John Barry & the Belfast film maker
On the day that the media paid tribute toÌýthe late John Barry, I spent time talking,Ìýnot so much about Bond film music,Ìýbut about his Irish roots. His fatherÌýwas from Cork and Barry'sÌýlove of Ireland was maybe why, when the Â鶹ԼÅÄ approached him about making a programme on him, he went with a Belfast based tv producer.ÌýClare Delargy made, what I believe, is the definitiveÌýdocumentary on Barry.
Back in 1999 she made initial contact with him forÌýthe Â鶹ԼÅÄ arts strand "Omnibus". Over 9 months in 2000Ìýshe met up with him, filming him in his Long Island home; she met him in York, England where he grew up; and she brought him back to Ireland, to the breathtakingly beautiful Glendalough.Ìý
Listen to her moving and passionateÌýtribute to the man she metÌýon Arts Extra.ÌýIf the Â鶹ԼÅÄ ever has a John Barry night theyÌýhave toÌýre-run this quite wonderful tv programme.
Thanks Clare. She was the only person throughout the whole day of obits to him who actually said "I pass on my condolences to his family". You know she knew how privileged she had been. And John Barry was very lucky to have had Clare making this film.
Comment number 1.
At 12th Feb 2011, Geoff leonard wrote:I remember the Omnibus programme well, particularly as I gave Clare and her team a little help with photos of John, etc.. It was a wonderful programme and I wish the Â鶹ԼÅÄ would repeat it. Maybe now would be a suitable occasion, as a tribute?
RIP, John.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 12th Feb 2011, ruudchr wrote:I saw the programme in Holland on Â鶹ԼÅÄ and as the webmaster of John Barry's unofficial website johnbarry.org.uk, we have been inundated with visitors asking about a possible repeat of the Omnibus programme!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 12th Feb 2011, Peter Greenhill wrote:Clare Delargy's wonderful Omnibus documentary about John Barry would be a fitting tribute to a great composer. Hopefully the Â鶹ԼÅÄ will repeat it in the near future.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 20th Feb 2011, Khalid wrote:I heard about htis programme being aired in the UK and couldn't wait for it to be screened in New Zealand, where I live. I felt so privileged in being able to see into John Barry's personal life and how his experiences shaped him to compose the most beautiful music ever produced.
It would be a shame not to have this repeated as a tribute to one of the most famous son's of the United Kingdom. One of the greats!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)