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We would like to thank
David Priol UACC RD #263 who has kindly consented to write an
editorial for us on his celebrity interviews.
This
Months
interview is:-
Miss Valerie Leon
Carry On, Stage Right
This statuesque
London-born brunette has stolen many a heart over the years
and as long as her many films and TV appearances continue
she will be remembered with a quartet of English beauties
who were part of a golden era in British film. To me the
height of Hammer horrors c1970, when we had Joan Collins,
Ingrid Pitt, Caroline Munro and Valerie Leon gracing our
screens, was a pivotal moment in the evolution of English
film and TV. While there were other beautiful actresses at
this time, I think these four women epitomize the
transformation of Britain from those stark grey films of the
fifties to the more fanciful movies of the 70s and beyond.
This was a period when Britain was producing quality sci fi
and dramas ranging from series like UFO and Space 1999 to
films like Sunday Bloody Sunday and A Clockwork Orange.
If you study Valerie’s long career you will note that the
diversity I mention above is equally true of Valerie’s
personal CV. Despite being remembered for adorning several
Carry On films and two James Bond flicks. Valerie is
probably more at home on the stage where she has spent much
of her career. This includes a West End debut with Barbra
Streisand and plays as varied as Sweet Charity, Black Coffee
and Dracula. This should not be any surprise as Miss Leon’s
mother trained at RADA. Acting is as genetic an attribute
for Valerie as her heart-stopping 5’12” hourglass figure. A
short stint as a fashion buyer for Harrods was never going
to be a career as long as the cameras beckoned…not when she
could play Aphrodisiac!!!
Just ask Roger Moore about that
impromptu kiss!!! While Miss Leon swears Roger Moore made an
actor feel comfortable, I somehow doubt Roger ever used the
word “comfortable” when describing Valerie!!! No wonder they
called that series, The Persuaders… And when you read about
Valerie’s screen test for Never Say Never Again below you
will know why she soon ended up in bed with Sean Connery…
Not that life has always been plain sailing for the
hardworking Miss Leon. Like fellow actor (and also double
James Bond conquest) Maddy Smith, Valerie lost her husband
way too early and only a year apart (1988) from Maddy’s own
loss (1989). Despite this tragedy, Valerie still makes
occasional appearances and remains a very strong supporter
of charities helping fund cancer research and always gives
freely and generously of her time. These days she has spread
her wings creating her own very successful business, which
includes both the art of food and the painter’s art.
Miss Leon’s, Uberbabe photos are a marvellous must for any
collection and with her site at
www.valerieleon.com/gallery. you can obtain her wonderfully signed glossies and she will
happily personalise them for you. I managed to purloin a few
words with Miss Leon a little while ago and this is what the
lovely lady had to say…
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David: Could you tell us about the circumstances of you
being asked for your first autograph request and how it came
about?
Valerie: If I remember correctly my first autograph request
came about when I appeared in my first pantomime, a
traditional Christmas Show (Aladdin)
David: What was the funniest thing that ever happened to you
on a film set?
Valerie: I took whipping lessons for my role as Tanya, The
Lotus Eater in The Revenge of The Pink Panther. I think word
got around, because when I arrived at my dressing room there
was a queue of men waiting!!! I can’t imagine why??!!
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David: What has been the most unusual or interesting
autograph request by a fan?
Valerie: When I was asked to sign my name on a man's hairy
arm and he said he was going off to have it tattooed! Others
include signing someone's T-shirt across their chest and the
usual lipstick imprints.
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David: Do you collect autographs yourself, and if so what
are some of your favourite treasures?
Valerie: I used to collect autographs. My favourites among
many are Noel Coward, Rudolph Nureyev and Barbra Streisand.
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David: What do you regard as being your best film role?
Valerie: I like to consider Margaret/Queen Tera in Seth
Holt’s 1971 film, Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb as my best
role.
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David: How did the two James Bond roles come about and how
did you find it working with two such different actors
playing the lead role?
Valerie: My role in The Spy Who Loved Me with Roger Moore
came about after I went to Pinewood Studios to meet Cubby
Broccoli, the producer responsible for the Bond movies. I
told him I wanted to be in the movie but not killed off so I
ended up with the cameo role of the Hotel Receptionist …
As for Never Say Never Again with Sean Connery, I went for a
meeting in Soho London at 10am dressed in a maroon catsuit
with a sleeveless gold brocade coat over it and boots. The
producers said "What kind of outfit do you call that?" I
think I made an impression as I got the part of The Lady, in
The Bahamas. This was not a Cubby Broccoli movie.
