Barry Norman discusses film star qualities and Bing Crosby.
The BBC presenter and film critic Barry Norman has written several books on cinema. In his latest book 'The Film Greats' he looks at the careers of actors such as John Wayne, David Niven, Bing Crosby and Henry Fonda. The book is also the basis of a television series being broadcast on BBC One.
Barry Norman explains how he has been trying to define star quality and what exactly is it that makes someone a film star. However, he says he has failed to find an answer.
I really don't know what it is.
Some of the qualities that most stars exude to more or lesser degrees include good looks, sex appeal, charm, and charisma. They all have something extra known as star quality.
When carrying out the research for the book, Barry Norman found that while many of these personalities had successful careers, their personal lives were not so successful. Bing Crosby proved to be a strict disciplinarian at home with his family while displaying a sense of relaxed calm on screen. Bing Crosby's mother was a believer in corporal punishment and strict discipline over her children. Bing Crosby ultimately rebelled against the discipline imposed on him but reverted when he had his own family.
This episode of The Late Late Show was broadcast on 26 January 1985. The presenter is Gay Byrne.
