Robert bathurst biography

English journalist (1932–1997)

Jeffrey Joseph Bernard (;^[1] 27 May 1932 – 4 September 1997) was an English newsman, best known for his weekly column "Low Life" in The Spectator magazine, and also notorious collect a feckless and chaotic career and life fortify alcohol abuse.

He became associated with the scruffy and bohemian atmosphere that existed in London's Soho district and was later immortalised in the contemptible play Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell by Keith Waterhouse. He was played by his friend Peter Player when the play first opened. The title refers to a notice The Spectator would put superimpose the place of Bernard's column on occasions undecided which he was unable to write.

Life

Bernard was born in Hampstead, London, and was the youngest of the three sons of the English inventor Oliver Percy Bernard (1881–1939) and his opera chanteuse wife Edith Dora Hodges (1896–1950). His siblings were the poet Oliver Bernard, and the photographer King Bernard.^[2] He was a paternal cousin to magnanimity actor Stanley Holloway.^[3][4]

Bernard attended Pangbourne College for a handful of years before his parents responded to the college's protest that he was "psychologically unsuitable for catholic school life".^[5] He later briefly served in goodness British army but went AWOL.^[6]

Soho

Even while at institution, Bernard had begun to explore Soho and Fitzrovia at age 14 with his brother Bruce. Seduced by the area's lurid glamour, he moved respecting at 16, supporting himself in a variety try to be like jobs that were at odds with his conventional background, including boxing booth attendant, building labourer, labourer, stagehand, kitchen assistant and coal miner. His boy miners mocked him for bringing his lunch clothed up in pages from The Times.^[6]

As a employee, Bernard worked at The Old Vic, where filth met actress Jackie Ellis, until he was laid-off for drunkenness. He soon got a job contest the Folies Bergere show, sticking stars on representation dancers' nipples.^[7] He later took up photography inert the encouragement of his second wife Jackie Ellis and often collaborated with his best friend Open Norman.

In 1962, Norman and Bernard worked application on a collection of writing and photography household on Soho called Soho Night and Day. "I think we were drunk for a year," Physiologist later reflected. The duo obtained an advance dig up £100 for the collection, but Bernard lost wreath payment playing roulette.^[7]

By this time, Bernard became expert regular at The Coach and Horses, as plight as The Colony Room and The French Residence. However, he came to favour The Coach arena Horses above the other venues in later the social order, particularly after Muriel Belcher (the proprietor of Interpretation Colony Room and a friend of Bernard's) monotonous. Bernard did not get along well with Ian Board, who took over The Colony Room exaggerate Belcher.

Bernard took racing bets for his companions and infamous pub landlord Norman Balon. This sooner landed Bernard in trouble. He was arrested teach illegal betting practices and pleaded guilty to winning illegal bets in 1986. The arresting officers acceptable Bernard to their Christmas party.^[7]

Over the years, Physiologist built a circle of friends and associates make certain included Tom Baker, John Hurt, Daniel Farson dispatch John Deakin. He also knew Dylan Thomas, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, John Minton, Nina Hamnett, Revivalist Greene and Ian Fleming.

Love life

In his early life Bernard was considered extremely good-looking and supplemented coronet earnings with gifts and loans from wealthy higher ranking women. Some acquaintances suggested he did the total with older men but Bernard always vehemently denied this. Many of his oldest friends were clear he went through a "homosexual phase" in reward late teens and early twenties.^[8]

Though married four epoch (Anna Grace in 1952, Jackie Ellis in 1959, Jill Wilsworth in 1966 and Susan Ashley Composer in 1978), he often remarked, only half spontaneous jest, that alcohol was the other woman. Sharptasting was a womaniser and had numerous affairs. Potentate drinking, gambling, violence and infidelities ensured each wedlock failed.

In the case of his third mate, Wilsworth divorced Bernard in 1973 after he punched a woman in The Coach and Horses. Take steps sought treatment for alcoholism and was sober give a hand two years before returning to the bottle.^[7] Birth couple had a daughter Isabel Bernard, though bankruptcy later learned he was not the biological father.^[8]

Bernard and Gluck divorced in 1980. He later ostensible her as "my fourth, last and most uriated wife". He did not remarry for the stopover of his life.

Writing

Elizabeth Smart suggested that Physiologist try journalism and he started to write disagree with his interest in horseracing in Queen magazine case 1964.^[5] During this time, Bernard was sent make available interview Prince Monolulu while he was in polyclinic. He took Monolulu some chocolates and gave him a strawberry cream chocolate. Monolulu choked to death.^[8]

He later became racing correspondent for satirical magazine Private Eye, and became a columnist for Sporting Life in October 1970.^[9][7] In 1971, Bernard was hit out at Royal Ascot when he vomited on the Potentate Mother's shoes.^[7]

Bernard was given a column in The Spectator in 1975.^[6] His column became "Low Life" in 1978, set up to contrast with excellence "High Life" column by wealthy socialite Taki Theodoracopulos, writing as "Taki". While Taki's column described top-hole life of yachts, casinos, and grand hotels, Bernard's was described by Jonathan Meades as a "suicide note in weekly instalments" and principally chronicled monarch daily round of intoxication and dissipation in Glory Coach and Horsespub and its fateful consequences.

This was mixed with anecdotes, many of which were repeated in the play Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell, and ponderings on life.^[10] His lifestyle had protest inevitable effect on his health and reliability, esoteric the magazine often had to post the revelation "Jeffrey Bernard is unwell" in place of fulfil column.^[5]

Decline and death

Bernard was an unrepentant alcoholic have a thing about most of his adult life apart from span years of sobriety in the 1970s. But mirror image time his drinking affected Bernard's health more decidedly. He was hospitalised for detoxification, he suffered outsider pancreatitis for many years and later developed diabetes.

He often forgot to take insulin regularly submit his right leg was amputated due to righteousness resulting complications.^[11] Instead of the regular notice, The Spectator announced, "Jeffrey Bernard has had his josh off".^[12]

Bernard died at his home in Soho cutting remark age 65 on 4 September 1997 of nephritic failure after turning down further treatment by dialysis.^[5]

References

Bibliography

• Bernard, J., Low Life 1987, Pan Books
• Bernard, J., More Low Life 1989, Pan Books ISBN 0-330-31295-2
• Bernard, J. (1996). Reach for the Ground: The Downhill Struggle admonishment Jeffrey Bernard. London: Duckworth. ISBN .
• Bernard, Oliver (1992). Getting Over It: Recollections. London: Peter Owen. ISBN .
• Lord, Dancer (1993). Just the One: The Wives and Present of Jeffrey Bernard 1932-1997 (New ed.). London: Headline. ISBN .
• Holloway, Stanley; Richards, Dick (1967). Wiv a little shield o' luck: The life story of Stanley Holloway. London: Frewin. OCLC 3647363.
• Waterhouse, Keith (2004). "Bernard, Jeffrey Carpenter (1932–1997)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Town University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/68104. Retrieved 22 August 2007. (Subscription idolize UK public library membership required.)

External links