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David: If anyone in history could sign an autograph for you,
who would you ask and what would you have them write in
their dedication?
Valerie: Isadora Duncan. I would have her write "to a
fellow free spirit" etc. (Unfortunately I am not a free
spirit, but I would like to have been!)
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David: Do you attend many memorabilia conventions and if so
do you have any interesting stories from one of them?
Valerie: I attend memorabilia conventions occasionally and
I remember a fan from one of them telling me I had helped
him through puberty when I had appeared in a certain
successful British aftershave commercial every Christmas for
about 6 years. I told him I was glad to have been of
service!!
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David: Can you name your favourite three films of all time
and favourite actors?
Valerie: My favourites are Gone with the Wind, The English
Patient and Cabaret. My favourite actors include Anthony
Quinn, Spencer Tracy, Jude Law, Katharine Hepburn, Judi
Dench and Vanessa Redgrave.
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David: Are there any final thoughts or stories you would
like to share with your many fans from around the world?
Valerie: I would like the fans to know I appreciate still
being remembered.
I think all cancer charities should be supported as 1 person
in 3 suffers and I think most of us know someone who has
died from it. I also have a high regard for The Mayer -Lismann
Opera Centre which supports young singers.
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SID HAIG
THE FIENDISHLY FINE ACTOR FROM FRESNO
Sid Haig. The very name conjures up so many strong images. From James Bond to The Devil’s Rejects, Sid has cast his menacing shadow across many a darkened cinema. He’s made women scream and men flinch and heroes run for cover both on and off the screen. And yet the man who has spent a career monstering people on TV sets and theatres may never have been an actor at all, except for one simple fact; he was your typically uncoordinated kid. The one who often got teased, but who usually ended up with the last laugh when you stopped growing and he didn’t!!!!
So the man who has made over 100 film and TV appearances since 1960 took up dancing as a youngster to overcome the clumsiness of childhood. Dancing led to music and a love of drumming, which then led to a band, which also included acting at his local high school, a high school, which just happened to have employed the former Broadway actress Alice Merrill on its staff. Merrill’s intervention led to yet another of those clichéd twists of fate, which would eventually lead Sid to a career in acting. At her instigation, one of the first people to see Sid act, and who actually chose Sid for the final cast, was none other than the multi-talented 40s actor and singer, Dennis Morgan. Who would imagine that you could link 40s matinee crooner, Dennis Morgan to Halloween director, Rob Zombie in less than 6 degrees of separation? And let’s not even mention, Mr Pink!!!!
However, for the fans of horror films today, who chiefly recognise Sid from his work with directors like Rob Zombie and Quentin Tarantino (the man who resurrected the careers of not only Sid, but Pam Grier and Robert Forster in that classic modern crime yarn, Jackie Brown) may not realize that last year was the Fiftieth Anniversary of Sid recording the single, Full House with the T-Birds on the Keen Records; a label which also boasted Sam Cooke and Milton Grayson.
Bedecked in silver rings and bracelets and an imposing 6’4” two hundred plus pound frame, which age has barely eroded, Sid Haig towers not only over his fellow actors, but also the hundreds of autograph collectors who attend the many movie and memorabilia shows across North America. However, it isn’t just the physicality of the man, which grows which each new film, but the fact that in the re-release of cult director Jack Hill’s films onto DVD that Sid’s debut acting role in the short, The Host in 1960 was chosen as a companion piece to Hill’s, 1975 release, Switchblade Sisters, which Tarantino recently helped fund for transfer to DVD. Sid appeared in nine of Jack’s films over fourteen years which culminated in the all time classic, Foxy Brown.
The importance of the early work of actors like Sid Haig as well as the film making of the 60-70s in general is also finally being properly appreciated in its historical context. Just as the work of Sid in films like Black Mama, White Mama, Coffy and, of course, Foxy Brown with Pam Grier are to the 70s, as the B sci fi films were to the 50s, or like Russ Meyer’s and Roger Corman’s films remain unique in confronting the social mores and taboos of the 60s. Not one of these period films could be made today and still possess the essential ingredients which allowed them to become the voices of their respective generations.
