Rachel Roberts

Bi-polar nightmare

Richard Burton wrote some real HORROR stories about her in his diaries.

Nontheless, I feel sorry for her. She obviously had mental and drinking problems.

She hit me in the head with a fondue pot.

She was also in Foul Play and The Belstone Fox.

I confuse her with Antoinette Bower.

Potboiler duty...

Her riah has great body.

From Richard Burton diaries:

"Thursday 1st, En Route St. Marg – Portofino We were in St Margherita yesterday for watering and fuelling and just as well as it gave us a chance to get away from Rex and Rachel.

We had spent Sunday up at their house and, as usual it was very liquid. Rex seems to hold his booze better than he used to but Rachel is still maniacal. We saw them again on Monday evening at La Gritta bar in the Port. Fortunately before Rachel became totally demented they left (not without difficulty for Rex) for home and dinner at about 9.30.

By this time Tennessee Williams and his friend Bill had arrived and Joe Losey and J. Heyman and H. French. Tennessee, who now prefers to be called Tom, seemed sloshed and spoke in a loud voice, powerful penetrating and incoherent and somewhat embarrassing.

E told him to lower his voice a few times. We were in the Pitosforo at the time, and we attract enough attention as it is. Have now decided to do Boom! with E. [...]

On Tuesday everybody came on board. Rachel became stupendously drunk and was or became totally uncontrollable. The strangers T. Williams, Losey, Bill, French, Heyman, left in disgust.

She insulted Rex sexually morally physically and in every way. She lay on the floor in the bar and barked like a dog. At one time she started to masturbate her basset hound – a lovely sloppy old dog called Omar.

E lectured her, I did, Rex did. All to no avail. She bitterly harangued the memories of Carole Landis and Kay Kendall, hurled imprecations at Lilli Palmer. Christ"

On the Picnic at Hanging Rock documentary Anne Lambert talks about Rachel being a drunk, and appearing naked at night in the hotel where the cast stayed offering herself up for any takers. .

I don't see how, r5.

Giving heavy caneface in that Wiki snap. Does she eat pusspie?

Played Tony Randall’s housekeeper in a sitcom. Hilarious.

R10 stinky linky

Omar has seen some things…in Europe….

Bi-polars usually do on occasion, R11.

No idea who she is and I'm 60.

OP, maybe google search??? You know DL isn't google.

R16 I Googled her. She seems like a good actress, but sad about her alcoholism. Sometimes DL knows stories that aren't immediately available online, like Dick Burton's diary. Sometimes they talk about performances.

This is a discussion board, too. I wanted to discuss the Welsh actress Rachel Roberts and am getting good feedback.

Huge boozer. Crazy too.

I hate to see talented people ruin their life by substance abuse.

Really, r19? I love it!

Isn’t she the one with that cookery show and that dog food that has a weird name?

Yes, r21.

Christopher Plummer was a houseguest of Harrison and Roberts in Portofino and per his account in his autobiography seemed amused by Rachel and sympathetic but also noted she was absolutely batshit and would howl like a dog on all fours and a terrific drunk. It takes a lot for the terrific drunks of that era - your Burtons, your Plummers - to be startled by someone else's behavior while drinking. I also read a some sort of bio article on Rachel - she was horrifically resentful of not being beautiful like Harrison's other wives Kay Kendall and Lilli Palmer, She was obsessed by Harrison in every way.

Datalounge has crucified this poor woman three times already.

[quote] Eldergays, can you tell me about Rachel Roberts?

OP, this late actress can be seen in 53 films.

Watching them would be more useful to you than listening to regurgitated gossip.

R25 correct. I’m surprised that some over 50 don’t know who she is. She was Oscar nominated for This Sporting Life in 63. She also had small roles in Foul Play and When A Stranger Calls, which a lot of people have seen.

R25 is just being a stinker.

[quote] I know her from Murder of the Orient Express and Picnic at Hanging Rock

OP; She only got that second role as a replacement because the fascinating Vivien Merchant was indisposed.

R28 why didn't they get someone else? Roberts was not a big name.

