Friday 18th Non-stop rain. Ran through the whole play or rather stumbled through it. All day. ET beginning to learn her lines. Kathryn Walker seems to know hers. J. Cullum, surprisingly is very hesitant. There are three or four exchanges that I'm a bit hazy on too. [...] By the end of next week I'll be itching for a real audience God willing. They are the only directors I can truly depend on. Milton alright but states the obvious with irritating predictability. Looking forward to Boston now.43 Hope Sally will like it.
Saturday 19th Apparently according to Ron we might easily have won.44
Stumbles through the whole thing. I was the only one not holding a book though for some reason I couldn't remember the second act too well largely I think because of the staging. Went to Laurent for dinner. One large Martini, shared a lovely 1968 Lafitte, two brandies and was only mildly pissed.
Sunday 20th [...] Went to ET's for brunch. Eggs Benedict, chips, peas. All had Mimosas (Buck's Fizz) except me. Brook with us. Ran through second act with ET abysmal. She was quite crocked by this time and couldn't even read the lines let alone remember them. Sally spent her time in the next room with Chen Sam – also fried – and told Sally she is dying of leukemia. What a frightful liar she is. Among other fairy tales she told Sally of she'd nursed me through a bad bout of malaria in Botswana. I've never had malaria. ET gave me the terrors again. She is such a mess.
Monday 21st ET no better. Sally saw her have a Fernet Branca at 12.30pm then she drank white wine quite openly – lines getting better but not much. I mean her text not her outline. Because she's struggling for words it makes for a very long day. Again she is terribly lacking in energy. Everything is an effort – even to get up from a chair. Talked to Kate on blower. She comes to the theatre tomorrow at 12 noon. Liza called and Sally talked to her. Gave birthday present to Lisa Rowe-Beddoe. $200 and a card chosen by Sally. Photo-call tomorrow. Gawd help us. Still I have Sally and will see Kate and Bob Wilson.
Tuesday 22nd Fury recollected in relative tranquilum. ET impossibly sloshed all day long. So much so she couldn't even read the lines. Same at dinner with the Sime Hornbys who are over on a flying visit.45 They both sloshed and silly too – long and silly arguments over pronunciations of words. I won every one in the end – words in the play I mean. Had forgotten how ill-educated and stupid Sheran Cazalet is. Food good. La Lavendu yclept. But small and table not big enough for six. ET in hating and hatable mood – Buffman – an iron mouse. God were we glad to get home. Sally mentioned that Simon the Satyr did come on a bit strong.
Wednesday 23rd Worked from 12 noon ‘til 7pm without ceasing. ET had an eternal costume fitting (21/2 hours) so worked without her. Less sloshed but didn't know a single word of second act which Brook and I went over with her endlessly on Sunday last. Have been forced to promise to go to a memorial service (as ‘one of the stars’) for Tennessee Williams.46 Did two films of his – both goodish I believe.47 I didn't even like the chap. As a matter of fact I hardly ever saw him sober though we were together for months. A self-pitying pain in the neck. Also he made pass at my Chris when Chris was eight.48
Thursday 24th Usual day struggling with ET who is slowly getting the part in some sort of shambling shape. [...] I am still the only one without a book. I am immensely surprised at the lack of preparation but still we have four weeks before Broadway.49 Very sunny.
Friday 25th No rehearsals – went for costume fitting. Usual tedium but Theoni Aldredge and tailor very sweet.50 Did whole play at home and called ET in the a.m. to say that I wasn't going to Tennessee Williams’ memorial – apparently a lot of crying went on. Geraldine Fitzgerald sang ‘Danny Boy'!51 Sounded awful – I mean the idea of it all. Kate went and came here to the hotel to give us a blow by blow. Funny child.
Saturday 26th Rehearsed from 11.30–7. ET a bit better in first act but still stuttery. So am I in bits. Long day and felt intensely nervous all day long. J. Breslin came for 10am coffee and to my surprise interviewed me.52
Sunday 27th ET tremendously better in first act – still rocky in second and reads third. For the first time in this piece I enjoyed rehearsals. Hope it continues. Home to the Sunday Times crostic. Did it quickly. Sally watching Thorn-Birds.53 OK she says.
Monday 28th Kate here for dinner and is staying the night. Little sweetheart is suffering from pangs of disprised love.54 I could kill the man. He's a stage-manager or something.55 Rehearsals from 12–7. [...] Sally looking very tired tonight, though she bravely kept a good front up. I keep worrying that she's lost too much weight. She says it has plateau'd out. Hope so. 11.30 start tomorrow. [...]
