ON THIS DAY

FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE

MARCH 27, 1973 SIR NoEL CoWARd died yesterday as he wanted to: on his mountain top with its views over the green richness of Jamaica. His death came at his home at Port Maria at 6.30am from a heart attack. He was 73. Shortly before he died I talked to him for the last time. ‘I look at every day as a dividend,’ he said. ‘My last day will be no different. Why should it be?’

MARCH 27, 1981 THE most ambitious attempt to break out of the petrified, stifling pattern of British politics for 60 years began yesterday when Roy Jenkins formally unveiled his Social democratic Party. The SdP leaders, out to change the landscape, are dedicated to nothing less than winning enough seats at the General Election to give them a decisive grip on the levers of power.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

QUENTIN TARANTINo, 57. The oscar-winning director of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir dogs and Kill Bill (right) is reported to have an IQ of 160. His mother chose his name because she wanted one ‘that would fill up the entire screen. I expected him to be important’.

JULIAN GLovER, 85. The Rada-trained actor from London starred in Game of Thrones and played villain Aristotle Kristatos in Bond film For Your Eyes only. He is married to actress Isla Blair (after divorcing actress Eileen Atkins). Blair said: ‘We hadn’t been married long when he introduced me as “my wife Eileen Atkins” at a party! I was the only person to laugh.’

BORN ON THIS DAY

GLoRIA SWANSoN (18991983). The American actress (right) is best-known for her role as Norma desmond in Sunset Boulevard. It featured her most famous line: ‘I am big. It’s the movies that got small.’ Swanson was nominated for an oscar three times and had six husbands.

SYLvIA ANdERSoN (1927-2016). The London-born actress and producer, dubbed ‘the first lady of sci-fi’, was the inspiration and voice behind Lady Penelope in Thunderbirds, the Tv show she co-created with her husband, Gerry Anderson. The Rolling Stones were such fans that when they met Sylvia, the rock stars ‘gathered around cross-legged on the floor, like small boys huddled around their teacher’.

ON March 27...

IN 1995, Take That released Back For Good, which became their biggest hit and went to number one in 31 countries.

IN 2008, Leona Lewis became the first British female solo artist in 20 years to top the U.S. charts, with Bleeding Love.

WORD WIZARDRY

GUESS THE DEFINITION: Fugleman (c20th century)

A) An advocate, cheerleader or publicist. B) A warm-up actor for television shows. C) A person who enjoys eating fine food.

Answer below.

PHRASE EXPLAINED

Strait-laced: Someone who adheres rigorously to rules and morals; it comes from a women’s bodice which, if ‘straitlaced’, was laced tightly.