5 replies to this topic

[Michael Clark]

Some TNFers may have 'The Jim Clark Story' written by Bill Gavin.

 

I am sorry to say that Bill passed away on the 26th of May at the age of 83. He had had a most interesting life that included, among many things, intending to be a doctor, living in what would become the Playboy mansion in London, marrying a Mary Quant model and befriending drivers from both ends of F1 grids - and that was just the 1960s when he was also intimately involved in the 'Grand Prix' script and ended the decade 'managing' the Ferrari Can-Am team.

 

Bill subsequently ended up as manager of such acts as The New Seekers and The Sweet before spending the rest of his working life associated with the movie industry.

 

Bill returned to New Zealand and amongst his numerous projects was his unfinished autobiography. I am aware of plans for it to be finished. He remained, almost right to the end, the most charming and entertaining fellow.  

[JacnGille]

Sad news

[john medley]

Sad news. Wish we had met. Thanks Maclark for the info (and regards)

[Richard Jenkins]

He wrote a nice piece on Mike Spence in Autosport in 1965 which is being used in the forthcoming book. Sorry to hear this news.

[Doug Nye]

Bill also served as Editor of 'Autcourse' at one point. Condolences to his family and many friends.

DCN

[Tim Murray]

Bill posted here a few times many years ago. Here are a couple, the first relating to his involvement with the film Grand Prix:

I did write the race commentaries for John Frankenheimer's GRAND PRIX. Tony Marsh and the French Commentator (Tony Franklin?) were flown out to LA where they were recorded. We could not get the right sound in the recording or effects studios so we set up a loudspeaker on the MGM lot, played the recorded commentaries and re-recorded them. This had to be done at night - one of my many all-nighters during post production - it was surreal, these English, German and Italian racing commentaries reverberatng around the deserted studio. I think we used the term "futz" to describe the ludspeaker effect. The sound editor Gordon Daniel won an Oscar for his efforts. Bill Gavin

The second is from when he was asked about his involvement with the Hugh Hudson film on Fangio:

Yes, twice. when I was MD at GTO Films in 1973-78 I contracted with Giovanni Volpi for the rights but I got head-hunted by 20th Centry Fox to be General Manager at their Australian subsidiary Hoyts Theatres Ltd and my successor at GTO was not interested in Fangio.

In 1984 when I was leaving Goldcrest to establish Gavin Film Hugh Hudson rang me, I contacted Volpi again and I organised a release at The Gate cinema in Notting Hill. But Volpi insisted that we release his cut, not Hugh's. My patience was exhausted.

It's a wonderful film, even more emotive now that Juan Manuel has died.

He sounds to have led an amazingly varied life. Condolences to his family and friends.