Encounters

Basically Ollie was a good guy. When he passed away, I had just written to him in the hope that he could open a bar for me in Lincoln...and be part of a reunion...well that was never to be. What follows is a few of the tales I can remember...one day the guys, including my dad and Ollie, went to a bar they frequented in London. Unfortunately the American air force had already arrived and aquired most of the ladies there! Ollie wasn't to be beaten...he formed everyone in the unit into a line, marched across the dance floor, and swept each and every girl off their feet, much to the annoyance of the USAF! Apparently there was much arm wrestling in the barrack rooms. In fact Ollie would take on anyone arm wrestling or just plain WWF style! (All in good humour of course!) There was another side to him though. My dad struggled with "drill" when he first entered service. Ollie had noticed that he had been in trouble a few times for getting it wrong and made it his personal crusade to teach the drill to my dad (all in his own spare time). Always looking out for the under dog, always on the side of the guys in the barrack, Ollie was, by all tributes, an amazing guy and much more than the drunken image he is often associated with. Even in those days he would create situations that would leave the "establishment" looking foolish. Once while being asked to conduct drill in an important parade, he stopped in the middle of barking out a command. The regimental sergeant major (who Ollie was never keen on!) was not best pleased and asked him what the problem was. A smirk spread across his face and he replied "I have forgotten the words of command sir!" Of course he hadn't! My dad never forgot that smirk which grew with each footstep as Ollie was sent back to barracks for his "absent mindedness!".

These are the stories I can recall. If my dad knows any more, I will mail them to you at a later date.

I have an Olly story, although we didn't meet as such. I went to the premiere of Nic Roeg's "Castaway" at the London Film Festival (late 80s?) and minutes after the film began someone started heckling noisily from the back row.

I thought "this is unusual - people usually heckle movies at the Streatham Odeon, but not the National Film Theatre". I later found out it was Olly.

Even better, after the film had finished they invited the director, the girl who played Lucy Irvine (Amanda Donohue), Lucy Irvine herself, and various other people from the film to take questions from the assembled audience. The session was hosted by Derek Malcolm of The Guardian. But no sign of Oliver Reed.

Until about five minutes into the Q&A session when a door crashed open at the back of the stage and Olly, looking resplendent in beard and what I remember as blazing red hair, staggered on. I can't recall what the question in progress was at the time, but Olly's answer involved "having it off with two birds at the same time" one of whom might've been the director's daughter (this needs to be clarified)

Derek Malcolm kept looking up into the rafters as though pleading for heaven to take him away from all of this. Minutes later Olly collapsed into the flowerbed at the front of the stage. My wife wanted me to go up and rouse him and ask him which pub he was going to next, but I decided that disgression was the better part of valour and drifted off for a quiet pint in the "Hole In The Wall", Waterloo

Having always been obsessed with Ollie since the age of 13, i knew i had to meet him, well my chance finally came some years later when i was 22, he was appearing on tv at the studios in The Albert Dock in Liverpool, so i dragged my friend and also my baby in his pram down to The Dock and waited and waited, there were a few other people there also waiting, Ollie was with Alex Higgins, suddenly the doors opened and next minute he was there, well i was opposite the door on the other side of a small path, i ran over the road like a mad woman my poor child was totally neglected i pushed all these other people out the way, grabbed ollie demanded i have my photo taken with him i made him sit on the step while i sat in front of him dragged his arms around me and was saying to my friend "take a photo now quick" and she is saying to me " will you give me the camera then joanne" my poor baby was finally rescued and i can't recall what i said to Ollie, i was so pleased to just have finally met him. Wonderful man

Back in 1977 when i was only 14yrs old,my father and i went to Wembley stadium to watch England v Scotland. On the way we stopped off at a pub called The Cricketers Arms which is in Ockley.

As we walked in i noticed a man dressed,in a silver jacket,wearing union-jack socks. Remember it was the queens silver jubilee,that year. So there i was with this smile on my face,as to who this was,then he turned round. I knew straight away who it was,and my jaw was opened wide as i couldn't believe it. This sort of meeting only happens in movies,but there standing in front of me,the legendary Oliver Reed.

