RIP David Hemmings

This obituary (from Yahoo News) doesn't mention that 
he also recorded an album, the Jim Dickson-produced
Happens, which isn't bad at all (and hopefully will be
reissued by Revola one of these days!). You can hear
his rendition of Gene Clark's "Backstreet Mirror" on
the Byrd Parts CD. Happens features the Byrds' Chris
Hillman on bass and Roger McGuinn on guitar. 

Bryan Thomas


From Yahoo News:

Actor David Hemmings Dies on Set of Film

Thu Dec 04, 8:26 AM ET

David Hemmings, the British actor who attained 
international stardom as the existential fashion 
photographer in the 1966 film "Blow Up," has 
died at age 62, his agent said Thursday. 

Hemmings, who also forged a successful career 
behind the camera directing for cinema and TV, 
died of a heart attack Wednesday while filming 
a movie role in Romania, said agent Liz Nelson. 

Paramedics on the film set of "Samantha's Child" 
were unable to revive him, Nelson said. 

"He had just finished his final shots of the day 
and was going back to his dressing room," she 
said. "He had only recently returned to acting. 
He opted for a number of years to work on his 
own projects, directing and producing." 

Born Nov. 18, 1941 in Guildford, England, 
Hemmings was a notable boy soprano and 
was featured in English Opera Group performances 
of the works of Benjamin Britten. 

 
After his voice changed, Hemmings studied painting 
at the Epsom School of Art where he staged his first 
exhibition at 15. 

He returned to singing in his early 20s with nightclub 
appearances before moving onto the stage and 
gradually into films. 

His early British movie roles usually saw him cast as
misunderstood youths and belligerent "Teddy Boys," 
leading to his role in Michelangelo Antonioni's "Blow Up." 

His boyish good looks were also put to use in science-
fiction romp "Barbarella" and the film version of the 
stage musical "Camelot." 

With 1971's "Running Scared," Hemmings began a 
new career as a director several movie and TV 
productions in England, Australia and Canada. 

The two careers ran in parallel for several years with 
his directing credits including the movie "Just a Gigolo," 
but by the 1980s his TV directing took precedence 
with shows such as "Magnum PI," "Airwolf," "The 
A-Team" and "Quantum Leap." 

"People thought I was dead. But I wasn't. I was just 
directing The A-Team," he once remarked. 

Hemmings returned to acting in 2002 with the role of 
Cassius in the Oscar-winning "Gladiator." Other recent 
roles included parts in "Gangs of New York," and 
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." 

Hemmings, who was divorced twice, is survived by 
his third wife, Lucy Williams, and their two sons; and 
by a daughter from his first marriage and a son from 
the second.