The Richard Burton Diaries

by Richard Burton

  MARCH

  Wednesday 1st, Budapest [...] St David's Day and they're all going to school in Wales bearing daffodils and leeks and there will be singing in the Assembly Hall and competitions and a great many will get drunk tonight except me of course.109 [...]

  It was nightmarish yesterday going into work and finding, as I walked on the set that the scene was yet another party, dinner jackets and ladies in evening dresses. For a second I thought that I was doomed to parties for the rest of my life. [...] I talked to Aaron and at last we have decided to return to England and pay our taxes. I also – they have come back to me with a bang – finally and irrevocably turned down Petit Prince. So my next definite stint is Volcano.

  We have asked Simon and Sheran to look for a place near theirs and not too far from Oxford with plenty of ground to keep a horse or two and a large dog or two, so that I can nip in to Oxford when I feel like it.

  I have to send telegrams etc. this morning setting the wheels turning for the return to England. We shall do our damnedest not to winter there though we shall pay the taxes.

  Wednesday 15th It is our eighth wedding anniversary. By some standards that is nothing. By others it's a monumental achievement. During that time too we have the rare distinction – in our business – of having been faithful to each other and for three years approx before that. So it's unofficially 11 years.110 And where do we think we shall celebrate tonight – in a small cafe, tete-a-tete, eyes misting over with memories, our favourite tunes playing on a gypsy violin, dancing cheek to cheek, alone together in a crowd. Ah no. We have something far better than that. We are going to be at the British Bloody embassy with their excellent bores the ambassador and dress.111 A silly mistake on our parts and not to be repeated.

  [...] E had bought me a score or more of books, many crazy pens and pencils, a mug for tea drinking – reputedly 150 years old – the perfect size. And an Art Nouveau picture frame, a small one for a desk. I have nothing for E except my presence.

  E adores occasions. Wedding anniversaries, birthdays, Xmas, Thanksgiving etc. I loathe them except for personal things like the anniversaries. But commercialized things like Xmas and Mother's day and Father's day (yet) and so on give me a royal pain in the ass.

  [...] Wish we didn't have to go out to the Embassy, especially as they think of actors and actresses as just so many clowns. Envying them just the same. Some ambassadors are very good company but they are few and far between. Some are even intelligent. I can't remember what this feller was like. Nothing stunning or I would have remembered him from the birthday party. A little gentle sending up is called for I think. After all, it's not their fault that they happened to ask us on our anniversary and it is my fault that I had forgotten that it was until too late. [...]

  Thursday 23rd, Dorchester Hotel Back again to the somewhat dilapidated Dorchester in one of those horrible non-suites.112 We flew from Budapest around 6pm and arrived about 8. [...]

  We went straight to 2 Squires Mount where there were a great many people including Tom and Hyral, Will and son, Graham and son, Menna and husband, Wendy and Derek but no Cassie, Dai, Hilda, our Dai and Betty or Cis and Elfed.113 They'll be alright and all there today. I am looking forward to being on the plane tomorrow morning though but not looking forward to Pest.

  Sweet Liza is here which makes up for a great deal of the pain.

  I don't think E should stay very long. She will go mad with boredom, for Gwen, much as I adore her, is not exactly a laugh a minute.

  I couldn't sleep at all last night and feel like taking a swift kip now which would be catastrophic. Oh, that lovely Janine was there. Paul is apparently able to walk with the aid of crutches.114

  Very warm. By English standards a heat wave. Too lazy to write more.

  MARCH 1972–APRIL 1975

  Richard Burton ceased keeping his 1972 diary in late March. For over three years he appears not to have made any attempt to maintain his personal record.

  After Ivor's funeral Richard seemed to go into a deep depression. This was manifested both in a return to heavy drinking and in a cavalier attitude towards his marriage to Elizabeth. By May he may have been unfaithful, having affairs with some of his co-stars in Bluebeard, including Nathalie Delon. Elizabeth responded by being seen in public with Aristotle Onassis. Burton and Taylor spent an increasing amount of time apart: he had to return to Yugoslavia and to The Battle of Sutjeska while she made Night Watch in London. Burton did spend some time at St Peter's College, Oxford, but his plan to write a micro-history based on the Peregrina Pearl was not executed. Richard and Elizabeth teamed up once more in the autumn of 1972 to make the double TV film for Harlech Television Divorce His, Divorce Hers, shot in Rome and Munich. This was an unhappy experience and, again, did nothing for their critical reputation when it was broadcast the following year.

