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| Faces of the week | Faces of the week |
| (3 days later) | |
| Our regular look at some of the names which have made the news this week. Above are PETER O'TOOLE (main picture), with LUCY BUCHANAN, PRES. MOSHE KATSAV, ROBERT PICKTON and ROCHOM P'NGIENG. | Our regular look at some of the names which have made the news this week. Above are PETER O'TOOLE (main picture), with LUCY BUCHANAN, PRES. MOSHE KATSAV, ROBERT PICKTON and ROCHOM P'NGIENG. |
| PETER O'TOOLE | PETER O'TOOLE |
| Four years ago, the American Film Academy offered Peter O'Toole an honorary Oscar in view of his age and the fact that he'd been nominated seven times before without success. | Four years ago, the American Film Academy offered Peter O'Toole an honorary Oscar in view of his age and the fact that he'd been nominated seven times before without success. |
| His first nomination had come for the 1962 David Lean classic Lawrence of Arabia in which Peter O'Toole, with those electric blue eyes, took the film world by storm. He lost out to Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. | His first nomination had come for the 1962 David Lean classic Lawrence of Arabia in which Peter O'Toole, with those electric blue eyes, took the film world by storm. He lost out to Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. |
| But when, 41 years later, O'Toole received the honorary notification, he initially turned it down, saying that at 70 he was too young. He asked the Academy instead to defer it for 10 years and memorably added that, besides, "I might win the bugger outright." | But when, 41 years later, O'Toole received the honorary notification, he initially turned it down, saying that at 70 he was too young. He asked the Academy instead to defer it for 10 years and memorably added that, besides, "I might win the bugger outright." |
| But when he was told it would be bestowed on him whether or not he showed up, O'Toole agreed to accept it. | But when he was told it would be bestowed on him whether or not he showed up, O'Toole agreed to accept it. |
| O'Toole, in his new Oscar-nominated role for VenusLo and behold, four years later he might just. He has been nominated as Best Actor for his role as Maurice in the British low-budget movie, Venus. | O'Toole, in his new Oscar-nominated role for VenusLo and behold, four years later he might just. He has been nominated as Best Actor for his role as Maurice in the British low-budget movie, Venus. |
| It's an unlikely Oscar subject; a lecherous old man falling for a brash teenage girl whose head he tries to turn by introducing her to art. | It's an unlikely Oscar subject; a lecherous old man falling for a brash teenage girl whose head he tries to turn by introducing her to art. |
| The edginess of the script by Hanif Kureishi got the O'Toole stamp of approval. "It's a taboo subject. But it does happen." | The edginess of the script by Hanif Kureishi got the O'Toole stamp of approval. "It's a taboo subject. But it does happen." |
| O'Toole's Macbeth was deridedAccording to film critic Barry Norman, it's encouraging that an old timer like O'Toole should be even considered by the Academy. | O'Toole's Macbeth was deridedAccording to film critic Barry Norman, it's encouraging that an old timer like O'Toole should be even considered by the Academy. |
| "Youth and beauty are the normal staple of Hollywood Oscar nominations, so it's encouraging that perhaps ageism is diminishing in Hollywood. But in a part that could have been embarrassing, Peter O'Toole handles it beautifully, with grace and charm." | "Youth and beauty are the normal staple of Hollywood Oscar nominations, so it's encouraging that perhaps ageism is diminishing in Hollywood. But in a part that could have been embarrassing, Peter O'Toole handles it beautifully, with grace and charm." |
| It's the kind of eccentric role with which the 6ft 3ins Peter O'Toole has been associated throughout his career. Typical was his portrayal of the 14th Earl of Gurneym in 1972's the Ruling Class, who believes he is God. Why? "When I pray I find I'm talking to myself." | It's the kind of eccentric role with which the 6ft 3ins Peter O'Toole has been associated throughout his career. Typical was his portrayal of the 14th Earl of Gurneym in 1972's the Ruling Class, who believes he is God. Why? "When I pray I find I'm talking to myself." |
| In Bertolucci's Last Emperor, he played a quirky Scots tutor. | In Bertolucci's Last Emperor, he played a quirky Scots tutor. |
