cast relations

[captain clutterbuck]

Watched a few episodes from series 15 during the week with Foggy back in the fold and I have read today about Rodney Bewes who is trying to get James Bolam to get in touch with him ,sadly following the death of Rodney's wife . In the article he relates why they fell out in the first place , their wives and they had been close friends but an indiscreet remark from Rodney in an interview caused James to sever all ties.

It got me thinking about inter cast relationships , I was particularly interested in Peter Sallis and Bill Owen and wondered if their off screen persona matched that on screen where they portrayed a seemingly great camaraderie , or could they not stand each other and once the camera stopped rolling they went their separate ways . I'm not sure if there is any written evidence , I got the impression that Peter Sallis may have been quite a difficult person to get close to but I may be totally wrong . Any thoughts or evidence would be most welcome . I don't just want to confine this to Peter and Bill , wouldn't it be funny if Jean Fergusson and Robert Fyffe couldn't stand each other .

 

[happyjack]

I did hear some time ago that James Bolam refused to talk about "The Likely Lads" during an interview. Anybody else heard this. Personally I don`t think James Bolam has ever made a bad series of anything he has been in.

 

[maltrab]

Watched a few episodes from series 15 during the week with Foggy back in the fold and I have read today about Rodney Bewes who is trying to get James Bolam to get in touch with him ,sadly following the death of Rodney's wife . In the article he relates why they fell out in the first place , their wives and they had been close friends but an indiscreet remark from Rodney in an interview caused James to sever all ties.

It got me thinking about inter cast relationships , I was particularly interested in Peter Sallis and Bill Owen and wondered if their off screen persona matched that on screen where they portrayed a seemingly great camaraderie , or could they not stand each other and once the camera stopped rolling they went their separate ways . I'm not sure if there is any written evidence , I got the impression that Peter Sallis may have been quite a difficult person to get close to but I may be totally wrong . Any thoughts or evidence would be most welcome . I don't just want to confine this to Peter and Bill , wouldn't it be funny if Jean Fergusson and Robert Fyffe couldn't stand each other .

The times I saw Marina and Howard on set they always seemed to get on well together and would chat and laugh during breaks,also Peter Sallis seemed to mingle with the lads during filming breaks,though at times wanted to be alone and would nod off given a chance,but in his 80's and on set from 7am it is no surprise, in the later series he seemed to enjoy the company of Frank Thorton

 

[Nicko12345]

I did hear some time ago that James Bolam refused to talk about "The Likely Lads" during an interview. Anybody else heard this. Personally I don`t think James Bolam has ever made a bad series of anything he has been in.

Yes, that`s true. Ironically the only time I can think of him agreeing to discuss The Likely Lads in recent years was in the tribute to Bill Owen following his death.

I do remember an interview with James Bolam where the interviewer made the very stupid mistake of saying, "So I guess most people think of you as being a sitcom star then..." He was angered to the point where the interview had to brought to a premature halt.

 

[Nicko12345]

From reading the books, it seems that Peter Sallis was a bit of a loner at times and didn`t socialize too much with the rest of the cast. The one exception being when Michael Aldridge joined the show as he apparently managed to get them all to go out together as a group.

 

[Adanor]

Yes, that`s true. Ironically the only time I can think of him agreeing to discuss The Likely Lads in recent years was in the tribute to Bill Owen following his death.

I do remember an interview with James Bolam where the interviewer made the very stupid mistake of saying, "So I guess most people think of you as being a sitcom star then..." He was angered to the point where the interview had to brought to a premature halt.

Yes, there are some interviewers that go about the interview like a bull in a china shop.

 

[Sarkus]

From reading the books, it seems that Peter Sallis was a bit of a loner at times and didn`t socialize too much with the rest of the cast. The one exception being when Michael Aldridge joined the show as he apparently managed to get them all to go out together as a group.

Sallis was less of a loner than the others, though, if I remember right from the Vine and Bell books. Wilde stayed in Huddersfield at a hotel by himself and had no real social presence with the rest of the cast and crew. Sallis stayed at the same hotel as most of the cast and crew and did have dinner with others on occasion but also preferred to be left alone a lot. Owen tended to stay in a rented house (which he shared with Bell at least one year) and only rarely would join the others. Aldridge as you mention organized a lot of cast social activities. Thora Hird apparently also liked to have big meal gatherings but she and Sallis did not really get along so they just kept things professional. From what it sounds like the rest of the cast and crew were pretty close. As Thora Hird aged, for example, Sarah Thomas and Jean Alexander both would help her do her hair and other things she needed help with at night.

 

[Cap n Mac]

Another thing from Andrew Vine's book is apparently when Peter, Bill, and Brian would be in their caravan, they wouldn't be chatting it up or be chummy or anything. Instead, they'd just sit quietly, apart from each other, doing crosswords or reading the paper. I was a bit surprised to read that, seeing what good chemistry they have on screen.

 

[me2]

From what I've heard in interviews with Bill Owen and Peter Sallis, they had a friendly relationship, meaning they talked and got along when not filming but I don't think they had a lot in common so were not friends outside of the show.

Probably the strongest friendship formed on the show was between Jane Freeman and Kathy Staff. They became good friends on the set by way of them being the only two regular females at first. That friendship grew over the years and on Kathy's death, Vine quoted Jane as saying, "I was devastated. It was awful losing her. She was my good friend, and I miss her terribly."

 

[Adanor]

From what I've heard in interviews with Bill Owen and Peter Sallis, they had a friendly relationship, meaning they talked and got along when not filming but I don't think they had a lot in common so were not friends outside of the show.

Probably the strongest friendship formed on the show was between Jane Freeman and Kathy Staff. They became good friends on the set by way of them being the only two regular females at first. That friendship grew over the years and on Kathy's death, Vine quoted Jane as saying, "I was devastated. It was awful losing her. She was my good friend, and I miss her terribly."

I think that their friendship began sitting in a car together in between scenes when they were filming in the hills.

 

[Adanor]

Another thing from Andrew Vine's book is apparently when Peter, Bill, and Brian would be in their caravan, they wouldn't be chatting it up or be chummy or anything. Instead, they'd just sit quietly, apart from each other, doing crosswords or reading the paper. I was a bit surprised to read that, seeing what good chemistry they have on screen.

Since they were all up in years, it's possible that they had a certain amount of energy and needed to save it for actual scenes.

 

[Marianna]

Another thing from Andrew Vine's book is apparently when Peter, Bill, and Brian would be in their caravan, they wouldn't be chatting it up or be chummy or anything. Instead, they'd just sit quietly, apart from each other, doing crosswords or reading the paper. I was a bit surprised to read that, seeing what good chemistry they have on screen.

I don't remember whether I read this in Andrew Vine's book or in Alan Bell's, but instead of chatting, Bill Owen was usually counting his lines and comparing the number to the number that the other two had to ensure that he didn't have fewer than either of them.

If I remember correctly, Peter worked crossword puzzles.

 

[chris]

They did not really socialise much I think Owen and Wild were poles apart and Sallis think just he just kept quiet but they interacted on screen really well shows what quality actors they were.