3. Oliver Reed
A real hell-raiser, Oliver Reed was unwavering and unapologetic, and that is what made him so enthralling to watch on and off screen. He may not have been the most genuine of talents, but he was undeniably entertaining, perhaps even more so in television appearances than in his actual profession. Before he had truly begun to make a name for himself, Reeds career was almost shattered in 1964 in a nightclub called The Crazy Elephant, where he was bottled by two men he had upset during a verbal altercation, which would result in him baring a nasty scar on his left cheek. This was one of many drunken brawls that would make its way into the papers, for Reed could not avoid a dust up for very long such was his lack of cowardice and outright refusal to be bullied. Over the decades, Reed had confrontations with many celebrities, including a fight with former James Bond star George Lazenby, and very a longstanding public spat with the Irish actor and fellow troublemaker, Richard Harris. Reeds drinking feats were also much publicised, some of his all night benders stretching to almost mythological proportions, with the actor David Hemmings recalling that Reed could drink 20 pints of lager with a gin or crème de menthe chaser and still run a mile for a wager. It has also been alleged that Reed once drank 124 pints of beer in 24 hours, before performing a horizontal handstand on the bar. Additionally, the actors outspoken thoughts on feminism and the placement of women in society did not do his reputation much good, and he came with plenty of outrageous quotes which, rightly or wrongly, caused a great deal of hilarity at his expense. Examples include the following: I also use women as a sex object; maybe Im kinky. However, I like to talk to them as well., I believe my woman shouldnt work outside the home., and, perhaps slightly less coarse; When I come home and Im tired from filming all day, I expect her to be there and make sure everything is cool for me. You know, like drawing my bath and helping me into bed.
In a moment of television history, Reed appeared on the Channel 4 chat show
After Dark, an open-ended discussion that went out on Saturday nights and ended when the participants or producer got fed up and went home. The subject under discussion was feminism and before and during the show Reed had imbibed too deeply and too often. He took umbrage at the views expressed by feminist lesbian Kate Millet, grabbing her and planting an unwanted smacker on her cheek before walking off set. Even on the day he passed away, Reed went out with a bang, dying from a heart attack in Valletta, Malta, after a lengthy drinking session in which he had downed almost half a dozen bottles of Captain Morgans rum and beat sailors in an arm-wrestling competition at a local bar. Love or loathe him, Oliver Reed was an immense character.