1974 - 1977
Jul. 1st, 1974 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
michael_gothard_archiveDespite getting good exposure, and amassing a number of fans, as a result of ‘Arthur of the Britons’ - which was still being shown up to the end of November 1973 - Michael Gothard took no film or TV work between making ‘The Three/Four Musketeers’, and his role as the Druid priest Volthan, in the TV series ‘Warrior Queen’, the first episode of which aired on 20 February 1978. In fact, in 1975, he was cast in "Satan's Slave", but perhaps wisely backed out at the last minute.
Out of sorts with acting?
He did not appear in the issue of the 'Spotlight' casting directory produced in 1975. Whether this was from choice, or whether his agent failed to submit his entry, is not known. Either way, in the "Petticoat" interview given around October 1973, Michael sounded quite unhappy with his profession.
“People tell me I’m an established actor, but I don’t feel established. I guess because I had too many out of work periods following successful roles … I soon discovered that I couldn’t escape show-biz, even if my instinct didn’t like its superficiality ... In other art forms, like painting and music, you can protect yourself from the huckstering, but not in the film world. You have to be sold! Unfortunately, I’m not given to extravagant performances off-screen …
Still, I can’t leave the profession – I have needs like everyone else. But I would have preferred to follow something more solitary that didn’t depend upon an entire organisation to make it happen; in filming, so many people directly affect the outcome of your performance on screen. An actor is just a cog, after all … In order to survive, you must compromise. If not, how can your ideals remain on a high level? I don’t like the glorification of violence and materialism, but I realise that I cannot just at home waiting to do a righteous, moral film. It may never come along.”
He went on: “You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You have to view things in proportion to our image. To find activities which give you satisfaction. I love talking to people, being contradicted. I also like good music and good food. On occasions, I even enjoy being an actor...”
Most of Michael’s friends who have spoken about him seem to think that Michael did indeed carry the weight of the world on his shoulders; perhaps his words are those of someone trying to find a way of coping with depression, rather than actually succeeding.
A new agent
Michael had an entry in the issue of the 'Spotlight' casting directory covering 1976 - 77; the photo used was a publicity shot from 'Arthur of the Britons', and he was registered with a new agency, Plant & Froggatt Ltd. This was the photo used.
A new home
On 1 February 1977, Michael bought a property: a three-storey terraced house in Shirlock Road, Hampstead, NW3. He had not given up on his profession, because the Land Registry lists him as “Actor.”
Out of sorts with acting?
He did not appear in the issue of the 'Spotlight' casting directory produced in 1975. Whether this was from choice, or whether his agent failed to submit his entry, is not known. Either way, in the "Petticoat" interview given around October 1973, Michael sounded quite unhappy with his profession.
“People tell me I’m an established actor, but I don’t feel established. I guess because I had too many out of work periods following successful roles … I soon discovered that I couldn’t escape show-biz, even if my instinct didn’t like its superficiality ... In other art forms, like painting and music, you can protect yourself from the huckstering, but not in the film world. You have to be sold! Unfortunately, I’m not given to extravagant performances off-screen …
Still, I can’t leave the profession – I have needs like everyone else. But I would have preferred to follow something more solitary that didn’t depend upon an entire organisation to make it happen; in filming, so many people directly affect the outcome of your performance on screen. An actor is just a cog, after all … In order to survive, you must compromise. If not, how can your ideals remain on a high level? I don’t like the glorification of violence and materialism, but I realise that I cannot just at home waiting to do a righteous, moral film. It may never come along.”
He went on: “You can’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You have to view things in proportion to our image. To find activities which give you satisfaction. I love talking to people, being contradicted. I also like good music and good food. On occasions, I even enjoy being an actor...”
Most of Michael’s friends who have spoken about him seem to think that Michael did indeed carry the weight of the world on his shoulders; perhaps his words are those of someone trying to find a way of coping with depression, rather than actually succeeding.
A new agent
Michael had an entry in the issue of the 'Spotlight' casting directory covering 1976 - 77; the photo used was a publicity shot from 'Arthur of the Britons', and he was registered with a new agency, Plant & Froggatt Ltd. This was the photo used.
A new home
On 1 February 1977, Michael bought a property: a three-storey terraced house in Shirlock Road, Hampstead, NW3. He had not given up on his profession, because the Land Registry lists him as “Actor.”
