Dear Roberta
Your picture on your web-page brought back many happy memories
- thank you.
Terry-Thomas was a great entertainer, and was so missed -
along with people such as Spike Milligan and crew.
My late husband and I met Terry-Thomas in Hyde Park in 1956.
My husband and I were riding his motorcycle through Hyde Park
towards Marble Arch.
It was in September, or maybe October, If remember correctly,
because we'd gone back up for a motor show
(my husband was a Cockney, but we were living in Bournemouth at the time)
We saw three horse riders, wearing hunting pink
(the bright red jackets that they used to wear),
ahead of us, and I tapped my husband on the shoulder and said
that I thought that one of them was Terry-Thomas!!
He laughed, and said I was wrong, and how could I tell from behind?!
I said it was the way he sat in the saddle, and would he speed up
so we could see if I was correct.
He did - in fact by then we were officially speeding,
and I got a little worried that we might be caught!!
Just before we caught up with the three of them, two pulled away,
and left a lone rider, and by George it was Terry-Thomas,
and he started to canter - they had only been walking before.
We shouted for him to stop, and bless him, he did!
We talked with him for about 10 to 15 minutes -
I can't remember now what about, but do remember
what a delight he was in real life
(and that gap between his teeth was real!)
He finally said he had to go, so my nutty husband said we'd race him to the Arch !!!
Terry asked if we'd give him a head start as our Vincent Black-
Shadow had a few more horses than did he,
and off he went, all of us laughing!!
We raced him towards the Arch, and as he went right,
and we went through, he gave us a huge shout and a big wave.
What a wonderful man he was,
and I was so saddened to read of his death, and the way he died.
Whenever I can, I try to get his films, and watch them when they come on telly,
so I can a good giggle.
Most people, of corse, will remember him for his part in
"It's Mad Mad Mad Mad World",
but I remember him for long before that.
*****
We talked about quite a few things - partly racing, with us being on one of the fasted
'bikes built at the time (il could go over 120 mph!) and TT was very interested in that!
He was amazed that we had done 118 mph with both of us on the bike,
and asked me how it felt going that fast?
I had ridden horses when I was younger, during the war,
when I was in boarding school,
for a short while and so we talked about that, and I told him about my fall -
we all laughed, as I said that was probably why I was so dotty now!
We talked about his films, and how much we enjoyed him,
and were looking forward to seeing in more.
When he offered go give us his autograph it was so surprising to us,
and my husband had to go digging in his leather jacket for something for TT to sing!
We all ended up laughing so hard, but John found something,
I think it was an envelope, and TT kindly signed it before
he said he had to leave for an appointment.
Then John said we'd race him to the Arch - TT said that with so many horse -
power underour seats, he'd ask for a good head-start
as he only had one under his?
Of course, if one is good at the double entendre, one can quickly
bring them into play within these sort of conversations, and we did,
which is why our conversation lasted so long -
it was filled with laughter,
which is what I happily remember the most.
John roared with laughter and agreed, TT got on his horse,
went over to the riding strip, started off, after we gave the countdown
we waited about 10 seconds, and started off, very slowly,
and raced him towards the Arch.
As we drew together, TT went right, waving his hand, and calling
"Goodbye, nice to meet you!", and we left, all of us laughing.
I will never get the pictures out of my head that are such great memories!
He was such a wonderful gentleman.