Of course, Barbara Windsor appeared in one of the first Bond spoofs. Surprised to learn there are two male co-stars still alive from that one, Bernard Cribbins and Jim Dale, hope I haven't jinxed them.
Must say, I would have been surprised to learn that Dame Barbara Windsor's passing would get more press than that of Sir Sean Connery. (Dementia played its part in both deaths, of course.)
But a lot is down to how contemporary you are and Connery retired back in the early 2000s when Windsor's career was going strong, she even had a small but key role in the bio of her life, re-shown on BBC1 this evening.
Connery was a bit like actor Gene Hackman in that respect, who has also been retired for years and nobody sees any pics of him, lending him a posthumous air.
And regrettably, like Sir Roger Moore, I think Connery's death was overshadowed by other more pressing news on the day.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
Sad to hear of the death of Dame Barbara Windsor. She was certainly a national treasure. -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Will just take this opportunity to point out that re dementia or Parkinson's (not quite the same, my late mother had it) is that it's vitally important they grant you Lasting Power of Attorney in Health and Welfare; and Finance, while they still can.
If they don't do that, then crucially you are not the decision maker for their care as and when they are deemed to have 'lost mental capacity' and that is a highly nebulous area. They don't have to be completely ga-ga and not being able to recognise you to be defined as not having 'mental capacity'. Instead, various characters will be the decision maker - corrupt social workers, arrogant hospital consultants etc - and it will never be you. Legally you have to be consulted and that law is easily ignored by those who frankly profit from the death of your relative.
It doesn't matter if you have a bit of dosh in your family, quite the reverse in some respects. The care home - and the local Council - want your money! They won't allow your relative back to the family home because of that. I don't have time to go into the tricks that social workers play - the adult social care industry is manifestly corrupt.
So the care home could have an outbreak of Covid, and the Council and care home will join forces to stop your parent leaving.
On a 'lighter' note, today's Observer has a pull-out devoted to those who've passed away this year - okay, that's not much lighter is it - but there's a tribute from racing driver legend Jackie Stewart to Sean Connery. Also Mark Gatiss on Dame Diana Rigg.
John le Carre has died, 89 years old. He was not only one of the great spy genere authors, he was a great authors. RIP.
I saw this just before I turned in. Le Carre was never my favourite thriller writer. I found his stories quite ponderous and involved much more with personal psychologists than rigorous action. That said The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and The Constant Gardner were reads I enjoyed. Obituaries will probably focus on his Smiley books, but Le Carre was much more than that. He made the espionage thriller a literary genre as well as a pulp one and met with considerable success in doing so. His work was informed and informative. Some of his novels, as we know, were turned into great films & TV series. A sad loss, but a writer who led a full and long life.
RIP.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
Sad to hear of the death of spy author and former intelligence officer John Le Carre (David Cornwell) at the age of 89 from pneumonia:
The worst thing about losing a favourite writer is the knowledge that the pen is down forever and there will be no more works from them (barring perhaps one or two completed but as yet unpublished work). Although I haven't been a huge fan of le Carre's most recent works and found them soap-boxy and a bit predictable, it's very sad to think that there will be no more from him. His writing was peerless and had the literary snobs not painted him into the corner of 'spy novelist', I suspect he would have won every literary prize going. For me, his greatest work was "A Perfect Spy." I'm very sad to know he's gone.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,924Chief of Staff
RIP Gerard Houllier, he started off as a French teacher in Liverpool before switching to football...he started management in the 5th tier of French football before moving on to Lens,PSG, then technical director of French football (and was instrumental in them winning the World Cup), Liverpool, Lyon & Aston Villa…he was plagued with ill health for many years but he remained a true gentleman to the last.
Thank you, Gerard -{
Sad to hear about le Carre.
I've been really enjoying working my way through his books over the last year or two.
Just made it to A Perfect Spy, which is a fictionalised memoir disguised as a spy thriller. So I still got a few more to look forwards to. Everybody should read the Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Sad to hear about le Carre.
I've been really enjoying working my way through his books over the last year or two.
Just made it to A Perfect Spy, which is a fictionalised memoir disguised as a spy thriller. So I still got a few more to look forwards to. Everybody should read the Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is one of my all time favourites. Hearing the sad news, I just started to re-read The Pigeon Tunnel. It is something of a departure from le Carrés usual style.