| His portrayal of a drunken matinee idol in My Favourite Year brought another Oscar nomination to go with those for Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr Chips, The Ruling Class, and The Stunt Man. | His portrayal of a drunken matinee idol in My Favourite Year brought another Oscar nomination to go with those for Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr Chips, The Ruling Class, and The Stunt Man. |
| Former hell-raiser | Former hell-raiser |
| Then there was his celebrated stage run, playing the role of the legendary low-life lush, Jeffrey Bernard, in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell. | Then there was his celebrated stage run, playing the role of the legendary low-life lush, Jeffrey Bernard, in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell. |
| This part held extra resonance given O'Toole's own legendary hell-raising past, most notably with the two Richards, Burton and Harris. | This part held extra resonance given O'Toole's own legendary hell-raising past, most notably with the two Richards, Burton and Harris. |
| Famously, he once fell asleep in Paris in a drunken stupor, only to wake up in Corsica. | Famously, he once fell asleep in Paris in a drunken stupor, only to wake up in Corsica. |
| His drinking buddies are both dead; indeed he nearly succumbed to the grim reaper himself back in 1975 when he had to have part of his stomach and pancreas removed. | His drinking buddies are both dead; indeed he nearly succumbed to the grim reaper himself back in 1975 when he had to have part of his stomach and pancreas removed. |
| He stopped drinking after that but by then it had cost him his marriage to actress Sian Phillips, with whom he has two daughters, one of whom, Kate O'Toole, has followed in her parents' thespian footsteps. | He stopped drinking after that but by then it had cost him his marriage to actress Sian Phillips, with whom he has two daughters, one of whom, Kate O'Toole, has followed in her parents' thespian footsteps. |
| O'Toole still enjoys a drink despite his hell-raising pastPeter O'Toole also has a son by a former girlfriend, Karen Brown, whom he raised after a custody battle. | O'Toole still enjoys a drink despite his hell-raising pastPeter O'Toole also has a son by a former girlfriend, Karen Brown, whom he raised after a custody battle. |
| His first brush with death had actually come during World War II when he was blown off his feet by a German bomb blast in Leeds. His parents had moved there from Ireland. His father, known as Captain Pat was a former boxer and bookmaker. | |
| Sport has played a great part in Peter O'Toole's life. An ardent boxing, rugby and racing fan, he is also a qualified MCC cricket coach. | Sport has played a great part in Peter O'Toole's life. An ardent boxing, rugby and racing fan, he is also a qualified MCC cricket coach. |
| He made his name at the Bristol Old Vic in the 1950s, then in Stratford and in London's West End. It was his triumph in The Long and The Short and The Tall at the Royal Court in 1960 that brought him to David Lean's attention when casting Lawrence. | He made his name at the Bristol Old Vic in the 1950s, then in Stratford and in London's West End. It was his triumph in The Long and The Short and The Tall at the Royal Court in 1960 that brought him to David Lean's attention when casting Lawrence. |
| There have been turkeys too. His over-the-top portrayal of Macbeth at The Old Vic brought boos and the worst reviews of a play since World War II. | There have been turkeys too. His over-the-top portrayal of Macbeth at The Old Vic brought boos and the worst reviews of a play since World War II. |
| He described one recent movie in which he had a cameo role, Troy, with Brad Pitt, as being like a Hovis commercial, prompting one tabloid to suggest he was only in it for the bread. | He described one recent movie in which he had a cameo role, Troy, with Brad Pitt, as being like a Hovis commercial, prompting one tabloid to suggest he was only in it for the bread. |
| Venus has been his first lead in a film role for many years but he has dismissed any suggestion that it may be his last, even though in recent years, as the film writer David Thomson put it, "he looks and behaves like his own ghost." | Venus has been his first lead in a film role for many years but he has dismissed any suggestion that it may be his last, even though in recent years, as the film writer David Thomson put it, "he looks and behaves like his own ghost." |