Oscar nominee Rachel Roberts was a bigger name than non-Oscar nominee Vivian Merchant.

Oops. Merchant was an Oscar nominee. That'll teach me to scroll down on Wikipedia pages!

[quote] Oscar nominee Vivian Merchant.

No, Oscar nominee Vivien Merchant.

The director Lindsay Anderson held a belated celebration of life for his friends Roberts and Jill Bennett (both suicides) on a boat in a Thames, from which their ashes were scattered. "They both had great humour and they both had great zest."

Lindsay Anderson = secret homosexual.

Roberts is great on an episode of “Family,” where she plays a famous actress and college friend of Sada Thompson’s. They go to see dykeling Kristy McNichol in a HS production of “St. Joan,” and Rachel decides ‘Buddy’ is a star and wants to cast her in a small role in her new play. There’s a “Turning Point” like showdown where Sada reads Rachel for filth, but, it being the Lawrence family of Pasadena, there are no drinks thrown and no hair pulled. Just quips and sarcastic barbs.

The Tony Randall Show was very funny. She was a little more serious in the pilot (below), but it gives you a sense of her.

Rachel puts in her first series appearance at 4:50.

Nice to see her gay fans still admire her work. A previous DL thread from 2009:

[quote] I just finished a Beatles book by Tony Bramwell. He mentions meeting Welsh actress Rachel Roberts at a party and having an affair with her. He says that she was sexually insatiable and would crawl around on the floor at parties, looking for men to blow.

2018 DL thread:

Wow! There’s no greater honor than having someone kill themselves over you and in such a fabulously dramatic way too! I’m quite overcome by the glamour of it all!

[quote] OP, this late actress can be seen in 53 films. Watching them would be more useful to you than listening to regurgitated gossip.

You can drop the act, Miss Mary Prissypants.

We all know you're hanging out on a [bold]gossip forum.[/bold] You're fooling absolutely no one.

[quote] There’s no greater honor

Englishmen don't spell like that, troll.

It's so sad she killed herself more or less the way her character in "Picnic at Hanging Rock" died.

I read Richard Burton's diaries, and he constantly expresses horror and disgust at famous strong-minded women (Roberts, Lucille Ball, Vivien Leigh, and his own wife Elizabeth Taylor) acting drunkenly unruly or bullying. And yet of course he was known as one of the sloppiest and most bullying drunks in entertainment when he was alive.

So what do you all think Rex Harrison saw in her?

She was excellent in This Sporting Life.

Did frank cause her death in “this sporting life” when he punches her at the wedding? A few scenes later and she’s dying of some sort of brain haemorrhage. It wasn’t clear to me if it was just spontaneous or if he’d caused it. Anyone have any idea?

R43 Drunks lose their perception of things around them. They may be disgusted at the drunkenness of others while being oblivious to their own.

But, R43, are you suggesting that Burton was especially horrified and disgusted that these particular drunks were famous strong-minded women?

I'm sorry R46 I saw that movie because I was told it was important in The Angry Young Man genre and The English New Wave genre.

But it had so little entertainment value that I'm loath to watch it again. And it seems little contrived now that so many of the so-called The Angry Young Man evolved into effete queens.

Richard Harris turned into another hopeless drunkard and there was the suggestion of homosexuality with Alan Badel in the locker room

I have the book No Bells On Sunday which is comprised of her journal entries. I am 43 and she is way before my time, but the book is a keeper. I need to reread it.

She was one tough Mama!

Wasn’t she best friends with Jill Bennett who also killed herself? Wonder what a gathering with those two would have been like.

^ That conversation would be improved as a trio with Rachel, Jill and Vivien.

Unfortunately all judgement of this unhappy trio's talent would be coloured by the perception that their careers prospered via nepotism.

That PAHR documentary also mentions Rachel's wig, Apparently it was Rachel's contribution although the producers had something else in mind. They caved when Rachel insisted she wear the wig as it had cost her a lot to have made.

Rachel had quite a different physique to poor Vivien.