Tuesday 29th [...] Technical people in front so all of us hyped up a bit. Everybody coming along well. Only worry is John Cullum who hasn't got hold of the essential ‘squareness’ of Victor. Katie and Sally to lunch together. ET's lethargy disappearing fast. She will be good I hope. So will I, I hope. Milton doesn't understand Coward. Suppose he's happier with American writers. [...]
Wednesday 30th Rehearsals ad nauseam. At very awkward stage and director is mildly irritating with continual and (it seems to me) sometimes idiotic suggestions. I don't think he understands comedies of manners at all and especially Noel. Suggested that I should play it with ‘Welsh fire’ and ET as Elizabeth (American) Taylor. I almost fell off my chair. I can't wait for a paying audience to teach me, in a few performances or so, what they want. Saw beloved Katie in Irish play Winners. She brilliant. Funny and moving.
Thursday 31st Most curious occurrence. Director went to lunch and came back exactly as if he were completely under the influence of booze (I thought). No smell on breath so I thought it must be ‘speed’ which is a habit he had once so he'd told me. ET and Brook thought he'd gone bonkers. We muttered under our breaths (ET and I) but said nothing. Thank God ET understands enough Welsh to know when I'm telling her to control her temper. He stopped us every two lines or four sometimes one word. I nearly went mad. On top of all which ET lost a cap off her teeth. That means four teeth lost in the last five-six months in Sally's and my presence.
APRIL
Friday 1st Started 11. Mr Katselas the director made the mistake of insulting Kathryn first and ET second whereupon I turned on the heat. I blistered and blasted him. Theoni (dress designer) told me that director was almost certainly high on Scientology.56 So ignorant am I that I didn't know what it meant. I'm still not quite sure. Anyway, end result was – so far – we did it our way and not his. Result: we went through it like whipped cream. He was very quiet for the rest of the day though ET continued to be sullen.
Saturday 2nd Two runs-through today and the difference in performances was sensational in comparison with a mere 11/2 days ago. The play and players began to invent. J. Cullum now spot on. Odd man out is me at the moment. I suspect I'm too dangerous to play Noel. My bloody voice is too rich or something. Well, I'll see what I can do.
April 1983 – August 1984
Richard Burton ceased keeping his 1983 diary in early April. This was the last diary he compiled. On 8 May Private Lives opened on Broadway, and ran (in Philadelphia, Washington and Los Angeles) until October. It was not a success. On 3 July Richard and Sally married at the Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas. In late November Richard appeared in a televised event paying tribute to Frank Sinatra. On New Year's Eve 1983 Richard and Sally were amongst the guests of President Duvalier at his palace on Haiti.
In May 1984 Burton played the role of O'Brien in the film 1984, based on the novel by George Orwell. This involved filming in London and in Wiltshire. Shortly after this Richard worked alongside daughter Kate in the TV mini-series Ellis Island, also filmed in England. Thereafter Sally and Richard returned to Céligny. On 3 August they entertained John Hurt who had taken the lead role of Winston Smith in 1984.57 The following morning Hurt left Burton reading the poetry of William Blake. On the morning of 5 August Richard, though breathing, did not awake. He had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died at 1.15p.m. in hospital in Geneva.
In accordance with his wishes Richard Burton was bur
ied on 9 August in Céligny's Protestant cemetery. Two days later a memorial service was held at Bethel Baptist Chapel in Pontrhydfyen. On 24, 28 and 30 August respectively further memorial services were held at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills, the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in New York and at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London.
When he died Richard Burton left an estate valued at approximately £3.5 million. This was largely divided amongst his widow Sally, and his daughters Kate, Jessica and Maria. Smaller sums went to surviving family members, to Liza Todd, Christopher Wilding, Bob Wilson, Ron Berkeley, Valerie Douglas and Philip Burton.
1983
FEBRUARY
Monday 14th Awoke as right as rainbows. Saw Pierre Koessler re: burglar alarms.1
Very complicated. Quite clearly security firms are in collusion with insurance companies. Said I will think about. Have lived here for twenty-odd years with not a blade of grass stolen. Anyway nothing here to steal. TV set, two or three radios, a couple of typewriters, a cheap clock. Ah well. Phone Rene and Berenice Weibel. Dinner at La Réserve on Wednesday. Shall ask him about it. Sally very depressed all day.2 Worried about Haiti, divorce, NY and attendant publicity she thinks.3 Poor thing. I went back to work.
