FashionState.Com salutes...
One-Man Happening
David Hemmings
1941 - 2003
When David Hemmings died on the set of "Samantha's Child", it was no surprise to anyone who knew him that he would be working up to the last day of his life.
But the pop culture addicts of the 21st century who only know him as the portly, bushy-browed character actor from his small roles in "Gladiator", "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", and the like perhaps don't realize just what a highly-energized Renaissance man he was.
To view David Hemmings only through such a narrow lens as is provided by today's for-the-moment focused, culture-shocked-into-inertia media is to cheat the young and the limited of experience of a most broad-spectrummed and colorful portrait of a most amazing entertainer.
David Hemmings, by age 12, was already a professional operatic boy soprano and protegé of classical composer Benjamin Britten. By 15, he was an artist whose paintings were being exhibited in London and acting in films and television.
But it was in 1966 at age 24, when he won out over young actor Terence Stamp for the role of the jaded young fashion photographer in Michelangelo Antonioni's mod mystery film "Blow-Up", that David Hemmings shot into the ranks of international stardom.
With his boyish, blond good looks emphasized by the startlingly heavy-lidded decadence of his steely blue-eyed gaze, David Hemmings became the darling of pop counterculture filmmaking and was an A-list guest all around the world. He partied with John Lennon. He cut an album in 1967 in collaboration with key members of the music group The Byrds. He worked with Yes' Rick Wakeman as narrator for the synthesizing maven's "Journey to the Centre of the Earth".
And the energetic Hemmings continued making movie after movie even as he lived the swinging, hard-partying life of a playboy and extensively romanced many beauties in his glamorous circle while maintaining the unselfconscious aplomb and charm of a man who hadn't a care in the world, although he attempted at times to drink himself heavily into a better self-awareness of what his own restless nature wanted for himself.
Although Hemmings was more magnetic personally than the unfeeling Thomas in "Blow-Up", he was like that character in that he was impatient to move onto new experiences. So in the 1970s, he parlayed Hemdale, the independent film studio he co-created primarily as a tax-shelter, into a gig for himself behind the camera, aggressively producing and directing films until in the 1980s he became the driven genius behind high-rated television programs such as "The A-Team" and "Airwolf", with a little bit of "Magnum P.I." and "Quantum Leap" thrown in for good measure while periodically returning to films in a character role capacity when the mood struck him.
By the time he was sixty, he was happily married for the fourth time and according to Variety editor-in-chief Peter Bart "had either six or seven children, depending on whom you asked." (One son by Gayle Hunnicutt is actor Nolan Hemmings.) And coming full circle, he was back in front of the cameras, as ebullient and energetic and forthright as he was when he first became visible to the world as a young pop culture idol.
Up until the final day of his life, David Hemmings seemed to live by his own credo: "If it isn't happening, make it happen." At times, he seemed as though he couldn't make things happen fast enough for him, so eager he was to keep trying to find what he really wanted to do for himself. Because success for him wasn't enough, and satisfaction always seemed to be just beyond the grasp of his own high-powered, frenetic desire to discover his niche and alleviate the ennui that so easily befell him.
But if David Hemmings wasn't satisfied with himself, his friends, fans, and admirers most certainly were... although with his passing, we were able to experience to a degree his own frustration and feel we just didn't get enough of his lively drive that was too soon departed from the world's stage.
FASHIONSTATE.COM'S
FOCUS ON
DAVID HEMMINGS
LINKS - INFO & SPECIAL INTEREST
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Airwolf.Org
Official website for aficionados
of the series directed by none other than David
Hemmings, who portrayed the evil and bored "Dr. Charles
Henry Moffet"! Includes many links to other
"Airwolf" fansites, news, and information.
"Blow-Up...and Other Exaggerations: The
Autobiography of David Hemmings"
@ Amazon.co.uk
Posthumously published, this is the life of David
Hemmings in the actor's own words - now available, too, in
paperback at Amazon USA! (You want a
hardback, click here. You want to shop at
Barnes & Noble, click here. You want to shop
elsewhere, use a search engine. You know how. ;) )
ContactMusic.com
A short article about the publishing houses' bidding war for
David Hemmings' autobiography.
David Hemmings: Brit Boy of the 60's
Extremely pleasing tribute "shrine" site for the David
Hemmings fan and by a David Hemmings fan! Many wonderful photos
from his movies, a guestbook, obituary and filmography links,
links to places where you can purchase his films, and movie
reviews from webmaster HarlowGold. Has a mirror site with slight
differences here.
