Mandy Rice-Davies RIP

[gurnemanz]

Sad to see that Mandy Rice-Davies has died of cancer so young (a mere 70). I'm afraid my mind went back to my prurient early teenage school days in 1963 when copies of the Daily Express or similar would be brought in and carefully gone through in the playground for salacious details relating to the Profumo scandal. Of course, there is the famous reaction upon hearing that Lord Astor had denied sleeping with her: "Well, he would, wouldn't he?". I also like a later quote: "My life has been one long descent into respectability". (I can ever so slightly identify with that.)

In the early 80s she was very good indeed in a touring production of Tom Stoppard’s "Dirty Linen" which we saw at the Wyvern Theatre Swindon.

[Mary Chambers]

"He would say that, wouldn't he?" has entered the language. True of many situations.

It all happened when I was in my early twenties. Christine Keeler lived fairly near to where I lived in London at the time - at least we thought she did.

[Serial_Apologist]

As EJ Thribb might write:

RIP Mandy
At school we called you
Randy Rice Crispie

Shame about the Establishment
Still being there.

[Karafan]

Very sad to hear this news - she always struck me as a very elegant and intelligent individual.....

K.

[Bryn]

I will give Fool Britainia (Peter Sellers et al) a spin in here honour when I get home tonight.

[Ferretfancy]

It's particularly sad that apparently she had some classified information that could have been used to clear the reputation of Stephen Ward, and now it may be lost.

[Petrushka]

This is a rattling good read on the Profumo scandal and those heady days in the 1960s: http://www.amazon.co.uk/English-Affa...english+affair

[clive heath]

Is that
Fool Britannia LP Ember CEL802 EX/EX 1963 with Anthony Newley, Peter Sellers & Joan Collins
the LP that has two would-be film producers in a phone box?

[Karafan]

It's particularly sad that apparently she had some classified information that could have been used to clear the reputation of Stephen Ward, and now it may be lost.

If true, that is sad Ferret (though one would have hoped it could have been brought to light in the last 51 years). Dr Ward was vilified and made a scapegoat of the establishment and those who hounded him so mercilessly ought to have hung their heads in abject shame.

Compared with the rather less fortunate Keeler, Mandy seems to have really made something of her life in the aftermath of the scandal. Though, pithily, she regarded it as "a slow descent into respectability"!

Karafan

[teamsaint]

It's particularly sad that apparently she had some classified information that could have been used to clear the reputation of Stephen Ward, and now it may be lost.

Stephen Ward may not have been legally cleared, but surely hardly anybody believes in his guilt, and indeed most people think he was royally stitched up.

But sad, as you say, if that information is now lost.

[Karafan]

A little more thought-provoking reading:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/English-Establishment-Framed-STEPHEN-WARD/dp/149093989X/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1419021706&sr=8-7&keywords=profumo

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stephen-Ward-Was-Innocent-OK/dp/1849546908/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1419021706&sr=8-10&keywords=profumo

[jayne lee wilson]

Best scene from Scandal...Mandy and Christine getting dressed to devastate, to The Shadows' Apache ..
...that look they give each other at the end...

[Bryn]

Is that
Fool Britannia LP Ember CEL802 EX/EX 1963 with Anthony Newley, Peter Sellers & Joan Collins
the LP that has two would-be film producers in a phone box?

Indeed it is, in camel hair overcoats no less, though I no longer have the LP. What I do have is a free CD version which, IIRC, came with the Sunday Express. I bought a few copies of said CD from a newsagent for 10p each (without having to get the Sunday Express). The proceeds went to some Islamic charity or other. Copies are easily found on ebay for around £1 or so.

[amateur51]

It's particularly sad that apparently she had some classified information that could have been used to clear the reputation of Stephen Ward, and now it may be lost.

Journalist Tom Mangold made a BBC programme broadcast a few years ago in which he described being with Ward in his last evening. If anyone is going to find missing material it is the redoubtable Tom Mangold

I remember hearing the phrase "society osteopath" in connection with Ward and its context conjoured up all manner of depravity in my young mind


Later the explanation seemed impossibly mundane

MRD's famous line sums up the era so well

[Flosshilde]

Good piece in today's Guardian - http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...candal-profumo - referring to the forces ranged against Stephen Ward & how MRD, although called as a witness for his prosecution, did her best to defend him.