"I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
-Mr Arlington Beech
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
Sad to hear of the death of the one and only Smithers: Jeremy Bulloch. I always enjoyed his little appearances in FYEO and OP. He was in TSWLM too as another character.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Really sad news about my namesake, RIP Jeremy Bulloch, the one and only Boba Fett, RIP.
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,256MI6 Agent
Very sad to hear, I have enjoyed a lot of his work from James Bond, to The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi to many British television programs that guest starred in. RIP, to Jeremy Bulloch.
Sean Connery, Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman, Michael Lonsdale, Margaret Nolan, Earl Cameron, Geoffrey Palmer, Jeremy Bulloch, Peter Lamont, Arthur Wooster, Barbara Jefford.
And that's just the "Bond-iverse". I know, they all lived long lives, but still...
Hilly...you old devil!
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,256MI6 Agent
@Sir Hillary Bray: I agree 2020 is really turning out to be a crummy year for people in the showbusiness world. I hope that 2021 starts off a little bit gentler than the way 2020 is currently.
Comments
A man who at once helped ensure my road safety and embodied one of the great iconic villains of my childhood. RIP.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/eastenders-carry-actress-dame-barbara-000300012.html
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Of course, Barbara Windsor appeared in one of the first Bond spoofs. Surprised to learn there are two male co-stars still alive from that one, Bernard Cribbins and Jim Dale, hope I haven't jinxed them.
Must say, I would have been surprised to learn that Dame Barbara Windsor's passing would get more press than that of Sir Sean Connery. (Dementia played its part in both deaths, of course.)
But a lot is down to how contemporary you are and Connery retired back in the early 2000s when Windsor's career was going strong, she even had a small but key role in the bio of her life, re-shown on BBC1 this evening.
Connery was a bit like actor Gene Hackman in that respect, who has also been retired for years and nobody sees any pics of him, lending him a posthumous air.
And regrettably, like Sir Roger Moore, I think Connery's death was overshadowed by other more pressing news on the day.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
If they don't do that, then crucially you are not the decision maker for their care as and when they are deemed to have 'lost mental capacity' and that is a highly nebulous area. They don't have to be completely ga-ga and not being able to recognise you to be defined as not having 'mental capacity'. Instead, various characters will be the decision maker - corrupt social workers, arrogant hospital consultants etc - and it will never be you. Legally you have to be consulted and that law is easily ignored by those who frankly profit from the death of your relative.
It doesn't matter if you have a bit of dosh in your family, quite the reverse in some respects. The care home - and the local Council - want your money! They won't allow your relative back to the family home because of that. I don't have time to go into the tricks that social workers play - the adult social care industry is manifestly corrupt.
So the care home could have an outbreak of Covid, and the Council and care home will join forces to stop your parent leaving.
On a 'lighter' note, today's Observer has a pull-out devoted to those who've passed away this year - okay, that's not much lighter is it - but there's a tribute from racing driver legend Jackie Stewart to Sean Connery. Also Mark Gatiss on Dame Diana Rigg.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I saw this just before I turned in. Le Carre was never my favourite thriller writer. I found his stories quite ponderous and involved much more with personal psychologists than rigorous action. That said The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and The Constant Gardner were reads I enjoyed. Obituaries will probably focus on his Smiley books, but Le Carre was much more than that. He made the espionage thriller a literary genre as well as a pulp one and met with considerable success in doing so. His work was informed and informative. Some of his novels, as we know, were turned into great films & TV series. A sad loss, but a writer who led a full and long life.
RIP.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/entertainment-arts-55297558
-Mr Arlington Beech
Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier dies
Each Christmas there's a newspaper roundup of the year's deaths that turns out to be sadly premature.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Thank you, Gerard -{
I've been really enjoying working my way through his books over the last year or two.
Just made it to A Perfect Spy, which is a fictionalised memoir disguised as a spy thriller. So I still got a few more to look forwards to.
Everybody should read the Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is one of my all time favourites. Hearing the sad news, I just started to re-read The Pigeon Tunnel. It is something of a departure from le Carrés usual style.
-Mr Arlington Beech
RIP
Sean Connery, Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman, Michael Lonsdale, Margaret Nolan, Earl Cameron, Geoffrey Palmer, Jeremy Bulloch, Peter Lamont, Arthur Wooster, Barbara Jefford.
And that's just the "Bond-iverse". I know, they all lived long lives, but still...
Roger Moore 1927-2017