Re: Michael Billington

Just curious as regards the comments on Michael Billington's acting
(and the very funny cyber-flame--to quote the Cyber Leader,
"Excellent!"). Michael Billington is my favorite UFO actor, and I
think quite highly of his performances on the series, but I only have
about 10 episodes on tape at present, and he isn't in all of those.
The two best ones I have with him are "Kill Straker" and "Court
Martial." The latter is a bit painful to watch, as he looks so
vulnerable in those gruelling scenes on the witness stand, being
gaslighted by that mean ol' Dr. Jackson (but Vladek plays the part
with such delicious elan). I do love watching Georgina Cookson in
her brief scenes--for you video raiders out there, check out her
performance as the icy Duchess of Denver in the Lord Peter Wimsey
series "Clouds of Witness," recently released to home video. It
dates to around 1972, I believe.

In an interview I have in the TV Zone magazine, Mr. Billington is
quite self critical about his work on UFO. Whatever the technical
limitations of his performances (which I leave to others to debate),
to me, his sincerity, vulnerability, and brooding masculine pathos
make Paul Foster a truly unforgettable character.

Steve

"Whatever the technical limitations of his (Mike B.'s) performances (which I
leave to others to debate), to me, his sincerity, vulnerability, and
brooding masculine pathos make Paul Foster a truly unforgettable character."

Steve, your above clipped comments are mine too. I found Mike to be very
able to convey with only a look from his eyes sometimes, a world of
emotions. He does this esp well in Subsmash when Straker tells him to leave
the stricken vessel, and Foster doesn't wish to leave his commander to die
alone. The look in those gorgeous is so agonized. I know Mike often dumps on
his own abilities at the time of UFO, but he certainly had the "right stuff"
and anything he did later was to build even more effectively on his skills.
Did you know he studied with Lee Strasburg in NYC at the famed Actors'
Studio?

Pam

Pam wrote:

> I found Mike to be very able to convey with only a look from
> his eyes sometimes, a world of emotions. He does this esp
> well in Subsmash when Straker tells him to leave the stricken
> vessel, and Foster doesn't wish to leave his commander to
> die alone. The look in those gorgeous is so agonized.

Maybe he couldn't remember his next line ;)

I'll keep that in mind for the next Video Raider article.

James K.

In message <[hidden email]>, [hidden email] writes

<snip>

>In an interview I have in the TV Zone magazine, Mr. Billington is
>quite self critical about his work on UFO. Whatever the technical
>limitations of his performances (which I leave to others to debate),
>to me, his sincerity, vulnerability, and brooding masculine pathos
>make Paul Foster a truly unforgettable character.

If my memory serves me correctly, I have read that article from TV Zone.
To be honest, if Michael were to read that article then I think he might
realise what a change of heart he has developed over the years. Not
only was he critical of his characterisation of Paul Foster but he was
also rather scathing about UFO in general. It is almost difficult to
read:-(
--
Mrs.Suzanne Sheybal