Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed Facts
| Sign | Aquarius |
| Born |
Feb 13, 1938 Wimbledon, England |
| Died |
May 2, 1999 Valletta, Malta |
| Age | Died at 61 |
| Total Facts | 56 |
According to director Ken Russell, the original script for Women in Love (1969) did not include the famous nude wrestling scene because he felt it wouldn't pass the censors and would be difficult to shoot. It wasn't until Reed talked him into it by literally throwing his weight around--he wrestled Russell in his kitchen, pinned him down, and wouldn't let him up unless he agreed to shoot it.
Agreed to appear in the small but vital role of casino boss Eddie Mars in The Big Sleep (1978) just because he admired the film's star Robert Mitchum so much.
Along with Michael Winner, former snooker champion Alex Higgins, himself suffering from throat cancer, were the only celebrities to attend Reed's funeral in Ireland.
At age 22, Reed was paid £90 per week for his first starring role in The Curse of the Werewolf (1961). But the film would not be seen in Spain for many years. It was banned because it was thought the film portrayed Spain as a backward nation.
At the time of his death he was signed to play Albert Finney's role in "My Uncle Silas" (2000).
Befriended Charlton Heston while filming The Three Musketeers (1973).
Bought Broome Hall, a 63-bedroom Victorian mansion in Surrey, in 1970.
By the mid-1970s he was considered by many to be Britain's biggest movie star. He declined roles in The Sting (1973) and Jaws (1975) because he didn't want to relocate to Los Angeles. Both of these roles were taken by fellow British hellraiser Robert Shaw. However, a Hollywood executive claimed, "Reed didn't turn us down. We turned him down. We like our stars to have respect - Oliver Reed didn't respect anyone and he showed it."
Cousin of actress Tracy Reed and of the actor David Tree.
Described his role as Father Grandier in Ken Russell's The Devils (1971) as the best performance he ever gave.
During the Falklands War in 1982, the highly patriotic Reed covered his house in a huge Union Jack flag and decorated every room with military memorabilia.
Father of Mark Reed, with his first wife Kate Byrne and of Sarah Reed, with his partner, the dancer Jacqueline Daryl.
For a brief period in the late 1960s Reed was the highest paid actor in Europe, but by the 1980s he was reduced to starring in dire European films.
Grandson of actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who founded the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 1904.
Had a tattoo on his penis. According to Patrick Warburton, Reed showed him the tattoo the first day they worked together.
Had an intense dislike for Jack Nicholson, whom he called "a balding midget" (Nicholson is only 5'7").
He died of a heart attack in a bar after downing three bottles of Captain Morgan's Jamaica rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous doubles of Famous Grouse whiskey and Hennessy cognac, and beating five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling. His bar bill for that final lunch time totaled 270 Maltese lira, almost £450.
He enjoyed playing golf and bowls.
He had two brothers. David Reed became his business manager and his half-brother Simon Reed became his press agent.
He loved horses all his life and also enjoyed breeding and rearing them.
He named his favorite American actors as Lee Marvin, Rock Hudson and Rod Steiger.
He never forgot his Hammer roots. After hitting the big time, he went back to pay homage to his horror beginnings to narrate the full Hammer retrospective, a reminder that his voice was the one quality the English critics admired about him.
He never had any acting training or stage experience.
He once described his purpose in life as "shafting the girlies and downing the sherbie.".
He starred in the first film to say "fuck", I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967). He also starred in the first British film to be rated X just for the violent content, Sitting Target (1972).
He stated in 1974 his favorite book was "The House on Pooh Corner" by A.A. Milne.
He suffered from acute tinnitus for many years.
He was a close friend of The Who's drummer Keith Moon.
He was a fan of James Dean in East of Eden (1955) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955).
