1960-08-30 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1980.

Now Behan says he has beaten

Dublin.

THE suit was four sizes

too large. It hung on his frame like a deflated balloon, and Brendan Behan, laughing - and pulling out the waistband on his trousers, said:-

Eminence nearly killed ine, gava na thirst and a bellar. Now I'm off the gargle Just call me a retired alcoholle."

Brendan Behan Is off the bocze. He's not really proud of It, but satisited that he did it Đặt by himself.

"Well, there was a doc- Lor mon there, and he levelled with me. He said: *What are you aiming to write? And said: 'A novel or

short stories. And he said, with crafty leer: I should write the short stories if I were you.'

Д

some

The end!

"What really put me off was when I had that lag in London, rad ended up lay hospital a coclor examining me.

willi

"He told me my heart was bad, and my liver colten, and then I went to see the telly and it was "Emergency —, Ward 19." So I switched it over, and there was a play about a man with heurt discuse. So I hard on the radio, and some joker was singing 'My Heart and 1. And I thought. This is the ersal.*.

But then the doctor told me

the

bottle

by MICHAEL PARKINSON

that the American branch... of the 1.R.A. don't know whether to accept a charity performance of "The Hostage,, or to bomb the theatre."

The telephone, rand,

Behan answering suld "Noel Cow- urd "apeaking" and, exploded a high-pitched laugh into the receiver. He explained: "I'm using his name while his play's in Dublin. Normally I say I'm the local IRA, leader,

meel

"It was suggested Coward When he came over for the (trat night. Can you imagine that? We're what you might call theatrical Incompatibles.

Gruesome

when I got to 60, and I reckonod He swallowed a soda water Fd feel cheated. So I thought I (How his favourlie drink) and might dron 10 gargle al explained the art of laying off

"Anyway, I go to see a pity together."

the booze.

not to dress t for a fashion So he did,

he hang Just like that.

is to get scared show in the foyer. An old uni did. People

than 2,000 have it mine has more Not in my paychiatric ward, like I and without the hahs of Alcoho suggested that rowuduy, 1 monkey suits. She hires them

es Anonymous,

don't

IN Dubs, That's out, but I've never bothered her

But soon he goes to America, bloody silly. I didn't

"The Hostage" starts wouldn't be able to write. where a Broadway run, And Brendon knows this is his testlag time. Hylan Thomas died of American ospitality. Could happen to Belian?

Testing time

"Not on your bloody Hic. I'm not going to America for the booze, I'm off for the money," He laughed, and you could see that he still needed 10 teeth. in his upper jaw. The shirt still lacked a tie, and the cuffs crumpled over the upper part of his hand.

'Get scared'

for one."

He started

singing a bulind

he has written for his new play. Just like that. Without any real that he felt like reason except singing. It is a gruesome song called " Met My Love in a Graveyard,"

it has the line "Oh, my old Irish tomb, I'll be, in there soon." And Brendan Behan, breaking

"I always stock some gargle at home. I keep about fifteen quids' worth of it in the house. At one time I would go home and swallow the lol in one go. Now I stand and look at off and smiling, says "That is and don't touch it. It's ke not my swan song." Reving yourself strangled and not bothering about it."

For the past few months

he has worked on his new play. It was first christened The Catacombs." Now 11 has become "Richard's Cork Leg." I asked him what 11 was about. the mais "What I always write about: mentally, is sex. religion, and pofitles. different from the hell-ratser Nothing else is worth consider- in no uncertain terms what was who invaded London Ave ing. It might make people wrong. He said that cetly months 3140. The green-grey angry-I hope it does. I love drank one bobile of whisky a eyes are clear, the skin has the stirring up trouble. day I'd live to be 6D, I thought healthy glows uf Sinc wine.. people thinks.

But the rest physically and

making

that sounded fine, but then I the wit is as share us a tooth- "I don't know if I will stir wondered what I would fert like. plek.

THE HIDDEN

anything in America. I've heard

It could have been five) months ago. But not now, not on his sober life.

(Lundon Express Service).