Tuesday 15th S. still depressed and fed up. With being a slavey no doubt. Being with me is not as glamorous as people think. Did not get up until 2.35pm put me into tearing fury. Very cold all the time and permanently overcast. What fools we are we could have been in Gstaad all this time where (according to D. Brynner) the weather has been fine all the time.4 Half looking forward to, half dreading the Dearths.5 Will I be able to handle John's very heavy drinking? Managing my own is a full-time job. Fury so great I didn't do any work at all. Cooled down after dinner but not entirely.
Wednesday 16th Sleepless until 5 or so. Got up at 12.30 or thereabouts. Verdun back in intensive care with yet one more heart attack. Will he repel the swine this time again? Pray that he does. He has been very overweight since he gave up fags. He is the linchpin of the family since Tom died.6 His loss would be terrible. Took S out to dinner at La Réserve with Rene Weibel and Berenice and Janine Filistorf. Very pleasant. Rene has retired. Looks well. Talked to Milton Katselas.7 J. Cullum to play Victor – Bravo.8 ET going to be late for rehearsals. Three or four days. What's new?
Thursday 17th [...] Did three hours or so on Lives not far to go now. Telephoned J. Cullum to make sure they weren't fibbing to me. Phoned Aileen and Chris to get Mark Getty's telephone number.9 Talked Graham. Verdun still in intensive care. Talked to Getty – latter sounded down in the mouth. Read awful book about G. Best (footballer) by M. Parkinson. I wonder if Parkinson knew he was writing about himself. Wine, women, TV star. Lost his talent as a promising writer as Best lost his genius. And for same reasons.10
Friday 18th Wishart and companion arrived. Quite clear from all his and her talk that going back to live in UK would be absurd – took them to dinner at ‘La Réserve’. James became quite drunk. Did not drink at all.
Saturday 19th Took Wishart and Miss Hall to airport. Watched Ireland v. France. Heard Wales v. Scots not much in it either side could have won.11
Sunday 20th Picked up John and Joan [Dearth]. John looks terrible. Gave him lots of beer and wine. Joined him and hated myself.
Monday 21st Had Rene and Berenice Weibel to dinner. Excellent meal from Sally. Both of them very good with John. Latter had beer and wine all the live long day. I had none.
Tuesday 22nd Awoke late. John on the beer and later wine. Not very much though! Back to Private Lives. Early to bed but what time will I sleep? Home-made raclette for dinner. Ice cream and tinned fruit. [...]
Wednesday 23rd Took sun again. Went into Geneva in great excitement to get John Dearth machine to enable him to speak coherently when he hits the right spot on his neck. ‘Twill take him a lot of practice to perfect. Also a rubber thing to cover the hole in his neck so that he can shower all over. [...]
Thursday 24th [...] Took Dearths to airport. Invaded by working-class schoolchildren. Must have signed 60–80 autographs on (most of ‘em) the dingiest pieces of torn bits of exercise books. Signed two cast legs (both 14 year old girls I would guess).
Heartbreaking to say goodbye to John. He still looks ghastly but better than London visit. Sorted out books for travelling library. Tried to make it lighter. Sally packed all afternoon. Sally all smiles because notices for Profile of a Superstar were very good apparently.12
Friday 25th [...] Milton Katselas (director) phoned to say rehearsals put two days forward so perhaps a longer stay in what we hope will be sun in Haiti. It is due for the first of the rainy seasons in Port au Prince. I wonder if ET is behaving herself in her film so hence the delay in beginning work.13
Sally worked like a miner all day long packing – quite a task as we're going to be away so long. All I did was pack the book bag with reference books and foreign grammars. And had at it with Noel again. Going through a blank and boring spot with it. Roll on work when it should all fall into place. Talked to Verdun. Seemed in good form.
Saturday 26th Left Geneva at 3.00 – 8 hours later, on the dot, in NY. [...] Place (airport) a madhouse but customs and immigration very amiable. Brook waiting [...] Straight to JFK Hilton. Bob and Alice came for sandwiches [...] Long for Port au Prince already.
Sunday 27th Port au Prince arrived. Very hot and humid. Sally enchanted by highly coloured buses jammed with people. Using the suite which the Pope will have when he arrives on the 9th.14 [...] S and I eat too much. Very tired. Jetlag.