  The year 1973 opened with Richard once more in Rome, making Massacre in Rome, while Elizabeth filmed Ash Wednesday in Treviso and in the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo. By the summer the rift between them was serious. An attempt at reconciliation in New York failed and on 3 July 1973 their separation was announced. Elizabeth went to Beverly Hills, where she began a relationship with businessman Henry Wynberg. Richard initially based himself at Aaron Frosch's home at Quogue, Long Island, and then returned to Italy to start work on The Voyage, co-starring alongside Sophia Loren. Loren and her husband Carlo Ponti (who had produced Massacre in Rome) hosted him at their estate near Marino, where he was visited by Elizabeth in late July, but any attempt at reconciliation was short-lived. Divorce papers began to be drafted.

  While filming The Voyage in Sicily in November, Richard learned that Elizabeth had been taken into hospital in Los Angeles, and he flew to California to be with her. Upon her recovery Elizabeth visited Richard in Naples, and over the following weeks they spent time together in New York, Hawaii and then in Gstaad. Early in 1974 they were together in Puerto Vallarta, and in March Richard began working on The Klansman in Oroville, near Sacramento, California. His disintegration was becoming a public spectacle, and rumours of liaisons with young women were widespread. In April he was taken into St John's Hospital in Santa Monica in order to ‘dry out’. Elizabeth filed for divorce and this was granted at Saanen in Switzerland on 26 June 1974.

  A single man for the first time in more than a quarter of a century Richard left hospital and sailed to Europe, staying for a while at his home in Céligny before travelling to Winchester to work alongside Sophia Loren once more in Brief Encounter. In October 1974 he became engaged to Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia (herself married to Neil Balfour), and began work on a drama-documentary about Winston Churchill – titled The Gathering Storm / Walk with Destiny. A public furore followed the appearance of two articles by Burton in the New York Times and the American TV Guide, both of which were unrestrained in their attack on the former British Prime Minister. Shortly afterwards Richard's relationship with Princess Elizabeth collapsed, Burton having begun seeing Jeanne Bell, an African-American actor and former Playboy centrefold, whom he had first met on the set of The Klansman.

  At the beginning of 1975 Burton, along with Bell (1943—), Charlotte Rampling and James Coburn, started filming Jackpot in Nice, but this project remained unfinished owing to financial difficulties. Burton returned to Céligny with Bell, and again took up his pen.

  1975

  APRIL

  Friday 11th Taylors arrived from Leningrad.1 [...] E has dysentery and may have to go to England.2 Career sounds perilous if absence prolonged. Filming chaotic she says.

  Monday 14th Jane Swanson arrived with clothes and papers to sign. Became thoroughly sloshed. [...]

  Tuesday 15th, Céligny Brook arrived.3 Very T and E by evening.4 Film (Jackpot) still hanging on. Personally have no hope.

  Wednesday 16th (78kg)5 Brook left. T and E again. Went to see Maria's school. Welsh-speaking headmaster (Thomaster) seems efficient. Goes in next September together with friend Tournesol.6

  Thursday 17th, Céligny (78k
g) Sunbathed. Biked.

  Friday 18th Fasted all day. While we biked to Founey, E'en So unprecedently walked to Café de la Gare.7 Astonishing found eating in kitchen. Cycled from Nyon. [...]

  Saturday 19th (77kg) Maria starts school tomorrow evening.

  Tuesday 22nd (78kg) Talked E and Liza. Liza begs me to go see Elizabeth. Said would think about same.

  Wednesday 23rd (771/2kg) Fasted all day talked E in London hospital. Sounds v. little. Can't keep anything down. [...]

  Thursday 24th (761/2kg) To Gstaad for the night. Drove M-Moke. Froze and wind-burned. Bed early with book. Felt terrible. Awoke feeling splendid. How and Mara talk and talk and talk.

  Friday 25th, Gstaad Felt immensely better. Left Gstaad noon [...]. Bis still blowing but this time at my back so made good time.8 Went ahead of hired Merc as latter so much faster. Had lunch between Vevey and Lausanne.9 Good food. (Le Vieux Moulin) Place – village yclept Epesse.10 Mara says Howard to give straight talk to E. Wish he w'nt [sic] put her misplaced loyalty on defensive.

