I Once Met… Burt Lancaster, Telly Savalas and Jack Palance
Nonchalance comes easily to most teenagers and I was no exception.
It was 1970. I was 16 and on holiday in Italy. My family had friends in Rome, dating back to my father’s time serving in Italy during the war. We frequently stayed with them in the splendid house they had built on the Olgiata golf course, just outside the Eternal City. Our home in Scotland was also on a golf course. Both my father and I were avid golfers.
One hot July lunchtime, I was munching on a sandwich in the Olgiata clubhouse with my friend Jaime when Burt Lancaster ambled up.
He asked Jaime if he would make up a foursome that afternoon. ‘We are playing only nine holes – Telly is a bit wiped out after his night on the town,’ he told us.
Lancaster knew Jaime because Jaime’s grandfather Ercole Graziadei had chaired the judging panel that controversially gave its top award to The Leopard. The film version was arguably Lancaster’s greatest performance. They were also neighbours at Olgiata.
Jaime explained that he could not play as he had a dentist’s appointment but immediately volunteered me. ‘He’s from Scotland and lives on a golf course – he can play.’ I was surprising myself at how nonchalantly I managed to agree when Burt said, ‘OK, kid, you wanna play?’ ‘Who are the others?’ I asked. ‘Telly and Jack. Telly’s staying with me and Jack is a neighbour. Ready when you are.’ I hadn’t even asked who Telly and Jack were, but they turned out to be Telly Savalas (pre- Kojak days) and Jack Palance. I didn’t know of Palance; his career was in a lull and he was making forgettable Italian films at the time. Burt Lancaster had given Savalas his first major film role in Birdman of Alcatraz, and the two had become firm friends. Palance and Lancaster had starred in The Professionals in 1966. It still felt an unusual trio. They were very different personalities, with Burt the avuncular figure who, despite a gentle manner, was clearly the boss. Jack was warm and friendly, given to wry smiles and knowing looks – especially every time Savalas announced, ‘I’m gonna put this one real close.’ (He never did.)
As we assembled on the first tee, my nerves did kick in. I’d seen The Dirty Dozen and Kelly’s Heroes, as well as On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in which Savalas played Blofeld. To me, Telly was the biggest star of the three. Years later, I came to appreciate it was Burt who was the most accomplished screen actor of the trio.
Savalas introduced his caddie, Sally, to me as his cousin, prompting a knowing look from Palance. As he prepared to tee off, she offered him a putter. Jack turned to me and said, laughing, ‘She has other skills.’
When anyone hit a good shot, Telly would shout ‘Play golf!’ Burt went about his game slowly and quietly. Jack was the best player.
My nerves took a while to settle, but after four holes I hit the best golf shot of my life, sinking a four iron from about 170 yards for an eagle – something I’ve never repeated.
The inevitable ‘Play golf!’ followed from Telly. Jack winked and applauded. Burt strolled up to me, shook my hand and, with the broadest of smiles, said, ‘You’ll never ever forget that shot, kid.’
He was absolutely right.