Sir Wilberforce Reddington: A British Acting Legend at 95
Caine, Hopkins, Connery, Finney, Attenborough, Guinness, Mills, Gielguid, Olivier. Names that epitomise the very best in British acting talent. But one name towers above them all; Sir Wilberforce Reddington.
He made his first screen appearance as Willy Reddington playing Third Cockney Urchin in 'It's a Right Bloomin' Caper Alright' in1937. From then on his face became a familiar fixture on British cinema screens. The list of his screen roles runs to several pages and reads like a roll call of classic film greats.
Now celebrating his 95th birthday, I went to talk to him and look back over a lifetime in cinema.
AC: Sir Wilberforce, can I begin by wishing you a very happy birthday?
WR: You may.
You began…
Well go on then.
What?
I thought you wanted to wish me a happy birthday?
I did.
No.
Yes, I did.
No you didn't.
I'm sorry but I did.
No. You asked if you may wish me a happy birthday. It was presented as a question. Therefore you haven't actually wished me a happy birthday. You've only asked for permission to do so. It's one of the problems of your generation that you don't use the English language correctly. I blame the education system. And Max Miller.
The music hall comedian?
Yes. Before he came along people spoke English correctly. They enunciated every vowel and consonant. Then the so-called "Cheeky Chappie", comes along and suddenly everyone is dropping their aitches and sloppy speech becomes the order of the day. All Max Miller's fault. Mark my words.
Your career began…
You still haven't wished me a happy birthday. I don't think it's too much to ask. I have managed to survive 95 years in this country and that's no small achievement.
I'm sorry. Happy Birthday.
Thank you. Where's my present?
Er, I didn't actually get you anything.
Hmm. Poor show. Bad manners. That's another problem with your generation. No manners. Do you know who I blame?
No. Lets move on…
Dicky Attenborough.
Richard Attenborough? How?
All this crying he does. It encourages people to make fun of him. Poor show. Wouldn't have happened in my day. National service, that's the ticket. Make a man of them.
But you didn't see service during the war.
Certainly not! I was too busy acting in films. Kept the home fires burning. Raised moral.
Kept out of any actual fighting?
I'm a lover. Not a fighter.
You did make a tremendous amount of war films didn't you?
Yes I did. You see, our job was to keep people's spirits up. So we made a lot of films where we gave the Nazis a damn good thrashing. Nanny used to give me a damn good thrashing and it never did me any harm! People liked to see Hitler getting a bloody nose. Nanny used to give me a bloody nose and it never did me any harm.
You've appeared in some real classics, 'Below Us, The Sea', 'The Damn and Blasters', 'Holiday in Colditz'…
Did you know that we're the 31st country in the world to get bird flu? The 31st! I didn't appear in 'Sod Off, Mr Hitler!' for us to be the 31st in line. At one time we would have been at the front of the queue! We lead the world!
What would you say was your fundamental approach to acting?
I treat the script the same way I approach Sunday lunch. I eat it as quickly as possible, inwardly digest and then I fall asleep. Bowel movements are approached in much the same fashion but in reverse. Regular bowel moments. Very important. I use stuff called Gregory Powder. Gets things moving. That's the problem with your generation. You don't pay enough attention to the basics. I blame the internet. It's ruined people's digestive cycle. Gregory Powder. Mark my words.
You've worked with some amazing actors in your time. People like Olivier, Gielguid, Guinness. What are some of your memories of working with them?
Larry Olivier was the most talented bastard I ever worked with. He was an actor from his fingertips to his toes. I envied him enormously. And that's why I used to piss in his tea. How dare he be more talented then me! Over the years we worked together he must have ingested a good couple of gallons of my urine. And Gielguid. He was a talented bastard too. And Guinness.
You didn't like Alec Guinness either?
Certainly not! He was far too good for his own, er, good. I used to buy those little toy figures they made of him. From that film. What was it called?
Star Wars?
That's the fellow! Terrible film. He hated it. Good. Serves him right. I used to burn those little toys in my ashtray. He started getting terrible headaches. He never knew why. Spot of the old voodoo fixed him. Serves him right, the talented little shit.
Didn't you get on with anybody?
I liked Richard Burton. He was my kind of bastard. Welsh obviously, but I didn't hold that against him. Wonderful voice. Nobody could ever have a voice like that again. Do you know why?
No. I don't.
Because nobody is prepared to put their body through the kind of abuse that you need to develop a voice like that. You've no idea the amount he had to smoke and drink in order to cultivate the gravelly timbre he had. People are too health obsessed these days. Smoking and drinking to excess never did me any harm.
Except having a lung removed at the age of seventy.
Best thing I ever did! Two lungs are a total extravagance. That's the problem with your generation. You're complacent. Look at me, I'm 95. I bet you lot won't live to be 95 with your low fat diets. Fat doesn't clog arteries! It lubricates them!
What do you think of the current state of the British Film Industry?
Are you mad? It's rubbish! I saw a film the other night - what was it called? I think it was 'The Constant Gardener' and do you know what? He only picked up his secateurs twice in the entire bloody film! What sort of gardener was he? In my day film titles meant something. When people went to see 'Our Brave British Boys Bash the Bosch', they knew exactly what it was all about. No standards any more. Poor show.
Sir Wilberforce Reddington, thank you.
It's been your pleasure.