Drawing: Ed Asner

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Mark Winter / Chicane

I always meant to write to Ed Asner. The various lockdowns gave me the time to do so. I’m pleased I did. Sadly he passed away on Sunday at the age of 91. I drew this quick drawing of Ed in his defining television role as Lou Grant, the burly, blustery but lovable newsman and sent it to him at his Tarzana home in Los Angeles in April this year. He signed, dedicated and returned it within a week, along with my postage money.

On his twitter page, Ed described himself as an “Actor, author, activist, warm, lovable, gruff, leftie, patriot.” I’m sure many kind words will follow in the coming days from his millions of admirers. During his illustrious career, Ed was an outspoken supporter of a number of humanitarian and political causes, including trade unionism and animal rights. He served two terms as President of the Screen Actors Guild.

The US Army veteran made his Broadway debut with Jack Lemmon in FACE OF A HERO at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in 1960, before moving to Hollywood, becoming a prolific character actor with over 400 screen credits.

Ed was the most honoured male performer in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards, winning seven – five for his portrayal as the hard drinking, tough-talking Lou Grant in the MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW (3) and its spin-off series LOU GRANT (2) in the 1970’s and 1980’s. His other two Emmys were for the miniseries RICH MAN, POOR MAN and ROOTS.

Documentary film-maker Michael Moore wrote in his Twitter tribute that when he was making his first film, ROGER & ME, he was broke and wrote to a number of famous people to invite them to invest in it. Only one replied: Ed Asner. “I don’t know you kid, but here’s 500 bucks. Sounds like it’ll be a great film. I was an autoworker once.”

Thanks and RIP Ed.

Drawing: Amanda Harris

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Shakespearean stalwart Amanda Harris won the Best Performance in a Supporting Role Olivier Award in 2005 for her portrayal of Emilia, the wife of the evil Iago (played by Anthony Sher) and Desdemona’s maidservent in the 2004 Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of OTHELLO, directed by Gregory Doran. After its initial staging in Stratford-upon-Avon, followed by a tour of Japan it returned to England and opened the larger of the two theatres at the Trafalgar Studios in London in June.

My wife and I were fortunate to see Amanda in the RSC’s staging of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW at the Barbican Theatre in London in 2019 as part of our annual Shakespearean tradition to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The production switched the genders for every role with Amanda playing Minola Baptista, one of the wealthiest ‘men’ in Padua and ‘father’ of Kate, the ‘shrew’ of the play’s title and Bianca.

Her screen credentials include appearances in all the popular British TV programmes, including MIDSOMER MURDERS, THE BILL, A TOUCH OF FROST and HEARTBEAT.
Amanda has taught drama and Shakespeare at the University of Alicante in Spain and is an Associate Artist at the RSC, where I sent this Emilia/Baptista sketch of her as for her to sign, which she kindly did and returned with a nice complementary note.

Susan Penhaligon, Louise Jameson, Lizzie Muncey and Sarah Moss in The Mousetrap

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Mark Winter / Chicane

Autographed drawing of Sarah Moss as Miss Casewell in The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre on London's West End

Autographed drawing of Louise Jameson as Mrs Boyle in The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre on London's West End

Autographed drawing of Lizzie Muncey as Miss Casewell in The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre on London's West End

Agatha Christie’s genre-defining murder mystery play THE MOUSETRAP opened on the West End in 1952 and ran continuously until 16 March 2020, when it was discontinued as all London’s theatres went dark due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ending the longest initial run of any play in theatrical history. It will hopefully celebrate its 70th anniversary next year. As restrictions eased in England, the classic whodunnit resumed at St Martin’s Theatre on 17 May this year with two separate casts alternating each week.

As news spreads of a murder, a group of strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a stately countryside guesthouse outside of London. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover that a killer is in their midst. Who will be the next victim? Two of the characters are Mrs Boyle, a pompous, pretentious critical older women who is a former court magistrate played by Susan Penhaligon and Louise Jameson and Miss Casewell, a strange, aloof, masculine woman who speaks off-handedly about her horrific childhood experiences was portrayed by Lizzie Muncey and Sarah Moss.

To mark the welcome return, I drew these sketches of the four cast members and left them at the theatre prior to The reopening, which they all kindly signed and returned. I added an additional image on Susan’s drawing of her as university student Prue Sorensen in ITV’s 1976 drama series BOUQUET OF BARBED WIRE.