Sir Robert William Robson. R.I.P.

The great man is gone, and a light in the world has been extinguished. The coming days will be filled with plaudits and tributes, from all corners of the world...I'd like to add mine. 

He managed our club as he lived his life; with grace, dignity and integrity. Had he not been so rudely dismissed, we would certainly not be in the position we are in now. Recriminations be damned...a hero has left us in the Summer and we shall not see his like again. He has passed into legend and, as such, is beyond whatever agony he was in. 

My thoughts are with his loved ones; life without such a beloved man must seem unbearable...but time will sooth the pain, as only time can.

He is among the immortals now and, as my picture says:"The secret of immortality is to, first, have a life worth remembering. We are the one's who will ALWAYS remember and find nothing but JOY in the memory. Amen." 

Excelsior Out.

A Rake's Progress.

Peter O'Toole has long been a favourite actor of mine. His classic delivery and leonine energy infuse every role he plays with a unique signature. At Oscar time he's the perennial bridesmaid; he holds the record for most nominations (8) without a win. In 2003 he received an "Honourary" Oscar but had to be cajoled into accepting it.

He's a man's man, hard drinking, two-fisted and outspoken...the sort of "Hollywood Star" that Hollywood stopped making years ago. Next to the current crop of bloodless clones that make up today's leading "Men", he is a God. He stands like an oak tree in a garden of weeds, towering above all in the movie firmament.

I met him in 1992, at a charity cricket match, and gushed like some pathetic fanboy. He was gracious, impressive and charismatic; in those few minutes he confirmed every wonderful thing I'd ever thought about him. 

Over the years his performances have been celebrated far and wide; here I want to highlight some of his lesser known turns! "Murphy's War" (1971) Fantastic WW2 story of Irishman Murphy (O'Toole), sole survivour of a merchant ship sunk by a German U-Boat. After being nursed back to health by the local settlement's Quaker doctor (and discovering the U-Boat is moored secretly nearby) he set's about plotting his revenge. A splendidly energetic O'Toole gives an authentic stench of madness to his portrayal of a man in search of redemption. 

1980 brought us "The Stunt Man", a complex, unclassifiable movie within a movie. It saw O'Toole, in imperious form, as manic film director Eli Cross harbouring a young Vietnam vet on the run from the law. Cross takes the boy into his crew and slowly, but surely, the line between reality and Hollywood make-believe begins to disappear. Again the great man is wildly charismatic, riveting and monstrous to a fault. 

Finally, my favourite O'Toole, is "My Favourite Year". His weary, melancholic rake Alan Swann, is his finest hour. He ellicits wonder, contempt, sympathy and love at every turn. The 50's setting makes the movie all the warmer as young TV comedy writer Benjy Stone (a brilliant Mark Linn Baker), tries (unsuccessfully) to keep Swann sober for his live TV appearance on "The King Kaiser Show". O'Toole's own mythology plays directly into this character so much that by the time his confession, at not having seen his daughter in years, comes around we feel the pain of his shame as genuine.

A great actor, a flawed man...a living legend. Celebrate him while you can.

Excelsior out! 

"Hellooo! I say...Ding Dong girls!"

Just a flimsy excuse to post a shot of comedy GOD, Leslie Phillips. 

When I was a kid I thought he was the smoothest dude alive. Great at charming the ladies and always ready with a genius quip! 

Now I'm knocking on and he's STILL the smoothest dude alive...and still charming the ladies! Both inspirational role model and laugh out loud funny man! Splendid!

Excelsior Out!

"Say hello to my little friend..."

Al Pacino is his own creation! A pocket dynamo capable of quiet tenderness and explosive violence, sometimes within the same scene. After graduating from the Lee Strasberg run "Actors Studio", his first significant movie role was as a heroin addict in 1971's "Panic in Needle Park". 

