THEBLACKBOXCLUB HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO MEET RALPH BATES TWICE. ONCE IN 1980 AND AGAIN IN 1988. ON BOTH OCCASIONS HE WAS THE MOST FRIENDLY OF GUYS AND WAS HAPPY TO TALK ON A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS FROM HIS DAYS AS A YOUNG ACTOR, HIS YEARS WITH HAMMER FILMS, HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH PETER CUSHING, HIS SUCCESS ON BBC TV'S POLDARK SERIES AND THE DECLINE OF THE BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY.
ON MEETING RALPH FOR THE LAST TIME, HE WAS UPSET THAT HE HADN'T BEEN ASKED TO RECORD A BLACK BOX JINGLE...'WE'LL SET UP A MEETING TO 'DO JUST THAT!' IS THE LAST THING HE SAYS IN THE INTERVIEW...SADLY, IT NEVER HAPPENED...
FOR THE FIRST TIME THEBLACKBOXCLUB WILL BE RELEASING BOTH INTERVIEWS ON THE RADIOSHOW.
What a fantastic photo of Ralph in the beard there, must have been taken by a genius of the camera! (Actually, I took it at the Bristol Hippodrome when he was in the play 'Hedda Gabler' with Susannah York in the starring role.) Just thought you'd like to know that.
ReplyDeleteRalph Bates was a charming man and it was a real pleasure to meet him. Died much too young.
You did indeed! He was was and did.
ReplyDelete