MovieChat Forums > The Running Man Discussion > Remick comment on Harvey

Remick comment on Harvey

posted 14 years ago by cooland50
9 replies | jump to latest

While working on "The Running Man" Remick said the tales she could tell about working with Harvey are too horrendous to mention. Anyone have any insight on this claim?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rac701 13 years ago

Harvey, from everything I'd read for many years, was supposedly a very difficult and temperamental actor to work with. This seemed to be the standard story about him, repeated when anything was written about Harvey's film career. Maybe Lee Remick experienced this while filming "The Running Man."

I've only read in the last several years an opinion, from someone who either observed or worked with him (or both) on John Wayne's "The Alamo" that Harvey wasn't a problem at all (on "The Alamo" set, anyway), was a gentleman, and worked well with the other members of the cast and crew.

[–] lnoft97 10 years ago

I think he may have been gay, or a repressed gay, one of those who didn't like women. I've read here and there about other actresses that he insulted or treated badly on the set (sorry, can't think of names at the moment, but I have read dozens of books on Hollywood history). The Alamo movie was all men, wasn't it?

[–] aldiboronti 10 years ago

If all difficult or temperamental actors were gays or repressed gays almost the whole acting profession would be homosexuals. It's absolute nonsense, of course,some people are just selfish, unpleasant bastards irrespective of sexuality. I'm not saying Harvey was, I don't have enough evidence to make that judgment. And neither, my friend, do you.

[–] jefflrfe 10 years ago

Thank you, aldiboronti, nicely put...

[–] mls4182 9 years ago

He was bisexual. I think he was an arrogant gasbag and wooden pimpous actor, in my opinion. That has nothing to do with being bisexual or gay.

Most of the gay men I have known have had a special appreciation for women. Gays being woman haters is a hilarious 1960s stereotype. Of course, there are jerks in every "group."

I am watching this film now for the classy, sexy, talented and beautiful Remick. I shall ignore him as much as possible.

[–] pt100 10 years ago

He was an alcoholic and apparently was not a particularly generous or helpful actor to those opposite whom he was playing. After working with him in "Walk on the Wild Side," Jane Fonda remarked, "Acting opposite Harvey is like acting by yourself--only worse!".

[–] TheLastDriveIn 9 years ago

The Last Drive In: http://monstergirl.wordpress.com/
In terms of his difficult nature on the set, it was while writing for my blog on Walk on the Wild Side that I had read about his volatile temperament in particular when dealing with both Jane Fonda and Cappucine... His sexuality, should have nothing to do with his ability to be a respectful working colleague on any project.

It is a shame to hear, because I've always been drawn to his films

[–] mlink-36-9815 8 years ago

Laurence Harvey is one of the greatest actors who ever lived. He took his roles very seriously and could actually see the film in his mind. One other thing.
In alot of his movies in which he was the star, Harvey would tell a character off - tell him / her in brutally honest fashion what he thought. I don't know if he wrote these scenes himself but he does this in Expresso Bongo, Butterfield 8, Room At the Top, , Summer And Smoke, Darling... etc. And he was brutally honest to himself. Not everybody can be a star. Very few English actors were stars in Hollywood films.
That alone tells you he was extraordinarily great.