We knew about his long career in the movie business, a half-century or more of working with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars; we knew, in recent years, about his passion for penning letters to various editors.
But we didn’t know about the buses.
It turns out that Michael certainly knows about the buses…
The Michael in question is Michael Dryhurst, native of London, long-time resident of Four Mile House, Co. Roscommon…and now author of a second book on “his first love”…buses (see panel).
A leading Producer/Director, Michael Dryhurst has worked with some of the most famous figures in the film industry.
A Golden Globe winner, Mr. Dryhurst has an impressive list of movie credits to his name. He has worked with stars such as Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery, Ava Gardner and Helen Mirren – and countless others.
Our local ‘Golden Globe man’ has a touch of movie gold about him, his life in the movie-making fast lane taking him from Pinewood to Warner Bros. to Goldwyn to Paramount. He was associate producer on Connery’s ‘Never Say Never Again’ (a 1983 Bond movie) – he was assistant director on Superman (1978), and he was co-producer on ‘Hudson Hawk’ (1991), which starred Bruce Willis and Andie MacDowell.
After over half a century in the movie industry, Michael now lives a more leisurely life in Co. Roscommon, with his wife, Karen Gordon, who recently retired from running her business, The Roscommon Chocolate Company.
Many readers will be familiar with Michael’s occasional letters to newspapers, varying from national titles to the Roscommon People. The topics Michael writes about often have to do with flaws or gaps in the quality of public services; frustration (sometimes bewilderment) with politicians; anything that takes his fancy, really –whatever unleashes his pen. His letters are always interesting, usually entertaining, sometimes even acerbic!
Oh yes, and back to the buses. Michael has now produced his second book on Irish buses, about which he has been passionate throughout his life.
The book, ‘THE CIE BOMBARDIER’, is Michael’s considered reflection on the Bombardier range of city and inter city buses.
Michael told the Roscommon People this week: “My first love has been always buses! They’re wondrous; to such an extent that I owned a double-decker bus before I owned a car”.
Michael recalls driving his AEC Routemaster double-decker through West End traffic in London at the height of his movie career!
