The Liz Smith Column | 10/22/2009 5:30 am
Liz Smith: Keira Knightley – Box Office Bonanza
Also from Our Gossip Girl: Patrick Swayze honored at dancing fete, and Susan Lucci prevents cruelty – off screen!

Keira Knightley © PR Photos
"That’s a Dom Perignon ‘55, Mr. Bond. It would be a pity to break it."
So said actor Joseph Wiseman portraying "Dr. No" to Sean Connery’s original James Bond in the first 007 movie, circa 1962.
Wiseman was a Broadway actor in such classics as "Golden Boy" and "Uncle Vanya" when he became a classic screen villain. He died this week at age 91. His last acting credit was, appropriately, a 1996 "Law & Order."
One hopes the still-vital Mr. Connery sent a message of condolence – and Ursula Andress, too. She was the first Bond girl and her emergence from the sea in a white bikini was the peak of her acting career.
***
I just happened to watch, over last weekend, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced version of "King Arthur." What emerged from this blood-and-guts version was Keira Knightley as a sword-wielding Guinevere. She was/is spectacular.
Miss Knightley has been in all the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies – also, in "Atonement," "Pride and Prejudice," "Love Actually" and a dozen others.
But nothing she has done in films compares to what she accomplished in her homeland, England, in just three days. After an announcement that Keira would make her London stage debut in Moliere’s 17th-century comedy of manners, "The Misanthrope," the box office took in a whopping $2 million advance.
These figures are rare for a straight play. Previews begin December 7 at the Comedy Theater. Miss Knightley is certainly cementing herself as a much-needed showbiz supernova.
***
The PR queen Peggy Siegal, a youngster who runs movie and social happenings in Manhattan, appeared at lunch yesterday in the Monkey Bar wearing a smart summer cocktail dress. "It’s my costume. I am just here to say hello," said the breezy one. "I am in the movie ‘Wall Street 2.’"
Peggy said she was filming in Baby Jane Holzer’s townhouse on the Upper East Side along with other New Yorkers, i.e., Julia Koch, Amy Fine Collins, Hamish Bowles, Josh Brolin, Shia LaBeouf, Monique van Vooren, Chuck Pfeiffer and director Oliver Stone’s mother, Jacqueline, plus "the famous masseur to the stars Michael Silverwise.
"They will need more extras on November 6 for a scene they’re doing at the Metropolitan Museum."
Peggy breezed out and back to work and not one of the flying monkeys of the café flew after her.
***
Chicago lost the Olympics, but what does the Windy City care? It still has Armand Assante and Gurkha Cigars!
Next Friday, actor Assante, the Emmy-winning star of many a romantic drama, will host an intimate evening at La Vita Cigars – a place that resembles a huge walk-in humidor. Armand will be introducing the new 20th-anniversary cigar called The Archive.
Mayor Bloomberg of NYC would not approve but Chicagoans are still smoking cigars and here’s their chance to live dangerously among the celebratory fumes, chat with Mr. Assante and go home with an autographed photo.
So who needs pole vaulting and the shot put?
***
In the delightful children’s hit film "Where the Wild Things Are," there is one of those little "inside baseball" type private jokes. Two owls fall down from the skies and they are called Bob and Terry.
This is meant to be an homage to Bob Daly and Terry Semel, the former head titans of Warner Bros. Bob and Terry have both gone on to bigger and better (?) things than moviemaking.
So said actor Joseph Wiseman portraying "Dr. No" to Sean Connery’s original James Bond in the first 007 movie, circa 1962.
Wiseman was a Broadway actor in such classics as "Golden Boy" and "Uncle Vanya" when he became a classic screen villain. He died this week at age 91. His last acting credit was, appropriately, a 1996 "Law & Order."
One hopes the still-vital Mr. Connery sent a message of condolence – and Ursula Andress, too. She was the first Bond girl and her emergence from the sea in a white bikini was the peak of her acting career.
***
I just happened to watch, over last weekend, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced version of "King Arthur." What emerged from this blood-and-guts version was Keira Knightley as a sword-wielding Guinevere. She was/is spectacular.
