Diaries 1969-1979_ The Python Years - Michael Palin [270]
To cheer myself up I go down to Thumb Gallery for a private view. Robert H and Chris Orr are there. Robert is as up as I am down. He’s doing a Ruskin film with Les Megahey (ex-Oxon) for Omnibus.
A girl comes up and asks me if I’m Kenny Everett. When I tell her I’m Michael Palin she says ‘Oh, yes, I meant to say that.’ Such is fame.
Wednesday, February 22nd
Spend most of the afternoon in the Owl Bookshop, Kentish Town, rather frustratingly trying to spend a book token. The trouble is I want to read everything. Come out with several books for the kids – including T H White’s The Sword in the Stone and a ‘Biggies’ comic book for Tom. For myself, three novels by ‘Britain’s most underrated twentieth century novelist’ – Henry Green – plus Kingsley Amis’ latest, The Alteration. My reading veering towards novels once again, having completed the sorry, but compelling, story of John Dean.
Discovered the joys of T H White whilst reading to Willy tonight. Such richness – such a delightful and intelligent and satisfying mixture of humour, excitement and interest. Smashing.
Thursday, February 23rd, Southwold
Yarns stop for two more days, as I take a 48-hour trip to Southwold.
On the train a silvery-haired and dapper gent opposite introduces himself to me. His name’s Whinfrey and I’ve met him several times at Punch lunches. He’s the business manager of Punch. Will I be writing an article for them again soon? I say I have and it was rejected. He laughs uncertainly and goes on as if I hadn’t said anything.
Walk with sprightly Ma along the front. The sea in heavy swell and the familiar Promenade littered with the remains of beach huts wrecked in the January storms. The ‘Bide-A-Wees’ and ‘Little Huts’ and ‘Rocamars’ twisted and smashed.
Saturday, February 25th
Work days slip away. Another week has gone by – and only one day’s work on the Yarn. Still, I’m very happy and beginning to feel a cautious return of the writing urge.
Tom, Willy and I lunch at Nontas Greek in Camden Town, the idea being to try them on a lot of different countries’ cooking. Willy wants to go and eat Turkish because he’s heard that you can burp after the meal.
Sunday, February 26th
André J brings round the tape of the Shirley Bassey-type Brian song that they’ve put together. It sounds stupendous. Massive brass backing and a great female voice. All done by three people and a lot of mixing.
Back home, ring Graham to wish him well for the start of Odd Job filming – at Shepperton tomorrow. His new director, Peter Medak, seems to have won the casting battles hands down. Keith Moon is out and not because he was too busy with The Who – this was the official reason given to the press because Medak and others didn’t want him. Replaced by David Jason. GC has brought Diana Quick in to play his wife. She signed up only last Friday. I wished GC well, and told him to make sure he was still in it!
Monday, February 27th
To Gerry Donovan’s for a first glimpse of my false teeth. Try not to read too much psychological significance into this, but I never imagined I would be wearing false teeth at the age of 34. This is ridiculous, of course, for I’ve had bridges fitted for two years, but false teeth to me are things you take in and out and leave in a bowl of water beside the bed at night – they are like mothers-in-law and big tits, a traditional joke area. Now I have them – a little pink band to go across the roof of my mouth, a little dental chum to lie beside me at night. I feel a little – uncool, man.
To Anne’s for a meeting. Played the Bassey Brian. Good reaction, especially from JC. All full of admiration for André’s arrangement, though not for my lyric particularly. I agree.
Tuesday, February 28th
J Cleese has asked Helen and me out to dinner this evening. We called round at his still-scaffolded Ladbroke Road house, recently acquired from Bryan Ferry,