FIRST IMPRESSIONS: HONOR BLACKMAN
What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve just written a show about my life. It’s my fifth one-woman show and it is exhausting. My director suggested we do it as a Q&A, which was fabulous and really successful. What we’re launching is Honor Blackman as herself, but it won’t happen until next year. And I have to do a lot of publicity for Cockneys Vs Zombies.
When were you at your happiest?
When I adopted my children – that period when they were babies was idyllic.
What is your greatest fear?
Something I won’t verbalise, because I’m superstitious. I think if I put it into words it’s bound to happen and I think most people can guess what it is.
What is your earliest memory?
This will show how ancient I am: I think we were standing on Chiswick Bridge and I remember seeing a Zeppelin.
Who has been your greatest influence?
There’s no doubt that it was my father. What do you most dislike about yourself? I think I’d like to be much more confident and self-possessed. I may appear so, but it isn’t necessarily the truth.
What is your most treasured possession?
I have nothing material that I value so much. An awful lot of my jewellery had great sentimental value, but it all went in a burglary.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Dishonesty.
Do you have a fantasy address?
I’m a Londoner and live in a fl at I absolutely love; so I suppose it’s here.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My feet. When I was evacuated during the war I had a pair of shoes and I had to wear them at a time when I was growing like mad and I think my toes got turned over. I envy little, straight toes like mad.
What is your all-time favourite book?
Anything by Anthony Trollope. I think he’s so adult, so wise and so understanding of human nature.
What is your favourite film?
All About Eve with Bette Davis.
What is your favourite record or piece of music?
I love Lena Horne singing Today I Love Everybody. If you wake up and you’re not particularly cheery, she galvanises you into action. Also Beethoven’s Symphony No 9. I remember getting home when I lived in Barnes, putting the radio on and the choral piece blowing me away.
What is your favourite meal?
I’m very fond of everything lamb, but especially the shoulder.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
If you could guarantee the mask was off, I’d love to have Obama. It must have been such an experience becoming the fi rst black president of such an important country and he must have gone through such an enormous amount. I’d be fascinated to hear it.
Which historical character do you most admire?
Winston Churchill will always be in my heart, because having lived through the awful experience of the war, he was really uplifting.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
It’s upsetting when somebody says you’re not right for a part when you think you’re dead right for it. Also when I was very young I remember boys would chase me and when I said no, they would accuse me of being frigid. I didn’t much care for that.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Oh yes, I do. I think it’s such bad manners when people text because they can’t be bothered to put pen to paper for something that’s really rather lovely.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘Oh God’. For a period it was ‘oh dear’ because those were the first two words my first grandchild learnt and it was so funny hearing this little one saying ‘oh dear’.
What single thing would improve your quality of life? Not having scoliosis.
What would you like your epitaph to say?
She did her best.
Cockneys Vs Zombies is out on DVD and Blu-ray.
I’ve just written a show about my life. It’s my fifth one-woman show and it is exhausting. My director suggested we do it as a Q&A, which was fabulous and really successful. What we’re launching is Honor Blackman as herself, but it won’t happen until next year. And I have to do a lot of publicity for Cockneys Vs Zombies.
When were you at your happiest?
When I adopted my children – that period when they were babies was idyllic.
What is your greatest fear?
Something I won’t verbalise, because I’m superstitious. I think if I put it into words it’s bound to happen and I think most people can guess what it is.
What is your earliest memory?
This will show how ancient I am: I think we were standing on Chiswick Bridge and I remember seeing a Zeppelin.
Who has been your greatest influence?
There’s no doubt that it was my father. What do you most dislike about yourself? I think I’d like to be much more confident and self-possessed. I may appear so, but it isn’t necessarily the truth.
What is your most treasured possession?
I have nothing material that I value so much. An awful lot of my jewellery had great sentimental value, but it all went in a burglary.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Dishonesty.
Do you have a fantasy address?
I’m a Londoner and live in a fl at I absolutely love; so I suppose it’s here.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My feet. When I was evacuated during the war I had a pair of shoes and I had to wear them at a time when I was growing like mad and I think my toes got turned over. I envy little, straight toes like mad.
What is your all-time favourite book?
Anything by Anthony Trollope. I think he’s so adult, so wise and so understanding of human nature.
What is your favourite film?
All About Eve with Bette Davis.
What is your favourite record or piece of music?
I love Lena Horne singing Today I Love Everybody. If you wake up and you’re not particularly cheery, she galvanises you into action. Also Beethoven’s Symphony No 9. I remember getting home when I lived in Barnes, putting the radio on and the choral piece blowing me away.
What is your favourite meal?
I’m very fond of everything lamb, but especially the shoulder.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
If you could guarantee the mask was off, I’d love to have Obama. It must have been such an experience becoming the fi rst black president of such an important country and he must have gone through such an enormous amount. I’d be fascinated to hear it.
Which historical character do you most admire?
Winston Churchill will always be in my heart, because having lived through the awful experience of the war, he was really uplifting.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
It’s upsetting when somebody says you’re not right for a part when you think you’re dead right for it. Also when I was very young I remember boys would chase me and when I said no, they would accuse me of being frigid. I didn’t much care for that.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Oh yes, I do. I think it’s such bad manners when people text because they can’t be bothered to put pen to paper for something that’s really rather lovely.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘Oh God’. For a period it was ‘oh dear’ because those were the first two words my first grandchild learnt and it was so funny hearing this little one saying ‘oh dear’.
What single thing would improve your quality of life? Not having scoliosis.
What would you like your epitaph to say?
She did her best.
Cockneys Vs Zombies is out on DVD and Blu-ray.