September 27, 2010

Don't You Threaten Me with a Dead Fish

I hadn't known that the character played by Richard E. Grant in the film Withnail and I was based on a specific, real person till I read this. The newly-published photos seem to be the main point of interest, but I find the extremely Withnailian last words of Vivian Mackerrell to be the most impressive bit:

”Give me a fucking pre-med you fuckers, I’m a personal friend of Sir Lancelot Spratt.”
So he was real. I guess that means there was a real Uncle Monty as well?

According to this, Mackerrell's "only notable acting role" was in a 1971 British TV drama called Edna, the Inebriate Woman, so I thought it only right that I should go ahead and note it.

ADDED: more on the real Withnail:

MacKerrell's career - like Withnail's - was one of overwhelming obscurity, best summed up by the fact that the IMDB spells his name wrong and lists him as an actress. His only screen appearance seems to have been in a 1974 British horror film called Ghost Story (aka Madhouse Mansion), which starred Marianne Faithfull and had Penelope Keith in the cast.
Notable as well, I'd say. Posted by Dr. Frank at September 27, 2010 07:06 AM | TrackBack