I’m a big fan of the photographic work of Terence Donovan. One of my favourites of his is the portrait of the actor Terence Stamp on the set of the 1967 film ‘Far from the Madding Crowd.’ It is simply stunning. Stamp looks beautiful in a rugged way and it is easy to see why he was considered a ‘Face’ in that era.

His ‘look’ was perfect for then. It had the hint of a rascal, a lovable rogue perhaps, but you sort of knew it all went a lot deeper than that with him.

I first become aware of his work in the 1967 Ken Loach film  ‘Poor Cow’ which is based on a book by Nell Dunn. In the film he plays ‘Dave’ who hooks up with ‘Joy’ played by the fabulous Carol White, who is fondly described by some as ‘The Battersea Bardot.’

The interplay between the two is lovely to see among the sad harshness of the overall film. Stamp certainly made an impression on me and I went on a journey to discover more about him and his work.

Born in the East End of London in the July of 1938, he was a Grammar School boy from humble beginnings. After failing his National Service medical, he decided to follow his dream to be an actor. He was a huge admirer of the work of Gary Cooper and James Dean and he took those influences with him when he trained at the Webber Douglas Academy on a scholarship.

This led to work on the repertory circuit of the provinces, where he first met a fellow struggling actor named Michael White, later to be better known as Michael Caine.

The two of them would later share a flat in the mid 60s as each began to make their way in the business.

His cinematic debut was as Billy Budd in the 1962 film of the same name under the direction of Peter Ustinov. Stamp was an immediate hit in the film bringing him international acclaim and an Academy Award nomination. Other notable roles in that golden 60s period include ‘Modesty Blaise’ in 1966, co-starring Monica Vitti.

Stamp chose this over that of the title role in the film of the same year ‘Alfie’ with the part going to his flat mate Mr. Caine, launching him to worldwide stardom.

1967 gave us the previously mentioned ‘Poor Cow’ and ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ which co-starred Julie Christie.

A romantic liaison with Christie led to the theory that the line ‘Terry Meets Julie’ in the classic Ray Davies song ‘Waterloo Sunset’ was indeed about Stamp and Christie, although Davies has denied that in the past, though the rumour persists.

His other great romance of that period was with the model Jean Shrimpton, resulting in them becoming figureheads and indeed icons of that ‘swinging London’ scene

Terence had meetings with a view of him taking over the role of James Bond when Sean Connery relinquished the part, but the second, follow up call, didn’t materialise.

In some ways that signalled the end of his then golden streak as he told The Guardian in 2015 – ‘It’s a mystery to me. I was in my prime. When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it. I remember my agent telling me: ‘They are all looking for a young Terence Stamp.’ And I thought: ‘I am young.’ I was 31, 32. I couldn’t believe it. It was tough to wake up in the morning, and the phone not ringing. I thought: this can’t be happening now, it’s only just started. The day-to-day thing was awful, and I couldn’t live with it. So I bought a round-the-world ticket and left.”

Stamp in effect ‘dropped out’ of the movie mainstream, first moving to Italy where he continued to make more art house films for the likes of Federico Fellini and then to India to study meditation and the teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh at his ashram in Pune.

But, from time to time over the subsequent years, he popped up in high profile cameo roles. Two of the biggest were as General Zod in ‘Superman I and II’ in 1978 and 1980 respectively. He then played Willie Parker in ‘The Hit’ from 1984, starring alongside Tim Roth and John Hurt. He is also well remembered for ‘Wall Street’ in 1987 as Sir Larry Wildman and as Bernadette Bassenger in the ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ from 1994.

A particular favourite of mine from his later work is the Stephen Soderburgh film ‘The Limey’ from 1999. Stamp plays a retired London gangster, Wilson, who travels to Los Angeles to look into the suspicious death of his daughter Jenny. Two things I remember in particular were the clever  use of ‘flashback’ footage of Stamp in the 1960s, taken from the film ‘Poor Cow’ used to illustrate his criminal past and his line of dialogue ‘Tell Them I’m Coming’ in which Wilson leaves those who he believes responsible for his daughters death, namely Peter Fonda, in no doubt he is indeed coming for his revenge.

Great film poster too may I add.

Other bits of trivia worth noting on him are, his brother Chris became the manager of The Who along with Kit Lambert in the early years of the band and Stamp himself appears on the cover of the third Smiths single ‘What Difference Does it Make’ in a photo taken from his early 1965 film ‘The Collector’

Having recently celebrated his 80th birthday, Stamp has continued to appear in films on a fairly regular basis.

But it is for his work and lifestyle in that glorious mid 60s period he will be mostly remembered.

Such is life.

The Mumper of SE5