My Hates & Loves was one of my favorite features in the old 16 Magazine. Occasionally, one of the celebrity (usually arock star on the "Love Generation" cusp) subjects would insist on varying the formatbecause they said they objected to the word "hate," as is the case inthis "time capsule" piece detailing the psycho-biography of DavidMcCallum, one of my all-time favorites. 16 loved The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (who didn't?) and when I encountered this feature, Ithought I would make it my day-after-Thanksgiving gift to you.
I'mfairly certain that I first became aware of David McCallum via his quiet,excellent performance in Peter Ustinov's film of Billy Budd, which made quite an extraordinary impression on me when I first encountered it, probably onthe old NBC Saturday Night At TheMovies show,although he was also unforgettable as the sad hydrocephalic super-human in the Outer Limits episode The Sixth Finger. McCallum is one of those "It" performers. You can't take youreyes off him when he's onscreen, even in a star ensemble like The Great Escape. A few years after U.N.C.L.E. ended,he married a girl from Lawrence, NY, where I grew up, and was often seen aroundour neighborhood. He was extremely friendly (loved dogs) and I remember myfather being thrilled to meet him, as he also was during his single encounter withO.J. Simpson at the Aruba airport years later. Happy Thanksgiving (Weekend)!
"I KNOW this departmentis usually called "My Hates & Loves," but I personally feel thatthese words are a bit strong for some of the things I wish to writeabout. So, being rather conservative in such matters, I am choosing touse dislike and like--but you can rest assured that I do indeed feel stronglyabout all the items I've listed below!
I DISLIKE having to sleep. I wish I could figure out away to restore life energy without having to sleep.
I DISLIKE driving inheavy traffic.
I DISLIKE people who try to pry into myfamily life.
I DISLIKE unrulycrowds. What scares me most is that some young girl my get hurt in themob.
I DISLIKE being embarrassed--and I dohave certain vulnerable spots, but I'm not telling.
I DISLIKE waking upearly (before the rest of the family) and just waiting in bed for them to"join me."
I DISLIKE it when people become pushy orpossessive.
I DISLIKE interviewerswho ask you dumb, silly questions.
I DISLIKE girls who don't make an effortto learn a little something about something, so that they can carry on an intelligentconversation.
I DISLIKE (to put itmildly) fan magazines that deliberately use suggestive and untruthful bannertitles on their covers in hopes of raising the sagging circulation of theirmagazines. They should all take a lesson from 16--whose sales soar eachmonth!
I DISLIKE smoking and feel better andstronger when I don't do it.
I DISLIKE temperamentin any actor or actress; also those who think they know more than the director.
I DISLIKE seeing girls walk the streetsin tight slacks and with their hair up in rollers.
I DISLIKE cold,drizzly, cloudy days--like English weather. I find it quite depressing.
I DISLIKE inattentive or impolite waitersor waitresses. If one can't give good service, then they should findanother job.
I DISLIKE overcookedfood.
I DISLIKE gawdy patterns. I muchprefer solid colors, like black, blue or yellow.
I DISLIKE seeingbad fingernails on girls. I know it is often hard to grow long, prettynails, but it quite simple to keep your hands and nails clean.
I DISLIKE seeing young girls weighed downwith a lot of clanging jewelry.
I LIKE (you know I mean love)my wife Jill and our three lovely children.
I LIKE reading good poetry and greatnovels.
I LIKE people who can carry on a fresh, provocative conversation.
I LIKE Chinese and Greek food.
I LIKE walking by the seashore--day or night.
I LIKE freedomof movement and freedom of self-expression.
I LIKE bar-be-cueing.I can bar-be-cue anything that moves! My favorites are thick steaks andlamb chops.
I LIKE working on my garden and buildingthings.
I LIKE people who really care about other people.
I LIKE to play romantic parts onU.N.C.L.E. segments. They've only given me a few, as you know.
I LIKE flying to manydifferent cities all over America and meeting as many people as I can. Did you know that I have taken out citizenship papers and will soon be anAmerican citizen?
I LIKE hard,physical work, especially doing stunts and driving fast cars in U.N.C.L.E.
I LIKE driving aroundalone late at night or going record shopping in the middle of the night.
I LIKE 16Magazine.
I LIKE the TV show Hullabaloo, and entertainers Andy Williams,Carol Channing and George Burns.
I LIKE eating lunch along in the quiet ofmy dressing room.
I LIKE doing stageplays and readings.
I LIKE casualclothes, sandals, and bare feet.
I LIKE making my owndecisions--after listening to people whose opinions I respect.
I LIKE going to Dodger baseball games anddevouring hot dogs as I cheer.
I LIKE the portraits that my wife Jill does. She is an excellentartist.
I LIKE our great old Basset hound,"Gregory."
I LIKE to hear fromeach and every one of you, so if you wish, write to me at 10202 WashingtonBlvd., Culver City, Calf. "
David McCallum playingthe role of Gunnery Officer Steven Wyatt in Billy Budd (1963)
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