21: BARRY FANTONI
569 THE SANCTIFICATION OF LORD BEAVERBROOK BY A J P TAYLOR Signed on reverse Pen ink and bodycolour on board 11 1⁄2 x 9 1⁄4 inches Illustrated: Private Eye
570 ANDRE PREVIN Signed and inscribed with title on reverse Pen ink, bodycolour and collage 13 3⁄4 x 9 1⁄4 inches Illustrated: Private Eye
‘Being a press baron of sorts, Ingrams, in the main an honest and basically good man, had little time for press barons who were crooks and liars. He hated Lord Beaverbrook for what he saw as his dishonesty, and hated equally the historian, A J P Taylor, for sucking up to him (the historian had just written yet another book saying how wonderful Beaverbrook was). I did virtually all the illustrations for the Eye from the time I joined in 1961 until the 70s, when new faces knocked on the door. Willie Rushton was busy doing telly, and both Scarfe and Steadman both fell out of favour with Ingrams. They resented working in collaboration with him, that is, being given an idea and asked to draw it. I never had this problem, as the whole essence of working at Private Eye is one of collaboration, a team effort, like cricket and rugby. Beating the Hun and so on.’ (Barry Fantoni writes on The Sanctification of Lord Beaverbrook by A J P Taylor)
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‘Under Ingrams, the Eye attacked anyone who seemed not to have the right credentials for the job: Labour politicians who went to Public schools; Tories who were grammar boys. André Previn was best known as a jazz pianist who was given the job of conducting the LSO: red rag to the bull for Ingrams (who was born in 1937 – the Chinese year of the Ox, as it happens). The press as a whole saw young, easy going, smooth talking and super hip André a breath of fresh air. Putting him in a sports car and not on a rostrum was my take on the appointment. We then went on to feature him in a series by Sylvie Krin, in which the hapless Previn ruined every concert he conducted.’ (Barry Fantoni writes on André Previn)