The director of Deliverance recalls how the late actor landed the part of Bobby Trippe, despite his fiery audition
I saw Ned Beatty (Obituary, 14 June) in regional theatre. He had no experience in radio or television and rather looked down on them, but in many ways he fitted my idea of the character of Bobby in Deliverance. Ned was very late for his audition. He had worked himself up into a frenzy of aggression. “Are you really going to make this crap?” he said. He had already convinced himself he had lost the part. He continued to abuse me and the project. I loved his passion. I said: “Stop shouting, Ned, you got the part.”
He was a wonderful actor, and his anger was very useful. It often made the other three actors and myself fall about laughing. I loved him dearly.
John Boorman
Director, Deliverance
