PERSPECTIVE UKNORTH
People and their profiles: dukes, archbishops, actors, writers, monks, oddbods, the garish, the gregarious - here they are in single file, chosen by chance, by inclination, or by necessity ... and all reflecting, one hopes, the essential, but indefinable, spark that makes one human being interesting to many. Geoffrey Mather
Lionel Jeffries in Leeds - the making of a legend
The Railway Children was made all over again with Jenny Agutter playing the mother. She played a child in the original. And I came across some notes I made when Lionel Jeffries, the actor who directed Railway Children, auditioned in Leeds:
He was struck by the fact that everyone in the streets seemed to be leaning forward as if into an imaginary wind and demonstrated this because it was new to him. When some passing youths became fascinated by his lack of hair, he shouted, "Go on, then. I'll buy yours." He was met by a local Equity man named Terry Waddington, who said, "I've got the spotty-faced youth for you now," The youth appeared.
"OK, OK, OK, fine," said Jeffries. "You are Yorkshire? Do you speak French at all?" "A bit, you know," said the youth. "Doesn't matter," said Jeffries, "I want it done badly because the guy simply says, Parlay voo Fronsay? and then does a sort of sniff. "
Jeffries inspected him closely for spots and seemed satisfied. ."Still haven't got the wizened little workman," said Tony Waddington.
Jeffries moved on to casting a farmer. A big, jolly actor walked in. "Would you like to do me a favour?" said Jeffries. 'Would you like to drink as much beer as you can from now on? On me. All right? I want you fat." "I am fat," said the actor and, referring to the booze, "it's t' first time I've been asked to do owt like that." Page 46 of the script said, "He has a big, red, boozy face."
To ' another actor, Jeffries said, "You don't have false teeth do you by any chance?" The actor indicated that he had. Jeffries said, "Well, you can take them out for me. Not now! (as the actor began to reach for his mouth). For the picture."
A modest picture turned into a legend. The rest is Christmas.
Geoffrey Mather © 2004
3 March, 2007