"I have been but little in," said Ninian hastily...

I do love the 1970s-1980s television programme that was made from James Herriot's books about being a Yorkshire vet in the 1930s.

It features his wonderful story-telling (most of the scripts are taken word for word straight from the books), and so it embodies Mr Herriot's  kindness and generosity and humility and his wonderful openness to new experience.

And it's got a wonderful cast--Robert Hardy and Peter Davison, of course, as the Farnon brothers; Christopher Timothy in the central role. The estimable Mary Hignett as Mrs Hall, who keeps everything running. And the beautiful Carol Drinkwater as James's sweetheart and (eventually) wife. In her 30s when the show was made, Drinkwater was remarkably beautiful in a very classic English way. And you know what? She's still beautiful!

I'm watching And Then She Found Me, which I quite like, and waiting to see where Salman Rushdie, who was in the credits, will show up.

He's playing the gynecologist.

Too funny. :-)

I just heard on the way home that Pete Postlethwaite has died, at 64, of cancer.

A smoker since he was ten, according to his bio on Wikipedia.

A truly wonderful actor, he played in over fifty movies, countless TV programs, and many stage productions.

I know that one of the roles I loved him in was that of the spare, tough, hard-edged dying father and band leader in Brassed Off.

But I know that one that many of my friends will remember is one of Postlethwaite's own favourite roles.



All that talent, all that skill, all that sheer glorious humanity, lost to fucking cancer. A god damn crying shame.