FORGOTTEN HERO (Remembering Oliver Reed)

 

It's always sad, when a truly gifted and special person becomes disliked and mis-understood - especially in his own country. And if that's true, then the story of Oliver Reed, must truly be a sad one indeed...and it is for this reason that I have decided to write this page in memory of one of the most talented but ultimately MISUNDERSTOOD Actors EVER to have come out of Britain in the Twentieth Century!

He was born Robert Oliver Reed in the Wimbledon district of South London; to sports journalist, Peter Reed and his wife Marcia Andrews. He was also nephew to British director, Sir Carol Reed (who later cast him as Bill Sykes in the movie, "OLIVER!" in 1968), and grandson to Actor/Manager Sir Herbert Beerbohm-Tree - not to mention some ALLEGED relation to historic Russian leader, Peter The Great. With connections like THAT in his beer bottle, as ANYONE who knew him personally would tell you, Ollie never needed telling he was the absolute GREATEST!

But first of all, back to the beginning (we ARE getting ahead of ourselves)....

To begin with, there WAS only ONE Oliver Reed. Right from his childhood, he was used to putting on faces to blend in or get what he needed in school. As a child he was no more than a waif, and often faded into obscurity when matched against the other kids. To counteract this, he played up as the fool to get their respect (something to which he succeeded with alarming success). Quite the opposite to the man who was to specialise in playing heroes and burly toughs when on screen years later. As I say though, there WAS only one Oliver Reed.

  

                       

                                                   
  After his stint in National Service in 1957 he was still the waif, yet began his theatrical career completely devoid of any theatrical training or experience whatsoever making UN-credited appearances in several British movies as an extra - usually playing toughs or whatever came to hand. Off-stage and in his private life he was usually anything BUT the waif, and spent much time hanging around bars, drinking,  and making friends with the lads.

As Britain went into the 1960's, Reed continued to develop this image, to the point of earning questionable money off-stage as a part-time debt collector. He was making quite a name for himself with his fists around South London in this department, when the London police caught up with him, and he suddenly changed his mind, sticking to acting instead!

                    

                       

Then came his debut in Hammer Films, when they gave him his first sizable role, as one of the villains in the Swashbuckler, "SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST" (1960). A big success, the film also starred Richard Greene as Robin Hood,
 Peter Cushing and Derren Nesbitt. Ollie had had his first taste of the bigtime and what it could be like, and he wanted more. Hammer too were pleased with him, and from hereonin, gave him more roles, such as the Pimp in "THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL" (1960), and his first starring role - as the Werewolf - in the mammoth hit, "CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF" in 1961.
 Ollie's' belief in himself and sheer guile alone had been largely instrumental in securing him a big foot in the door, just as the British Film Industry was getting going. 

                    

 

                                       

  More roles followed - including TWO more for Hammer in "THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER" (1962) with Christopher Lee, and CAPTAIN CLEGG" (also 1962), with Peter Cushing. Both these two were pirate films, which was significant, as Ollie always enjoyed playing either toughs OR heroes. He was also building up quite a following - particularly amongst girls - when he then made "THE DAMNED" for Joseph Losey. Although made BY Hammer, the picture WAS actually directed by heavyweight, Joseph Losey who specifically wanted Reed for the role of tough thick-ear Biker, "King". 

This was a science fiction shocker movie, about a group of innocents who inadvertently stumble upon a Government Research Station engaged in a nefarious series of experiments between children and radiation. When completed, the film was not only extensively cut by the censors but then STILL, DENIED a certificate of release until 1963, when it easily became a huge success. From this success, Reed continued to become

 more confident - as well he should have done. Hammer had made him a Star, and years before Michael Caine!   

                                           

  Ollie continued to work for Hammer until 1965. Without doubt, it was a good education. Through Hammer, Ollie not only learnt about the grind of film-making, but how to hone his own craft. They both benefited.

  

 By 1965 however, Reed was definitely beginning to move on. His stalwart work for the UK Studio had paid off handsomely in so many ways,

 and he was on the up. OTHERS had spotted him. Like rebel director, Ken Russell (then still working in Television for the BBC), who decided to cast Reed as the Composer Claude Debussy in his "Monitor" biopic of the man, entitled "THE DEBUSSY FILM". Newbie director, Michael Winner, also cast him, as the main man in his comedy-drama, "THE SYSTEM" (1964).

  

 In 1966, Reed journeyed to Canada with a full British crew to star in the Rank adventure, "THE TRAP". Co-starring with Rita Tushingham, this was his first lead proper, playing a French-Canadian trapper named Batiste. And excellent movie in all respects, Ollie shone through, not only making the most of the physical parts (which he loved so much), but mastering the difficult French-Canadian dialect and accent. 

