The Richard Burton Diaries

by Richard Burton

  Somebody's holding back the dawn for surely it should be coming up now or am I going the wrong way? It's 5.35. Antiguan time. Still drinking coffee which I don't usually take in such quantities but I have to stay awake somehow. Smoking cigs. Stopping and staring out of the window over Susan's crouched and feline body. Can't be bothered to write more. Will smoke and doze.

  This plane should have been getting us to London in three or four hours.

  The summer of 1977 was spent filming The Medusa Touch at Pinewood Studios and then The Wild Geese at Pinewood and in the northern Transvaal, South Africa. Equus was released in October and earned Richard another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, although in due course Richard Dreyfuss (1947—) won for his performance in The Goodbye Girl.

  The years 1978 and 1979 passed relatively quietly. Burton narrated War of the Worlds, filmed Absolution (Shropshire, England), Breakthrough (Germany), Tristan and Isolt (Ireland) and Circle of Two (Toronto). Then in 1980 he returned to the stage again, this time reprising his role as King Arthur in Camelot, which opened its pre-Broadway run on 6 June at the O'Keefe Theatre Centre in Toronto. Then the company moved to New York, where Burton returned to his diary-keeping.

  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 (78kg) 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 overhauled. 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

  JULY

  Tuesday 1st Biked and read am perfectly content when not boozing.

  Wednesday 2nd Gained 21/2kg. Back on diet. JB buying every conceivable gadget for kitchen. Biked to lake with Troy. Have taught him to drive Mini-Moke. Can't get him off it now. Must check on MG.

  Thursday 3rd Arose at 6.30. Walked around block at spanking pace. Sun out so sat and read and pondered. Got rid of hired car. Biked in the evening with kids and JB. Read again until minuit.40 Awoke at 6. Full of vitamins and fit as 30. Not a drink in sight for days.

  Friday 4th Walked round block 7am. 28 minutes. Read Angela Davis’ autobiography.41 Not very impressed. Watched Wimbledon B. J. King whopped Goolagong 6–0 6–1.42 Massacre. Went to bed early. Slept like proverbial log last night. One of the rewards of sobriety though Dylan told me otherwise. Over-ate.

  Saturday 5th Walked block. Sat in watery sunshine. Solowicz came from town. Smug odious little man. Think might go to NY and LA ‘to be seen’ as they say. Much prefer solitude. [...] Dinner in Founex. Good. People at next table very German, very English, very loud.

  Sunday 6th Sunned a bit read and read biked a bit. Bored. Troy drives moke all day long unless stopped. [...]

  Monday 7th JB crashed into tractor from next door farm so sent for Hertz.43 Lunched. Stopped at service station and found that MG was fully serviced so now have one crashed car, one wreck (temp I hope) and hired one. Talked to E and Liza (both in London). Liza expecting (hoping) to come here on Tuesday.

  Tuesday 8th Made various arrangements with Kate who's in Paris and Liza. They arrive Tuesday. Brother Will and wife Betty plus Rhian (daughter) want to come but date not fixed yet. Gawd help me.

  Wednesday 9th La Réserve for lunch. Very hot. Read [...] biography of one Hankey never heard of him.44

  Thursday 10th Table tennised with Troy. He could become very good. Stiff as a brace afterwards. Weather brilliant but suddenly turned. [...] Am insane for sweets and ice cream. Can't stop and sleep a lot. Very bad.

  Friday 11th Took crashed car and MG to carrosserie.45 Meantime hired car again. Maddening. Read book by Shirley MacLaine.46 Not very good but did increase interest in China. Must go there. Early to bed. Ate ice and chocs all day long again.

  Saturday 12th Weighed 81kgs! 176lbs! 12st 8! Disgraceful. That's what Tete de Negre, Suchard, et al. can do to a slim lissome lithe limber 49 year old. Went on stringent diet (OK, WD47 of low carb). Talked to Liza who wanted to get hold of Kate in Paris [...]. Biked to Grans beach with Troy.48 Horrid. Lunched at Dominos.49 Pedal boated. Swam in lake. T. Tennis with JB and Troy. Exhausted.