  Saturday 26th, Céligny (781/2kg) Sunbathed all day. Read new sympathetic Napoleon also D. Francis thriller. JB, Maria and friend [...] came by train from Gstaad for weekend. [...]11

  Sunday 27th (78kg) Had a Gibson.12 First for weeks. Hated it though well made by JB. Sunbathed, read, bicycled all day. Bise still blowing therefore weather perfect. Cold in the shade. Garden a riot of colour. Cherry, apple, pear, peach blossom. Talked E in hospital: Sounds much chippier. [...]

  Monday 28th (771/2kg) Yesterday sunned, read, new biography of Coleridge by one Fulman.13 Fascinating. Rode on bike to Commugny and back.14 Non-stop. Don't feel going on 50 at all. More like 40. [...] Had raclette at Village near Nyon.

  Tuesday 29th, Céligny (771/2kg) Yesterday sunned, read went to airport to see off Howard and family keeping Layton with us to take him interview at Int. School Gen.15 Shopped in Nyon. Read Parkinson's book on footballer Best.16 Horribly common. Talked to E last night. Sounds very depressed. Her film like mine seems doomed. [...]

  Wednesday 30th, Céligny (771/2kg) Yesterday saw Layton to school. Lunched at airport. [...] Bought JB watch (automatique) bought myself Power Certina for deep sea diving.17 When I am going to do that nobody knows. New watch stopped during night! Furious. Coffee'd and bicycled break-neck speed around block. Weather patchy. Read. Times crossword. Biked couple of miles. Martini at lunch. Ugh! Read. Read. Read no writing.

  MAY

  Thursday 1st, Céligny (77kg) Dinner with Stross and wife?18 Yes. Their place 6.30. Perfect content. At peace. Film still on officially but personally give it no chance. Had above dinner with Strosses at Cully (Hotel de Raisin) good food and cosy room.19 Stross same as all producers. Full of rubbish. Offered me another script. Will read. JB drove both ways. Early to bed.

  Friday 2nd (76kg) [...] Rode bike to Founex for milk for JB's breakfast. Couldn't carry other odd and ends on bike so biked back and drove back to pick up goods. Had one martini (vodka). All fuzzy. Wrote Aaron. Wired Kate on acceptance in colleges. Am giving her car. Weather still miraculous though farmers want rain. Very sunburned. JB a delight.

  Saturday 3rd (751/2kg) Heard from Brook and (later) Solowicz that I start work again on Monday in Nice.20 Mixed feelings but chiefly (a) money and (b) might as well get it over.

  Picked up Maria at Montreux. She is smoking very heavily. Bit much at her age – 14 – and shall say something though it's a bit kettle and pot. Watched West Ham beat Fulham in English Cup-final.21 Soccer's very dull even on this occasion. Can't understand its popularity.

  Sunday 4th (751/2kg) Arrived Nice.

  Tuesday 13th Arrived from Nice. Private jet. On health kick. Euphemism for on wagon.

  Wednesday 14th, Céligny Had shock when Solowicz called and said they want me back in Nice tonight. Said NO! unless money actually in bank. Will await results today with trepidation. Wanna stay home and read and write!

  Thursday 15th Phew! T. Young called Solowicz to tell me not come.22 For this relief much thanks. Weather gorgeous.

  Friday 16th Read all day. Mosley by one Skidelsky.23 Talked E in Leningrad. Sounded fine. Her film moving at last. No news of mine. Hope there never is. Odd feeling reading Mosley corresponding so much to own childhood in 30s.

  Saturday 17th Sunned, read, biked.

  Sunday 18th Booze.

  Monday 19th Booze.

  Tuesday 20th Booze.

  Wednesday 21st Booze.

  Thursday 22nd Booze.

  Friday 23rd Booze.

  Saturday 24th Went into clinic late afternoon.

  Sunday 25th Tests and books.

  Monday 26th More tests hate clinics.

  Tuesday 27th Home from three day check-up in clinic. OK everywhere except for slightly enlarged liver. No wonder.

  Wednesday 28th Lunch and chat with one Goldman – potential producer of Dustman.24 Dread it. Turned out to be nice but callow. Too much so for a producer perhaps. We shall see. Saw Leeds beaten by Huns.25

  Thursday 29th Wrote E. Read and read. Strange request from Elish to deposit two books and script at Hotel President.26 Puzzling. Weather bad. Might go to Gstaad. If weather good. Gareth asking for money again.27 No chance.

  Friday 30th Weather abominable practically confined to house [...]. Read three books. None much good but one (Warlock) readable. Another by Auchinloss. Lawyers and law etc.28 Readable. Just.