By now, rivals such as Michael Caine & Terence Stamp were also beginning to break through. Caine was huge with hits such as "ALFIE" & "ZULU"; and he also had his eye on Hollywood....something Ollie had not thought to do in order to consolidate his success. Consequently, DESPITE his own success at this time, he was NEVER to be as well known or BIG in Hollywood as Caine or Connery. 

                       

 However back home in England, Ollie could do no wrong. In the late Sixties, he was to reap the benefits of his hard work for Hammer earlier on, and make some of his most popular films which were in turn, to lay the basis for truly international hits later on such as "WOMEN IN LOVE".
 Between 1966 and 1969, Reed made three more films for Michael Winner, including the hilarious "THE JOKERS" with Michael Crawford, the critical success, "I'LL NEVER FORGET WHATSHISNAME ", and the ever-popular "HANNIBAL BROOKS". 

                    

Whatever the reason though, Ollie was never to be as popular or famous as his erstwhile rivals. In 1968, he may well have been the directors' choice in many UK movies, but OUTSIDE in Hollywood, he was never to be as well-known. Whereas by 1970, Ollie had risen to become one of the
 most popular British names back home and in Europe, Hollywood remained elusive. 

 

                      

 

 Reed was also (by this time) known for his excessive drinking, and there are numerous anecdotes such as Reed and 36 friends drinking in an evening, 60 gallons of beer, 32 bottles of Scotch, 17 bottles of gin, four crates of wine, and one bottle of Babycham. He subsequently revised the story, claiming he drank 106 pints of beer on a two-day binge before marrying Josephine; "The event that was reported actually took place during an arm-wrestling competition in Guernsey about 15 years ago, it was highly exaggerated." Steve McQueen told the story that in 1973 he flew to the UK to discuss a film project with Reed and suggested the two men visit a London nightclub. They ended up on a marathon pub crawl during which Reed vomited on McQueen.
 Reed's face had been scarred 10 years previously during a 1963 bar fight after which he received 63 stitches and was in danger of having his film career terminated in his 20's. Indeed, Reed was always quite the character OFF screen as well as ON.

 

                        

 Continuing his lucrative relationship with Ken Russell, Ollie then made "WOMEN IN LOVE" playing the role of "Gerald" the wealthy and cruel English Landlord who marries "Gudrun" (Glenda Jackson), and is driven to suicide by her rejection of him. Ollie was NOT on this occasion however, Russell's personal choice, but was, instead, put forward by United Artists who were putting up the money (Russell wanted Edward Fox). And yet Reed turned the role on it's head. His exemplary gift for conveying pain through facial expressions and body-language totally devoid of words worked to perfection. It was also on HIS insistence that the controversial nude wrestling scene with co-star Alan Bates was not only filmed but ALSO included the way he wanted it. Russell had read the scene in D. H. Lawrence's original book and rejected it. But Ollie on the other hand, had other ideas and literally twisted the director's arm!

                             

 Ollie continued to make regular films across the board at this point - including his first Hollywood movie, the Western adventure, "THE HUNTING PARTY".
 1971 brought another project with Ken Russell - the hugely controversial "THE DEVILS", with Vanessa Redgrave. By this time there were only two UK actors bigger than him - Connery & Caine, and that was official!

The movie, "THE DEVILS" (1971) was nothing but trouble from the moment it was released. It was a combination of two works by john Whiting in 1960 and Alduous Huxley in 1952; depicting the events surrounding the burning of a small town in 17th. Century France by the Catholic Church, and the man who stood against the tyranny, a priest, named Urban Grandier (played by Reed). Also included in the plot was a nearby Convent where the Nuns had literally become "obsessed with the Devil". Upon it's release, the film was either banned outright, cut or just up to it's neck in controversy, mostly brought on by it's very visual depiction of religious imagery gone wrong (such as when Sister Jeanne (Redgrave) dreams of making love to Christ in the guise of Grandier). The wasn't so much HOT as outrightly BLASPHEMOUS to many around the world, and as said, was pulled in many countries. 

                           

 1972 found Ollie on more secure ground.

 After the gangster thriller "SITTING TARGET"; Ollie moved on to what many consider to be not only his best, but also his most popular role - that of "Athos" in Richard Lester's highly popular versions of "THE THREE..." & "FOUR MUSKETEERS". These highly successful films were the eventual result of an idea originally proposed in 1966 to star The Beatles. The group weren't interested but director Lester WAS and the idea stayed until 1972, when Lester hired novelist George MacDonald-Fraser to fashion some scripts which were loyal to the original novels by Alexandre Dumas. Lester then fashioned a good cast including some of the top names of the day- also including Raquel Welch (with whom, Reed had a severe difference of opinion). The films were then released over 1973/4 and Ollie too received generally good reviews.     

