:15:01
I knew what a grand actress she was
and in looks she was ideal.
:15:05
A fine young face, with deep eyes
and a broad forehead,
:15:09
the hair sweeping naturally off it.
:15:11
A sensitive mouth,
:15:13
a head set cleanly on good shoulders
and a strong, supple figure.
:15:17
Everyone knows how splendid
she was in Hindle Wakes
:15:21
and I had also made a test
of her for a part at Warner's.
:15:24
She only failed to get it
:15:25
because of the very qualities
of strength and confidence
:15:29
which made her ideal for Ruth.
:15:31
My mind was made up at once.
:15:34
Eric Berry was unusual.
:15:36
He was tall and dark
:15:39
and his eyes were intolerant.
:15:40
He was not quite tough enough
for an islander
:15:43
but he was an actor,
that was evident.
:15:46
It was important that Robbie
should have charm and intelligence
:15:49
and Berry had both.
:15:51
I could not quite
make up my mind about him,
:15:53
perhaps because
I had not yet found Andrew.
:15:58
Niall MacGinnis came from Dublin.
:16:01
He had shown great promise in
a secondary part in Turn Of The Tide.
:16:05
He had also done good work
in several pictures since then.
:16:09
I went to see his agent,
Bill O'Brien.
:16:12
He had big plans for MacGinnis,
:16:13
but when he heard a description
of the part, he sent him to see me.
:16:17
I was going to dinner with Frankie
and we waited at my flat for him.
:16:21
He came in at last,
looking earnestly about him,
:16:25
his face half scowl, half shy smile.
:16:28
He looked rather as if
he had parked his caravan outside
:16:32
and as soon as he had seen me
he would be off into the sunset,
:16:36
with a hey nonny nonny
and a wind on the heath.
:16:39
An actor like this was unusual.
:16:42
He talked in a liquid Irish voice,
:16:45
and was rather given
to long, dark stares
:16:48
and Celtic silences.
:16:50
He carefully concealed
his sense of humour,
:16:52
but could not hide the poetry
in his voice and in his movements.
:16:57
In looks and personality,
he was a complete contrast to Berry.