He was nearly killed in a friendly sword-fight with director Ken Russell. He described the incident in the December 1973 issue of Photoplay Film Monthly: "Ken Russell came down here last Sunday and we had a fight. I have two large, double-handed swords and he nearly killed me. He tore my shirt right down to here, and I was only fighting with a small sword, from The Three Musketeers (1973), and I said, "I'm going to kill you!" So, he said, "I'm going to kill you!!" All his viewfinders and his pince nez, and his silver hearts with "I am allergic to aspirin" on them, his Mickey Mouse shoes, his pontification about people's varicose veins [i]that[/i] was all blown to the wind. He left here at four. He said, "you didn't really mean that about killing me, did you?" But we were very serious at the time. But whatever it is that allows for that lunacy or sense of the ridiculous comes across in the work that we do. He's extraordinarily talented.".
He was related by marriage to fellow actor Edward Fox, who was once married to his cousin, Tracy Reed, daughter of director Sir Carol Reed.
He was severely injured and almost died during the filming of The Three Musketeers (1973) when he was stabbed in the throat during the windmill duel scene.
He won army sprint races while serving his national service.
His first job (at the age of 17) was as a bouncer at a Soho nightclub.
His wrestling scene with Alan Bates in Women in Love (1969) was the first time full frontal male nudity had featured in a mainstream movie.
In 1968 he was signed to star as William the Conqueror in a British film about the Norman Conquest, but the project fell through.
In 1973 Steve McQueen flew to England to meet Reed and discuss a possible film collaboration. "Reed showed me his country mansion and we got on well," recalled McQueen. "He then suggested he take me to his favorite London nightclub." The drinking, which started at Reed's home, Broome Hall, continued into the night until Reed could hardly stand. Suddenly, and with no apparent warning, he vomited over McQueen's shirt and trousers. "The staff rushed around and found me some new clothes, but they couldn't get me any shoes," said McQueen. "I had to spend the rest of the night smelling of Oliver Reed's sick."
In 1979 he published an autobiography, entitled "Reed All About Me". Asked to describe the book by an interviewer he replied, "It's a load of bollocks really.".
In order to avoid charges of nepotism Reed deliberately avoided working for his uncle, director Sir Carol Reed, until he was already established as a star in British movies.
Infamously clashed with Shelley Winters on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Episode dated 6 July 1972" (1972). He got angry at her for constantly jokingly interrupting the stories he was trying to tell and, when Winters had to leave the show early, Reed told Johnny Carson that he thought that women belong in the kitchen. She returned and poured a cup of water over his head. He then claimed it was whiskey that she poured over him.
Lost weight to appear in Castaway (1986) on a diet of vodka.
Narrowly missed out on playing superspy James Bond because of his love of alcohol and fighting. A new biography of the star uncovered a letter from Bond mastermind Albert R. Broccoli outlining how close he came to replacing Sean Connery in the role. Broccoli wrote, "With Reed we would have had a far greater problem to destroy his image and re-mold him as James Bond. We just didn't have the time or money to do that." According to Cliff Goodwin, author of the book "Evil Spirits", "Oliver was probably within a sliver of being cast as Bond." He adds, "But by 1968 his affairs were public and he was already drinking and fighting - as far away from the refined Bond image as you could get.".
Needed 36 stitches to repair cuts on his face after a bar fight in 1963. The incident left him with a permanent scar, which he initially feared would put an end to his screen career.
Nephew of the film director Sir Carol Reed, who directed him in one of his best roles, as the villainous Bill Sikes in Oliver! (1968).
On location for The Hunting Party (1971), Reed bemoaned the necessity of faking an American accent and this, coupled with his love of Broome Hall and English pubs, was enough to cement his decision not to move to Hollywood.
Once reckoned that the strenuous filming of The Devils (1971) took four years off his natural life.
Owned a villa in the south of France next door to Jack Hawkins' villa.
Reed died during the filming of Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000), and it cost the company $3 million to recreate his face so he could "appear" in the scenes he still had left to shoot.
Reed remains the only British film star who never had any stage work of any kind. A 1980s National Portrait Gallery show noted this, saying he was their only pure film actor.
Said that when he made the infamous drunken appearance on the Michael Aspel chat show when he sang a raucous rendition of "Wild Thing", that the producers of that show had plied him with spirits in the green room prior to the interview so that he was already plastered when he came on stage.