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In the 1960's and 1970's Danny Benjamin ran a boutique in London called the Carnaby Cavern. Here Danny recounts a tale about one of his friends who subsequently attained fame.
One morning, Bob Hoskins arrived bearing our coffee. Fame hadn't yet reached him; he was a mate and came in several times a week for a chat. As he now says in his British Telecom advertisement, it's good to talk.
I remember his portfolio, a series of photos of himself looking really weird. It was after all for the ugly agency!!! He was really excited, having just got work, a really good part for BBC TV in an adaptation of Three Men in a Boat.
He looked very flushed, a point I raised with him. It was then that he started laughing; it was infectious for I wasl aughing along with him, not even knowing why....
The director had given him the part, obviously because he was the right man for the part, but he had one reservation:Bob, you look as though you come from the city, the character you will be playing is a man from the country.
You must have a sun-tan! Bob had bought a sun lamp, gone home, and set up the sun lamp above his bed. I presume he put on his goggles and laid down, for what the instruction book said, for not more than ten minutes.
But the lamp was warm and very comfortable, and in minutes he was asleep!!! He was, he said, burnt all over!.. I didn't ask for details.....
A Rolls Royce pulled up outside, and Bob opened the door, greeting my new customers with a come right in gentlemen.Bob then left, leaving me to find out the identity of this group.
I couldn't understand why, but young fans kept staring through the doors, and before I could get them upstairs to have a fitting of their latest stage-wear, half a dozen fans came into the shop pleading for autographs and photos.
When they were finally upstairs, I was told off!... Itwas my responsibility to protect them from fans, but I was completely mystified. I couldn't understand it at all!
I always forbade cameras in the shop, unless they were requested,for I wanted my famous customers to be relaxed. So how had the fans discovered they were visiting? I was very sorry,and apologised profusely.
It was only when I was helping them back into their RollsRoyce that I noticed the number plate, a cherished numberthat said ... the mud !!! It was the 'Mud',a very big group at that time.
Their Rolls with its Mud number plate had been parked outsideall the time. No wonder the fans knew of their whereabouts!
Danny Benjamin, Middlesex, 2002
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