NEHRU

Da Kilom

NKRUMAH

JAGAN MAKARTOS

13 MONTHS

NYASALAND

AGREEMENT

vickun

au. Dr. Banda, said at the beginning of the conference that you had coma in a spirit of give and

take and you have proved your words."

In his sitting room only

a few days ago.

M↑ Magleod: yesterday.

THIS IS MY SECRET

BEST-SELLERS...by

There's big

TREVOR EVANS -Said Morgan Phillips

money being made during the school holidays MORGAN PHILLIPS is a

London.

WHAT do Britain's

quarter

million

→

set.

By RICHARD FINDLATER

spect ("We thought

room for a new approach") with

He knows ...

Gone was the touchincas, of phenomenon of girding-up of the contending the investigation Into "Why we

groups within the party leader lost," and the new document less certain times. When I said: twentieth-century polities in Britain.

as If you'll have to ship Morgan was in danger of "Labour in the Sixties," in "I looks becoming overlooked. Frustra Lerfed to be bagis, on which pull the party out of its crisis--' He has created a unique post- tween Uncle Arthur and Jim on assailed hin. Better, he the party can find its lost unity. even if you never become the lon. The moment the news was Middleton. At this time he was feit an M.P.'s job at £1,750

leuder." be accepted the first bit flashed that he had a stroke and a mature man of 42 but for than a salary of nearly £2,300

without immodesty, and the second without demag. was in a Glasgow hospital, thou- junior in most ways to the big undermined by niggling doubis of those days. Allee, that he was becoming merely n "Compiling them is an occupa-sands of people asked them- shots

to the Arthur

Herbert glorified office-boy. Greenwood, Liana! disease of schoolmasters" selves: "What happens

Morrison,

Bevin, Labour Party now?"

Shinwell one publisher told me wryly

Dalion. Stafford Cripps. Only his friends wondered But it is in the teaching of English at home and abroad about poor old Morgan not

that he is old at 58. educational publlibing

a boyhood friend, John Lum- bert, with whom he went to that school by both pupil and tensber. Nearly every year the part-

has enjoyed lis biggest boom,

teachers DO in their created by a pedagogic double long, long summer holi-

Mr Holderness drafted it on there was days? Hundreds of them, I discovered, are trying to write top-sellers. And seores of them succeed.

nery bring it up to Bate, But And among the top authors of No whodunits, or

this year Mr Holderness is going English textbooks for the modern or cloak-and-dagger epics are sule with two new books. For age arg bubbling under their

have soared above the mortar- Mr Lambert-helped by the who boards. These canny masters rollts of

authorship left Burnhamn scale to the summit of know where the arudy" ready" schoolmastering some time ago the surtax range,

and bought a hotel.

From chemistry to moths: how year all but the very richest book-world. !

money lies.

romances,

They long to produce

tome.

الله

-

twe

Huge-sale

In

1

former schoolmasters

But Morgan has been around

behind him.

Nol that

Morgan

169

Into the

Derbyshire. His triumph

In

TAN

WHY DO

OUTLIVE

you'

can

A miracle'

WOMEN

MEN?

By CHAPMAN PINCHER

We spent five hours together He had two merciful set- In his comfortable, modost Ful- backs. He failed to get the ham home a low Saturdays back.

Having known Morgan for nomination for. North-East "Why don't you write a books nearly 30 years, I was staggered,

and he became felling all you know about the

I blurted out: "Gosh, Morgan, seriously with gall trouble. Darky?" I asked.

it has taken a Welshman to ses He pretended to wince, as through a Welshman. During his convalescence last so long that most people don't

Bul Morgan's first big job

He knows all

"I believe you are a happy seem to think about his age. In fact, he was an old man young. was the triumph of the 1945 summer the role of the. "great well he might

what ne neutralist" became clearer. He the secrets, lle agreed that last man because you know Eloction. which

disappointments bad and year's

do,

have medical advice

yet you He went to work underground General

and accepted

the uns when he was 14. two years after claimed to have foreseen he left school.