This brought him to the attention of Francis Ford Coppola, who was searching for talent for a little movie called "The Godfather", the rest is history! Some of my favourite (less lauded) Pacino performances are: homosexual bank robber Sonny in "Dog Day Afternoon". His compelling portrait of man caught in the teeth of an impossible situation is faultless. 

His crusading, liberal lawyer Arthur Kirkland in "And justice for all" is another beautifully drawn character. Beset on all sides by turmoil, Kirkland bounces between humour and tragedy like a manic superball; the final courtroom scene is a "Pacino-Hurricane". 

Finally, my favourite Pacino turn, John Milton AKA "The Devil" in "The Devil's Advocate". Something that could've been ridiculous in lesser hands, becomes a wild, tragi-comic tour-de-force with Pacino's spectacular energy holding it all together. Breathtaking! All together now...."HOO-HAA!". 

Excelsior out!

Mount Rushmore

"Go ahead, Punk! Make my day!"

Excelsior Out!

A Capital idea!

Another in the series "Scenes we'd like to see". I'm a big fan of Capital Radio's  Breakfast show, hosted by Johnny Vaughn and Lisa Snowdon, I did this as a little nod to them both. Plus Lisa has one of the sexiest voices on the planet so I had to get this image out of my system!!

Excelsior Out!

Where the mind is without fear.

One of the greatest poems ever written. 

I heard Martin Sheen read it on "Inside the Actors Studio" and it blew my mind. 

Nourishment for the spirit, replenishment for the soul.

Excelsior Out!

England's dreams of passion...thwarted!

An image created in hope rather than expectation. Another campaign of thwarted dreams and stunted ambitions...here's to 2014!

Excelsior Out!

Hail, hail, rock and roll.....

And as a companion piece to Jimi....here's Chuck!

Excelsior Out!

Stand up next to a mountain....

Here's an early piece, in honour of the late, great Jimi Hendrix. 

A guitarist without equal, the coolest of the cool...a REAL ROCKSTAR!!

Excelsior Out!

Raising Hell!

Above is a caricature of four of my favourite hellraisers. Imagine sharing an "Early Doors" session with this lot....WOW! 

Today O'Toole is the only one left standing. I met him once at a charity cricket match, just a handshake and an autograph but I'll treasure it forever.

I can heartily recommend Robert Sellers book "Hellraisers" on the subject. It's a splendid assembly of the exploits of these magnificent rakes....and what exploits they were! 

Burton, Harris and Reed may be gone...but never forgotten. I hope the near future brings O'Toole a knighthood... although I suspect he'd turn it down, citing his "Irishness" as mitigating circumstances.

Excelsior Out!  

Update: The legend that is Peter O'Toole passed away December 14th 2013. He was many things actor, raconteur, author, wit, drinker...genius; and in all of those guises he dwarfed real life completely. In "My Favourite Year" he screamed "I'm not an actor I'm a movies star!"...he was both; perhaps the last great one. He could break your heart and break you up...sometimes within the same moment. To meet him was to love him...I did, and I did; Heaven's Green Room just got a little rowdier.

RIP T.E. Lawrence, Alan Swan, Eli Cross...to name but a few.

Excelsior...

"Is there a Doctor in the house?"

Here's a little sampler of my stuff. 

It's in honour of "The New Doctor", sort of a "Scene's we'd Like To See" type deal.

Hope you "Whovians" dig it.

Excelsior Out!

About "About the author"

Yes, I know what your going to say...but in my defence it's not been an easy 48 years. Dogged by a massive ego, minimal talent and a big mouth there have been times when I've struggled to maintain an even strain. 

I was a GEEK before the term was even coined...in those days we were just called....erm...insular, involved, strange! 

It was that very condition that led me on a long, and winding, road that brought me to my current position: chief cook and bottle-washer at Style Machine ( a London based illustration house) supplying dazzling brilliance to the Advertising Agencies of old London town. For further info see: www.style-machine.com. 

About the author

All are welcome!

Truth is often found in the most mundane of places, may my childish daubs and philosophical claptrap both amuse and provoke in equal measure. Enjoy...