Hearted Youtube comments on Weird History (@WeirdHistory) channel.
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In 1994 I was in Cannes covering the Film Festival for an Australian newspaper. I was in a hurry for an interview that I was late for but had run out of cigarettes. I saw a Tabacs shop across the road and dashed toward the shop; just before I entered the building I hit something that felt like a metal pole and went base over apex onto the red carpets they have on the sidewalks in the main street during the festival. The seemingly immovable object I ran into was, indeed, Sir Christopher Lee as he exited the shop. I clearly wasn't looking properly, distracted by crossing the heavy traffic. A large pair of strong hands helped me to my feet and this man started to try to clean me down. (It had been raining and in Cannes there are a large population of small French poodles... you work that one out for yourselves). Once to my feet I realised, gobsmacked, who I had literally ran into. He was so kind and apologetic even though it was my fault, "Oh, my dear chap, I'm so terribly sorry etc."
As soon as I spoke he deftly picked up on my Australian accent and observed I was, "...a long way from home...". Firstly, I gushed and told him I was a film critic and that one of my all time favourite films was 'The Wicker Man', and that I'd met Edward Woodward in 1980. (I think he almost blushed.) Not wanting to miss the opportunity of a life time I blurted out a request for an interview. I told him I was 'stringing' for one of Rupert Murdoch's Australian papers. This cut short that idea. Sir Christopher told me he wasn't too keen on Mr Murdoch and apologised. He did suggest, however, that as it was nearly lunch time that we share a quick aperitif at the nearby Petit Carlton. He had a Dubonnet and I had a G&T (He paid.) We chatted all too briefly, after I promised our little meeting was 'off the record'. We were both extremely late for our appointments so we parted company. I've interviewed big movie stars, well known actors and directors but, apart from the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn, my 'run in' with Sir Christopher Lee was truly one of the highlights of my time as a film critic. I was deeply saddened by his eventual passing. What a wonderful, intelligent, witty man and what a true gentleman in every sense of the word. RIP Sir Chris. BH
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