Bob Martin Photographer
0022 Moira Lister
Moira Lister, elegant as ever
For many years I had followed South African-born actress Moira Lister’s rise to fame in London, never realising that one day she would honour me greatly by opening my first ever Theatre and Film photographic exhibition at the Alexander Theatre in Johannesburg.
It was a double honour because Bobbie Lang (who adored Moira) was the man in charge of the theatre during that period and because I had photographed so many productions there. The exhibition was to coincide with the opening of a production, The Bedtime Story, with Moira as the star. Co-starring with her was Derek Nimmo, the well-known British actor.
The exhibition was hung in The Mermaid Tavern, the very elegant bar-lounge downstairs, below the theatre itself. (It was so named by Bobbie, after the famous Mermaid Theatre in London’s West End.)
The exhibition was entirely Bobbie’s idea because he felt that (like most starving photographers) I needed more exposure and work at that particular time. I didn’t disagree.
The best way to describe the success of the evening, and a funny incident, is to quote Bobbie’s own words in an article he wrote about me and my work for Personality magazine at about the same time:
‘An amusing incident occurred at an exhibition of Bob’s work held at the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg, recently when London star, Moira Lister, performed the opening ceremony. The speeches were over, Miss Lister had accepted her bouquet graciously, the press cameras had flashed and the guests were happily sipping their sherry when a Johannesburg journalist sidled up to Miss Lister whilst she was chatting to Bob. The journalist remarked that he thought her portrait, which was the centrepiece of the exhibition, was excellent. He also added somewhat tactlessly that it couldn’t possibly have been a recent one!
‘Miss Lister, elegant as ever in her Balmain gown, and with superb aplomb, replied, “As a matter of fact it was taken yesterday and here’s the man who took it.”
This was the picture, taken in 1965.
0022 Moira Lister
Moira Lister, elegant as ever
For many years I had followed South African-born actress Moira Lister’s rise to fame in London, never realising that one day she would honour me greatly by opening my first ever Theatre and Film photographic exhibition at the Alexander Theatre in Johannesburg.
It was a double honour because Bobbie Lang (who adored Moira) was the man in charge of the theatre during that period and because I had photographed so many productions there. The exhibition was to coincide with the opening of a production, The Bedtime Story, with Moira as the star. Co-starring with her was Derek Nimmo, the well-known British actor.
The exhibition was hung in The Mermaid Tavern, the very elegant bar-lounge downstairs, below the theatre itself. (It was so named by Bobbie, after the famous Mermaid Theatre in London’s West End.)
The exhibition was entirely Bobbie’s idea because he felt that (like most starving photographers) I needed more exposure and work at that particular time. I didn’t disagree.
The best way to describe the success of the evening, and a funny incident, is to quote Bobbie’s own words in an article he wrote about me and my work for Personality magazine at about the same time:
‘An amusing incident occurred at an exhibition of Bob’s work held at the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg, recently when London star, Moira Lister, performed the opening ceremony. The speeches were over, Miss Lister had accepted her bouquet graciously, the press cameras had flashed and the guests were happily sipping their sherry when a Johannesburg journalist sidled up to Miss Lister whilst she was chatting to Bob. The journalist remarked that he thought her portrait, which was the centrepiece of the exhibition, was excellent. He also added somewhat tactlessly that it couldn’t possibly have been a recent one!
‘Miss Lister, elegant as ever in her Balmain gown, and with superb aplomb, replied, “As a matter of fact it was taken yesterday and here’s the man who took it.”
This was the picture, taken in 1965.