He said hello i replied,he asked myself and my dad where we were heading,we told him and he said enjoy the match. I then asked if he would sign a piece of paper for me,he gladly obliged. He then started talking about the films he had been in and he was speaking some of the lines from his movies. Next Ollie mentioned the latest film which he'd just finished The Three Musketeers,and asked me if i was going to see it. Obviously i said yes (which i did)

We then continued our journey to London. Coming back several hours later we stopped off in the same pub,and yes you can guess Oliver was still there,(DRUNK) and he was with his brother. He came up to me and said never mind (England lost 2 1 to Scotland) and brought me a drink. Shortly after he gently pushed me,where i nearly fell off the stool i was sitting on.

To this day i remember and always will,it's the sort of thing that doesn't happen in our every day lives,a magic moment for me and i'm sure my dad to.

I hope you all enjoy reading this as i certainly enjoyed meeting the man.

Andy Morgan

I was working at the Grand Island Hotel on Alderney in 1978. I think Oliver lived on Guernsey at that time, thats where he flew from anyway.

He bought his son and a group of men over for lunch he was in very high spirits when he arrived and as soon as he walked into the restaurant he dropped his trousers in the true Oliver Reed fashion (wasn't very impressive!) His son was maybe 19 or 20 not sure on that.

They had lobster salads for starters and huge t bone steaks for main, can't remember the pud, they obviously drank loads and were generally rowdy, there were no other guests in as far as I can remember just as well! He signed autographs for all of us waitresses and then went on to another pub on the island to continue drinking. And thats my claim to fame.

Angie

I have nothing but wonderful memories of the day i encountered Mr Reed.Forgive me but i dont remember the exact time but it was in i believe summer of 1989.It was a very warm day and in Dovercourt Essex.It was the old Butlins camp that they used to film HI-DE-HI.

My mother boyfriend and myself went to meet him and after all these years of bring an Ollie fan i couldnt wait.We sat in a cafe on camp waiting.Then we heard fire engine sirens and i thought this was it the end of me seeing him.We ran out thinking there was a fire but way and behold he was just getting out of a fire engine dressed as a fireman.He looked wonderful.He was there to open a fete for handicapped children and i believed it was a turn up ,cut the ribbon,show his face and leave.Boy how wrong could i be. He walked around with 2 bodyguards talking to all the kids in wheelchairs,visited all the fete stalls( i followed his every move) he was paying £50 notes for cakes on the stalls.He sat down on the grass to take off his uniform as he was hot.I was only feet away from him and offered to help him,i had to laugh when he said "by all means madam" i pulled at the trousers and fell on top of him lol.He looked at me and said "Madam please" and laughed.

I asked him if i could buy him a drink in the beer tent close by and he said "let me have the pleasure of buying you one madam" We spend about half an hour drinking and chatting.Sitting on the grass i asked him to sit closer but he said "his bodyguards wouldnt let him" Then he slipped closer and we chatted more.My boyfriend asked him if he could take photos of us together(he knew i was crazy about ollie) he agreed and we had several photos and i did get to kiss him a few times to.After a while he got up and said "i really must go" I said thank you and he replied "it was my pleasure".

We still followed and watched him as he interacted with those kids.He was a truly a wonderful gentle man.After a whole day there he was leaving and my boyfriend called to him for more photos and he agreed.So many photos that day such a wonderful day and such a wonderful man.Ollie i loved you dearly and will never forget the joy you gave me that day god bless you.Sue xxx

My Godfather Tiff Lack wrote this as he used to live in wimbledon in the 60's and knew Ollie Reed. Bit long but interesting. I took my Godfather on some of the pubs on the wimbledon eight recently -Dog and Fox, hand in hand, fox and Grapes, The Swan, Canizzaro house - nostalgic for him. This is what he sent to me recently and I wanted to share with others.

