I’m stiff on my legend, the films that I made…
It is our sad duty to report that David Leslie Edward Hemmings, actor, director and producer, died suddenly on Wednesday following a heart attack while filming Samantha’s Child in Romania. Born November 18 1941, Hemmings was just 62 when he died.
Though very well known and respected for his roles in iconic 60s films such as Antonioni‘s Blow Up, (on which the recent Bowie/Moss Q shoot was based) and Barbarella, Bowie fans will probably know him best for the film Just A Jigolo in which DB starred and in which Hemmings appeared in and directed.
Dismissed by DB at the time as “My 33 Elvis movies rolled into one,” Just A Gigolo isn’t quite as bad as it’s reputation would have you believe. If you’ve never seen it, it is worth at least one look, if not only for the sight of David Bowie walking around with a pig under his arm!
Another product of the two David’s union is the as-yet-unreleased film of the The 1978 World Tour called Stage, which David Hemmings directed, and, you guessed it, David Bowie starred in.
Apart from wanting to see this film for obvious reasons, I’d also like to see if I made it to the final cut, as I remember being filmed by a chap holding a camera with Isolar stickers on it as I flounced my way to the front of Earls Court, resplendent in fake leopard skin coat back in June 1978… actually, in the name of good taste, I hope that particular piece of footage hit the cutting room floor!
Anyway, click on either of the images above to read an Obituary, courtesy of The Guardian newspaper.