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What Burton, who faked friendships with journalists, really thought of them What Burton, who faked friendships with journalists, really thought of them
(5 months later)
My Los Angeles holiday gave me a chance to read The Richard Burton Diaries*, which were published at the end of last year (reviewed at the time in The Guardian here).My Los Angeles holiday gave me a chance to read The Richard Burton Diaries*, which were published at the end of last year (reviewed at the time in The Guardian here).
One of the fascinating aspects of the diaries was the actor's relationship with journalists. Though he loved to read newspapers, he didn't have much time for the people who wrote them.One of the fascinating aspects of the diaries was the actor's relationship with journalists. Though he loved to read newspapers, he didn't have much time for the people who wrote them.
He was, as many journalists reported during his lifetime (1925-1984), very friendly towards most of them. He ate and drank with them, and appeared at ease in their company. But, in private, he clearly despised them.He was, as many journalists reported during his lifetime (1925-1984), very friendly towards most of them. He ate and drank with them, and appeared at ease in their company. But, in private, he clearly despised them.
A voracious reader of books and papers, his diaries contain several references to his enjoyment in reading the International Herald Tribune and the British Sunday papers. At one point, he reveals that his then wife, Elizabeth Taylor, loved him to read out stories from the News of the World.A voracious reader of books and papers, his diaries contain several references to his enjoyment in reading the International Herald Tribune and the British Sunday papers. At one point, he reveals that his then wife, Elizabeth Taylor, loved him to read out stories from the News of the World.
On 11 November 1968, he tells of reading "all the political comment in the 'quality' papers" about Richard Nixon's presidency, naming the Sunday Times, The Observer and the Sunday Telegraph.On 11 November 1968, he tells of reading "all the political comment in the 'quality' papers" about Richard Nixon's presidency, naming the Sunday Times, The Observer and the Sunday Telegraph.
Banalities... venality... bristling with insignificanceBanalities... venality... bristling with insignificance
But he is scathing about critics and about the various showbusiness interviewers he meets and greets down the years. Here's a selection of his comments (E refers to Taylor, of course):But he is scathing about critics and about the various showbusiness interviewers he meets and greets down the years. Here's a selection of his comments (E refers to Taylor, of course):
"How drab people are, especially from the press. I lunched with a lady who calls herself Margaret Hinxman and who writes for the Sunday Telegraph. I promised her the so far un-awarded Taylor-Burton 'Oscar' if she could ask me a question that neither E nor I had ever been asked before. She failed."How drab people are, especially from the press. I lunched with a lady who calls herself Margaret Hinxman and who writes for the Sunday Telegraph. I promised her the so far un-awarded Taylor-Burton 'Oscar' if she could ask me a question that neither E nor I had ever been asked before. She failed.
Why didn't she take up the challenge and ask for instance: 'How often do you fuck? Do you confine it to weekends or do you have a fetish for Tuesdays? Or 'How often do you masturbate?'"Why didn't she take up the challenge and ask for instance: 'How often do you fuck? Do you confine it to weekends or do you have a fetish for Tuesdays? Or 'How often do you masturbate?'"
Instead he complains that she, like others, asks him whether he has sold his soul to the films rather than the theatre or whether the Welsh people and his family are proud of him. He comments: "How does one reply to these inevitable banalities? Shit over the lot of them."Instead he complains that she, like others, asks him whether he has sold his soul to the films rather than the theatre or whether the Welsh people and his family are proud of him. He comments: "How does one reply to these inevitable banalities? Shit over the lot of them."
David Lewin, one-time Daily Mail staffer, famously upset Burton and Taylor during a TV interview in 1967. In his diary the following day Burton noted that "D Lewin" was "quite silly and shaming" and that, at lunch afterwards he "further disgraced himself", remarking: "His mind is poverty stricken, and rises only to the lowest levels of the Daily Mail."David Lewin, one-time Daily Mail staffer, famously upset Burton and Taylor during a TV interview in 1967. In his diary the following day Burton noted that "D Lewin" was "quite silly and shaming" and that, at lunch afterwards he "further disgraced himself", remarking: "His mind is poverty stricken, and rises only to the lowest levels of the Daily Mail."
