Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage (Jan 2009)

Subject: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: alanabit
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 03:14 AM

"And one man in his time plays many parts." John Mortimer, who died yesterday, played more than most. He was one of the best men to come out of Britain in my lifetime. He will be missed by many.

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: John J
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 04:18 AM

The country...the world, is a sadder place for his death. A highly intelligent and very entertaining man who will be greatly missed.

JJ

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 04:41 AM

He was a nice man, wasn't he. I used to enjoy reading articles by him.
One of those people you'd like to invite to an imaginary dinner, good company, intelligent conversation and a great deal of humour.

Here he is with his very lovely daughter, Emily:

Emily and her Dad

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 05:14 AM

Very sorry to hear that. JM was very useful to me when I was asking him about something I was researching one time. Also he selected my song George Joseph Smith for the Oxford Book of Villains - showing his superior taste! there was no bullshit about him - he replied sending his phone number and address (amazing for someone so famous) - of course I never bothered him or intruded.

seriously though, I loved his plays and Rumpole stories, and one time he came on tour with Angharad Rees doing a series of his favourite readings. You could see he loved gigging - even though he seemed to be using an oxgen tube in a rather discreet way.

I'm sure TV will show some of his old plays. The 'Leslie Titmus' series and the the Voyage Around My Father will be natural choices. but i hope they also show that early one about the derek bentley case, and Dock brief - which haven't been out off the archive shelves for many years.

Makes me wish I had used that phone number now.

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: fat B****rd
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 03:27 PM

Love the Rumpole stories, got to admire his defence of liberty. I may check out his other stuff. RIP Sir John.

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage
From: john f weldon
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 03:40 PM

Rumpole was a true hero, one of the best and cleverest inventions of literature. Not an action hero, and a man who consistently underestimated his own worth, he was a person who became heroic by simply doing his job as he saw it. Hilarious, too. I read every story, and watched the whole series on DVD, each complimented the other beautifully.

JM's other work is equally brilliant, and the interviews he gave were wonderful. A man of integrity, high principle, and great artistic gifts. And funny!

It's sad that there will be no more; I hope that they find a few unpublished manuscripts lying around...

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage (Jan 2009)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 07:21 PM

Rumpole was a favorite of ours, also.

I know I heard a very good interview with him many years ago, and I can't find it now. It may have been one on CBS's 60 Minutes, I think it was on commercial television (I've checked Terry Gross and Charlie Rose and nothing turns up there. Surprising, actually, that they both missed him.)

SRS

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage (Jan 2009
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 17 Jan 09 - 08:30 PM

Sad, but he must have been very ill and certainly deserves a good long rest. I liked his autobiographical books as much a the Rumpole ones - great titles too! "Clinging to the Wreckage", "Murderers and Other Friends", "Summer of a Dormouse". And I must get "Summer's Lease".

Subject: RE: Obit: John Mortimer leaves the stage (Jan 2009)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 18 Jan 09 - 05:43 AM

BBC4 have an evening of John Mortimer tonight - 8pm till midnight

Phil