Saturday, February 17, 2007

sheridan morley r.i.p.

sheridan morley, author, broadcaster and critic, has died. he was quite young - only 65. my favourite quotes from the telegraph obit follow, but please read the whole of it here.

he was named sheridan after a character in one of my favourite plays of all-time (although i have only seen the movie) - the man who came to dinner. i used to enjoy reading his reviews in the paper. here are some anecdotes from the telegraph piece:

"Morley recounted how, one Sunday in 1939, with Europe on the brink of war, Gielgud returned to a friend's home carrying the newspapers and wearing a devastated look. When asked if war had been declared, he responded: "Oh, I don't know anything about that, but Gladys Cooper has just got the most terrible reviews!"

"Morley recalled an occasion in the 1980s when, walking along Piccadilly with Gielgud, they spotted Margaret Thatcher, then at the height of her powers, coming towards them. As they both knew her slightly, they stopped. Gielgud asked where she was now living. "No 10, Downing Street," replied the Prime Minister with some surprise. "Oh, you women!" exclaimed Gielgud, full of admiration. "Always so clever at buying the right kind of property!""

"He once interviewed Mrs Thatcher when she was a junior minister for pensions. "It has been said, Mrs Thatcher," he began, "that England is a great place to live if you are neither very poor nor black." "Well, I'm not, am I?" she replied with finality."

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