The Storyteller: Hair Cut Sir?

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Hair Cut Sir?

I had to go into the west end on Friday to get a hair cut. I used to go to Pall Mall Barbers, in Trafalgar Square, but since the pandemonium (that's what we're calling it in this post) my Italian barber has moved to the Fitzrovia shop; still Pall Mall Barbers, but another branch . A bit of a difference from the Trafalgar one as it has about three chairs and a big window. The other shop has been on television more than Hugh Edwards and it is surprising. The shop is very small, with four chairs on the ground floor and a further two on lower ground.

At one time I would save my receipt from the barbers, as the cost of the cut was tax deductible. I don't know whether it still is but I don't bother. I have never ever actually shown a receipt to the tax man in all the years I've been an actor which has been since 1970 – although I did an episode of a TV series in 1968.

Running on TV at the moment is a commercial with a man sitting in the chair, having his hair cut and on the top he has very little hair for the barber to deal with– in fact it is a little tuft of hair and is right on the top of his head – it has to be said it looks like a tiny growth of on the end of a coconut.

'A little bit off the top?' the barber asks.'

'Yes' says the man.

Then the barber moves his scissors and the man says 'not that bit.'

The scissors are moved again 'not that bit' and the barber gives the camera a look of what the? And the scene moves on to show the product.

Great idea a bald man advertising a hair product.

That commercial was shot in Pall Mall Barbers Trafalgar Square shop. That is in fact in Whitcomb Street which was the original shop and ostensibly called The Toilet Saloon obviously using the correct usage for the word toilet. In fact the shop doesn't have a loo and the customers are obliged to use the lavatory at the hotel over the street.

Pall Mall Barbers is very close to The Houses of Parliament and it can be assumed that Members of Parliament use the place. I asked once 'Do MPs come here?' and the answer NO, was so loud I assumed I was correct.

Even though it's small, its very impressive and feels like a place where James Bond would get his hair cut.

I did a commercial for Brylcreem many years ago; I played a footballer based on Georgie Best; in fact I was called Georgie in the commercial. The big thing about Brylcreem in the commercial was that it was never used. They sent us to a trendy hairdresser in Knightsbridge who would serve the likes of Chrissie Shrimpton, who was David Bailey's girl friend at one time, and they would tidy our hair up and make sure it was clean and off we went to somewhere in the Surry countryside where we spent two days filming.

This is the only picture I have of the shoot but I was sent many more – they're here somewhere.