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Wonderful Today, de autobiografie van Pattie Boyd

Eergisteren kocht ik in Londen de Times met een artikel over Wonderful Today, de autobiografie van Pattie Boyd , vooral bekend door haar huwelijken met George Harrison en Eric Clapton. Ze is een van de inspirerendste vrouwen uit de geschiedenis van de popmuziek want we hebben indirect drie lovesongs aan haar te danken: Laila en Wonderful Tonight van Eric Clapton en Something van George Harrison. Het filmpje uit 1968 bij Something liet ik vorig jaar hier al zien. Het opent met Pattie ‘something in the way she moves’ Boyd , maar ook de andere liefjes van The Beatles komen in beeld.

Pattie en George in 1965
George Harrisson en Pattie Boyd in 1965
In the flesh – she is still pretty fab at sixty-something – Boyd reminds me, with her wholesome poshness, occasional flashes of theatrical whimsy and sense of humour, of Joanna Lumley. From time to time, apart from her obvious attributes, one catches a glimpse of what it was that turned so many men’s heads. When you say something that amuses her, for instance, she throws back her chin and laughs so uproariously that you can„t help but feel flattered. Put almost any point to her and she endeavours to answer it as directly and thoughtfully as she can.
 
Bron: timesonline.co.uk

Pattie BoydPattie Boyd
was born Patricia Anne Boyd in Taunton, Somerset, England on March 17, 1944. The family later moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where Pattie spent most of her childhood, from 1949-1954. Her father was assigned there as a Royal Air Force pilot. ( … ) After she finished religious school, Pattie went to London in 1962. Pattie got into modeling after working as a hairstylist. One of her clients asked her if she was interested in modeling. She happened to be a modeling agent and Pattie’s first test shots were taken the next day. Jenny later became a model in 1965. Pattie traveled to the world’s fashion capitals. Patte modeled in Paris for Mary Quant and was an ambassador to “cool Britannia” in New York City. She hung with people who always had the latest trends, such as model Jean Shrimpton and photographer David Bailey.

She landed a commercial deal with American director Richard Lester, who wanted her to be the Smith’s Crisps Girl. She was in TV advertisements and did promotional appearances in London. Lester was working on a film with the Beatles called A Hard Day’s Night. He was inspired by her work ethic and gave her a small role in the movie as a schoolgirl named “Jean” in the train scenes. Her part was shortened to the line “Prisoners?” and a little appearance with some other cast schoolgirls in the music scene “I Should Have Known Better“. It would be her last acting role and she stated, “I’m quite happy modeling.”

Pattie brought her sisters on the set to get the Beatles’ autographs. She asked Paul and Ringo for theirs, but not John’s, as she was afraid of his sarcasm. When she got to George, he put one kiss under Paula and Jenny’s, but put seven under hers. “George hardly said hello. When we started filming, I could feel him looking at me and I was a bit embarrassed,” Pattie recalls. He offered her a visit to his trailer, but, Pattie remembers, “I was loyal, not stupid.” George then proceeded to ask her on a proper date. She said yes.

Bron: jesmith2009.tripod.com

Wonderful Today

Wonderful Today, The Autobiography of Pattie Boyd