STAYING IN THE GAME
That’s the goal, when you get to my age. Just had another birthday and I’m not sure it’s a cause for celebration in these advancing years. The problem is – this in-between stage…you’re too old to be taken too seriously, to be offered jobs, to make the effort with the people you don’t like and so on and so on…..but you’re too young to be bored, to not love life, to sleep all day, to forget who you are, where you are etc,etc…..you get the picture!
I bumped into Anthony Hopkins awhile back and he said ” well, we’re both still here!” and that basically said it all. So I will say no more except to say I’m still in the game and planning to stay in a bit longer…for this much thanks and of course Tony’s still in the game – again much thanks!
I have just finished writing a little handbook for aspiring actors…that will be published soon and I have now completed narrating two delightful books for Audible about a coven of old witches living life in the modern world – a little fun for the winter darker days. I enjoyed doing this very much and learned a lot about the audio business and the challenges…I take my hat off to all those narrators, who do it all the time and with such ease. I thought at first that I could do it all myself – the narration, creating the characters, using the software needed, doing the editing, uploading etc….wrong! Just doing the narration took all my energy…it is after all a form of acting – only using just one of your instruments – your voice. There were a lot of different characters in the books and I really enjoyed creating these colourful people…the tricky part was remembering which voice belonged to which character…
Nyk Fry
Anyway…my technical skills needed weren’t good enough for me to do everything- although I know people who do – and I ended up taking on Nyk Fry, to do the audio engineering…get an expert to do the job. Nyk is a man of many skills in the industry…necessary in the world of indie lower budget films, video and audio work. He did the editing on New Chilling Tales – the Anthology and About Andy for me.
Just been watching the wonderful Greta Thunberg being interviewed on PBS Idaho. This little Swedish girl is amazing…she is passionate about her crusade against Climate Change and although it is not her native language, she gives interviews in English and she’s only 16. Could you – an adult step into the glare of the American headlights and do that? Not sure I could and in a foreign language. Greta has just arrived in Washington and is already spreading her message….I am in awe. Thank goodness for the youth of this world….as always, we hope they will be the ones who ‘get’ it and ‘will figure it all out’!
Last word…can’t wait to see Ken Burns‘ new documentary series ” Country Music” ….hope you get in the UK…what a filmmaker…..its on PBS here…(the only ad free terrific TV channel here in the US)…
Here’s a little memory…I would have added pictures of Ken Burns and Greta Thunberg, but everyone is so paranoid about their copyrights …you’ll have to put up with me!
Till later friends
Portrait by Brian Gorman
As a fan of your work from the days when British television produced great shows, like The Prisoner., it was great to actually meet you at London Film Fair. And long may you continue to entertain us. Thank you
Hi, Jane–Anthony here, from Miami-
I read this article and sadly we must face that it can become a wee bit more difficult perhaps for women–particularly, let’s say, attractive women in your business because, let’s face it–very few people in your field, now have the backround in true thespianism as did the British. And even England has descended to a superficial level–perhaps started with the James Bond movies. BUT on the other hand, the “Spy Craze” stemming from the cold war, which was real, enabled good British TV such as Danger Man(Secret Agent) of which YOU played Juana Romero–there were great actors and actresses in bit roles.
Many of whom had Stage Experience. The Days of stage experience prior to TV or Cinema exposure sadly is gone.
You are beyond attractive; but rather a true actress, a real Thespian. So in spite of the more, perhaps limited “marketing” for older people these days, I’m certain in Britain you can still manage to be in demand.
I love the old British Movies of the early 1960’s such as “A Taste of Honey” with Rita Tushingham. Or, “The Leather Boys” “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning-” And if one looks beyond the principle actors, you soon discover that the Supporting Cast is phenomenal. And you ask, “Who was that”?
And you see them in literally hundreds of works over the years.
“The Saint” was a low-budget show, and of course Moore was easy to like as the Saint–or as anything because he had this pleasant look about him, with a cynical snarky comic side to him–which was obviously not due to his acting abilities, but that was him. But the actors and actresses in the periphery were the strength of the show. And he continuity.
I’m not a snob. In the least. Nor would I want to be characterized as such; but for the Marketing of British TV or Movies, they actually “brought down” the level of intellect so it would be more appealing to a larger audience, managing to be a great business decision, but contributed to the decline of the quality of British acting skills, gone to waste.
Some of the greatest British actors and actresses are the Unknowns, and many are of Irish origins.
I love nearly Everything British, Starting with your great movies.
A fine movie was with Dirk Bogard entitled Victim. A theme which would today, not be so controversial, but most certainly in 1961, I’m sure the producers were at risk in even the very thought of creating a film with the theme of an up-and-coming Trial Lawyer set to be on his way to Parliament, falsely accused of being a homosexual, when in fact he was not.
And even his own wife began to believe the rumors true.
A Great movie with many great actors and actresses.
Well, I’ve become wordy, so Forgive me.
Wishing you well, my dear–
BTW, my wife Viktoria, when she was a teenager(we met when she was only 16) looked so much like you. In fact she’s like you-still gorgeous at 57!
PS: Hope things are well with you son and all the family in Idaho is it?
Take good care now-
Anthony Lisanti
British films are so much better acted in the most part than US films
They’re more down to earth and usually very well written