A letter that just had to be shared
Today I was sent a scan of a letter written on 6th December 1983 by Spike Milligan. It made me laugh and I thought it most worthy of sharing with readers of The Steeple Times.
The letter, sent by the comedian from his home in Orme Court, W2 to the musician George Harrison MBE (1943 – 2001) at his Cadogan Square, SW1 address, reads as follows:
“You once said to me – the world is full of arseholes, and I’m not one of them”.
“I have a love for certain people and I one for you, but by sheer lack of contact it’s running out. I phone you frequently and never got a reply. This is what you do, it’s very simple; you stand in front of a telephone and you insert your fingers in the holes and carry out a series of numbers which have been given to you”.
“Of course, if you are rich you have buttons, which Irishmen usually sew on their coats. Of course, if you are extremely rich you don’t have to get in touch with anybody, and that’s what I am worried about”.
“The funeral takes place at Golders Green Crematorium, no flowers please, just money”.
“You will recognise me, I am the dead one”.
“Love, light and peace, Spike Milligan”.
Spike Milligan KBE (1918 – 2002) was a true wit but what he said was right. Don’t be that arsehole. Keep in contact with your friends.
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“Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall” was published in 1971. It was Spike Milligan’s war autobiographies.
Milligan landed in Algeria during the outbreak of World War 2 as part of the Allied Liberation of Africa.
Spike Milligan was a great wit, but also a man among men. I salute him.
absolutely agree, it is so important to stay in touch not only with friends but family too. these are the people who love us.
I met Mr Milligan when he was repainting the little people on the children’s tree in Kensington Park Gardens, it was a labour of love and I never knew whether it was a spontaneous act and a kindly gesture, or whether he maintained the figures on a regular basis. But whatever , he was a man given to impulse and gave pleasure to millions,
‘I told you I was sick’ – wasn’t that on his gravestone?
Could it have been that Harrison was never a true friend of Milligan and got bored with continual pestering?
There are always two sides to a story and Milligan did have a few mental issues