If My Memoir Serves Me Well E-BOOK

These recollections cover the time from the very early 1960s until after my last significant acting role. After that I pulled a disappearing act and became a regular bloke for the most part. The transition from child/youth actor through to adult is notoriously difficult, some have succeeded, some spectacularly so. Some have stumbled along and sadly, some have fallen. I chose to take a break, which I'm still on. I've been the subject of many 'where are they now?' articles and musings. Well, I'm here now, writing this. I have led an exquisitely wonderful life hence forth. I have been married to my absolute soul mate for over forty years and have two amazing and extremely talented kids, a totally brilliant son-in-law and a fab little granddaughter who is off the scale bright and gorgeous. So it's all good.

But my musings on those magical years of the 1960s and 1970s, I believe might be of some interest. I'm sure The Railway Children, in particular holds massive fascination, being one of the most beloved British films of, dare I say, all time.

Considering it was the directorial debut of Lionel Jeffries, who was, up until then, an actor, is indeed a remarkable achievement. There are so many classic scenes that were beautifully imagined and realised. Of course 'positive serendipity', If indeed that is a phrase, did occur at times. For example one of the most beautiful scenes of the entire film was my sister Bobbie's birthday party. It was filmed in a dreamy way with Jenny Agutter, as Bobbie, sitting on a stool that was attached to the camera dolly, (shhh, our secret). She glided around the room accepting gifts from the guests. She drifted up to Sally Thomsett as Phyllis, our sister, who presented her with a small wreath that she had made. Then our mother, played by the sparkling Dinah Sheridan, gave her a brooch. Her brother Peter, yup, that was me, was holding a birthday cake with one big red candle on it, which was flickering. On one take Jenny attempted to blow it out, without success, she tried a few times and I was smiling at her encouragingly, but no luck, it just wouldn't extinguish on that particular take. Lionel kept the camera rolling and she glided on to Bernard Cribbins as Perks, the stationmaster, who sweetly gave her a posey of flowers whilst singing 'Pretty Polly Perkins' rather inebriatedly. Lionel decided to use that specific take. Of course, the plan would have been for Jenny to blow the candle out, but it did seem part of the magic of the scene and indeed the entire film to leave it in as it was. So that's just what Lionel did!

Music has always been my abiding passion so I've named the chapters appositely. It certainly was a fun time… but, back then I had to go to school sometimes too, never mind these obstacles can occur.

Oh, and If you're wondering why I can remember all the music references and dates in such detail it's because it has all stayed with me over the years. I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday but I can sing all eleven verses of Bob Dylan's Desolation Row for you, if you'd like…