Two years later Burton writes of finding pleasure in Lewin's "discomfiture" but adds: "Actually, I feel rather sorry for him. It seems he's lost his job as head of the entertainment section of the Daily Mail."Two years later Burton writes of finding pleasure in Lewin's "discomfiture" but adds: "Actually, I feel rather sorry for him. It seems he's lost his job as head of the entertainment section of the Daily Mail."
I got to know Lewin, who died last year aged 89, in the 1980s. He always maintained, in spite of Taylor's TV outburst, that he was a friend of both stars.I got to know Lewin, who died last year aged 89, in the 1980s. He always maintained, in spite of Taylor's TV outburst, that he was a friend of both stars.
So did Roderick Mann of the Sunday Express. Yet Burton, after a meeting with him in 1968, wrote:So did Roderick Mann of the Sunday Express. Yet Burton, after a meeting with him in 1968, wrote:
"Roddy Mann is venal… he fairly bristles with insignificance. I could write better with my left foot. But what the devil or the dickens or the hell, we have to make a living or die and there are worse things than writing for the popular press, like dying of malnutrition in Biafra.""Roddy Mann is venal… he fairly bristles with insignificance. I could write better with my left foot. But what the devil or the dickens or the hell, we have to make a living or die and there are worse things than writing for the popular press, like dying of malnutrition in Biafra."
Mann died, aged 87, in September 2010. He was recorded in obituaries as having been "a friend of the stars."Mann died, aged 87, in September 2010. He was recorded in obituaries as having been "a friend of the stars."
Scruffy... semi-literate... silly... idioticScruffy... semi-literate... silly... idiotic
Another, similarly remembered, was Peter Evans of the Daily Express. In 1968, he and the photographer Terry O'Neill turned up on on the set of a movie, Staircase.Another, similarly remembered, was Peter Evans of the Daily Express. In 1968, he and the photographer Terry O'Neill turned up on on the set of a movie, Staircase.
"They are both very little, very scruffy, and wear stupendous lifts," wrote Burton, adding: "Peter, who is very nice, is a perfect example of a semi-literate who makes a very good living from writing. He is even having a book published shortly!""They are both very little, very scruffy, and wear stupendous lifts," wrote Burton, adding: "Peter, who is very nice, is a perfect example of a semi-literate who makes a very good living from writing. He is even having a book published shortly!"
Evans, who died aged 78 last September, subsequently wrote several books and many articles about Burton and Taylor.Evans, who died aged 78 last September, subsequently wrote several books and many articles about Burton and Taylor.
His final piece on Burton, for the Daily Mail in 2009, concluded: "I will always remember him as a friend. A rollicking, fascinating, roguish and talented friend who drank too much and died too soon."His final piece on Burton, for the Daily Mail in 2009, concluded: "I will always remember him as a friend. A rollicking, fascinating, roguish and talented friend who drank too much and died too soon."
Someone who also regularly spoke of his "good mate" Burton was Fergus Cashin, who wrote for the Daily Sketch until it closed. Then he joined, briefly and memorably, The Sun.Someone who also regularly spoke of his "good mate" Burton was Fergus Cashin, who wrote for the Daily Sketch until it closed. Then he joined, briefly and memorably, The Sun.
Burton wrote of him in 1969 as "that idiot" who writes for the "unread Sketch." He added: "He never was much of a writer but being permanently drunk has made him worse. He has the lined and debauched face of an old man."Burton wrote of him in 1969 as "that idiot" who writes for the "unread Sketch." He added: "He never was much of a writer but being permanently drunk has made him worse. He has the lined and debauched face of an old man."
Given Burton's heroic drinking - three bottles of spirits a day at one time - to describe Cashin as a drunk was a bit rich. Cashin, who died in 2005, was co-author of a 1974 Burton biography and wrote a second one in 1982.Given Burton's heroic drinking - three bottles of spirits a day at one time - to describe Cashin as a drunk was a bit rich. Cashin, who died in 2005, was co-author of a 1974 Burton biography and wrote a second one in 1982.
