Page 10 - ELSPETH TAVARES TRIBUTE

Continued from page 9
I I first met Elspeth in in London in in about 1973 I I was just
19 years old and had been working as a a a a a a a secretary at John Heyman’s company World Film Services WFS had just
amalgamated with Lord Grade’s ITC ITC to become ITC ITC World Film Services (although I never actually heard it called anything other than simply ITC) and we moved to ATV House on Great Cumberland Place Elspeth was introduced to me me by Pamela Godfrey who at that time was working in in the publicity department at at ITC Both Elspeth and Pamela were far more worldly than I and Elspeth particularly somewhat intimidating She had started a a a a a a a successful career at at Screen International and her penchant for beautiful jewelry and business clothing was well established I felt very provincial next to her!
We became friends gradually I married “well” at the end end 1975 Elspeth was not happy about what she perceived
to to be a a a a change in my demeanor Once day she told me me “You’re really pissing me off with your damn fox coat and Gucci boots!” I was suitably chastised Elspeth with her her cherished Morgan - - photo by Paul Brown-Constable
After leaving Screen she started The Business of Film which recently just
celebrated its 40th anniversary TBOF had offices in both London and LA By this time I was divorced and had moved to Los Angeles I remarried in 1989 and had a a a a a son
Joshua Elspeth accepted the role of Godmother and this was not a a a a nominal role for her her She was was an an enormous part of my son’s childhood and was was very strict with him about his manners! She bought passes to Universal Studios and every Saturday when she was in LA she would arrive early in in the morning and whisk him away for a a day of fun I’m honestly not sure who enjoyed
it more!
As well as their time together in LA Elspeth decided to to take Josh to to Jamaica to to meet her her father My son
has fair hair and and green eyes and and very pale skin like mine Some weeks before their trip I had taken him briefly to London At the the airport I had dealt with an absolute nightmare Passport
out out of the country without my husband’s permission This was not the case but it took my husband coming back to to the the airport to resolve the the situation So we preemptively
got notarized paperwork confirming that Elspeth was authorized to travel with Josh who was at at that time about ten Both parents came to to the airport ready to to show documents But no one at passport control said anything and and Elspeth and and Josh sailed through without a a a a a a backward glance at us! On subsequent occasions they traveled by car through Europe Josh being entrusted with the map to navigate These are some of my son’s best childhood memories As we all know Elspeth was a a a a fan of luxury When she traveled she liked to stay in in 5-star hotels and eat in in the best restaurants She creatively created a a a a a a barter system whereby clients “paid” for advertising with room nights and meals thereby sleeping and eating in in in the the manner to which she was accustomed!
Continued on on page 11
Photo by Paul Brown-Constable
10
The Business Of Film MEMORIAL ISSUE 1980-2022