Im from Germany and on my way back to Europe from USA, I stopped over in England and decided to visit Swansea, Wales. I strolled around and came to a theater. Somebody waved me in come in or stay out, so come in ! Then the door was closed and I was (the only) witness/spectator of a rehearsal, a cast sitting and reading their parts. I was so surprised, never seen such faces, never heard such voices, never heard this kind of play, felt like in another world. And they ignored me, just played naturally. Now that I see Mr. Burton, he seems so much this Welsh face, character, actor that I saw on that day more than 20 years ago
Amazing, gracious, heartfelt comment. And Dylan Thomas called Swansea "The Graveyard of Man's ambition's". "“An ugly, lovely town ... crawling, sprawling ... by the side of a long and splendid curving shore. This sea-town was my world.” I Love Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Pont-Rhyd-Y-Fen. I am idolatrous of my fellow Cymro / Cymraes. Wales is my World. Cymru am Byth.
@@jonathandavies5532 now that you say Dylan Thomas, I think i saw a book with his name on it on that afternoon. Must admit I am not well read except for a few topics
I just found Richard Burton today. I happened to walk in on the TV playing a scene from Cleopatra. I was like, "Who is that?? What a voice!" Now I get to deep-dive all of his films. Excited.😁
Seriously, one of the greatest actors of all time. That voice! I've got him reading Dylan Thomas. The real neat thing: I've got a little Welsh in me, and I fly a Wales flag in front of patio sliding-glass doors to prevent birdies from crashing into them. "For one brief, shining moment ..." Should have won Oscar for "Spy..."
People have said I have a similar voice being Welsh but when I hear myself I cringe. I could never be 'proud' of a larynx, a massive protrusion perhaps but not a larynx.
@@melisagalvalizi6982 Of course he was great in 'Virginia Woolf', but that year he lost to Paul Scofield, another truly great actor who deserved his Oscar. When he lost for 'Anne' the award went to John Wayne, who some say received it out of sympathy because he had been ill.
According to Melvyn Bragg's biography of Burton, he was nervous about returning to his hometown after having made it big. He didn't want to show up in a limousine, make a spectacle of himself with Elizabeth Taylor in furs and diamonds, and act like a famous Hollywood star, buying drinks for everyone. Taylor wisely insisted he do EXACTLY that, that he return to his people as a successful local boy who was now rich, famous, and married to the most glamorous actress in the world. According to Burton, she was absolutely right. That was what they were hoping to see.
@@WalesintheMovies You've read it? Good for you! What Bragg makes clear is how Burton, who read constantly, thought he had the makings of a good writer. He never wrote a book, but the biography makes it clear Burton was gifted and could tell a story. Best wishes from Vermont 🍁
@@TheStockwell I actually find the diaries unreadable. Maybe there's a technique to it. But it seemed messy to me. But yes Bragg's references to literature come through well. But I love anything about Pontrhydyfen, Bragg gets the contrast and therefore the humour
@@WalesintheMovies According to Burton, she had no interest in being in a big, expensive, bloated epic. In order to get 20th Century Fox to leave her alone - and find someone else for the role - she asked for the ridiculous sum of $1,000,000.00. She knew they'd give up - no-one had ever been paid that much to do one film. They did, of course. For all the talk of it being a troubled film that almost bankrupted the studio and ended the epic "swords and sandals" trend, it's really a good, well-written, and enjoyable film. Best wishes from Vermont 🍁
Richard Burton has long been a mighty muse, for me since 'The Medusa Touch' in my early childhood, touched me then and now how I relate when I didn't want to see sixty, well he and I were maybe on the same course in this magic roundabout, as everything is relative.
Boy does me mother think highly of Richard Burton. I'll have to show her this clip when she has us over for dinner. Thanks for presenting it. A pint raised to the Welsh in an Irish hand.
I saw Burton play Arthur in ‘Camelot’ at the Pantages in one of only two or three performances of his in the play in LA, and it remains the theatre-going experience of my life. I’ve seen Anthony Hopkins on stage, and Carlton Heston and Yul Brynner and Anthony Quinn, and George C. Scott, but seeing Burton remains the standard by why which I judge all others . . .
I saw him as well in that 'Camelot' revival in New York when I was 14. Will never forget his anguished eyes during the 'Guenevere' number towards the end. Also the theatre-going experience of my life!
@@KOOLBadgeraha! Can't take criticism. Those pple have trouble advancing and improving. I don't think you guys understand that misspelling and poor grammar undermines your credibility. It's like wearing torn and dirty clothes. Sorry, like it or not it's the reality.
I really dislike interviewers who ask questions and then do not give their subjects time to answer. Almost as much as I dislike interviewers who come into an interview with cliches and stereotypes at the ready to beat their subjects with. Burton was a fascinating man for many reasons and a man of intelligence and talent. Let him talk. You would have learned more.
