Peter Sellers and Orson Welles
Tim Curtin
my mind and I was curious to know something. Welles and Sellers hated
each other so much that they filmed their scene together on different
days using stand-ins so they wouldn't have to be on the set together.
Does anyone know a reason for that kind of behavior? I mean, sure, some
people just rub each other the wrong way, but that seems a little
extreme. I'm sure it's nothing dramatic like Welles kicking Sellers'
dog into traffic or anything, but they only did the one film together,
I'm surprised two such great talents would act so childishly.
TC
vinny
>dog into traffic or anything,
>
LOL
Matthew Bradford
Apparently, Sellers would fly off to see his wife, Britt Ekland, on the
weekends, and get back late. They never knew when he'd be on the set to film
his scenes. Welles made some disparaging remark about his tardiness, and that
set Sellers off. Also, Sellers' friend Princess Margaret went straight to
Welles instead of Sellers when she visited the set, and that made Sellers
jealous. I've just been learning all this stuff recently in the Dec. issue of
NEON Magazine (UK movie mag, available in the US at Tower and Virgin stores)
and in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, just published in the US. It's really
fascinating. I've always thought Sellers was a genius, and clearly he was,
but it seems he was also quite mad.
Matt
Matthew Bradford
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. USA
m-bra...@nwu.edu
Kevin Hardy
also have to be quite mad !
Peredur Glyn
one known as Kevin Hardy <hk...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote something vaguely
similar to this:
> If there's one thing that Bond has taught me it is that to be a genius you
>also have to be quite mad !
Which sadly makes me insane.
Yours,
Peredur.
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
***----- P.G.C. Davies -- Per...@llonnod.demon.co.uk -- ICQ: 12712530 ------***
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
"You only live twice: | "My name's Felix Leiter" said the
Once when you are born | American. "Glad to meet you."
And once when you look death in the face." | "Mine's Bond - James Bond."
-- Ian Fleming, 'You Only Live Twice' | -- Ian Fleming, 'Casino Royale'
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
"David Elliot ran. He ran vertically as he had all day, and thus advanced not
one step nearer freedom. Nor, in all fairness, did he fall one step closer to
capture."
-- Joseph R. Garber, 'Vertical Run'
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
Rich Handley
>> If there's one thing that Bond has taught me it is that to be a genius you
>>also have to be quite mad !
>Which sadly makes me insane.
Whereas it makes me a genius, providing the reverse is true!
Sincerely,
Rich Handley (Card...@unix.asb.com)
Walter von Tagen III
wrote:
>I'm sorry to put everybody through this, but I've got Casino Royale on
>my mind and I was curious to know something. Welles and Sellers hated
>each other so much that they filmed their scene together on different
>days using stand-ins so they wouldn't have to be on the set together.
>Does anyone know a reason for that kind of behavior?
<snip>
>I'm surprised two such great talents would act so childishly.
The version I heard had nothing to do with hating each other. I
believe that the A&E Biography series mentioned that Peter Sellers was
so in awe of Welles that he couldn't bring himself to be on the same
set with him. Peter Sellers admired Orson Welles. Stage fright,
nothing more kept him from the set.
Walter in sillycon vale.
Matthew Bradford
>The version I heard had nothing to do with hating each other. I
>believe that the A&E Biography series mentioned that Peter Sellers was
>so in awe of Welles that he couldn't bring himself to be on the same
>set with him. Peter Sellers admired Orson Welles. Stage fright,
>nothing more kept him from the set.
Read the Neon article. It's done "oral history" style, comprised of quotes
from dozens of people who worked on the movie. There are just too many
different sources (including Welles) corroborating the stories about Sellers's
tardiness and childishness to dismiss them. (However, the article does make
one glaring error in regards to George Lazenby. I think Welles got that part
wrong.)
