Max ... Decent Or Rotter?

[joggerjayne]

When Max Bygraves died, his friends all said what a lovely guy he was.

Now the papers say he was an unpleasant bully, horrid to people he worked with, had a string of secret affairs, a number of illegitimate children whom he kept secret from his long suffering wife, and he justified his excesses by saying ... I see life like a self service buffet, and you have to help yourself.

So was he decent? or a bit of a rotter?

[ummmm]

Sounds like a bit of a rotter but I don't see what difference that makes. Being a rotter doesn't make you bad at your job.

[emmie]

he probably was all of those things, but in the grand scheme of things, does it matter. He was a good entertainer in his day. It was his family who suffered, let's hope they have it in their hearts to forgive.

[Sqad]

JJ.....no idea.......never met the guy.

By the content of your post ( much improved on your yesterday's posts by the way ;-).....I would describe him as a " decent Rotter.

One man's Rotter is another man's hero.

At least he was a positive character and not negative, passive or submissive?

[McMouse]

I know nothing of his private life but do remember him as a great entertainer especially on the wireless.

[joggerjayne]

Did I post yesterday? Oh, god.

[cathfromsaron]

i don't think he lied to anybody ... she endured his foibles apparently!

[NOX]

I know he had a little kid (about 10) prosecuted years ago because he tried to steal the flying Lady from the front of his roller for a present for his Mum who was a fan of his, the copper just wanted to give him a rollicking but Max Bygraves wanted him hung drawn and quartered apparently- so I personally think he's bit of a gigantic tool to be honest and could never stand him anyway since I thought he was pretty talentless.

[joggerjayne]

So he was decent then?

:0)

[Kiki-frog]

He was an entertainer with lots of fans (I wasn't one of them though) and he made people happy. That's all we can really know unless any of us knew him personally.

[anneasquith]

in truth, the man is dead, its what his family/friends memories have of him thats important. no point in discussing a dead man. IMO

[ummmm]

//no point in discussing a dead man. IMO //

Really? Any dead man?

[tamborine]

Royalties will ease the pain

[dotty.]

IF he kept his illegitimate children secret how come I've known about them for years and they are proudly listed in his biography and even wiki has them recorded in detail?
He came from a poverty striken family through the depression years that probably survived between the pawn shop and the tally man, he spent his money when he had it and enjoyed life, looking aftert those he loved. great guy.

[dotty.]

when i say poverty I mean 1930s Bermondsey poor, which is probably a close second the Bethnal Green poor of the same era.

[woofgang]

This always happens. Celeb dies and media people start a feeding frenzy....

it even happened in Shakespeare's day

"The evil that me do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones."

Sickening.

[woofgang]

NOX do you know that from your own knowledge or because it was reported in the papers?

[craft1948]

I just thought he was rubbish............my mum liked Val Doonican.

[parkie]

As woolfgang says, this happens every time someone well known dies. The media start their own post-mortems bringing out all the hidden skeletons, and more often than not it paints the person in a bad light and destroys any good reputation they may have had.
It sells papers and books.
I cannot think of many people in that position who have not been victim to this kind of character assassination after death.

[joggerjayne]

Discussion of good points and bad points ?

Realistic appraisal of a public figure ?

Character assassination ?

Tomayto, Tomarto

[parkie]

Re Val Doonican craft, if you google Berkshire Life, there is an interview in there with Val who is now 85. I'd put the site on here but don't know how to.