"David Hemmings: Happens" CD @
Amazon.com
David Hemmings' album originally recorded in 1967 - produced by
Byrds manager Jim Dickson! David collaborated with Leon Russell,
Monkees' songwriter Bill Martin, and Byrds members Roger McGuinn
and Gene Clark on these recordings. A must have for the hardcore
Hemmings fan!
Guardian Unlimited
Stuart Jeffries' 2001 interview with David Hemmings.
Internet Movie Database
Here it is - the FULL Hemmings! Read the list of myriad
accomplishments in show business of this versatile actor!
Mods and Rockers Film Guide -
"Blow-Up"
Reviewer Martin Lewis gives David Hemmings' most famous film a
5-Shag Rating on this fun and informative site!
Rev-Ola Records
The company that released David's album has some great
information on the making of "Happens"!
Rick Wakeman's "Journey to the Centre of
the Earth" @ Amazon.com
Live version of Jules Verne's famous book as musicalized by Rick
Wakeman (momentous keyboardist of progressive rock band Yes),
with the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, a
full-on rock band...and narrated by none other than David
Hemmings!
"The Turn of the Screw" CD @
Amazon.com
Benjamin Britten's opera "The Turn of the Screw"...with
young Master David Hemmings in the role of Miles!
LINKS - OBITUARIES
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is considered proper on-line protocol
to ask the site owners for permission
to copy and / or distribute photos from their sites.
Be sure to set your browsers to support Javascript, etc., and
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Angel.tv-series.com Airwolf Message Board
Fans of "Airwolf" pay tribute to their
favorite villain. You can also use their search engine to find
more about David's impact on fans of the show he had such a big
part in making a hit.
BBC News
A detailed review of David Hemmings' life, loves, and
career from England's leading news source.
BBC News
Another full-length obituary from BBC News, this one
includes readers' tributes.
BBC Radio 4 Front Row
This in-depth review of David Hemmings' career features a
RealPlayer audio link to an interview with BBC writer and
broadcaster Humphrey Carpenter, who offers his recollections of
David's early career as a singer. The audio interview features a
snippet of young David singing in Benjamin Britten's opera
"The Turn of the Screw".
Film Buff's Forecast Radio Show (requires Windows Media Player)
Australian program with Paul Goldman and Paul Harris - they
discuss the passing of David Hemmings in typical laid-back yet
affectionate Aussie style.
Guardian Unlimited
Informative look back on David's years in the entertainment
business.
Horror Express Forums - A Shortage of Miracles:
David Hemmings 1941-2003
Nice eulogy of David by Horror Express' editor, Scott W. Davis.
KeepMedia.com / Variety (requires registration for full article)
Studio exec and Variety
Editor-in-Chief Peter Bart produced this candid column on his
friend and co-worker David Hemmings.
Playbill News
James Inverne gives a couple of little-known insights in his
obituary of David Hemmings.
Scotsman.com / Press Association
A report on the dignitaries of show business who
attended David Hemmings' funeral.
Telegraph (may
require registration) and
Telegraph: Rollercoaster Life of 60s Icon David
Hemmings
Telegraph's obits are quite comprehensive overviews on
David's life and career.
NOTABLE
QUOTABLES
BY DAVID HEMMINGS
"If it isn't happening, make it happen."
"To say I was good
or bad or not in an Antonioni film
is like saying I like the colour yellow in a Van Gogh."
"I quite like being
mobbed. After all it is extremely nice
to be recognised. That's what acting is all about - being
recognised."
"I don't mind
autograph hunters when I go down the fish and chip shop.
As long as I get my chips."
"The swinging '60s
in London was really media hype.
Nothing more than that."
"I've done some
real stinkers, and I don't regret any of them
because I went into them in the full knowledge
that they weren't going to win an Academy Award."
"People thought I
was dead. But I wasn't.
I was just directing 'The A-Team'."
"I don't give a
shit about fame, I have no vanity in that department.
I don't consider myself to have been a star; I just married
some pretty women."
On his marriage to
second wife Gayle Hunnicutt:
"We were the poor man's Taylor and
Burton."
Line from the movie
"Blow-Up":
"She isn't my wife, really. We just
have some kids.
No. No kids. Sometimes, though, it feels as if we had kids.
She isn't beautiful, she's just easy to live with.
No, she isn't. That's why I don't live with her."
Line from the movie
"Barbarella":
"A life without cause is a life without effect."
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