not loath became a total abstainer. And created a new, a surer, a more stopped grieving for He led an un- for which he was

confident Morgan Philips. And attainable, and for a politician. he worked hard. femoloyment march when he was in accept the fullest credit.

what a mature. philosophiesi. I talked to one who, it is re- 19. he was secretary of his

Yel.. ironically,

It became the custom on the analytical, and logical man sat that is a miracle.". Morgan

national executive when a opposite to me. sipping his He grinned 'boyishly: "That's thing which outsells year after many vogue-names of the 1930 portui, carns around £20,000 a miners' lodge when he was 21. Phillips did a far mightier job

year. His name 15 Ronald and chairman when he was 23. wonder,

for his party at last October's licklish, controversial Issue arose lemon water, but hospitable to my secret." can Ridout, Last year his books sold So middle-aged Hardy perennials of pop fiction match the golden 1000 royalties over 2,500,000 copies...

London pream Verglog). years of leadership General Election, which it lost, to leave it to Morgan," Hence my less austero neods. nearly 40 the sccessful schoolbook.

beaks obscure -A star novelist like Allstair Rugby. J. B. Chunnon and A

And it is the study of Morgan It all began twelve years ago MacLean muy hit the Juckpat at McLeish Smith, who made their when Mr Ridout was teaching

between those two old. forgotten Phillips once, with 100,000 copies. But debut in that year?

elections which fascinates me. English in Luton. "I couldn't struggles

the Glamorgan within a year his salen-graph

There was a monolithic back- And the kind of book I wanted." valleys is the best testimonial will plummet. Not so with the

he told me, "so I devoted one for eminence in a party which From the big unlon chiels author who strikes it rich with

for Alteo, who summer holiday to a French grummor or a Maths

producing has attracted so many intellect in thon days IL"

had the greatest conâdence tupis.. Fair play to Morgan, ho primer.

The way Morgan Philline has never flaunted his early 1 heard about dozens of mis that in 20 years from now, when in every year globetrotting at

And it's pretty safe to predict Now he spenda several months struggles.

The organisation at Transport ters all over Britain who notel

House. So Morgan was able up a steady sale of 20,000 La

the current neo-Amises and his own expense exploring now

He was too shrewd for that, without any damage, to reveal 40,000 coples a year-with books endo-Braines are long forgot markets. With his wife, he has He had seen others become his own favourites-ke Green- published as long

bruce of Birmingham "Kʊ us 20, 2 yours. And their graplis are still heads. S. Flavel and B. B, already been on two 1900 trips boren on that. He used his past wood and Nye Bevan.

R springboard -to Portugal and to the Middle s

WHY do women have Wakelum-will still be coining East. climbing.

future. So be won a two-year He pinved his foncles with a substantially long- These classroom authors don't It In from their new-style

10 the Labour discretion. After all, the estab Before Christmas, the Ridouts scholarship get film,

Primary Mathemaller of 1980. stage or TV rights.

He found an aptitude Ishment within the party was er average life-span than (who have four children of their College. John Betjeman le said to have own) are bending for Africa They sun the timelight

for languages. English, as well soild enouch

men? Why are they far the span of monks and men and women produce the But their books help to make broken all modern records for

os German and French.

Juxury of a little friendly prod-

auns, who differ little in the same, secretions called B the golden underside of British the sale of poetry. But mcarure

ding here and there, And in less susceptible to the style of life, which is sheltered hormones. It is only in their publishing at home and abroad is 72,000 against the 800,000

thow days the moody, intro-

proportion that the differeDCR the side never seen by the plus whleh John Crowland has

Jlor. spective Morgan liked party- major killing discases? general public.

the achieved with one book of

poems alone! giants In this field, LongNANS, estimates that about 85 per cent None of those poems. I admit, one time I had about 25 books became secretory of the Labour and when to keep mum,

So when Moxytari Philips Icarued when to show his hand, jury, surgical shock, and starva- of its output is in educational 16 Me Crossland's own work. wolling to be wrillen"). And Party in 1944 he publishing.)

