim somewhat rumpled and bleary-eyed but there and at it. “I came over a bit early to check out the location." he explained and carried on with his duties as though everything was ordinary. The surprised Hank had to eat his words.

We found out later that Tim had arrived at the dock by cab just as the Ferry had left. Thinking quickly he taxied over to the Helicopter Rentals and rented a chopper to drop him on the island. He just charged it to the movie.

Timothy was a character He said he was a career first assistant director and had no desire to direct. He understood the movie biz perfectly and used it to help his womanizing.  He always sent flowers to woman stars and charged them to the movie and helped get minor parts for any girl he was chasing. I really liked Tim and we hung out quite a bit. Once when were shooting Double Negative at the Airport. We had 300 extras and I was checking about and ran into Tim coming from a ticket window with a beautiful black girl. “Hey I say what are you up to?” “The young lady and I are off to Montreal for the weekend.” Says Tim. “Thats a bit like taking coals to Newcastle isn’t it?” I laugh. “Thats a bit rude” says Tim. “What are you doing here? “WE are shooting a scene for double Negative” I say. “Ha” says Tim when we shot here we had 300 extras.’ “Timothy I tell him “nobody is real.””Gotcha1” at second look it was easy to tell all the suitcases were empty Tim turned red and headed for his plane.

The next day there was no ball game.

Barry Hale and Jerry were at Jerry's apartment working on the script,' Cynthia’s House' Which was loosely based on the play 'Veronica's Room' by Ira Levin . They were drinking heavy and on a high, so they were very enthusiastic and producing a lot of garbage.

Both of them knew movies inside and out and Jerry knew plays as well, I left them to it and headed back to the 22.

Kansas city won the next 2 games and Richard was right there to collect the $20.00 which wasn't important and buy me a drink which gave him an excuse to have a couple too. Which was very important?

 He told me about playing Arthur in Camelot with Julie London he said he had a lot of trouble not making a play for her, every man I know who knows her is a little bit in love with her She caught me having a nip before I went on one night . I  bet her I could drink the whole 40oz and perfom as usual. I won that bet.

He told me a great story about  getting thumped by Hume Cronyn 

Jason Robarts and Hume Cronyn were doing a play on Broadway Big Fish Little Fish and Jason hadn't shown up at the theatre . He was married to 'Betty' Bacall at the time and she phoned me to help her find him. 

I knew a bar that we all used to sneak off to and sure enough Jason was sitting there drinking. I talked him into going back to theatre  We met Hume Cronyn and Betty in this bare little room backstage where there was a piano stool as the only piece of furniture. Jason was still refusing to go on . I continued to berate Jason and sat down on the piano stool and gave him proper hell about 'the show must go on' and devotion to the craft and all that. He must have been very impressed with me of all people telling him about going astray.

Suddenly Jason just hauled off and sucker punched me. He hit me right in the chin and knocked me flying. Well I was defenceless sitting on that stool like that, so I was really angry and I went after him but Hume grabbed me rather firmly and told me to," Leave Jason alone Richard, he’s fragile."

Well I bided my time but he finally sat on that piano stool and I caught him with a good one and knocked him ass over teakettles. Well that little bastard Cronyn lit into me and hammered me royally. I couldn't believe it. I'm no giant either but I've always handled myself rather well. And Hume hammered me properly.

Then I found out he had been an Olympic Boxing Champion for Canada back in the twenties. You know back in the early days we used tease Hume about being rich. He had money you know. We kidded him about being a millionaire and a dilettante and all that. We thought he had a million dollars or something like that. Then I found out he was really rich like 80 or 90 million he owned a big share of Labatts. 

We sat talking on into the evening and he told me a story about going home to Wales.

It was fun going back home as a celebrity, I went to the local 'The Miners Arms.' and was buying everybody drinks. I thought everybody was there but I happened to glance outside and I noticed Tommy plodding down the road. Tommy had been a school chum he was a bit shy and had a bit of a stutter. Come and have a pint so I called to him   "I can't Richard, I'm too ch ch chuffed."

"What's the matter I asked? "

"I just lost 20,000 p p pounds.' he moaned.

Surprised I asked? "How did you lose $20,000 pounds." 

"The pools" he pulled a ticket out of his pocket. What do you mean I asked. "L-look at it " he said, all my t -teams won but one".  That's terrible,"I said "Which one?"

F-ff he started.

"Fallkirk?" I tried to help.

"No! F-ff -f."

Again I tried to help. " Was it Fullham?

"No", he finally blurted "I- it was

F-f-fu-fucking Swansea!"

I laughed and laughed Richard could turn any almost any story into his own.

Throughout this movie Richard had been a bit stiff and held one arm a bit close. Ron had mentioned that he had a problem with a pinched nerve or something and was taking medication for it. Richard suddenly got serious and morose.

You know I'm not going to reach sixty. I shall probably die before my sixtieth birthday.

I tried to laugh it off he was 53 and I told him he was trying to call it rather close.

