Diaries 1969-1979_ The Python Years - Michael Palin [244]
By chance Barry Cryer rings during supper this evening. He is disenchanted with the Chapman situation, and says he doesn’t feel at home or comfortable in the house at Southwood Lane any more. Sad, for Barry was a very loyal and sensible friend of Graham’s.
Tuesday, July 19th
To Graham’s at eleven. A very good day’s work. We complete the re-think of the whole central section and work well together on new scenes and new dialogue during our five hours writing together. The Doctor has about six gin and tonics, and when I leave at four he seems on the verge of incapability – evenings can’t be much fun.
But until four we find a very easy-going, productive way of working – mainly because we have something to work on, and I am quite disciplined about what we have to do. Occasionally the phone rings and Graham becomes a producer. He seems to find this a nerve-wracking business. He puts the phone down, tells me they’ve got another £750,000, and then has to have a large gin and tonic to calm himself down.
Friday, July 22nd
Meet Geoffrey Strachan and the marketing man at Methuen to discuss ideas for promoting the new book of the Holy Grail.
We meet at Odin’s. I suggest we should publish our own top ten list of bestsellers in every ad, and make up specious names like ‘The Shell Guide to Dead Animals on the Motorway’, or else we should do a series of direct appeals to the buying public, of an abject and grovelling tone, mentioning wives, families to support … ‘living in the manner to which we’ve become accustomed’, etc, etc.
Geoffrey seems highly pleased and we part and walk over to Park Square West for a final Python meeting. Because we only have a little over an hour to make decisions, we work well and extraordinarily productively. No writing again until January – when we shall spend two or three weeks writing and rehearsing. The West Indies is mentioned, Eric favours Barbados.
Tuesday, July 26th
On a hot afternoon go all the way to Sun Alliance in Chancery Lane, only to be told that they wouldn’t insure my new house because of my profession. ‘Actors … and writers … well, you know.’
I didn’t know, nor did I try to find out, but I couldn’t help feeling something of a reject from society as I walked out again into Chancery Lane. But my solicitor cheerfully informs me that several big companies, including Eagle Star, won’t touch actors. The happy and slightly absurd ending to this story is that I finally find a willing insurer in the National Farmers’ Union at Huntingdon.
Friday, July 29th
Today we dub ‘Stalag Luft 112B’ at the Centre. There are twenty-two music cues, however, so it’s not easy.
The Goodies are in the bar at lunchtime. Tim has been in Australia (Perth) for two months doing a long part in a stage play, just to see, as he put it, ‘if I could make people laugh again’.
The talk is of the two scripts for the new Goodies series which the BBC have rejected. One, Jim told me, was the first the BBC had rejected, and it was because it wasn’t funny. Bill, on the other hand, said it was about punk rock and the BBC couldn’t stomach it. Jimmy Gilbert came under attack for his pusillanimity – and apparently Tim had been the most aggressive of the lot with him. Times change. John C used to describe Tim as the only man who could get Hitler and Churchill to come to tea together.
Monday, August 22nd
Jill Foster rang to say that Python had been approached to appear in the Royal Variety Performance this year. She said that when the gnarled old showbiz pro who puts the show together rang her, he had been rendered practically speechless by the fact that she said she’d ask us and see, but there wasn’t a great chance we’d do it.1
Mother very excited when I told her. I saw Tim Brooke-T and Bill at the Holiday Inn. The Goodies haven’t been asked,