Cary Grant's daughter says new drama about the star helped her connect with him
The daughter of Cary Grant says a new four-part ITV drama has helped her connect with the Hollywood star in a way that she never has before.
Jennifer Grant, 57, praised the new series ‘Alfie’ about the life of her father and also told how she felt his “spirit” after going to her father’s childhood home in Bristol with writer Jeff Pope. Grant, who became a naturalised American citizen, died from a stroke 37 years ago. But he had modest roots in Bristol before going on to become a definitive leading man in Hollywood.
Daughter Jennifer, who helped the series makers, said after seeing the drama: “I’m deeply moved by all of it. I didn’t think that I would be. Before I went to Liverpool to watch the filming, which was amazing, I went to Bristol, to do my own sort of reconnaissance mission of Dad’s life.
“And Jeff’s son, George did a lot of research. And he led me to Dad’s many homes and schools. So I walked around and got to feel what it must have been like for dad as a boy, you know, with very little money in the cold and probably hungry, and walking to these schools. And I connected with him in a way that I never had really, I felt as though I regained a limb in that.”
Cary Grant's daughter said the drama helped her connect with the Hollywood star (Bettmann Archive)
Jennifer Grant, 57, praised the new series ‘Alfie’ (FilmMagic)She added: “Jeff said ‘Wait for me, please to see his boyhood, the main home.’ And I said, of course, and we drove out together. And there’s a lovely plaque that says, you know, Archibald Alexander Leach, and this is the home and, and I thought, ‘Oh, should we knock?’ But I was too timid. So Jeff went up and knocked. And a lovely woman answered the door. And Jeff explained who we were, and she allowed us inside. And I was able to go up into Dad’s boyhood room.
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“I looked out the window of the room, that, you know, his brother must have been in. And the homes are still the same in the neighbourhood. So I got to see the view that he would have seen. I sort of just put my hand on the wall and, you know, tried to connect with his spirit. So it was quite a moment and quite a day. It was really special.”
She went to his childhood home in Bristol with writer Jeff Pope (Bristol Post)
Cary Grant in 1910Born Archibald Leach in 1904, in the leafy Bristol suburb of Horfield, the acclaimed actor grew up in poverty in the St Pauls area of the city.
Grant was told as a child that his mother had left home or died at various times and he only found out years later that she was actually still alive and had been confined to a psychiatric hospital. Perhaps in reaction to this difficult home life to begin with, he was bitten by the performing bug early, learning to stilt walk he joined a troupe of acrobats and entertainers and headed with them to New York in search of fame and fortune as a teenager.
After the tour, he found work on Broadway and then landed a five-year contract to make movies with Paramount, which is where he became Cary Grant. A huge Hollywood career followed, including multiple films with Alfred Hitchcock, as well as several Academy Award nominations.
He had several Academy Award nominations (Alan Grifee)
Cary Grant died in 1986 (ITV)But his life was less settled off-screen, marrying five times, including to heiress Barbara Hutton and fellow actor Dyan Cannon who was 33 years his junior. They had one daughter, Jennifer. The role of Grant is played in the ITV series by Jason Isaacs who said this series is not the story of a Hollywood legend but more “the story of a man crippled by the baggage of his past, who was able to put on a face to the world”.
The drama intercuts with scenes from 1961 when at the height of his fame, living in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, the legendary actor was breaking all box office records, but desperately unhappy in his private life. Cary’s ex-wife Dyan, 86, also said she found the new drama emotional and discussed the bond she has with Laura Aikman who plays her after they began corresponding on email before meeting.
Dyan said: “I am deeply moved by it all. He’s not an easy man to portray. He was so complicated, and yet so simple and so easy when he was doing his swag, I’m so proud of her. She really captured my heart. That’s not an easy thing to do. So thank you, Laura, for a wonderful performance.”
Actress Laura Aikman who plays fourth wife Dyan on screen said: “I just fell head over heels for Dyan. She’s so funny and charming and sexy. And I was just completely obsessed. And it was like listening to her and I was reading the book, which was like having a cheat sheet to the whole thing, you know. And I think for me, I was just trying to sort of match her energy if I possibly could. Diane’s so charismatic.I just wanted to do her justice.”
* Four part drama Archie is available to stream on ITVX from November 23.
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