My Hates & Loves was one of my favorite features in the old 16 Magazine. Occasionally, one of the celebrity (usually a
rock star on the "Love Generation" cusp) subjects would insist on varying the format
because they said they objected to the word "hate," as is the case in
this "time capsule" piece detailing the psycho-biography of David
McCallum, one of my all-time favorites. 16 loved The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (who didn't?) and when I encountered this feature, I
thought I would make it my day-after-Thanksgiving gift to you.
I'm
fairly certain that I first became aware of David McCallum via his quiet,
excellent performance in Peter Ustinov's film of Billy Budd,
which made quite an extraordinary impression on me when I first encountered it, probably on
the old NBC Saturday Night At The
Movies show,
although he was also unforgettable as the sad hydrocephalic super-human in the Outer Limits episode The Sixth Finger.
McCallum is one of those "It" performers. You can't take your
eyes off him when he's onscreen, even in a star ensemble like The Great Escape. A few years after U.N.C.L.E. ended,
he married a girl from Lawrence, NY, where I grew up, and was often seen around
our neighborhood. He was extremely friendly (loved dogs) and I remember my
father being thrilled to meet him, as he also was during his single encounter with
O.J. Simpson at the Aruba airport years later. Happy Thanksgiving (Weekend)!
"I KNOW this department
is usually called "My Hates & Loves," but I personally feel that
these words are a bit strong for some of the things I wish to write
about. So, being rather conservative in such matters, I am choosing to
use dislike and like--but you can rest assured that I do indeed feel strongly
about all the items I've listed below!
I DISLIKE having to sleep. I wish I could figure out a
way to restore life energy without having to sleep.
I DISLIKE driving in
heavy traffic.
I DISLIKE people who try to pry into my
family life.
I DISLIKE unruly
crowds. What scares me most is that some young girl my get hurt in the
mob.
I DISLIKE being embarrassed--and I do
have certain vulnerable spots, but I'm not telling.
I DISLIKE waking up
early (before the rest of the family) and just waiting in bed for them to
"join me."
I DISLIKE it when people become pushy or
possessive.
I DISLIKE interviewers
who ask you dumb, silly questions.
I DISLIKE girls who don't make an effort
to learn a little something about something, so that they can carry on an intelligent
conversation.
I DISLIKE (to put it
mildly) fan magazines that deliberately use suggestive and untruthful banner
titles on their covers in hopes of raising the sagging circulation of their
magazines. They should all take a lesson from 16--whose sales soar each
month!
I DISLIKE smoking and feel better and
stronger when I don't do it.
I DISLIKE temperament
in any actor or actress; also those who think they know more than the director.
I DISLIKE seeing girls walk the streets
in tight slacks and with their hair up in rollers.
I DISLIKE cold,
drizzly, cloudy days--like English weather. I find it quite depressing.
I DISLIKE inattentive or impolite waiters
or waitresses. If one can't give good service, then they should find
another job.
I DISLIKE overcooked
food.
I DISLIKE gawdy patterns. I much
prefer solid colors, like black, blue or yellow.
I DISLIKE seeing
bad fingernails on girls. I know it is often hard to grow long, pretty
nails, but it quite simple to keep your hands and nails clean.
I DISLIKE seeing young girls weighed down
with a lot of clanging jewelry.
I LIKE (you know I mean love)
my wife Jill and our three lovely children.
I LIKE reading good poetry and great
novels.
I LIKE people who can carry on a fresh, provocative conversation.
I LIKE Chinese and Greek food.
I LIKE walking by the seashore--day or night.
I LIKE freedom
of movement and freedom of self-expression.
I LIKE bar-be-cueing.
I can bar-be-cue anything that moves! My favorites are thick steaks and
lamb chops.
I LIKE working on my garden and building
things.
I LIKE people who really care about other people.
I LIKE to play romantic parts on
U.N.C.L.E. segments. They've only given me a few, as you know.
I LIKE flying to many
different cities all over America and meeting as many people as I can.
Did you know that I have taken out citizenship papers and will soon be an
American citizen?
I LIKE hard,
physical work, especially doing stunts and driving fast cars in U.N.C.L.E.
I LIKE driving around
alone late at night or going record shopping in the middle of the night.
I LIKE 16
Magazine.
I LIKE the TV show Hullabaloo, and entertainers Andy Williams,
Carol Channing and George Burns.
I LIKE eating lunch along in the quiet of
my dressing room.
I LIKE doing stage
plays and readings.
I LIKE casual
clothes, sandals, and bare feet.
I LIKE making my own
decisions--after listening to people whose opinions I respect.
I LIKE going to Dodger baseball games and
devouring hot dogs as I cheer.
I LIKE the portraits that my wife Jill does. She is an excellent
artist.
I LIKE our great old Basset hound,
"Gregory."
I LIKE to hear from
each and every one of you, so if you wish, write to me at 10202 Washington
Blvd., Culver City, Calf. "
David McCallum playing
the role of Gunnery Officer Steven Wyatt in Billy Budd (1963)