'As you know I had a bit to do with him in Wimbledon in 1968 and have one or two tales to tell. He was so talented and didn't give a shit as to who thought what. Simon his younger bro was a pal for about a year. He went on to be a prominent sports reporter for the Beeb. What he is doing now,- god knows. I have one or two very happy memories of my time all those years ago with the great man, Ollie Reed. The sight of him leaving 'The Fox' on Wimbledon Hill in his yellow 'E' type with crates of beer stacked on the back seat his arm up, insinuating follow me, a night of huge fun, disagree or cough while he was spouting and the eyes would would stare at you. Very frightening!! Then a gentle smirk of a smile and all was well again. The night I remember after being introduced to him in the 'Fox' in Wimbledon Village and drinking copious amounts of beer all funded by him, was 2am or 3am at a tiny flat in Wimbledon beside the railway and 'I must go' or whatever, casually Iasked his pal what scene he was shooting the next day ( 'Oliver' directed by his uncle Sir Carole Reed)-- 'Oh the death scene where he swings from the rafters overlooking the street' When you look at that scene it is quite terrifying and he actually did that! Remember he left that tiny flat in Wimbledon at 2-3am and was on set at 0630. What a star! And to think I was getting pissed with him 6/12/24 hours before!! I never went to his pad in Wimbledon but on one occasion landed up at his father's flat in Raynes Park/Wimbledon. A lovely man but totally in awe of his son! Wimbledon police never touched him (breathaliser law came in September 30th 1967) he sorted out 5-10 yobos in a side street next to The Fox in Wimbledon Village beating the shit out of a copper. He then took/carried the copper into the Fox for a reviver!'

Chris H

HMS Fearless

When my father was in the navy in the 70s, he did 4 years aboard the HMS Fearless, and spent alot of time in the caribbean. At every port they stopped in the captain would hold an evening and invite dignitries on board. One particular time in Barbados, three guests were brought on. Some UK ambassador there, John Cleese and good old Oliver Reed. Obviously, he got absolutlely smashed in no time at all, and walked up to an officer and called him a 'stuck-up *******'. This got him in a fair bit of hot water, and he was dragged into the Captains cabin for a good old bollocking for insulting one of Her Majestys officers. With the whole crewe watching, trying to lip read what was being said, Ollie swung a punch at the captain but was grabbed by 5 marines before he had chance to blink and thrown over board. For months after, the ships toilets were covered in graffiti about Ollie, and how he was the entire crews hero. Absolute genius.

Good morning! I would be interested in that article you mentioned, as I am indeed one of the officers that met Mr. Reed in Stowe, Vermont. At the time, I was with the Morristown Police Department. I am presently the Chief Deputy of the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department based in Hyde Park, Vermont. In the early morning hours, I was at the Stowe Police Department office with Stowe Patrolman Edwin Webster, when he recieved a call via the Lamoille County Dispatch of a disturbance at Ye Old English Pub on the Mountain Road. When we arrived, we were told by the Pub's owner that the actor, Oliver Reed was in the pub causing a disturbance. We were asked at that time not to intervene, as the owner, his staff, and Mr. Reed's friends were trying to get him to leave. The owner met with us a couple of more times outside; each time his clothing was more torn than the first, and he and some of his staff had been physically assaulted by Mr. Reed. On his last trip to see us, the owner had had enough, and wanted to file charges against Reed, and Reed was presently on his way to the parking lot where we were. Mr. Reed came outside, looked at us, and walked over to an old car and proceeded to lift up it's fender. He then walked over to Officer Webster and I and shook our hands, and then promptly fell over backwards onto the ground. At this point, Officer Webster and myself placed Mr. Reed into handcuffs. Since Mr. Reed did not like the idea of being arrested, he was helped to the police car by Officer Webster, myself, and State Police Sgt. Loren Croteau, who had just arrived on the scene to lend a hand. The Dispatch Center had been giving area officers up to the minute accounts of Reed tearing apart the pub, and Sgt. Croteau was the first to arrive to assist. Mr. Reed was then taken to the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department where he told the alcohol worker to "bloody well piss off". He also met with a member of the US Border Patrol! Officer Webster and I returned to the pub to document what had been destroyed and to take statements from those who were assaulted. After his release, Reed sent flowers to the Sheriff's Department Secretary. I still have the handcuffs Mr. Reed wore, and I believe the original mugshot may be around. Hope this short version of the event is of interest to you and your site. Regards, Eben Merrill

I met Oliver Reed in 1989 when I was 20 years old. I was working a waiter in a restaurant in Ockley near Dorking, Surrey. Mr Reed came in with his wife and another gentleman for lunch and he was absolutely charming. What struck me most about him was how big he was; he looked a lot larger in real life than when I had seen him on screen. During their lunch he consumed 2 bottles of white wine whilst his guests drank mineral water! When he left he tipped me in French francs (about £30).

