“Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?” were the most famous words spoken by the British actor Ian Richardson. Known in his homeland for playing the villain par excellence, he combined his sharp features with sharp conservative tailoring to become the very incarnation of a what the British call a toff.
…to an American audience certainly, but in the UK he will forever be associated with his oft-repeated line from “House of Cards”, which summed up his charater’s slipperiness & mendacity; “You might say that, I couldn’t possibly comment”
Comment by Paul Hardy — February 13, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
As it happens, that photograph shows him in character in House of Cards, as Francis Urquhart, the Richard III of Downing St.
Yanks travelling in Brtain are warned: Mr. Urquhart wears the Eton tie b/c he went to Eton. Unless you did too, stick to pattern or solid ties. They take regimentals and schools stripes more seriously over there.
Comment by Cacciaguida — February 13, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
That is correct Cacciaguida, T.M.Lewin stock many old school and regimental ties and the people who are correctly allowed to wear them are very annoyed if anyone else is spotted wearing them, old school is not as bad as regimental as often those are worn by people who have no idea of the history and sacrifice that is behind regimental honour.
Such is the story i heard of a tourist spotted wearing a Parachute regiment tie, “because the parachutes looked pretty”, who very nearly ended up in trouble with a former RSM of the Parachute regiment!
So yes beware! still genuine mistakes should always be allowed.
Robert Nicholson
Comment by robert nicholson — February 19, 2007 @ 8:32 am