  Sunday 13th, Céligny ETB returned Leningrad. She sounds a harassed mess. Wonder if I can put up with all that again. Try I suppose. Have an idea it won't last. Also she is beginning to sound like her mother at times. Frightening prospect. She denied what she'd said to JB about ‘Why don't you leave. You're young and life must be boring in a Swiss village etc.’ JB said nothing except let her ramble on.

  Monday 14th (80kg) Glorious morn. Awoke at 5.30. [...] Very hot and sweaty. Couldn't read in the sun as sweat poured into my eyes. [...] Keep on dreaming that I've been drinking and then awake with delight to find I have not!

  Tuesday 15th (79kg) Awoke at six. A beautiful morning. Hope weather holds. Kate arrived looking glorious. Hasn't grown which is a good thing. They, the females stayed up until 2.30 where I found them when I came down for ice cold water. Liza arrives to-morrow. Fullish house. Swam in lake at Céligny with Troy. Lunched at D'Alleves.50 Table tennis with Troy. LOST! Now for Liza!

  Wednesday 16th (79kg) Liza arrived à l'heure!51 Still short with yellow teeth but lovely nevertheless.

  Thursday 17th (79kg) Kids settling sleeping arrangements. Maria has dreadful cough. Taking for X-ray. Turned out to be sinus. [...] Kate and Liza corporate devils. Troy very spoiled but not by me. Getting better. Bit of a smart-ass. He'll learn.

  Friday 18th (79kg) Will Betty Rhian arrived 11/2 hours too early. I was infuriated. Will in bad shape. Has become very old man. Wheel-chair, stick and all.

  Saturday 19th Weather lousy. Will and I stayed all day together. Took girls and Troy to discotheque at Nyon. Danced! Twice. Left and took taxi home after 10 minutes. Sanka with cream and off to bed with Kipling (biography).52

/>   Sunday 20th Awoke with the dawn. Sat on terrace and read tedious book by Michener clept Drifters what a poor mind he has!53 Played ping-pong. Sat in sun. Still on diet. Down from that appalling 81kg to 77. Will broke my sword-stick silly bastard and fell to boot. Putting in hospital tomorrow. He's a mess. Wife Bett f. stupid. Daughter fat and staggeringly tongue struck. K leaves tomorrow.

  Monday 21st Sunned swam read – even letters. Aaron intolerably repetitive. Have dreams of firing him but after 26 years together with multiple sclerosis haven't the courage.

  Tuesday 22nd Took Will to hospital. Endless corridors. Started smoking herbal cigs. Not bad. Girls went to discotheque in Geneva. Little ones not allowed in.

  Wednesday 23rd (77+kg) Swam, biked, sat in sun with Liza, read visited Will in hospital. They may have found root of trouble. Hope to God yes.

  Thursday 24th (77kg) Woke 6am spent all morning at hospital with Will in agony. Impossible to find doctor. Saw nurse. Insisted she gave him shot. Better after that. Went home after that in fury and as usual ate and ate chocs and ice-cream. Will show on scales tomorrow. Read sad and silly little book called Exterminator.54 Re-reading Golden Bough.55

  Friday 25th (77kg) Saw Will in hospital. Looks terrible and is in great pain all the time. Insisted they gave him stronger painkillers.

  Friday [Saturday] 26th (77kg) Went to bring Will home from hospital.

  Saturday [Sunday] 27th Took whole family to Rolle to eat, swim, row, sunbathe. Will much better.

  Monday 28th Talked to Will all day practically. Surprising how little one knows about one's own brother.

  Tuesday 29th Sunned. Had tea with producer [...] at D'Alleves. Very German. Have a feeling this film won't surface either. Has the same air as Jackpot. Takes place in Israel so I might see it at last.56 [...]

  Wednesday 30th Exercised but irritable all day. Liza going through yet another crisis with some bloke in Geneva via discotheque. Had eyes tested again. Bloke says I read too much. [...] Wish to Christ that Liza would grow an inch or two.57 Talked to Gwen Gwyneth Kate. Norma. Brian Tashorne popped in to talk rugby. Told highly suspect story about Carwyn James and Llanelli.58