Diaries 1969-1979_ The Python Years - Michael Palin [340]
Finally reach Denis’s. John C, Terry G and Terry J – the ‘Home’ Pythons – are all there. John G and Anne as well. They’ve been waiting for me. For once I cannot raise a smile in acknowledgement of the usual abuse which any late Python arrival has to endure.
Then Denis pitches in. He’s never aggressive, never boorishly arrogant, but by God he’s persistent. He would like to take on Python and any individuals in Python. He claims that his organisation (Euro Atlantic) will be able to minimise our UK tax liability on the money we earn from Brian – which could be substantial.
So, after very little hard talking, Denis has managed to persuade the four of us that we should let him ‘structure’ our earnings from Brian right away. I suppose this is the thin end of the wedge and I expect that Denis and Euro Atlantic are with Python to stay.
Drive back across London. The parks look green and pleasant, and the Gay Pride March, which caused the traffic build-up which nearly resulted in my death from carbon monoxide poisoning four hours earlier, has dispersed.
Can’t get in till late at Her Majesty’s as Ain’t Misbehavin’ has come down late. A relaxed show – usual, very warm, very appreciative audience.
Mike Brearley1 beats up Terry J in the ‘Celebrity Sketch’ rather well, and Peter Cook’s judge’s summing-up of the Thorpe court case, which he wrote yesterday, is the small triumph it deserves.1 Sad it is for the country that political satire, or just satire of important people, has been so effectively stamped out of the media in the last ten years. Good for P Cook.
A huge crush of folk in the stalls bar for a party afterwards.
Home by four. Dawn is breaking over Gospel Oak. Richly satisfying ‘after the ball’ feeling…
Monday, July 2nd
Ate lunch at an empty but excellent Indian restaurant in Berwick Street with Clive Hollick and put to him as clearly and forcibly as I could the extent of my dissatisfaction with Shepperton’s progress over the last year. He would not at first accept that things were as serious as I made out – as indeed they are not from the point of view of the balance sheet – but I was talking about the guts and soul and down-to-earth human appeal of the studio, which has suffered disastrously.
He began to take this in, I think, and I persuaded him that things were urgent enough for us to pay a visit within the next week to the studios, as a Board, and inspect it, and I think I dissuaded him from accepting Charles Gregson’s recommendation that we should not employ a replacement for Munro, but busk along with two girls. This was contrary to all I felt was needed.
Shepperton needs someone with a spark of fight in them – someone who will be fiercely proud of the studio, who will not be intimidated, who will not be a forelock-tugger to the Board. Ideal sort of man would be Simon Albury, I suggest, almost flippantly, but the more we think about it, the more of a possibility it becomes.
Back into London for some dubbing and post-synching on Brian. The new work on the ‘Leper’ last week does seem to make the speech clearer, but I seesaw on the effectiveness of the sketch. Terry J is the greatest champion of the ‘Leper’ at the moment. I think Denis O’B would rather see it out. (Have noticed his artistic and creative participation increasing slowly but surely as he and we have got to know each other better.) I dub George Harrison’s voice on – another to add to my collection.
Wednesday, July 4th
To the Camden Swimming Gala at Swiss Cottage Baths. Tom P wins the third-year crawl against six other schools, makes up ground in the relay and helps Gospel Oak to the overall and the boys’ trophy – and they only just missed a clean sweep in the girls’. A terrific occasion. I feel wonderfully proud. Tom does not brag or boast and is quietly over the moon.
Thursday, July 3th
To John’s for a writing session and discussion on film posters and publicity generally in preparation for the Warner