Hellraisers by Robert Sellers

Author:Robert Sellers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2009-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

Since Camelot in 1967 Richard Harris hadn’t made another film, although he’d found unlikely fame as a pop singer with the top five hit ‘Macarthur Park’ (one critic referring to his voice as sounding like ‘coal being shovelled’). He did accept a part opposite Michael Caine, an actor he didn’t particularly care for, in the war drama Play Dirty. Harris’s contract stipulated that his role could not be tampered with once he’d agreed to appear, but arriving on the set he discovered four of his major scenes cut to ribbons. No way was he going to play second fiddle to Caine. Outraged, Harris confronted producer Harry Saltzman, blasted ‘You are a contemptible, low life fucker,’ and caught a plane home.

More bad news arrived when his divorce from Elizabeth became official. He’d later admit that his first marriage was, ‘An absolute, catastrophic fuck up because of my behaviour.’ Harris acknowledged his freedom by touring the brothels of Amsterdam and Hamburg ‘fucking for Ireland’. As for Elizabeth, she did temporarily mourn the loss of Harris. ‘This is a dull bore,’ she declared at one party. ‘What it needs is Harris to liven things up.’ Another time she was dining in a restaurant when she heard a commotion on another table. It was a drunken Oliver Reed who had somehow fallen into an American tourist’s tomato soup while reciting poetry to anybody who would listen. ‘I’m terribly sorry,’ said Reed, but the American’s wife was not amused. ‘Don’t be sorry. Just pay for the cleaning bills.’ So Reed took out some money, put it on the dining cloth, then stood on the table and clapped his hands to demand the attention of the whole restaurant. ‘Excuse me. Not only would I like to apologize to this man but, seemingly’ – he picked up the American’s wine bottle and looked at the label – ‘if he doesn’t facilitate himself of the opportunity of having his clothes cleaned at least he’ll be able to afford a better bottle of wine. Good night, sir,’ and walked out. As Reed reached the door a waiter handed him a note from Elizabeth who had scribbled, ‘Thank you for the show. It’s very good, but it’s not as good as Richard.’

Dumping Christopher Plummer Elizabeth had found solace in the arms of Rex Harrison, despite the fact he was still married to Rachel Roberts. One day Rachel confronted the lovers determined to resolve things one way or the other. The three of them stood for a while in silence in the lounge of Elizabeth’s flat, her dog Dodger sniffing excitedly round their feet. ‘All right Rex,’ said Rachel, breaking the uneasy silence. ‘Make up your mind. Which one of us do you want? You must make a choice, now!’ Rex looked at both women in turn, paused, then pointed to the dog and said, ‘I’ll take Dodger,’ and made a run for it.

It was only a matter of time before Harrison left Rachel and Elizabeth became the fifth Mrs Rex Harrison.

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