MORE favourite dead not-American actors: an Advent Calendar
Day 1: Ronald Colman
Three years ago, when I did my favourite dead not-American actors advent calendar, I had never - in all my many years of obsessive films watching - seen a Ronnie film. WHY? Why oh why? Well, apart from a near-lifelong dislike of moustaches (thankfully overcome) I think it’s that although Ronnie was one of the greatest stars of both silent and talkie films (and a really good actor) he’s somehow not as popular or well known or feted as others. Partly, I think because he wasn’t in a now-canonised ‘classic’, partly because he didn’t work for one of the behemoth studios (Warners, Universal etc), partly because the world is odd and mad.
Ron is the First Gentleman of Hollywood, debonair, witty, handsome, engaging. In silents he is swoonsome, funny, dapper, silly, smouldering, romantic; luscious of hair and appealing of eyebrow - the perfect lead, the prince of comedy. Part of me loves silent!Ron more than anything. BUT BUT BUT! When you get the talkies, you get the VOICE. There were many ex-pat Englishmen cutting a gloriously-spoken swathe through Hollywood in the 30s, but for me Ronnie is the King of them all.
His filmography covers drama, literary adaptations, comedy, really silly comedy, romance; darkness and light, heartbreak and pratfalls, all with great integrity, understated acting, and effortlessness. He is an underrated star, and I am so very glad (thanks in great part to @matineemoustache and @ronaldcolmans) that he is now one of the Kings of my Heart.
Favourite Role: this is so tricky, but I would have to go for Smithy in Random Harvest (1942) which will rip your heart out before stitching it back together, a bit, with the wonderful aid of Greer Garson and Ronnie at his very very best.
Another good place to start: Late-career Ron in Champagne for Caesar (1950) because it is one of the most fun films ever made, thanks not just to a flippin’ awesome Ronnie but also career-best performances from Vincent Price and Celeste Holm. For an intro to silent!Ron, Her Sister from Paris (1925) is also really great fun, plus Ronnie is super super swoony and dapper. If that floats your boat. Shouts out also to The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) because TWO Rons, adventure and swashbuckling and David Niven and Douglas Fairbanks Jr, and Talk of the Town (1942) because Cary Grant and Jean Arthur and awesome comedy and professor!snarky-mc-snarkpants-Ron.
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Michael Jayston: Oct 29th 1935 - Feb 5th 2024
Lovely obituary in The Guardian
Happy 82nd Birthday Michael Jayston [b: Oct 29th 1935]
- One day I was doing an impression of Gielgud when in walked the director, Jonathan Miller. He must have been impressed because he told Joan Plowright. I was in the lift with Joan and Olivier when she said to him, ‘Michael can imitate Johnny Gielgud.’ Olivier asked me to do it. So I did Gielgud reciting 'A Hard Day’s Night’. I think they enjoyed it. [x]
- I was up for James Bond once. It was between me, Patrick Mower and one other person, but then the outgoing star, Roger Moore, decided that he wanted to do more, so none of us got the part. People make such a fuss about it all now, but it was a very long time ago. I don’t have any more unfulfilled acting ambitions - if the script’s good, you can count me in. [x]
Michael Jayston is often associated with the Cold War spy thrillers of John Le Carré, yet at heart the man is a romantic. Ask him to name his favourite TV role and he harks back to Mr Rochester in an early version of Jane Eyre because 'the character had wit, brooding sensitivity, and a romantic quality’. [x]
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Gary Cooper at the Cannes Film Festival, 1953
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- In your day the Circus ran itself by regions… each region was commanded by its own Juju man, Control sat in heaven and pulled the strings. Remember?
- It strikes a distant chord.
- Today, everything operational is under one hand. Called London Station.
- Who’s station commander?
- Bill Haydon. His number two is Roy Bland. Toby Esterhase runs between them like a poodle.
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Michael Jayston: Oct 29th 1935 - Feb 5th 2024
Happy 82nd Birthday Michael Jayston [b: Oct 29th 1935]
- One day I was doing an impression of Gielgud when in walked the director, Jonathan Miller. He must have been impressed because he told Joan Plowright. I was in the lift with Joan and Olivier when she said to him, ‘Michael can imitate Johnny Gielgud.’ Olivier asked me to do it. So I did Gielgud reciting 'A Hard Day’s Night’. I think they enjoyed it. [x]
- I was up for James Bond once. It was between me, Patrick Mower and one other person, but then the outgoing star, Roger Moore, decided that he wanted to do more, so none of us got the part. People make such a fuss about it all now, but it was a very long time ago. I don’t have any more unfulfilled acting ambitions - if the script’s good, you can count me in. [x]
Michael Jayston is often associated with the Cold War spy thrillers of John Le Carré, yet at heart the man is a romantic. Ask him to name his favourite TV role and he harks back to Mr Rochester in an early version of Jane Eyre because 'the character had wit, brooding sensitivity, and a romantic quality’. [x]
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The ‘Solar Do-Nothing Machine’ designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1957 as a kinetic aluminum sculpture
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sorry to be part of the elitist intelligentsia but i do think you have to read the text you have an opinion on if you expect your opinion to be taken seriously
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