Mr and Mrs Vandal (lawyer and wife) for dinner.15 Awfully hard to understand Haitian French especially with the nowadays eternal muzak in the background. Not their fault. Sally and I had to repeat things to each other and we sitting side by side. Might try to go to the sea today and see M. Silvera's other house.16 Divorce papers finalized today.17 Audience with President tomorrow I think.18
Monday 28th Very appropriate – the cartoon opposite.19 As I was divorced yet again today here in the Palais de Justice. Took 1/2 hour or so [...]. Delighted all over. Strongly tempted to buy a place here. Shall go to see some houses. People gay and delightful and no servant problem. Sally pleased too. And it's so helpful to know the language. Easier to get to than Mexico (PV) and only 31/2 hours to NY.20
MARCH
Tuesday 1st Celebrated by over-eating – both the divorce and St David. Sudden qualm of conscience yesterday. Afternoon. I never ever (unless asked about her (rarely) or telling a story involving her), talk about poor little Susan [Hunt]. Or think of her. There's a self-defensive or self-serving thing in my brain that cuts out what I don't want in or consider an encumbrance. All have this quality but mine seems to be more highly developed than most. Not a commendable strain. [...]
Wednesday 2nd [...] Went to M. Silvera's house which was in an appalling state despite three servants on round-the-year pay. For this he wants $300,000. 50,000 would be more like it. Well over an hour from Port au Prince on a good road. No electricity. No phone. I wonder if he's bonkers. We shall look elsewhere as Sally and I like it here and the people are delightful. Painfully slow mentally – faster perhaps in Creole which is a curious lingo indeed. M. Silvera promises to find me a French–Creole book. [...]
Thursday 3rd Weather insy-outsy but only about noon by which time we had to leave for the Palace for pow-wow with M and Mme Le President Duvalier. She very bright and pretty. He obviously a powerful force. Audience lasted nearly 11/2 hours which Brook was told was a world record for civilian visitors. Grandbaby Doc brought.21 I held him for a few minutes. Snaps taken of course. Before audience. Went to American Consulate to thank them for H-I Visa. All charming. [...] Dinner with two consuls and a black (Haitian) producer-director-playwright. Seems very fond of lady consul and vice versa.22 [...] We may look at some houses tomorrow. Longing to buy place here despite tonight's intimations of continued corruption in high places. Mme le President's brother in prison in USA for drug-smuggling.23 [...]
Friday 4th [...] Slept l
ike a rose. Awoke at 6am. Brilliant day. Lay in sun, had breakfast. Supine for a couple of hours going through Private Lives in my head after breakfast. Very hot. Frequent dips in the pool. [...] The black writer François Latour faithfully sent me Creole dictionary and phrasebook and grammar.24 [...] I'm sure that with a little help I can get along in it. [...] Longing to have our own home in the sun for Sally. Second act of Noel's play contains second-hand moralizing that I find hard to learn because it's so specious. But he was very young.25
Saturday 5th Brilliant day again. Listened in frustrated agony to Wales–Ireland. Static terrible. But we won so all's well. Other match(?) was 9–6 to Scotland when last heard then we lost touch.26 Went to see some land in splendid position. Looked to me about 3–4 acres. $75,000. Said we'd prefer to see house already built – found what seemed a beauty for $200,000.27 Seeing more on Monday but they'll have to be good to beat that one at that price. Altogether successful day but for Sally cutting the top of her head on rusty barbed wire. Hope she's alright.
Sunday 6th Slept a lot and long. Poolside again after visiting the house very quickly to see where the sun hit it. OK. Approx 6 minutes from hotel. Went through inevitable Private Lives again for two-three hours. Dinner with manager and wife Chantelle(?).28 Both assured me that our living here would help island enormously. No tax.
Monday 7th Sally feeling poorly tonight. Looks it too. Very sallow. Hope she'll sleep it off. It's not booze. Katselas phoned to say rehearsals postponed ‘til Monday. ET tired or something! OK with me. Another week (nearly) in Haiti. Had American Consul and boyfriend (Latour) to dinner. He in love with her. He asked us to dinner on Wednesday as surprise for her. He drinks quietly but a lot. Wine. [...] Seems deal settled for new house. Sally having – apart from seems like ‘flu – one of her self-doubting days. Nothing seems to reassure her. I hope those moods don't grow. I don't know how to handle them.
The Richard Burton Diaries Page 166