R42 - in PAHR she dies off-screen by supposedly falling when attempting to climb the rock. The one who falls through the glass roof of the greenhouse is the student Sara. Weir actually filmed Mrs Appleyard climbing the rock and it can be seen on the special edition DVD.

In the novel "This Sporting Life" the landlady has a stroke long after her physical altercation with Frank--I don't think the two events were connected. Can't remember if the movie gave a different impression...

She was the Anne He He of her day OP, except she didn't destroy anyone's house when she offed herself. She just politely swallowed an entire bottle of amonia, and walked through a glass panel

R56 No I don’t think they implied it in the movie. But he hit her hard and she suddenly has a haemorrhage so I joined the dots in my mind.

She had a big personal success starring in Lionel Bart's 1964 London musical hit "Maggie May." But Rex H. ruined it, selfishly pulling her out of the show prematurely.

[quote] Rex H. ruined it, selfishly pulling her out of the show

How can you claim that? Do you imagine she was his servant?

I can be your barbs!

- Rose

Living with Rex Harrison would drive anyone to drink. Not a pleasant chap.

^ You're making an impertinent personal judgement on a man you've never met.

R63 is right. That contravenes DL’s rulez prohibiting this!

R41 If honor had been spelled honour you’d have totally believed it was Rex Harrison writing from the beyond wouldn’t you!

Ahem, R52. Admittedly Leigh played a lot of now-forgotten theatrical roles because Olivier wanted her to (though she was so severely criticised his sponsorship had the air of Charles Kane/Susan Alexander about it), but the never-to-be-forgotten roles she played on film had nothing to do with him. In fact, he was against her playing Scarlett because he wanted her to be miscast and get another critical mauling for Rebecca.

It's stretching it to call her "strong-minded", but she was unwavering about playing Scarlett (and playing it properly) in the face of opposition by Olivier, Selznick and a succession of directors.

In any case, it's very hard to say her career prospered through nepotism, when virtually anyone would agree she gave two of the greatest performances ever put on film: one of them opposite Brando in his prime, which should have been enough to make the rest of the cast invisible.

I dug out my copy of No Bells On Sunday to read after seeing this thread, and I'm in the introduction right now and have to admit I winced when the editor said he removed particularly "harrowing remarks" as well as tasteless comments and things he could not legally publish, and that took out about a third of her diaries. Yikes.

A little Tasteful Friends diversion: This is the home Roberts lived in while in Los Angeles, 2620 Hutton Drive, not for sale but the photos from the last time it was listed are still up. It's gorgeous.

Lovely sumptuous home. How refreshing to see something other than stark white rooms with black accents.

Sorry, guys, I see now the home was built in 1993. That's unfortunate, I'd bet the original home on the lot was lovely.

[Quote]in PAHR she dies off-screen by supposedly falling when attempting to climb the rock. The one who falls through the glass roof of the greenhouse is the student Sara

This reminds me of the Hart to Hart episode Capucine appeared in the last years of her life. She did a "jumping" scene with Powers. One wonders if the scene gave her ideas to eventually jump to her death.

Cap was friends with Roberts in the Euro Star sort of way. You know, parties, yachting, drugs, Marbella, Monte Carlo, Grace and Rainier, darling. Booze booze BOOZE. More Parties. Mental illness..

MAGGIE MAY made a terrific cast album. She sounds spectacular, in a throaty, non-singing kind of way.

I never miss a Rachel Roberts musical.

This looks fabulous!

She was unhappily NOT married to Rex Harrison. Hence, Drano.

She was a good actress

Her published diaries, “No Bells on Sunday” are an excellent read. Besides her diary entries, there are also testimonials from friends and colleagues. Virtually NONE of them expressed shock or surprised when she committed suicide.

Her post-Harrison boyfriend, Darren Ramirez, was handsome.

The Land of Promises

[quote]She sounds spectacular, in a throaty, non-singing kind of way

Sounds like singing-singing to me, r72...

To each their own, r78.

Let's take a vote, r79.

was she drunk when she recorded that? She sounds bizarre.

Then you probably don't like Tammy Grimes, r81.