| Barry Norman believes O'Toole has been slightly typecast by his appearance. "His tall, thin, angular body lends itself to that eccentric role, but at the age of 74, you grab whatever comes along. And whatever he does, he lends it class and distinction." | Barry Norman believes O'Toole has been slightly typecast by his appearance. "His tall, thin, angular body lends itself to that eccentric role, but at the age of 74, you grab whatever comes along. And whatever he does, he lends it class and distinction." |
| But will he win the Oscar? Put it this way, as a man who likes a flutter, Peter O'Toole is not betting on himself. | But will he win the Oscar? Put it this way, as a man who likes a flutter, Peter O'Toole is not betting on himself. |
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| LUCY BUCHANAN | LUCY BUCHANAN |
| Just as Britain's Channel 4 was reeling over accusations of bullying and racism in its Big Brother programme, another storm erupted over another of their reality shows, Shipwrecked. In it, 18-year-old student Lucy Buchanan claimed black people were "really bad", that fat people were "offensive" and that she was in favour of the return of slavery. Oh, and she doesn't like homosexuals either. Her parents apologised on her behalf, describing their daughter as not racist but naive. | Just as Britain's Channel 4 was reeling over accusations of bullying and racism in its Big Brother programme, another storm erupted over another of their reality shows, Shipwrecked. In it, 18-year-old student Lucy Buchanan claimed black people were "really bad", that fat people were "offensive" and that she was in favour of the return of slavery. Oh, and she doesn't like homosexuals either. Her parents apologised on her behalf, describing their daughter as not racist but naive. |
| Full story | Full story |
| MOSHE KATSAV | MOSHE KATSAV |
| A scandal involving their president sent shock waves through Israel this week. Moshe Katsav was forced to stand down, albeit temporarily, over allegations of rape and sexual assault levelled against him. These assert that he preyed on women who worked for him, threatening to fire them if they didn't grant him sexual favours. Katsav denies the claims and defied demands from top officials to resign outright. As long as Katsav remains president, he enjoys immunity from prosecution. | A scandal involving their president sent shock waves through Israel this week. Moshe Katsav was forced to stand down, albeit temporarily, over allegations of rape and sexual assault levelled against him. These assert that he preyed on women who worked for him, threatening to fire them if they didn't grant him sexual favours. Katsav denies the claims and defied demands from top officials to resign outright. As long as Katsav remains president, he enjoys immunity from prosecution. |
| Full story | Full story |
| ROBERT PICKTON | ROBERT PICKTON |
| A Canadian pig-farmer, Robert Pickton, has gone on trial in British Columbia for the murder of 26 women. Most of the victims were prostitutes and drug addicts who vanished from a drug-ridden Vancouver neighbourhood in the 1990s. He is accused of luring them to his pig farm where he threw parties with plenty of alcohol and drugs. Prosecutors believe he may have killed as many as 49 women. Pickton has dismissed the charges as "hogwash". Full story | A Canadian pig-farmer, Robert Pickton, has gone on trial in British Columbia for the murder of 26 women. Most of the victims were prostitutes and drug addicts who vanished from a drug-ridden Vancouver neighbourhood in the 1990s. He is accused of luring them to his pig farm where he threw parties with plenty of alcohol and drugs. Prosecutors believe he may have killed as many as 49 women. Pickton has dismissed the charges as "hogwash". Full story |
| ROCHOM P'NGIENG | ROCHOM P'NGIENG |
| A young woman found in the remote jungle of Cambodia was reported to be reunited with her family after 19 years living like an animal. Rochom P'ngieng went missing when she was eight. Her family claim they recognise scars on her wrists that were the result of a childhood knife incident. But there are doubts about the authenticity of the claim, notably that certain physical traits do not tally with a long stay in the wild. Full story | A young woman found in the remote jungle of Cambodia was reported to be reunited with her family after 19 years living like an animal. Rochom P'ngieng went missing when she was eight. Her family claim they recognise scars on her wrists that were the result of a childhood knife incident. But there are doubts about the authenticity of the claim, notably that certain physical traits do not tally with a long stay in the wild. Full story |
| Written by BBC News Profiles Unit's Bob Chaundy | Written by BBC News Profiles Unit's Bob Chaundy |
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