Lies. He was the namesake for a corner of the Top Gear track too.
4 Likes
I thought they were building houses on that land now.
Bit more of an obit
4 Likes
I made him a couple of movie costumes…
Bottom pic is from Layer Cake and to be honest his figure was a bit difficult for the 2 weeks I had to make it, but I loved working on it, he was great fun!
A couple of weeks later he turned up at the shop a bit breathless… " Listen Ritch, I’ve got another costume for you to make, trouble is, the fucking wardrobe is a nightmare! I’m really sorry, but before I understood this, I’d already put you forward. I really hope you don’t mind?! She’s coming here soon, have just left her but wanted to get here and warn you before she turns up!" Pretty much at that moment a woman walked in, to which he gave a disingenuous smile…
Over the next half an hour she gave me sketches and a thorough brief of what was required, every time she left the fitting room, MG would turn to me and go " Fucking mental woman, driving me mad, I’m so sorry!" And then give her the same disingenuous smile with naughty schoolboy body language, every time she re-entered the room. 
She was quite tough and I was very lucky to have had the previous experience with his figure as I had about 10 days to get it right. It was for the Wes Anderson movie: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. Top pic.
Afterwards, she came in and thanked me and gave me a framed sketch of the costume which she had signed. It was at this point I found out that she had done all the Kubrick movies and had won Oscars!
Anyway, Sir Michael was fantastic, really funny and down to earth. If perhaps a little misogynistic. Sadly, I never did anything else for him afterwards but the 2 suits in about a month were a great experience. RIP.
43 Likes
Ms Canonero? Impressive track record.
1 Like
Yes, the very same. I think the Oscar was for Barry Lyndon, which was a bit of a favourite around that time. If I’d have known, it would have made me nervous!
3 Likes
Great story and a great film.
2 Likes
A fabulous actor, whichever character he played I believed was real and not just a character. Thoroughly enjoyed his skill and craftsmanship.
Lovely story.
1 Like
When footballers only went down when they really had to…
7 Likes
Another childhood hero gone. Bolton Wanderers v Bury F C early 60’s a tiny pitch invasion at full time. I didn’t know who to run to Franny Lee or Colin Bell. RIP Franny a big part of my childhood and often spoken about.
That reminds he used to play games with interviewers when bored and make shit up.
He once told someone doing an interview for a Potter film he used to be a ballet dancer and had to give it up as he fell into the orchestra pit and landed on the kettle drum. That made it into the interview writeup 
Think another one was that he acted with Pope John Paul II before he became pope
7 Likes
"Gambon once claimed that he used to be gay. He had to give it up, he said, because it made his eyes water. He told another interviewer he’d started his career as a dancer in the Royal Ballet. He had to give that up as well, after he fell off the stage. ‘It’s in one of those handbooks,’ he tells me. '“Used to be a dancer.” The reporter said to me, “Ooh, was it painful?” So I said, “Yes, I fell through the timpani.”
Found from 'ere >>
I seem to remember him telling the used to be gay story on Top gear.
3 Likes
2 Likes
A really nice obit. Will pull out the LP later.
1 Like
10 Likes
2 Likes
The best version.
1 Like
wow what a character, no matter how they termed it she was brave.
“Always wanted to be doing something dangerous but had no idea it was dangerous. Thought it was all rather fun. Tons of guts. Wants to go on with the work, provided it’s dangerous enough.”
and took to parachute jumping with great enthusiasm - though on her first attempt she landed on top of another student.
8 Likes