Apologies for the radio silence, but I’ve had some health issues to deal with, whilst working hard on this massively engaging project. A day-long meeting at Unbound’s offices near London Bridge a couple of weeks ago, with Judy Barratt, the technical editor, planning the layout of the book, has resulted in the most intense period delivering actual chapters to the publishers. I can really hear the whooshing of deadlines rushing towards me, spoken of so famously by Douglas.
St. John’s College, where Douglas’ archives are safely kept.
Some weeks ago – a sunshine break outside St. John’s library.
The archive reveals some amazing insights into his development as a writer. His transition from eager student and Cambridge Footlights member, via revue days as a third of Adams-Smith-Adams, into early collaborations for broadcast radio and TV show such promise. He was lucky to get Jill Foster to represent him (and Adams-Smith-Adams) submitting their work to top TV shows of the day, like The Two Ronnies and Dave Allen At Large. Of course, there were dark days too, but it’s usually darker just before the dawn.
Some of the treasures: Doctor On The Go and The News Huddlines scripts.
There’s a lot to verify, with his diaries as an occasional place to check for dates of recordings and the people he met and places he visited. (For a time, 42 years ago, he was a frequent visitor to ‘Zanzibar’, which I’m assuming was a trendy bar in London, not somewhere off the coast of East Africa.)
Only a few titbits of each project, each period of his life, can make it into the book, there’s so much more to squeeze in! But I’m trying to make sure it’s only the best material – fascinating and funny and relevant to the overall story of the man and his work. Douglas’ early adventures, I’m sure you know, sweeps up influential people like John Cleese, and Graham Chapman, producers such as Simon Brett and Humphrey Barclay. The explosion of good fortune which began with ‘Doctor Who’ and the enormous success of ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’ led to further associations with rock legends, Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend and Pink Floyd. These associations are all represented in the book.
His enthusiasm for travelling the world, at first for book signing tours and then to visit endangered species and to write his favourite book ‘Last Chance To See’ means there are folders full of detailed travel plans, airline and hotel bookings, itineraries, even left over foreign currency. But it’s the notes and rough drafts of chapters for this book and all the previous hilarious ones, which you’ll want to see and read.
I’m in deep now amongst this material, and swimming as fast as I can. There’s a long way to go in the normal processes of a complex illustrated coffee-table book like this. But it’s a relief to see it finally taking on real shape.
More soon,
Thanks,
Kevin Jon Davies