 

                 

It was now however in 1974, that just as Reed secured his most famous role, that the UK Film Industry was to finally SERIOUSLY give way, feeling the pinch of events outside as the country entered the 3-Day week and the Energy Crisis took hold. Ollie, who had NOT secured his position in the U.S. as Caine had done, began to be affected as well. His reputation with the beer also went against him, as it made him (at least in the eyes of some) UNRELIABLE. In fact, Ollie was NEVER unreliable. On the set, he was ALWAYS on time and on form. 

                     

Ever since UK Prime Minister Ted Heath had taken power in 1970, England had never been the same again. That same year, the Government decided to raise taxes on personal income, and unlike many of his peers and rivals AGAIN Ollie chose differently and REFUSED to move to Hollywood (he was hugely patriotic). Ever since the Sixties, Ollie had owned a Mansion in Oakley Surrey, named Broome Hall. In many ways, it was his pride and joy. As the Seventies progressed however, he had to SELL it off just to stay afloat, as the UK studios closed, films stopped and Ollie found himself either (more and more) in the doldrums with below par parts, OR no parts at all! 

                         

Despite all the odds however, somehow Ollie survived.
 In 1975, he began - albeit somewhat LATE - to improve his situation in Hollywood. His first stop was the Horror flick, "BURNT OFFERINGS" (1976). Ollie handled himself well and, supplanted by decent efforts back home such as "TOMMY" (1975) & "THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER" in 1978 he survived into the 1980's; however, by then however (and through no fault of his own)the writing was well and truly on the wall. The ailing British Film Industry was now almost-totally at the whims of the U.S. and Ollie was a forgotten commodity. 

Throughout the 1980's - although he continued to put in decent work, the films themselves and often the roles TOO were often well beneath him. That said in 1989, he was one of the real stars of "THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN" (as the Roman god, Vulcan), and the middle-aged misfit Gerald Kingsland in "CASTAWAY" (1987). 

                     

                     

With movies now largely a thing of the past, and his own name also largely forgotten (especially in the UK), Ollie then seemed to initiate a change of tack. 

 

                              

 

                       

 From 1986 onwards, we come to the image of Oliver Reed that most people in the UK particularly became famous with before his death. GONE was the famous film star capable of making interesting banter on "Parkinson". Instead, Reed appeared sodden, stumbling and in short, a drunken fool. To many who either knew him personally or had loved him as a fan, it heart-breaking. But to answer the question, "what went wrong" there is (to be honest) NO ANSWER. Even his young wife and his brother Simon were horrified. After his infamous appearance on Des O'Connor's show in 1986, he then staggered onto the stage of Michael Aspel's
 Saturday night show, drunk to the eyeballs, literally APING Mick Jagger. It got worse. 

                                             

 

                  

In 1998, Reed was "asked" to guest on channel-4's late night debate show, "After Dark", where he and would-be politician Billy Bragg verbally assaulted feminist Kate Millet. Other shows followed - including several on channel-4 where it was known they were secretly asking him in JUST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS WICKED WAYS (many's the time they spiked his dressing room with secret cameras and bottles of well-placed booze. By the time of his death in 1990, Ollie had fallen from being a top film star, to one of the most disliked men and - ultimately - one of the biggest JOKES in the UK.
 AND YET THE QUESTION DOES I FEEL STILL REMAIN....DID OLLIE REALISE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND DID HE CARE??

                    

 Was it even (as biographer Cliff Goodwin puts forward) POSSIBLE that Ollie, by then realizing

that his career was basically OVER, had really CHANGED TACK AND GONE BACK TO HIS SCHOOLDAYS BY PLAYING THE FOOL.

 To be honest, and if you asked me I think he just possibly HAD!

                             

Away from the cameras, Ollie was usually a very together fellow. Drunken games aside for a minute, he thought too much of himself AND his status as a Star to just throw it away.
 The truth is we'll all never know. Whatever was happening with Ollie, he took it to the grave when death finally called during the high summer of 2000, on the set of the movie, "GLADIATOR".

SO WHY WRITE THIS PAGE...?

Why??? Because whatever else people may think of Oliver Reed, and despite anything he may have said or done in his life - POPULAR OR NOT - Reed WAS a terrific talent and a successful Actor. ANY Actor will tell you that to work with others which such enormous energy as he did, is to step into an experience. There will never be another like him. He was, much more than most UNIQUE.

He will be sorely missed.  

                         

              "time hanging heavy on my hands...ALSO"