Category Archives: Media

Frederick Forsyth did more than write great thrillers

By Ray Bennett LONDON – English writer Frederick Forsyth, who turns 85 today, has not only written clever and exciting thrillers such as ‘Day of the Jackal’ (starring Edward Fox, above)  and ‘The Odessa file’, he’s also prescient about world … Continue reading

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Bob Dowling gave me the best job in the world

By Ray Bennett LONDON – I shall always be grateful to Robert J.Dowling, the former publisher and editor-in-chief of The Hollywood Reporter who has died aged 83, because it was thanks to him that for several years I had a … Continue reading

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Shannon Tweed on being naked in films and magazines

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Many women I interviewed in Hollywood expressed disappointment or regret over appearing nude in movies or photo spreads. Shannon Tweed, who turns 65 today, was not one of them. ‘I can’t honestly say I wouldn’t … Continue reading

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Do film critics matter any more?

By Ray Bennett LONDON – When everyone is a critic, who needs critics? It’s a question asked more and more in the movie industry as the ranks of mainstream critics dwindle and the tide of those with something to say online … Continue reading

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‘It’s like picking up Rupert Murdoch’s dropped wallet’

By Ray Bennett Lots of so-called experts claim to know what young people think about entertainment these days, but a panel at Screen Digest’s recent PEVE Digital Media Conference in London provided some genuine insight. Describing how they consume screened … Continue reading

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Many left behind in digital world: report

By Ray Bennett LONDON — Teenagers live in a different world of entertainment and technology compared to the rest of the population, a new survey confirms. Revealing what it calls “an astonishing divide in digital entertainment takeup and technology ownership … Continue reading

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Time for national treasure Kate Moss to help the workers

By Ray Bennett When Kate Moss was pilloried by the tabloids and began to lose contracts because of alleged drug use, CNN asked me on to talk about what she should do about it. There was a guy from People … Continue reading

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David Hare honours playwright John Osborne

With the 50th anniversary production of John Osborne’s “The Entertainer” opening at London’s The Old Vic tonight, I am reminded of the passionate and illuminating address that fellow playwright David Hare made in Osborne’s defence at the Hay Literary Festival … Continue reading

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