There is the interviewer who wants to allow the guest to shine, and there is the interviewer who presumes he's the equal of the guest, carries on a conversation, and - proves he's not the equal of the guest.
It's a shame he wasted his talent on 3rd rate films in the 70s- maybe cheesed off at 7 Oscar nominations 0 wins, took the money for junk, or maybe the booze contributed.
I have just been to Royal Porth Cawl Golf Club. The course and the club house depict the rich contrasting Welshness, and the bellowing horizon, of the Tata Talbot bungalow granite Griffin grey lol
OMG he's an amazingly beautiful man. He said he didn't cultivate the voice, but his adoptive father Philip Burton certainly helped develop his voice. Wow, what a great quote about being unable t bear the beauty of the world. But the guy is a horrid interviewer.
I do agree about the interviewer on this occasion. He just kept interrupting Burton at the wrong time, not allowing him to finish even a short sentence. Michael Parkinson was usually very good at his job. I sense that he was maybe a little nervous about interviewing such an enormous personally that was Richard Burton.
I am glad Mr. Burton got to make the film 1984. Probably the best dystopian movie ever made. His power of acting along with a great cast made the film a modern British classic. The film although not well received at the box office at the time was way ahead of it's time.
As someone who recognises people by their voices, that's why I almost never recognised Richard Burton. I once watched a war movie, where he played a German tank commander. I watched the movie for 20 minutes, thinking............I know him............who the hell is it.................20 minutes later IT'S RICHARD BURTON.
Yeah, nowadays, if you are a woman, even showing the weather, you need to be "showing your stuff". I noticed this horrible change when I got back to US after being overseas for a while. I think it happened around 2011???? Anyone want to chime in? Sickening! You do not need to show your cleavage to give weather report.
This makes me think of the Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson interview from Monty Python for some reason. "Now Richard, did you practice acting whilst in your shed?"
"Burton was withering too about Michael Parkinson's biography of footballer George Best, which he read twice, in 1975 and 1983. First time around he called it "horribly common" and on the second, said it was awful, adding: "I wonder if Parkinson knew he was writing about himself. Wine, women, TV star. Lost his talent as a promising writer as Best lost his genius. And for the same reasons.""
Maybe not a coincidence that Burton and Best both died at 59 (Burton just a few months short of that). The lifestyles were not dissimilar. The fact that I have now made it to 60 often has me looking back at others who made their great marks in life, but did not make it to my age. They squeezed an awful lot of living into a short time.
My father was from Wales, and my maternal grandfather from Ireland. They both agreed that IBurton’s Irish mates Richard Harris & Peter O’Toole inadvertently drank Burton to an early grave.
Having read many biographies on the man. I would say Elizabeth Taylor had more to do with his drinking. Before they met he was a beer drinker. She got him onto spirits as she was already on a bottle a day herself
Sadly, he would have met the same fate had he never met them. True, they were drinking mates for many years. They were eventually able to stop. Burton never did, though he tried.
@@michellehardy5669 don't blame elizabeth for his OWN actions. Also, don't blame O'toole ir Harris.They all got sober and survived. He chose to continue. That's HIS choice.
@@kennethwayne6857 blaming elizabeth is the easiest thing to do because they don't want to admit he drank himself to death.They decided to stop, he didn't. That was HIS choice. Even after his marriage yo elizabeth he kept drinking!!!
Hey man. I think when you combine heavy smoking with the sort of rampant boozing Richard did, you'll be lucky to hit 70. In another video he talks about his family's strong lungs (coal dust), I think it was the drink which got him.
Alcohol is an amazing thing. It can be a best friend. I have felt truth and God under it's influence, found a place of peace and understanding, happy as can be all alone with the spirit hugging me. Sometimes I don't feel like being useful, don't want to do something important, don't want to do anything. Me and my thoughts and a bottle, peace.
In the 1984 movie...... Died in 1984 There's a saying "Went for a Burton " double suited meaning....... Should have stuck with Jenkins ........ It's a number game....especially when in Hellywood
Parkinson has no empathy for artists, his narcissism is better reflected by pseudo celebrities which is sad. Like many of his ilk, he stayed in the business way beyond his sell-by date and we the public were shortchanged. He is not equipped to dissect the creative man as he has no experience in that milieu. He's mostly out of his depth with people of stature and as we can see in his interview he is limited to snarky remarks. Good to see he has now found his level flogging life insurance ads. Not forgetting a free pen.