Many years ago i had a day i'll never forget. It was the year for children, i had a pub in Dovercourt Harwich.
One sunny morning i'd just had a delivery and was bottling up, i'd left the door open because it was a sunny morning and warm. In walked a man and asked if i was open, i said yes as we used to open early for people who were travelling on the ferries for refreshments. He then walked out, funny geezer i thought to myself, so i carried on bottling up, in he came again so i thought, i turned to bark at him instead i yelped in front of me stood Oliver Reed. Well you know what refreshment he wanted. We spent seven hours drinking, arm wrestling, swapping jokes and stories, this started at 9:30 in the morning. The reason he was there was to open a children's fortnight at the Warner holiday camp around the corner where they film Hi De Hi. What a day!
Jeffrey C Rogers.

Meeting Ollie!

My favourite film of all time is Oliver! the 1968 musical so I was thrilled to meet two of it's stars, Jack Wild in the early 1970's and Oliver Reed in the 1980's.

My friend and I used to get tickets every week to be in the audiance of the chat show Parkinson and this particular week Oliver Reed was a guest on the midweek edition of Parkinson and we got to meet Ollie after the show.
He was a real gentleman, he gave us his autograph and we got a kiss each on the cheek!

A Gentle Man, A Wise man.

As a child I was bought up by my Grandparents and led a similar lifestyle to the man himself! I was born on 3rd February 1959 and spent idyllic days at the Esoldo and Ritz cinemas in Southend-on-Sea.

I can remember seeing Oliver in a number of films through the sixties, he seemed to always be in the ones I saw at the time and just sort of stuck in my consciousness, It wasn't until I was taken to see Oliver the musical in London (Tottenham court Rd I think?) that he made an impression, I loved that film and have seen it many many times since, I just knew there and then that that was what I wanted to do when I grew older! Act! the sixties became the seventies, living with my grandparents I watched all the classics with them, Sunday Night at the London Palladium, Armchair Theater, Man in a suitcase, (Remember that!) The Saint! (There he was again) he was just the one that sticks in my mind from that time( to a lesser extent Sean Connery as well) In the early seventies my Grandfather was a senior manager (when that meant something!) at Giddons, the Queens outfitters for The Guards and Cavalry officers in the various regiments, if you needed anything remotely associated with Horses of the lets say, higher caliber, this is where you came.

I was a regular feature of the shop on a Saturday Morning when my Grandfather would take me to work with him, it smelt of rich leather saddles and dubbing, the officers uniforms were lined up on wooden rails in anticipation of there imminent collection and I would sit and watch the coming and goings of various high ranking Officers and their valets.

One morning as I was going about my usual low key existence, feeding the Air Tubes that ran the length and breadth of the building I heard a loud and intimidating voice from the floor below address my grandfather, Good Morning John, I have it on good recommendation that you are the man to speak to with regards a fine saddle! even at that age (I think I was probably nine or ten at the time) I just knew who that voice belonged to! I can distinctly remember thinking , "thats Oliver Reeds voice" thats Bill Sykes!!! I ran down the tight spiral stairs and landed in a heap at the bottom of my Grandfathers feet, sure enough there towering above me was indeed the great man himself, he actually extended a cane i think, or something similar and said, "your assistant has arrived John," my grandfather gave me that look of disapproval while all I could do was stare and mutter apologies, "charming boy" said Oliver as I scurried back up the stairs and hid in the wardrobe dept for the next hour or so.

On the way home on the train later that day I bombarded my grandfather with questions regarding the nature of Oliver Reeds visit, my grandfather, ever the gentleman himself simply said, it is not the policy of Giddons to ever discuss the customers requirements outside of the premises my son, read your comic!

For weeks, maybe months later, i amused my friends at school with stories of my brush with the actual Bill Sykes, few believed me but did I care?

It was to be another ten years or more before unbeknown to me, we would meet again under completely different circumstances...................... (To be continued)