She's hitting and holding the notes. You may not appreciate her *sound*, but it isn't "non-singing".

yes definitely singing and not talk-singing like Rex.

for the Picnic at Hanging Rock fans here's the deleted scenes of Rachel at the rock. 2

This is singing to me.

It is to me as well, r86. What's your point...that Judy is a *better* singer than Rachel? Of course she is. That doesn't make Rachel a non-singer...or even a bad one.

Rachel Roberts saw herself in Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen and reached right for the Drain-O.

Interesting life and career.

Damn you r50 - stole my line.

I was a huge fan of MOTOE & vividly remember both my parents referring to Roberts (not just her character) as a lesbian.

I guess they were wrong, but they clocked Robert Reed as gay.

In OP’s pic she looks like a blond Linda Lavin.

R91 MOTOE = Murder on the Orient Express

[quote] Admittedly Leigh played a lot of now-forgotten theatrical roles because Olivier wanted her to (though she was so severely criticised his sponsorship had the air of Charles Kane/Susan Alexander about it)

R66, that's not exactly accurate, though most of the post is. Vivien trained at RADA, and was on overnight stage sensation, it was a coup for the Old vic company to have her as Ophelia in Elsinore, but she had a small voice, at a time when stage actors were judge by the power of their voices. She had a stunning stage career, with the likes of Gielgud, Novello, Richardson, even before she did anything with Olivier. She was eviscerated by Tynan for attempting the great Shakespearean tragedies, in which, if not for Olivier, she would never have been cast, but still, she's supposed to have been a GREAT lady M. Even Tynan apologized for his critic at the time, admitting it was biased. But she was acclaimed in lighter material. Her stage performance of STREETCAR put her on a par with Peggy Ashcroft, and at the end of her career she had developped a stunning voice. She had a tendency to be a bit mechanical , but I've discussed it with several actors who saw her on stage, including Alan Bates, and they all said she was formidable

[quote] So what do you all think Rex Harrison saw in her?

R44 Who knows what lurks in the minds of men?

Especially when that man was given the nickname 'Sexy Rexy' by foolish people. And he had the reputation as a marital scoundrel as far back as 1945

Rachel Roberts was a good actress, sometimes great.

It's a pity her bios state her mental illness was caused by alcoholism when the reverse is more likely. She self medicated.

Re R52

[quote] That conversation would be improved as a trio with Rachel, Jill and Vivien … their careers prospered via nepotism.

Rachel Roberts married Rex Harrison for 9 years drank herself to death in 1980.

Jill Bennett married playwright John Osborne for 9 years and commited suicide in 1990

Vivien Merchant married playwright Harold Pinter for around 6 years and drank herself to death in 1980.

Vivien Merchant gets grilled here in this awful interview soon after she was too ill to appear in 'Picnic at Hanging Rock’. The role went to Rachel Roberts.

Viviane looks prematurely aged and seems to be suffering with alcoholic tremors. She mentions she took her stage name from Vivien Leigh.

Rachel apparently was so wildly out of control on Russell Harty's show in 1973 that they supposedly dragged her off the set and burned the tapes, which must have been quite a decision since Elton John and Barbara Cartland were also guests that night. Apparently she called Harty a "silly cunt" and then started talking about how feminists just need "a cock up their cunt or their arse."

She was married to Harrison during the 60's when he worked a lot at Cinecitta Studios in Rome. There must be hundreds of wild stories about her from that period in Rome (La Dolce Vita), but they don't show up in the autobios of stars working in Rome at the time. Secretive buggers.

R98 That just makes me love her!

Why is that, R100? Do you have anger issues in your family or work life?

Do you need help, R100?

There are stories about her running wild while she was with Rex Harrison while he was filming "Doctor Doolittle". I forget the name of the book (I think the one about Hollywood Roadshow movies), but Harrison was his usual nasty self, being jealous of Anthony Newley's singing and hurling antisemitic jibes at him. The weather and the amount of animals, people getting sick, as well as locals who destroyed one huge set, plus Roberts pulling all sorts of hijinks, make it sound like nightmarish conditions.

