Off Topic Art & Literature

Last Friday, he was 88.

 

There was a feature on him on Last Word on Radio 4 yesterday afternoon.

 

Alan Bennett's Talking Heads double this evening.

 

Alan Bennet?

 

No Alan BENNETT check before posting Bedster. I have his book Untold Stories in front of me further corroborated by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Bennett

 

No, Alan Bennett.

 

Sorry mate haven't had time took at previous postings.........apologies........

 

No probs Bedly, I'm fond of a good fact check mate.

 

I watched the first 2. The old lady in the window and the mum attracted to her son.

Loved the first one. Second one gave me the creeps.

 

Did you see the film on the old woman who lived on his drive? I watched the first half but went to bed so need to finish on catch up.

 

Yes I have, excellent.

 

Lady in the Van? Yes, a brilliant film, brilliantly acted.

 

With the brilliant Maggie Smith. Superb film.

That was when Alan Bennett lived in Primrose Hill. My mum’s family are all from there, auntie used to run a well known pub in the area. It was a bit of a tatty bohemian enclave before it went hugely upmarket. Tony Hancock had a house there, Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath lived in the area before her tragic death. It was also popular with a few well known North London villains, Kenneth Noye being one such. Keith Richards rented a flat in Princess Road just before the Stones got really successful. Noel Gallagher moved there in the 90s, and after that only the truly super rich could afford Primrose Hill.

My Nan and Grandad lived there from before the war, when it's crowded tenements were home to a tight knit working class community, right up till 1975 when they moved into sheltered accommodation in Camden. My Nan was amused and a bit baffled by all the changes; didn’t like that Keith Richards much, thought he was a scruffy Herbert whose presence lowered the tone.

 

your Nan was very astute.

min the film Bennett paid 35k for the house I think

 

Archers .

Was it you that said towards the end Tony Hancock had a bottle of Gin each morning just to start the day ?

 

Yes mate.

Not every day, but most Sunday mornings his wife would knock on the pub door, and get a bottle of gin for Tony. He’d drink that then appear in the pub for his lunchtime snort, already drunk as a lord, God bless him.

 

Sadly, some people are just not built for fame and he was one of those. Dreadfully insecure and overwhelmed. Very sad

 

A classic case of a comedian who brought laughter to thousands - millions even - but who was often desperately unhappy himself.

 

He was a genius

 

Indeed he was........had no idea he was an alcoholic though. Especially as I have met the guy a couple of times