However, you cannot say the same about Sid Haig. The man, and the actor, continues to evolve and grow as he reaches his eighth decade on planet earth. Sid is totally comfortable in his own skin and at home acting in any genre. And with his lovely wife Suzy, Sid has fully embraced techno-culture and can reach out and speak to his fans while still continuing to offer his boundless energy to his work, to those many animal and environmental issues which have become dear to him and to his many fans across the globe.
In fact, like actors such as Anne Francis, Sid tithes a percentage of his autograph signings to support the work he does for groups like Habitat for Humanity International and the North Shore Animal League of America as well as Community Theatre, through the Haig Group, which he runs with Suzy. So check out his many signed treasures and tell him, David downunda sent you. You can learn a lot more about Sid and his excellent works through his great website:
http://www.sidhaig.com/news.php
Which includes links to his MySpace page, a marvelous Rim-O-Rama, Conventions appearances, a lovely tribute to the late Matt McGrory and lots of great photos, autographs and links. With the help of Suzy, I was able to pin Sid down for a little while to answer my questions and here is what the big man had to say for himself….
David: Many films buffs would not think of Sid Haig in the same breath as 40s crooner Dennis Morgan, when, in fact your childhood was based on music, ranging from playing the drums to dancing to overcome poor co-ordination. Did you sign your first autograph as a child or playing with the T-Birds?
Sid: My first autograph came as the whacked-out drummer for the T-Birds. As a matter of fact it was at The Garden of Allah in Redwood City, California. It was affectionately known as “The Bucket of Blood“. “The Bucket of Blood” was the blueprint for the Country-Western bar that the Blues Brothers played in (in the film, of course), complete with a chain link fence separating the band from the audience.
David: Looking at your career, you have also had an incredible range of roles from James Bond to Blaxploitation to mainstream horror films. What film roles have given you the most joy, and what do you think was your most memorable role and your best work?
Sid: That's tough to say. Because I work organically, everything comes from within so my characters are like my children. How can you pick your favorite child? Of course, Captain Spaulding was the character that got everything moving for me.
David: Tarantino’s Jackie Brown is an amazing film on many levels, but not least because Quentin resurrected the careers of Robert Forster and the wonderful Pam Grier. But could you explain to our readers what this film also meant for you at the time?
Sid: It meant that I had finally gotten the respect of a well known and respected director. He called me at home - I still don't know how he got my number - and said that he understood that I was tired of playing run of the mill heavies. However, the role of the judge was something that he wrote especially for me, and I would play it no if ands or buts! It was a good feeling.
David: No doubt, there are hundreds of very funny stories from working on so many film and TV sets, but could share another one with us here?
Sid: OK, here goes. I was doing an episode of Star Trek in it's first season. All of the regulars were trying to quit smoking so there was a lot of gum chewing going on. The director was having a fit, because every time he would say action he had to cut because someone was chewing gum. Well, one day we were on location with about eighty extras. After lunch we had this huge set up with everyone involved. Without the director’s knowledge, William Shatner passed out bubble gum to all the cast and crew. So, on the first shot after lunch, when the director said action, about 150 people turned to the camera and blew a bubble. The director cracked up and everything after that was smooth sailing.
David: Coupled with the latter you have also attended a lot of autograph and horror conventions in Europe and North America, and I wondered if you have any strange stories relating to a fan or autograph hunter, or an unusual request?
Sid: Well, at a convention in Fort Lauderdale, I was asked by a girl in her mid-twenties if she could lick my balls. Is that strange enough?
David: Do you collect any movie or autograph memorabilia, and if so what are some of your favourite treasures?
Sid: I'm not a big collector. My wife Suzie has a huge collection of films and books, but I just collect old "Piggy Banks". Cast iron antique, mostly.
David: If any person in history could sign their photo for you, which person would you ask and what would you like them to say in their dedication?
Sid: That person would have to be Socrates. And the dedication would say "He taught well."
David: You’re one of the great signers, however I wondered if you’ve had any problems with people selling faked signed photos of you, and if so how did you deal with the problem?
Sid: That does happen, mostly on eBay. Suzie does a great job of reporting those jerks to the admins of what ever site they creep up on.
David: What things bring the most joy to your life, apart from throwing the naked and voluptuous Lana Wood out of a hotel window?
Sid: Spending quality time with my wife, my children, my grandchild, friends and doing the best work I can.
David: What are the main projects on the horizon for you in the coming year or so?