[quote] I forget the name of the book (I think the one about regurgitated nonsense by Holly Woodlawn in absentia)… …

R20...Your response to R19 is short, sweet & one of the fucking funniest I've ever read here! I couldn't agree more. Seeing people with every opportunity at their fingertips just fuck it all up on booze, drugs & no control-- sheer entertainment !

R101 You silly cunt!

I will always remember her fight scene in "Foul Play" (1978).

Sounds like she could keep up with the boys- Richard Burton, Oliver Reed, Robert Shaw, Albert Finney, etc.

in the scandalous and unheralded camp classic Doctors' Wives (1971) with Dyan Cannon

^ That was shot in close-ups with quick cutting to disguise the use of stunt-doubles.

*** That scene at R106 was shot in close-up with quick cutting to disguise the use of stunt-doubles***

I saw her onstage! In Habeas Corpus, 1975, at the Martin Beck.

According to a post on the related thread Roberts didn't swallow lye or "some other caustic substance". The first coroner quickly examined her and saw some indications of a caustic substance "and the legend was born". Further examination concluded she died from alcohol and barbituates and the caustic substance was stomach acid vomited up.

Her third movie with Finney was "Alpha Beta," adapted from a play they had starred in at the Royal Court. It was filmed for the BBC in 1974, and briefly released in American theaters in 1976. Their performances got great reviews. I've never been able to track it down. Has anyone seen it online?

"Lindsay Anderson = secret homosexual."

Yes, and one of the nastiest snobs ever, so I'm sure he and Roberts were well-matched as friends.

"To drive one woman to suicide may be regarded as a misfortune; to drive two looks like carelessness.”

Landis was reportedly crushed when Harrison refused to divorce his wife for her; unable to cope any longer, she committed suicide in her Pacific Palisades home at 1465 Capri Drive by taking an overdose of Seconal.[20][3]: 197–199  Harrison was the last person to see her alive, having had dinner with her the night before she committed suicide.[21]

The next afternoon, Harrison and Landis's maid discovered her on the bathroom floor. Harrison waited several hours before he called a doctor and the police.[22] According to some sources, Landis left two suicide notes, one for her mother and the second for Harrison, who instructed his lawyers to destroy it.[3]: 190  During a coroner's inquest, Harrison denied knowing any motive for her suicide and told the coroner he did not know of the existence of a second suicide note.[23] Landis's official website, which is owned by her family, has questioned the events of Landis's death and the coroner's ruling of suicide

R113 - this site is selling it

[quote] "Lindsay Anderson … one of the nastiest snobs ever

But wasn't he a Socialist?

Yes, R118. But being left-wing never stopped anyone from being snobbish even if it seems contradictory.

^

Perhaps those people suffer with that condition called Reverse Snobbery.

They've been living on welfare all their lives and they've contributed nothing to society,

They spend their days on Twitter whining about others and being Virtue-Signallers.

The more I read about her here the more I like her.

R113

John Simon on the film version of Alpha Beta (1976)

It is still a magnificent experience to watch Rachel Roberts and Albert Finney reenact on film the union of this ever-diverse pair. It is acting at its very highest; anyone who cares a rap about performance penetrating to the essence of humanity owes himself this experience.

R120, that wouldn't apply to Lindsay Anderson, who was the son of a British Army Major General stationed in India and who went to Oxford. He did not have a tough childhood or adolescence. I think his snobbery came to him the old-fashioned way, and then he turned it on the upper classes like so many British theater and film people did starting in the 50's.

bump for Rachel

She’s great in Murder on The Orient Express

[quote]that dog food that has a weird name?

Yes. "Omar's Dribbles."

[quote] "Lindsay Anderson = secret homosexual." Yes, and one of the nastiest snobs ever, so I'm sure he and Roberts were well-matched as friends.

You were obviously a friend to them both.

Did that self-hating gay Anderson encourage Rachel's alcoholism?

[quote]she was sexually insatiable and would crawl around on the floor at parties, looking for men to blow.

I do that sober.

[quote] she was sexually insatiable and would crawl around on the floor at parties

But did she play the piano with her penis?

Rachel.