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Date	Original Topic
16th March 2004	Ref. to Michael Caine's 'suspect' acting! His own opinion in Zulu By Marc Jung I remember an episode of 'Parkinson' - actually, it may have been another chat show, that Michael Caine recalled on the set of 'Zulu' that he'd fallen off a horse, then seen another chap dressed as he was on horseback. Caine realised at this point that he was a stuntman! however, he went on to say that he attended one of those 'fil director's parties' where all and sundry in the film world, and the fil 'Zulu' were present. Michael said that he was ignored all night by the director/filmakers. Just as he was finally about to leave, the director, or some producer (Both Cy Endfield methinks or one was John Prebble?) approached him and said: "Well, you're pretty lousy, but you'll do as you're all we've got!" Does anyone else recall this anywhere? Also, speaking of Stanley Baker being 'dubbed' in 'The Red Beret' , the actor Chris Chittell ('Pollard' in Emmerdale and more importantly 'Milne' in 'Zulu Dawn' said he was dubbed for falling out with one of the 'biggies' in the film production crew. A bit of light trivia never harmed us all, eh? Thanks, all.
Date	Replies
17th March 2004	Sheldon Hall Michael Caine has told the story about his being replaced by a stunt double for a long shot in both a Parkinson interview (about a year ago) and in his own autobiography. The other story involved an accidental encounter with Cy Endfield at a party shortly after Caine had shot a screen test with him for ZULU. After Caine had found the Dutch courage to approach the director, Endfield told him the test was lousy but that he had got the part anyway. As Caine has also told this story (as have others, including his then-flatmate Terence Stamp in one of the latter's own volumes of memoirs) I don't think he meant it to reflect badly on either his own performance, Endfield's judgement or the film itself. John Prebble was the screenwriter with Endfield and was not involved in casting or producing the film.