  Saturday 31st, Céligny Walked, read, went to airport to pick up papers and lunched. Rain, rain, rain. Called Gstaad for Maria. All out on a ‘course’. Weather same there. How weather affects my moods. Bad weather bad mood etc. Born of the sun despite the valleys.

  JUNE

  Sunday 1st, Céligny Read, read, biked. Latent (consciously latent) desire to write a book keeping me awake at nights. The creative, or may be the destructive urge is building up to a rape of words. I start and stop and start again. There is a furnace of ideas that must be put out. But what form do I take?

  Monday 2nd Weather foul. Reading, as Somerset M. said is a disease.29 Found paperback by Romain Gary called White Dog.30 Brilliantly evocative. He writes with great facility. Wish I could. Every word I write I suspect the next day. Talked to Elisheba. Very self-sufficient. Brittle.

  Tuesday 3rd This is like a ship's log. Weather half and half. Mont Blanc crystal clear. Shopped in Nyon for pens and drank tea while waiting for Anna to buy the staples. Talked to ETB.

  Wednesday 4th Wrote, read, tried desperately to get Solowicz on phone to put bets on Derby.31 To our fury Jeannie's horse an outsider would have won 4000 FRS with 500 each way. Great fun. Had one Martini which knocked my brains out combined with mild sleeping pill. Slept eleven hours!

  Thursday 5th Brilliant weather. Sat in the sun and read. Listened to BBC. Found bright red face didn't realize I'd been out so long. Dined Hotel de Lac, Coppet.32 [...] Still shaky from withdrawal. Very much better though. Reading new biography of Mao. More and more fascinated with China.

  Friday 6th Sun, the great sun! Went to Geneva for physical check. All good. Got home about six o'clock to find Brook here together with 21 year old MG in very good nick both of them.33 Got sloshed (not very) in celebration. JB took pictures of the car.

  Saturday 7th Another brilliant day. Lay or sat in the sun all during its burning hours. Hid my face from it as am bright red. Brook feels helpless in a hopeless world. So do I. JB a gem. Vote yes or no for Europe, overwhelmingly in favour. Nobody seems to have realized that ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is the same date as D-Day.34 Very odd.

  Sunday 8th Great sun. None of us went anywhere except JB to the airport for hot-dog (her) and newspapers for all. Otherwise got tanned again and read again but wrote nothing. I must start on something soon.

  Monday 9th Discovered that JB leaves for LA tomorrow morning. Leaves Geneva at 8.50. Sad to see her go as adore the child – albeit 31 but has to be there for passport for son. Back in a week. Wrote letter to ETB but can't bring myself to send it.

  Tuesday 10th Saw JB off. Lunched at La Réserve.35 Took MG to be o
verhauled. Read, but still no writing. All this stuff bursting to come out but no response from the body – writing I mean. Weather at end of day turning around. Tomorrow likely to be lousy.

  Wednesday 11th Boozed a bit.

  Thursday 12th Nothing to report. Reminisced with Brook about things past. Drank wine.

  Friday 13th Wined and am getting fat around the sides.

  Saturday 14th Same again. Read a book but can't remember it.

  Sunday 15th JB arrived back.

  Monday 16th Brook left for London. Took MG in to be overhauled.

  Tuesday 17th Read, wrote, biked. Still drinking but not much. Wine only.

  Wednesday 18th Boozed mildly. Weather dreadful.

  Thursday 19th Same.

  Friday 20th Same.

  Saturday 21st Same. Starting to feel ill.

  Sunday 22nd Going into DR tomorrow.36

  Monday 23rd Verdun, wife, Hilda and husband arrived from Thun where they are on package tour.37 Met them at Cornavin full of vitality.38

  Tuesday 24th Weather good. Went round lake on ferry boat. Good time had by all. Drank beer.

  Wednesday 25th Relatives stayed extra night.

  Thursday 26th Up to Gstaad stayed one night. Gloomy place. Picked up Maria from school. Said farewell to staff at school.

  Friday 27th Went to Thun. Lunched with family. Drove home. Lecture from Verdun on booze. Salutary.

  Saturday 28th Stopped booze and Richard is his shaky self again. Dustman off as suspected.

  Sunday 29th Booze or drug-ridden call from E to JB (who said I wasn't here) in which she told JB to leave me and Céligny was such a dull place. Is never going to call again. Well. Well.

  Monday 30th Sober and shakeless. Report from Dr OK but must watch cholesterol count.

  Blood group A-Neg. Never knew that before. Biked, played ping-pong with Troy.39