Trivia/Anecdotes

The Third Man

In 1949, Carol Reed directed the film The Third Man starring Orson Welles as Harry Lime. In the TV series of the same name starring Michael Rennie as Harry Lime, Oliver Reed appeared twice; in the 1960 (Series One) episode Toys of the Dead (uncredited) and the 1964 (Series Three) episode A Question In Ice (Pepi).

Peter The Great

In his 1979 autobiography 'Reed All About Me', Oliver Reed claimed to be a descendant of Peter The Great via his great-grandmother - 'Henrietta Rowlatt, who was the daughter of Canon Rowlatt of Exeter (the family founded by Peter the Great's bastard child)'.

However, genealogist and member of the Rowlatt family, Ian Depledge, reveals that extensive research has been undertaken by the Rowlatt family into its lineage, which has been traced as far back as the 14th century. This research has shown that the story of the Rowlatt family being founded by Peter The Great's bastard child is unsupported by evidence.

This "bastard child" is said to have been Alexander Cozens (1717-1786), the well-known painter, who grew up in St. Petersburg. He was said to have been a son of a ship-builder employed by Peter The Great and an English woman. It was Cozen's grand-daughter who married into the Rowlatt family, and this is probably how the myth of Peter The Great being Reed's ancestor originated.

In his book Donkey's Hind Leg, George Torode recounts tales of 'Famous Temporary Donkeys' (a Donkey being a term that the people of Guernsey use to refer to themselves). One such Donkey was Oliver Reed...

From the world of the cinema, we had Oliver Reed (the Jokers, Women in love, Hannibal Brookes, etc.). Whilst he was with us, stories abounded, like the night he got bored in the Happy Landings public bar and asked a newly wed couple if he could join in their wedding reception celebrations in the next room, Having heard of his reputation, they gulped hard and said he'd be very welcome. He passed a very happy hour having a drink, whilst chatting and laughing with the other guests and, on leaving, he thanked the bride and groom sincerely and, slipping them a fair wad of notes, asked if they would please get something for themselves as a present from him.

A great passion of his at that time was arm-wrestling, he appears to have taken on all comers around the local pubs and finally took out a full page advertisement in the Guernsey Evening Press, declaring himself 'Arm wrestling Champion of Guernsey'.

As well as giving the occasional taxi driver a £50 note for a five pound journey and telling him to keep the change, he also told some good show business stories. One I particularly like was about his good friend and drinking partner, Lee Marvin (if the newspapers are to be believed, they nearly killed each other in a tequila drinking contest in Mexico, both having to be taken to hospital in an ambulance with severe alcohol poisoning). "Lee," he said, "landed at Heathrow airport and was coming through the arrivals hall carrying a child on each arm, a large suitcase in each hand, two long lens cameras slung around his neck and his carrier bag of duty frees hung painfully on his little finger, when a completely thoughtless man came running alongside and said, "Can I have your autograph?"

Lee, still walking, looked at him and, in that deep gravelly voice that gave the world 'I was born under a wandering star', he said, "Only if you're quite sure it won't be inconvenient!!!"

Another story 'Olly' told was that at one time a film company was seriously considering making a film about the life of Pop star drummer for 'The Who', Keith Moon. Because of his association with him during the nineteen sixties, there was a good chance that he would be consulted as an adviser in the making of the film. The following story gives a glimpse of what it was like to move in those circles in that era. Oliver Reed at that time had a very large and beautiful house in acres of its own grounds. "One day," he says, "there was a knock at the front door. Well, I say a knock, it sounded more as if it was being done with someone's steel toe cap. I opened the door and there was Moon-the-loon swing- ing from the bottom rung of a rescue ladder, hanging from a hovering helicopter. I stared in disbelief and, grinning at me, he said, "You comin' down the pub?" I closed the front door, placed my hands on the rung next to his and said, "Oh go on then," and off we went!"

OLIVER REED ON GERALD KINGSLAND

"GERALD? I AM VERY MUCH LIKE HIM" says Oliver Reed.

Not only does Oliver Reed believe that the part of Gerald Kingsland in CASTAWAY is the best part he has ever had but he also maintains he would probably have retired if it had not come along - that Gerald gave him the kick he needed.

"Gerald is very much me," says Oliver. "He is a bit of an eccentric and so am I. He will do things - not always completely sane - on an impulse and so will I. Also, if I get in to a spot of trouble, people will always think the worse. There will be no explanations. Gerald is a bit like that - you have to understand the full story before you can understand why he does what he does."

Oliver has great admiration for the character he plays in CASTAWAY: "Gerald is a successful businessman in his own right. Before he became a castaway, he was making a good living. We all talk about getting 'away from it all' and going off to some distant tropical island - but how many of us are actually brave enough to go off and do it? When Gerald got to his island, he didn't want to be pushed. He wanted to grow his vegetables, build a shelter, fish - but in his own time. Like most men, he wanted to call the tune. Perhaps that was one of the major differences between Lucy and him. She wanted immediate action, no delay. From her point of view, going off to that island was the opportunity of a lifetime - she didn't want to waste one minute of that year."

In CASTAWAY the respect that each character has for the other - and it is a fluctuating situation - forms the essence of much of the drama.

"Lucy loses respect for Gerald because he won't get things done," Oliver explains. "On the other hand, she's always calling on him -"You said you'd do this"; "You promised to teach me to fish" etc. I think that at times Lucy is very self-centred and self-opinionated. It is that which contributes to the drama and helps make the relationship such a fascinating one. Lucy may think she is brighter than Gerald but I believe you'll find that in the film it comes out the other way."

Although he has made over 60 films he had never before been directed by Nicolas Roeg.

"It was a wonderful experience," he says. "He has an extraordinary artistic eye and a way of communicating with his crew that is magic. Also, he doesn't believe in long rehearsals which is a joy for me. Nicolas believes that what doesn't come naturally shouldn't come at all - and I agree."

Of his co-star, Amanda Donohoe, Oliver says: "She is incredible. She is Lucy. It would be difficult to imagine any other actress playing the part better."