Christopher Casson pays tribute to his fellow actor and friend Micheál Mac Liammóir.
Actor, designer and writer Micheál Mac Liammóir died on 6 March 1978. Christopher Casson describes him as a man of the theatre who knew so much.
He was always the great actor. He preserved his star quality...
He recalls how Micheál Mac Liammóir's proficiency in a number of languages allowed him to keep abreast with what was going on the theatre world internationally. Micheál Mac Liammóir as a leading actor who did not keep an ivory wall around him. He had integrity and knew what was right in the theatre.
Christopher Casson recalls being on stage with Micheál Mac Liammóir in his last two performances at The Gate Theatre in 'The Good-Natur'd Man' and 'The Popish Plot'.
For Christopher Casson the triumph of Micheál Mac Liammóir's career was his performance in 'The Importance of Being Oscar'.
Photo by Roy Bedell
The last time he saw Micheál Mac Liammóir was about three weeks ago when he asked him to open his wife's exhibition of paintings. Their final conversation included the subject of death.
Christopher Casson worked on stage, screen, radio and television and was most famous for his role as a Church of Ireland canon in the long running RTÉ drama The Riordans. In 1938, he joined Micheál Mac Liammóir and Hilton Edwards at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. Micheál Mac Liammóir was the best man at his wedding to Kay O'Connell in 1941.
This episode of 'PM' was broadcast on 7 March 1978. The reporter is Doireann Ní Bhriain.
