Obituary
Amazed no one has posted this yet
Wonderful actress who was always in
her prime
Dame Maggie Smith
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
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I see what you did there.
I am guessing people heard it elsewhere.
RIP, British acting legend
This may or may not be a direct quote – I would never willingly watch Downton Abbey – but it is great and conveys for me what made Maggie Smith such a great acid drop of an actor – sweet, but sour.
I don’t think Dame Maggie herself had an especially high opinion of DA.
When asked on Graham Norton if she watched the show, she replied “I’ve
got the box set”
Her view on Richard E Grant was even more withering – “Richard He Can’t”
Re Maggie on DA: yes, she was her usual brilliant self on it, but I’ve never liked performers dismissing something they’ve worked on after the fact.
I recall a famous film star (can’t remember exactly who, sadly, but they were a big deal) being interviewed in Empire magazine, and they were asked to talk about some of their biggest flops or famously disastrous turns. His reply was along the lines of “I don’t like to rubbish things I’ve been in. For somebody on the crew of that film I did, that job might have been the highlight of their life, even if the end result didn’t make money. I don’t want their memory of the experience to be spoiled by reading that I didn’t enjoy making that film, or that I wasn’t happy with the result.”
Obviously Maggie was entitled to her opinion, but I like to think that if I was in the same position, I’d be like that film star.
Nevertheless, she was a great actress, and her appearance was usually a sign of a quality production. RIP.
You should be aware of the fans feelings as well. Back in the 80’s there was a talk back radio show that was broadcast across Australia which had musicians who listeners could ring up and ask questions of. One day the guest was Roger Waters and someone rang up and asked him about a particular song saying, “It’s my favourite song of all time. I have always loved it and I have always wondered what you were thinking about when you wrote it.” Roger said, “I have no recollection of that song. I don’t even know what album it’s on” He then went on to the next caller. I felt crushed just listening. It’s not Roger’s fault he couldn’t remember the song but he could have been a bit more gentle with the bloke.
Gentle?? Not Uncle Rog’s style…
Having seen the clip, she actually was quite charming in any perceived dismissal of the show, answering the original question as to whether she watched it, with a slow knowing smile. The box set additional was when pressed.
This interview is a joy! She was so wonderfully amazing.
I think her and Joe Orton are literally the only people Kenneth Williams ever had a kind word about.
One word between the two them.
Anything more was simply beyond our Ken
Or his. (Joke for Scottish readers.)
I believe Kenneth Williams admired Kenneth Horne, and said it was a happy time working for him.
Bona!
This is lovely. And skip to 1:50
Never got much of a mention in the obits, but she was great in A Very Private Function as the social climbing wife, chucking the tinned peaches in the rubbish.