He is not, as far as I know, a the peak-Mr Ridout happily equipped after 13 years as a full- was well

But suddenly, things changed. poet, He is educational mana assures me long way

swort the boord

The questions are to be dis- Ime party official to cope with The Left ger of one of the country's big. He has just launched 2 new Ja job which had

Gellekell became cured by more than 1,000 old curloun Morecambe. 1 International English, history, Rest publishers.

series,

the leader. Harold Wilson pro- ze specialists meeting in "with the world as its market."

duced a report which described Francisco recently. because sunceptible to major diseases as type allod comic rays which Compare the readership of But he is also a staggeringly Even at home the market la

they hold vildi elitos to the men of the outer world, There had been only three Morgan FhBase machine, as a most crime-wrliers (whose successful andiologist and his steadily expanding for books in urevious

human secretaries, stories sell on average, around books have, I estanate, outsol every field "Slowly but surely, MadDonald,

Romy pony-farthing" affade, ond problmin. of why the

From the moment of concepů In short, the jonger life-span Cokairia brotco the joony ages at all. everyone Frotik the 0,000 mark) with the public the total output of Briialaid one publisher to me, we're wanted

To 19910

Average woman is a tion the female has a different to Dorzolk, Un unanimity of the Right In the of Mr Albert Holderness,

hereditary make-up from 16 a poota since Tennyson (always educating the educational

They have asumed. apreis! butit-in biological advantage. ou Arthur" Henderson, whane trade union hierarchy.

male, and it may somehow be York schoolmaster to whom I excepting Rupert Brooke),

gnificance beckuro massivo authority so frightened taiked,

ha Abdaihe businges of teaching most of the Old Guard that

involving 40,000. “morka and What Se the female secret of more resistant to atornie p emulate Mr. Croseland's Asland Africans how to ther "TO

nuna has ruined some pre- longevity? The doctors and bardment, not

vowed that an easy as it speak English has

future по

polent at the, San Francison exfaling theprios.

Women DeoTA abile In 1980-as sold more than looks as publishers know to their so profitable that other nations a

become secretory would be an M.D. of

2 congress will consider three tolerate 380,000 copies. Il la a

higher bigge School cost.

lowering premoniality; - and. It became "mociclagg" to take are trying to muscle in Certifioste Chemistry, "

Among the unsolicited many their own textbooks of English Middleton, who was content to Morgan Philip KATAS

with self-effacing, obedient Jim alden. With fowled nerasption women

pressure than men. This tipu bà Like many institutional text scripts that pour into their. Without Tears Including. Mr be an officiant rugchine-minder. Importance of neutrallag

the in because men are sub-Glanduler secretions seeni » crucial factor in making ibig booke-remember Hall and offices, from public and primary Hideat tells me, the Ztatealazij

Jected in reales siram and risk to protect the female from Jews mizoaglibin to strokým m Knight's Algebra, 50 years old schools alike, anthologies of and the Germans.

Morsian planed to

ay of neoldent in the courge of the ravages of heart disease and heart attacks. and still in usa thilg poemas,, verge, kemp. pride.pt-place.

"Un{Zagsdon Empress Baretes), · for a sosition

The thefir wrosscing lvos;

**(London Exprest Zwvětək).

(One of

Comparison

14

One of his books-published success

物

Expanding

+

Everywhere die demand to icarn English is growing {"AL

thorlts

Well equipped

whom

Roing, and secretly enjoyed his bouts of eloquent silences. He

Frustration

This declaian kuna

19

Why are they tougher and more resistant to serious · in-

ton?

So an inquiry was made into

and rdered

Five years

Salt

· It showed that the muna live on average Ave and a half years

monks longer than the

turned out lo he almant

who

Doctors had 'nsumed

#2

that main popstile answers more durable

other major-kelliers,

Yet research has shown that

Scientisie bave found that, frequent reposure to amati doses of alomie radiation slight- ly reducea life-span.

We are all continuously k

as posed to atomic radiation of the

bombard the earth from oubet space!