R Fitzgerald
>In article <36682C...@luc.edu>, Tim Curtin <tcu...@luc.edu> wrote:
>>I'm sorry to put everybody through this, but I've got Casino Royale on
>>my mind and I was curious to know something. Welles and Sellers hated
>>each other so much that they filmed their scene together on different
>>days using stand-ins so they wouldn't have to be on the set together.
<snip>
>Welles instead of Sellers when she visited the set, and that made Sellers
>jealous. I've just been learning all this stuff recently in the Dec. issue of
>NEON Magazine (UK movie mag, available in the US at Tower and Virgin stores)
>and in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, just published in the US.
For the best account of the Casino Royale fiasco I strongly recommend
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS, a biography by Roger Lewis. To
quote:
"If you have ever whiled away a Sunday afternoon watching Casino
Royale, and wondering why it doesn't make a bit of sense......it is
because Sellers never completed his role and having left hundreds of
people in the lurch and with money pouring away, the holes where he
should have been has to be filled in with out-takes, slow-motion dance
routines and david Niven talking on white telephones"
R Fitzgerald
rf...@villagestore.u-net.com
Tim Curtin
Thanks to all who responded. Very interesting stuff. I'm inclined to
believe the NEON magazine account rather than the stage-fright account.
Stage-fright sounds like something a publicity department would say.
But maybe some earlier admiration for Welles would make the fight that
much more nasty when it happened. I'm curious about this statement that
Sellers never completed his role. I thought he was supposed to be proud
of his work in CR? His acting work I mean, not proud of sabotaging a
film. I'll try and look up the book you mention.
TC
anton...@my-dejanews.com
>R Fitzgerald wrote:
>>
>> m-bra...@nwu.edu (Matthew Bradford) wrote:
>>
>> >In article <36682C...@luc.edu>, Tim Curtin <tcu...@luc.edu> wrote:
On a relative note, does anybody know if EON has the rights for CR? if so,
why don't they make it public?
Thanx.
Greetings!
Antonio Az
0...@the-pentagon.com
--
"Hmph. I imagine you were as disrespectful to her"
"Never. She had a temper worthy of SMERSH"
Raymond Benson
Zero Minus Ten, chapter 4
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
daveb...@spamnot.hotmail.com
wrote:
>Apparently, Sellers would fly off to see his wife, Britt Ekland, on the
>weekends, and get back late. They never knew when he'd be on the set to film
>his scenes. Welles made some disparaging remark about his tardiness, and that
>set Sellers off. Also, Sellers' friend Princess Margaret went straight to
>Welles instead of Sellers when she visited the set, and that made Sellers
>jealous.
There is also a story in circulation that Sellers, a former fatty,
gave Welles a manic lecture on dieting while they shared an elevator,
and that Welles, sensitive about his weight, refused to be in the same
room as Sellers after that.
I believe that all of the stories are true except stage fright.
Dave
R Fitzgerald
>In article <36682C...@luc.edu>, Tim Curtin <tcu...@luc.edu> wrote:
>>I'm sorry to put everybody through this, but I've got Casino Royale on
>>my mind and I was curious to know something. Welles and Sellers hated
>>each other so much that they filmed their scene together on different
>>days using stand-ins so they wouldn't have to be on the set together.
<snip>
>Welles instead of Sellers when she visited the set, and that made Sellers
>jealous. I've just been learning all this stuff recently in the Dec. issue of
>NEON Magazine (UK movie mag, available in the US at Tower and Virgin stores)
>and in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, just published in the US.
For the best account of the Casino Royale fiasco I strongly recommend
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS, a biography by Roger Lewis. To
quote:
"If you have ever whiled away a Sunday afternoon watching Casino
Royale, and wondering why it doesn't make a bit of sense......it is
because Sellers never completed his role and having left hundreds of
people in the lurch and with money pouring away, the holes where he
should have been has to be filled in with out-takes, slow-motion dance
routines and david Niven talking on white telephones"
R Fitzgerald
rf...@villagestore.u-net.com