Burton was somewhat kinder about the "bright as a button" Barry Norman before criticising his line of questioning. Norman is still with us, aged 79, as is the Daily Mirror's Donald Zec, now 94.Burton was somewhat kinder about the "bright as a button" Barry Norman before criticising his line of questioning. Norman is still with us, aged 79, as is the Daily Mirror's Donald Zec, now 94.
In 1971, Zec was in Rome to interview Burton the day after his 46th "semi-drunken birthday," which began with two large martinis. He invited Zec to lunch with Taylor and the couturier Valentino, writing afterwards that Zec "was completely out of his depth and betrayed his discomfort by being a silly kind of smart-aleck."In 1971, Zec was in Rome to interview Burton the day after his 46th "semi-drunken birthday," which began with two large martinis. He invited Zec to lunch with Taylor and the couturier Valentino, writing afterwards that Zec "was completely out of his depth and betrayed his discomfort by being a silly kind of smart-aleck."
Withering... unimpressed... a source of distressWithering... unimpressed... a source of distress
Burton was withering too about Michael Parkinson's biography of footballer George Best, which he read twice, in 1975 and 1983. First time around he called it "horribly common" and on the second, said it was awful, adding:Burton was withering too about Michael Parkinson's biography of footballer George Best, which he read twice, in 1975 and 1983. First time around he called it "horribly common" and on the second, said it was awful, adding:
"I wonder if Parkinson knew he was writing about himself. Wine, women, TV star. Lost his talent as a promising writer as Best lost his genius. And for the same reasons.""I wonder if Parkinson knew he was writing about himself. Wine, women, TV star. Lost his talent as a promising writer as Best lost his genius. And for the same reasons."
Burton was also unimpressed with the journalist Romany Bain after meeting her in Rome in 1971: "She writes for Woman's Own and other such diabolically tedious mags… I answered the unanswerable questions like 'In what ways would you say you've changed since your first meeting and falling in love with Elizabeth 10 years ago in this very city?' with my usual noncommittal circuitous tergiversation."Burton was also unimpressed with the journalist Romany Bain after meeting her in Rome in 1971: "She writes for Woman's Own and other such diabolically tedious mags… I answered the unanswerable questions like 'In what ways would you say you've changed since your first meeting and falling in love with Elizabeth 10 years ago in this very city?' with my usual noncommittal circuitous tergiversation."
One continual source of distress was the habit of one of his brothers, Graham, in speaking to newspaper reporters. Of one occasion, in 1970, Burton writes:One continual source of distress was the habit of one of his brothers, Graham, in speaking to newspaper reporters. Of one occasion, in 1970, Burton writes:
"With his mindless bonhomie, folio de grandeur, and doubtless full of booze, [Graham] has been entertaining the press again re my early life. The press concerned is that rag of all rags - The People… the ultimate in cheap journalism."With his mindless bonhomie, folio de grandeur, and doubtless full of booze, [Graham] has been entertaining the press again re my early life. The press concerned is that rag of all rags - The People… the ultimate in cheap journalism.
They are about to do a several part article on my life and loves… There is a letter from The People to Aaron [Frosch, Burton's solictor] which indicates that he is in the same literary league as Graham and well down to barrel-scraping standards."They are about to do a several part article on my life and loves… There is a letter from The People to Aaron [Frosch, Burton's solictor] which indicates that he is in the same literary league as Graham and well down to barrel-scraping standards."
What is betrayed by these remarks, and many others, is Burton's fascination with newspapers and their journalists. To their faces, he was charming. Behind their backs, he loathed them.What is betrayed by these remarks, and many others, is Burton's fascination with newspapers and their journalists. To their faces, he was charming. Behind their backs, he loathed them.
*The Richard Burton Diaries, edited by Chris Williams, published by Yale University Press*The Richard Burton Diaries, edited by Chris Williams, published by Yale University Press
Other sources: Ham & High/Sunday Express/HuffPo/Daily Mail/Press Gazette/WikipediaOther sources: Ham & High/Sunday Express/HuffPo/Daily Mail/Press Gazette/Wikipedia
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