Sid: Well, I would be busy every day if all the fledgling producers that want me to act in or direct their films would take the time to learn how to raise the money to get them done. Until then, I have a lot of contracts but no film sets to show up to.
David: Is there a particular story or incident from your life, that sums up Sid Haig, the person?
Sid: Ok, you’re going to love this one, I think...
We were shooting some scenes for The Big Bird Cage in a small town in northern Luzon, Philippines called Banaue. Banaue is known for it's rice terraces which are at least two thousand years old. It's also know as one of the last head-hunter regions in the Pacific Rim. That practice is limited to about two weeks out of the year, when all “contracts” are made and resolved. Basically, if you don't pay up you might just start to feel like Ichabod Crane getting chased by a certain horseman...
Our guide told us (Jack Hill and myself) of a small village over the rim of a nearby mountain. He also said we didn't really want to go there, which of course made us want to go even more. Upon entering the village, we saw several huts, one of which was rather large and positioned right in the center of the compound. We were told to wait there while our guide got permission for us to enter. To make a long story short, we were motioned to come forward into the hut.
The huts were cone shaped so you had to duck down under the eaves to enter. When I did, I came face to face with the leader of the tribe. A smiley-faced guy with one tooth and no cartilage in his nose. He handed me a wooden bowl with something that looked very much like blood with little bean shaped things floating around. I asked our guide what that was and what I should do with it. He said it was chicken blood with beetle nuts (which are a hallucinogen like peyote), and that I was to drink it. I asked if I had to and he said, “you’d better“. So, in the middle of a head hunter village in the jungle, I had my first psychedelic experience.
I guess that shows that I'm not only out of my mind, but fearless, trusting and able to adapt to any situation. I can fit in almost anywhere…..
Sources:
http://www.cultreviews.com/video/jack-hill-interview/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Haig
http://www.myspace.com/mamaspaulding
http://www.sidhaig.com/news.php
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CAROLINE MUNRO
A WINDSOR BEAUTY
While life can be unkind, fate can offer its own compensations. This was the way things panned out for the statuesque beauty that we know as Naomi from the Bond flick, The Spy Who Loved Me. At age fifteen, Caroline Munro was struggling at school due to her battle with dyslexia. In the mid-60s this physical impairment wasn't understood like it is now, and school could be hell for someone who could not keep up with other students. As a means of coping with this problem, Caroline decided to try her luck at Art School where this handicap would prove to be less of a burden. As luck would have it photography major, Ray Green, asked Caroline to pose for him and she duly won a newspaper contest being judged by the famous photographer, David Bailey.
Caroline was sixteen and on her way as a model. In the same year, she also recorded her first song, Tar and Cement. Caroline recorded at the famous Abbey Road studios which were being made famous by the Beatles. Caroline's backing band for the single included Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Howe; hardly a shabby ensemble for a teenager making her recording debut.
It wasn't long before Caroline was working as a Lucy Clayton model and doing shoots in exotic locations like Malta for American Vogue and other magazines. While her move into movies was not hugely auspicious, it hardly came as a surprise given her great figure, sexy English accent and photogenic allure. If you look really carefully you might even spot Caroline in the 60s spoof, Casino Royale. You can also see her to greater effect in the underrated western, A Talent for Loving and Where's Jack? She also makes a rather fetching corpse in Dr
Phibes.
While the film roles began slowly, Caroline found a niche in the Hammer Horrors of the 70s as well as a memorable turn as Naomi the helicopter babe playing opposite Roger Moore's Bond and Richard Kiel's Jaws. In a recent interview I did with Mr. Kiel, he lavished praise on both the beauty and talent of Caroline Munro.
For me, the best roles for Caroline have been the darker roles like Anna D'Antoni in Maniac and Carla in Captain Kronos. The fact that she is the only actress to have signed a contract with Hammer Films is testimony to the high regard producers held her in during the 70s and 80s as she worked continuously in Europe and the US. Now that Caroline's children are growing up we will hopefully see Caroline returning to film on a full time basis if the roles come her way. This woman with the gypsy heart has been missing from our screens for far too long. English shows like The Bill and Coronation Street could cast a wide net and not locate a more able actress who retains all the vitality and enthusiasm of her youth.
And if you doubt me check out Caroline's website at www.carolinemunro.net
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I recently caught up with Caroline for a quick chat and here is a little of what she had to say about her career:
David: I was wondering about your first autograph experience?