No really! We drank rather heavy back then, Peter and Dick and I. You know we used to drink 2 or 3 forty ounce bottles a day each. It is too much for any man, we are going to pay for it. It will catch up with me; I know it and I still smoke too much. I think it gives my voice an edge so I do it, but I know it isn’t good for me.

His conversation got rather maudlin as he contemplated his own death and we kept on drinking and talking, some of the others came and went but we kept the thread of conversation going, mostly about him his father. How he fell off a bridge drunk.

 My father considered that anyone who went to church and didn`t drink alcohol was not to be tolerated. I grew up in that belief.

And I have to think hard to name an interesting man who does not drink.

And his undying love of Elizabeth.

I could never really love anybody as much as I loved her.

Our love was /is so furious that we burn each other out."

He downed his wine and said with a sigh “I really never loved anybody else.”

Among other things she was extremely jealous and I do have a problem passing on a pass.  Once I think it was in Germany there was some sort of festival and we were introduced to Diana Ross and the Supremes. So she shakes my hand she passes me a scrap of paper in it. Well I was careful to put it in my pocket so that Elizabeth wouldn’t notice. We got involved in drinking and meeting people and I met Tom Jones. A fellow Welshman and all and I had never met him before and we got off in private to have a chat. Funny thing he said when I met Diana Ross she slipped me her room number. I reached for the scrap of paper and showed him she had given it to me too. We laughed wonder what she would do if we both showed up.

He passed me a book ‘The Gamblers”. Here I just finished this maybe you’d like it.

I`m a reader, you know. I was corrupted by Faust. And Shakespeare. And Proust. And even Hemingway. But mostly I was corrupted by Dylan Thomas, that Welsh thing. Most people see me as a womanizer, boozer and purchaser of large baubles and I`m all those things too.  But mostly I`m a reader, I am reading on the set all the time, Give me Agatha Christie for an hour and I`m happy as a clam. My house in Switzerland will collapse someday   under its own weight from the books. I hope I`m there when it does.

One hundred years old. Reading the newest thriller from Le Carré or a new play from Tennessee Williams.  Hmm, No I guess they would be long dead too.

 He had a funny thing about homosexuality. Whenever he mentioned an actor that was gay he would make an aside: “he is a fag you know” in a tone that made sound like this was the saddest thing in the world.

He went on to tell me that a few years ago he had to replace his Lawyer/ Business manager in New York. The fellow had come down with Parkinson's disease or some such thing. Richard said he had been a good friend but he couldn't do the job anymore and he got a new business manager.

In the course of events my new business manger had done a full audit and accounting of my business. He asked me if I knew how much money I had made and I told him I didn't have a clue. He then told me that I had grossed seventeen million. Then he asked if I knew how much I still had left and again I said he had no idea. Almost seven million he told me.

So far in my lifetime I had spent 10 million dollars. Not bad for a poor little Welsh miner's son eh?

Ron told me that Richard had 2 million in gold stashed away someplace

Just case everything else goes down the drain.

Kansas City's run was short-lived Back in Philly the home team got the next 2 and the series was over. Bob showed with the $20.00 but I didn't see Richard till much later the next day to buy him a drink. It was about 9 p.m. he was sitting with Ron.

The story of the day was that (Jules Dassin) the director of Circle of Two had gotten an open ended expense account while Richard and Tatum had only gotten a rigid per diem. Hank's theory was that since Jules didn't drink he couldn't cost very much. Jules’s of course flew in his private chef and the like which had sent Hank backtracking quickly.

Richard seemed a little out of it that night. I kidded him lightly about the bet as I bought him a wine. He drank the wine faster than usual and turned sort of strange.

He told me that he had hedged his bet and proceeded to tell some ridiculous story that the night before the final game some man met him in the elevator and offered to bet him $10,000 on Kansas City. Richard said he took the bet. That the man called him after the game and met him and paid off the money. Richard said the man gave him the $10,000 dollars in cash just like that.

I was speechless; the story was so weak and stupid that I didn't know what to say. Even THE VOICE couldn't save that pathetic story.

Fortunately at that moment Susan arrived at the door and Richard left to join her for dinner. I looked at Ron and asked about the story. "Fucking Pills" was all Ron said.

I ran into Milton Acorn on the way to the 22 the next day. Milton was more properly a poet. Milton too had been a drunk but he seemed to produce in spite of it and I liked him and his poetry. I asked him if he would join me for a drink. He produced a white poker chip and told me that he wasn't drinking. He held up the poker chip and told me he had to break the chip before he would have a drink. I extended the offer to a coffee or soda and led him to the 22. I sat him down at the producers table and he ordered a coffee as I introduced him to the others at the table. Now Milton was sort of scruffy to say the least he usually forgot to brush his hair or shave and he had a gray craggy face and bulbous eyes. He wore old working clothes and I guess frankly looked more like a wino than a poet. The rest of the table looked at me funny like what was he doing there and were confused by my obvious admiration of this character.

They seemed surprised at the literate and intelligent tone of our conversation until one could not take it anymore and turned to Milton asked him what he did.

"I am "said Milton regally "a latent science fiction reader."