Quote

Dame Barbara Cartland was an endearing eccentric, and when I interviewed her, she wanted me to listen to her dictating to her secretary one of those romantic novels that she turned out fortnightly.

I met Evan Rachel Wood, James Woods, Kevin Bacon at Sundance. Steve Buscemi is pretty laid-back. I met Judy Greer in Vegas, and she was cool.

I was a Valley girl; I hung out, and through a photographer friend. I met Peter Douglas, who was one of Kirk Douglas's kids. He introduced me to Sam Spiegel.

I also met, early on Ella Fitzgerald. Her songbooks are some of the most amazing bodies of work.

I connected very much with all the work of Joan Crawford because she started as a flapper. She used to dance and sing and she was very cute. She had something that was so different from what she is at the end of her life and she started in the silent movies and then went into the talkies.

I met my darling wife Wilnelia in 1980 when we were on the judging panel for the Miss World contest at the Royal Albert Hall. With two ex-wives and five daughters, I thought I wouldn't be involved with anyone for a long time - if ever. Winnie was so gorgeous, my jaw dropped - and it's a big jaw to drop.

M. F. K. Fisher was a wonder and a huge influence, and someone I got to know pretty well at the end of her life.

I remember when Victoria Wood started to come through, and I thought she was great, though she and I are very different in our approach.

Barbara Broccoli was a great friend of my late wife's and continues to be someone who is very gracious with me, my family, and our life.