Caroline: You know, I don't honestly remember. I can only guess that it may have been in the street somewhere as a result of one of my magazine or Lamb’s Navy shoots.
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David: You began life as a model and singer. Can you tell us about how your first song came about?
Caroline: I was very fortunate because I got to meet Steve Beecher-Stevens who was head of Decca Records. He was a great friend of my Dad’s and the man who discovered the Rolling Stones. Until then I had only sung in church choirs and the like and never professionally. Beecher-Stevens really supported me considering that at that time I was still deciding what I was going to do with my life. I remember being interested in window dressing back then, but that never came about.
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David: What are some of your best memories from this time?
Caroline: It was a wonderful time in my life! I was very busy and working really hard. Of course it was so fantastic to have the chance to work firstly with people like Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, but also to meet some great actors like Peter Sellers and later Richard Widmark and Vincent Price. I wasn't even twenty by the time I had made A Talent for Loving. Later I would also work with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and there were hardly two more different actors, but they were both wonderful. I still see Christopher and am so pleased that he is working in such amazing films as the Rings Trilogy, even now that he is in his eighties.
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David: Later on you made two films which are now virtually cult classics in Starcrash and Maniac. How was it working with people like Tom Savini and Joe
Spinell?
Caroline: Tom is one of the best all round talents when it comes to the horror genre because he can do it all. Joe was very different and I loved making the three films we did together. He certainly lived life to the full, but he was also a very sweet man in his own way. His death was a huge loss for everyone who knew him and worked with him. But you know I feel that I have been blessed with working with all the actors that I have over the years. People like John Phillip Law and David Hasslehoff were great fun and have left me with some great memories.
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David: I know you don't collect autographs yourself except for your children when you do memorabilia shows in Europe and the US but I was curious about whom you would have sign for you if it could be anyone in history?
Caroline: Well, it couldn't be just one person. How about Elvis, John Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe and Mother Theresa? Oh, and how about Einstein. Maybe he could explain the meaning of life to me!
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David: Apart from looking after your two children, what is happening in your life these days?
Caroline: Well apart from the numerous autograph shows I do, I have recently been involved in a Dr Who audio project called Omega. It was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done but creatively very rewarding. This project wet my feet and got me very interested in audio/voice over work and I am actually in discussions right now about the possibility of doing more in the near future.
I also appeared in a cameo role in a horror film called Flesh for the Beast, which has recently been released on DVD, and later this year an independent film I did called The Absence of Light will be released. All these projects were a lot of fun to be involved in and I’m always looking for new and challenging roles.
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David: You attend a lot of the big shows like Chiller and Autographica. What do you like most about these shows?
Caroline: You know that I get great enjoyment out of these shows. I always feel so fortunate to have such wonderful fans, many of whom travel from very long distances to come to the shows. I love talking with the fans and I love answering their questions in the Question & Answer sessions that many of the shows put on. I also get a chance to meet actors who I have admired for years. The shows are physically exhausting but certainly worth it all by just getting the chance to be there for the fans.
Another part of the shows that I really love is being able to get autographs from the stars for charities and school auctions that I help out. The actors are very gracious with giving me autographs.
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David: Do you often run across fake signatures?
Caroline: I have seen a few but as I’m not very computer savvy, I don't go to sites like eBay. I had a young chap recently bring me a photo that he paid a lot of money for from eBay, and I’m happy to say that my signature was real on that photo. But it must be hard for collectors because my signature changes just about every time I sign it.
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David: So before we sign off, Caroline can you tell us what is happening with you
and what shows and projects you have in the works that we can keep tabs on?
Caroline: Firstly, the wonderful John Scoleri and Steffen Schulz having been working very hard on my own DVD project, the interview portion of which I did when I was in LA last year. They are putting the finishing touches to it and I’m very much looking forward to seeing the final product in the next few months. I’m also highly honored to be asked to be a part of American Cinematheque’s 5th Annual Festival of Fantasy, Horror & Science Fiction in August. They will be screening 4 of my films at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and everyone keeps telling me what a spectacular theater that is. I’m very excited to be a part of this event. Also, as mentioned above, The Absence of Light will be released later this year and I also understand that one of my European films, Faceless, will be released on DVD shortly. All this information will be posted on the website once I have confirmed dates. It’s going to be fun year!
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© David Priol 2004
DAVID
PRIOL UACC AUCTION LINK
www.dpriol.com
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