Miss Knightley has been in all the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies – also, in "Atonement," "Pride and Prejudice," "Love Actually" and a dozen others.
But nothing she has done in films compares to what she accomplished in her homeland, England, in just three days. After an announcement that Keira would make her London stage debut in Moliere’s 17th-century comedy of manners, "The Misanthrope," the box office took in a whopping $2 million advance.
These figures are rare for a straight play. Previews begin December 7 at the Comedy Theater. Miss Knightley is certainly cementing herself as a much-needed showbiz supernova.
***
The PR queen Peggy Siegal, a youngster who runs movie and social happenings in Manhattan, appeared at lunch yesterday in the Monkey Bar wearing a smart summer cocktail dress. "It’s my costume. I am just here to say hello," said the breezy one. "I am in the movie ‘Wall Street 2.’"
Peggy said she was filming in Baby Jane Holzer’s townhouse on the Upper East Side along with other New Yorkers, i.e., Julia Koch, Amy Fine Collins, Hamish Bowles, Josh Brolin, Shia LaBeouf, Monique van Vooren, Chuck Pfeiffer and director Oliver Stone’s mother, Jacqueline, plus "the famous masseur to the stars Michael Silverwise.
"They will need more extras on November 6 for a scene they’re doing at the Metropolitan Museum."
Peggy breezed out and back to work and not one of the flying monkeys of the café flew after her.
***
Chicago lost the Olympics, but what does the Windy City care? It still has Armand Assante and Gurkha Cigars!
Next Friday, actor Assante, the Emmy-winning star of many a romantic drama, will host an intimate evening at La Vita Cigars – a place that resembles a huge walk-in humidor. Armand will be introducing the new 20th-anniversary cigar called The Archive.
Mayor Bloomberg of NYC would not approve but Chicagoans are still smoking cigars and here’s their chance to live dangerously among the celebratory fumes, chat with Mr. Assante and go home with an autographed photo.
So who needs pole vaulting and the shot put?
***
In the delightful children’s hit film "Where the Wild Things Are," there is one of those little "inside baseball" type private jokes. Two owls fall down from the skies and they are called Bob and Terry.
This is meant to be an homage to Bob Daly and Terry Semel, the former head titans of Warner Bros. Bob and Terry have both gone on to bigger and better (?) things than moviemaking.
Read more about: Amy Fine Collins, Andrea Jung, Baby Jane Holzer, Bob Daly, Celebrities, Chanel, Chuck Pfeiffer, Entertainment, Fendi, Gossip, Hamish Bowles, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joseph Wiseman, Josh Brolin, Julia Koch, Karl Lagerfeld, Keira Knightley, Liz Smith, London, Michael Bloomberg, Michael Silverwise, Monique van Vooren, News, Patrick Swayze, Peggy Siegal, Rolex, Sean Connery, Shia LaBeouf, Susan Lucci, Terry Semel, Theater, Ursula Andress, Where the Wild Things Are
























10 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment
Over time, I’ve become a fan of Ms. Knightley - she’s quite a talent and seems more than comfortable in her own skin. I wish her much luck.
As for Mr. Lagefeld’s comment, my first reaction was to shake my head in disgust, but as I thought of it more I suppose it’s just a matter of "to each its own". We can stamp our feet in outrage, we can protest and cry out, but the fashion industry simply isn’t going to change anytime soon. Most of the people (men and women) that I know see the skinny little bags of bones on the runways and are disgusted by them. That said, those same people would have no interest in seeing exceptionally large women sashaying down the runway either. Neither extreme is healthy nor is it overly attractive so Why the fashion industry can’t embrace moderation is beyond me. With the existence of plus-sized models, perhaps that’s at least a chip in the armor, perhaps moderation will exist someday.
If size 10 is "plus sized" then I am a plus-sized beautiful woman!
So long as my husband and I are happy with my appearance, that’s all that matters. I’ve known slimmer women who’ve envied my confidence. They needn’t; but some folks unfortunately confuse other-esteem with self-esteem.