Airdrie film buff William Hackett Queen was “gobsmacked” as his Lanarkshire Live 'Movie Memories' column captured the imagination of one of cinema’s most iconic stars.
William sent a copy of his feature on classic flick 'The Moon-Spinners' to its star Hayley Mills - and the 'Pollyanna' and 'Parent Trap' legend was so impressed she posted a signed copy of her latest book to William.
Mills also included a warm message which read: “For William, with love and grateful thanks.”
William, whose Airdrie home is a treasure trove of photos, memorabilia and prized possessions celebrating the art of cinema that would shame most museums, has a lengthy history of examining and lauding Mills’ work.
In 1988, he returned to the UK from Australia as a guest of the Rank Organisation to work on a project for the actress, while he has also written essays on Mills and is in the process of completing a book about her.
On his recent touching gift from the legend, William told Lanarkshire Live : “I sent a copy of my August Lanarkshire Live 'Movie Memories' piece on 'The Moon-Spinners' to Hayley and enclosed eight stills printed from the actual 35mm negatives, which were very generously supplied by Hugh Attwooll, associate producer at Disney’s Pinewood unit, during my visit to Pinewood in 1980.
“Hayley then sent me a signed copy of her recent book, 'Forever Young: A Memoir' . I was gobsmacked, to say the least, when it was delivered and it was a marvellous surprise.
“This will only embellish and increase my love of this superstar and her films, which have made so many people happy.
“Hayley has inspired me ever since I saw that nice little girl in 'Pollyanna' back in 1960, when movie admission prices were only a few shillings.”
William added: “This year marks the 60th anniversary of Disney classic 'The Parent Trap' and during the sixties I would haunt the Pavilion Cinema in Airdrie and the Coatbridge Odeon fixated and thrilled by the other five Disney pictures that were the summation of Hayley’s six-film deal under her contract with the studio.
“In 1979, I located the address of Hayley’s agency in London and wrote her a letter expressing my idea to document her film career and asked if there would be any objection on her part to this proposal.
“A short time later I received a personal reply with a lovely signed photo where Hayley wrote, ‘I consider it a great compliment that you wish to write a book about my films and I would love to see the finished product’.
“The book, 'The Art of Hayley Mills' , has taken many years to work on, during which I have been in regular contact with Hayley by letter and phone calls.
“In 1983, on another visit to the UK from Australia, I finally met Hayley, who was starring in 'Dial M for Murder' at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End of London. She was charming and as delightful off-screen as she was in her films.
“During the ensuing years I lost contact with her but we reconnected when I moved back to Scotland permanently in 2012, in particular when I wrote an article on her Disney films that was featured in the 'British Film Collector Magazine' a year later.
“I sent a copy to Hayley’s personal assistant, the very lovely Susan Nollet, with whom I have established a very positive ongoing relationship with.
“Then, in 2019, Lanarkshire Live offered me the terrific opportunity to write my 'Movie Memories' monthly column which has showcased articles on Hayley.
“Consequently, I have received many letters from the star herself thanking me personally and complementing my writing skills, knowledge of the subjects, and research.”
William still regularly watches Mills’ back catalogue of impressive work - and pin-pointed a particular favourite.
He said: “The best non-Disney film starring Hayley is the 1964 Ross Hunter production 'The Chalk Garden' .
“I have seen the film several hundred times and, without exaggeration, I can act out nearly every scene almost word-for-word.
“In Australia, I formed a fantastic and rewarding association with 'Channel Seven Perth Western Australia'. A subsidiary of the TV network was the 'Western Mail Magazine' and they utilised my extensive stills and images collection to promote the movies shown on the network.
“I was privileged to borrow 16mm films from the channel’s fabulous library for home viewing in my private cinema and, consequently, borrowed the print of 'The Chalk Garden' and still have the film in my collection.”
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