The gorgeously connected Lavinia shares this little tale about the late John Gielgud:
Before he met me, Reggie had a fling with Madeleine Carroll and she told him that on the set of Secret Agent she thought she was getting somewhere with Johnnie Gielgud but it turned out to be one of the earliest biros which he kept in his trouser pocket to do the Times crossword between takes. She said he only ever got one clue throughout the entire shoot.
12 comments:
Dear Lavinia - how can that be? The biro was patented in 1938 and the Secret Agent came out in 1936. I don't wish to quibble but poor old Johnnie can't defend himself, can he?
Best, Duncan Fallowell
I thought that Sir John Gielgud's sexual preference was no secret. He did not hide it, as far as I know ; neither did he make a display of it. No one would have made a song and dance about it at the time. He was respected as the great actor he was. Those were the days...
Dinu, just passing through.
Don't try to be clever with me, Mr Fallowell. I'm only passing on what I was told. And I've done a quick ring-round and it seems you hardly knew Johnnie at all.
It's true I was never on biro terms with Sir John. But I wasn't trying to be clever, Lavinia - everyone's fascinated by anachronisms, aren't they?
Fondly, Duncan Fallowell
Oh for God's sake, Mr Fallowell, now it's anachronisms! Why you think it your mission in life to upset me I can't imagine. We've only met a couple of times and I was perfectly civil to you.
Lavinia, would you tell me where we met and who you are? This is what drives me mad about the net - falsies.
Yours, Duncan Fallowell
We met at the Brancovans
Crikey, I don't believe I've bumped into a Brancovan for 25 years!
That's right. I believe it was your second or third spring on the Cote (can't do a circumflex on these dratted things!). You were hanging about on the beach and Céleste took pity on you and dragged you up to the house. That Churchill woman was there too, the one with a funny Christian name - she had a house on the Place in Grimaud. Oolan? Loolon? We saw you several times. Then I returned to London. So there. You have it.
<< This is what drives me mad about the net - falsies. >>
Well, unless you've met Madame in the flesh and know her personaly in "low reality", she's the phoniest falsie out here, isn't she ?
This is freaky - you know stuff but I still can't place you - and there's a lot of 'I believe' going on. Lavinia, I'd be grateful if we could continue this in private. Please email me through my website which you can find easily if you google my name. Ah, those were the days in the Var! Duncan Fallowell xx
Room for a littl' un?
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