That's because this clip is heavily, and badly, edited from a much longer interview. Try watching the complete version: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AcSuQf4RZWs.html
RICHARD BURTON HAS REALLY SPENT HIS LIFE , WITH HIS REALLY GENUINE TALENT . BUT, HE SHORTENED IT QUITE A BIT, BY DRINKING TOO MUCH, AND PERHAPS, SPENDING , TOO MUCH, SECRETLY WITH WOMEN, OR CHASING AFTER THEM. MAYBE, IT'S BECAUSE HE ALSO HAS THE GOOD LOOKS, OF A GENUINELY HANDSOME WELSHMAN. BURTON IS TRULY REMARKABLE, IN HIS SEVEN DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES, IN, "WHERE EAGLES DARE", IN," BECKET", IN," THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, IN," THE SANDPIPER", IN"WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF",IN ,"THE COMEDIANS", IN, "WAGNER".
Parky ... Simply Parky ... How did this pahetic creature survived? Does that say something deeply true about his audience or his employers (those were never the same entities)
I always thought that Parkinson was more interested in himself than his guests at times, how could you talk to Burton and not let the man talk about his life and close him down and try to be funny about it, this is not Parkinson at his worst but when he is bad he is terrible,
it's a rather old fashioned RP (received pronunciatiom) accent that actors tended to adopt in years past. I believe he intentionally suppressed his strong Welsh accent until this RP accent became second nature.
@@WalesintheMovies , yes, I'd agree with that. :) Bless him. Gone too soon. Thanks for posting this, by the way. My generation needs to know who RB was.
however great and epical he was in the way his lived his life as a poor Welsh lad who married the most beautiful woman in the world and bought her diamonds and boozed with the biggest off them, he never really did come over as a great actor to me. Montgomery Clift said to elizabeth: this is not acting, it's reciting, and I think that Clift was right in this. Not for a moment, even in the movies that are considered his best, do I totally believe him. He uses that wonderful voice, and his green eyes and everything he had going for him, wich was a lot, but for me, I never really believed that he became the man he played. He was always Richard Burton.
@@garyjones9910 for sure. And a lot of them, during the studio years, did a great job .But Burton had more to offer then most of the movies he appeared in during most of his life. He only did that to afford his lifestyle. And he knew it, I think.
Richard Burton should have been knighted, won the academy award, etc. It seems the royals hand out knighthoods to just about anyone these days. Where's mine? But I'm sure I'd get an email from Buckingham: "OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"
Yes that’s true. It wasn’t meant as a criticism exactly. It’s just that his brilliance was undermined by particularly his very serious alcoholism. Almost like a character from Shakespeare, brilliant but ultimately undone. An example of an actor who overcame the same demons is Anthony Hopkins. The obvious fact that nobody on this earth is perfect (most people absolutely nowhere near), doesn’t mean observations cannot be made. RB himself would be the first to say it.
father Was a Class mate,Used Tell a story of the Teacher Trying To Find The Culprit For Something with The Warning,That all the Boys Would get Cane and The Girls Detention if the Culprit didn't own up,Which Led To The Culprit Being Chased By The Class all the way Home.
Michael Parkinson - British chat show host from from 1971 to 2007. Former Yorkshire Post journalist, he moved to BBC radio and then started a chat show which became essential viewing. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t833
Ha ha yes he was around in the north, when the early Beatles were making some of their earliest television appearances. He got to know them then as he was a “presenter” on...not sure if it was “people and places” or “scene at 6.30”. The hair and the cloths are standard poor choices in the ‘70s.
Barry Poupard ...also he was a terrific (world renowned) interviewer. Watch him here with Burton who was a world class superstar. He was asking him the hard questions. He was a class apart in his day.
Parky, like a lot of interviewers in the 60s and 70s, were very blunt and rude to actors. If I'm honest, they seem intensely jealous. Parky though also has that "professional Yorkshireman" that comes with a chip on the shoulder of anyone else whom... Is equally proud of where they come from. Doesn't bow down to them just because of them being from Yorkshire. Coming from Lancashire. Coming from "the south", even though that covers over 20 counties and well over four times the size of Yorkshire. Especially coming from London. (?Huge chip on that one.) Coming from the real north, and calling the Yorkshireman a pretend notherner. Or someone just telling them to stop lecturering everyone you meet that you're proud of it. We don't give a shit.
A really horrible interview.....two chairs facing each other like an interrogation. Parki not allowing Burton to finish his sentences. The format is probably the least likely to give the interviewee a sense of calm and relaxation. Imagine these two sitting in armchairs in front of a fire, sipping whisky or tea..or fishing by a lake...or anything god damn thing other than this horrible scenario. It's no wonder Burton was nervous...it's like an interview for a job in front of 15 million people.
Nauseating? Granted Parkinson was the everyman asking the uninspired questions. Interviews are dull affairs now because many celebrities are not well educated and plow narrow conversational paths. Politically incorrect " pansies"? Grow up Robert. Most of my gay friends of a certain age would not balk at this language.
