Malcolm Nc Dowell

By Ed Donovan

I met Malcolm when he was appearing in a workshop at the Horror Film Festival in Orlando.  I managed to squeeze myself into the back of the crowded room when Malcolm was already answering questions form the crowd. One student asked him how does he get himself prepared and worked up to be able to kill someone? Malcolm yelled out loud he said, “I called it fucking acting! That got a loud laughter from the audience.

With tat he wrapped up and retreated to a door in the back of the room. I left the room and followed him into the back rook where he was surrounded mostly by his manager and other representatives from the film festival. Knowing something about his drug habits I approached him and got his attention. I said to him, Malcolm have you got off your drug habits? That got his attention. Wanting to validate his sobriety he yelled back yes. I’ve been clean over 25 years. I said great I’m joining you in those years of sobriety as well.

I managed to have a photo take of the both of us. I introduced myself as editor of In Focus Magazine, I asked him if he would be available for an interview, he said yes, I would. His manager interrupted the both of us walking away with him saying he must pose for photos and sign autographs. Like a desperate man wanting to talk with new me he said I might have time after. His manager said you won’t have time. Malcolm said Give him my home phone number I want to talk with him. The manager wrote his home phone number on a very small piece of paper.

A few weeks later I called the number his manager gave me, and it turned out it was his managers number, he answered the phone and said Malcolm is very busy at the moment as his wife is expecting the birth of their child.  I said please congratulate him on the birth when it happens. Now professionally I would expect you to arrange an interview with him and I at the earliest possible time you can arrange. He did agree to do an interview and I expect you as his manager to fulfill his request. I will hold you to it. Thank You. 

About two weeks later I received a call from Malcolm himself. Apologizing for the delay on the interview. I said I understood with he birth of your son.

Malcolm told me he was born the son of Charles Taylor of the Royal Air Force and had a hectic life of moving from one place to another. I said rather than talk about your family and various marriages you’ve had, let’s talk about your acting career.  He said great, well I got started like everyone one else. I enrolled in enrolled in Cammock House School, and began taking acting classes, and eventually secured work as an extra with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I made my screen debut as school rebel Mick Travis in If.... (1968) by British director Lindsay Anderson. This was various small film roles, but I was noticed by Stanley Kubrick when I appeared in The Raging Moon. He cast me as the lead in A Clockwork Orange. Dam I was so lucky to get that part. I was nominated for Beast Actor by the New York Film Critics Circle. I asked Malcolm about Caligula, he said oh that one I had a lot of fun making that film. See I'm primarily known for villains but in fact, that would only be half of my career if I was to top it all up. I was on the Big Screen in Blue Thunder and I was known as the man who killed Captain Kirk in Star Trek Generations.

I starred opposite Tim Robbins in The Player, a film by Robert Altman as well as Altman’s The Company. I have been very busy with making video games and the full-time job as husband and new father. And of course, like yourself maintaining days and years of precious sobriety. I have to go, family beckons good luck on your career and thanks for the interview, Ed