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Feature CARRY ON SCREENING Bond seduced his beauties here, Barbara Windsor lost her bikini – and Keira Knightley got drenched. David James Smith roams the backlots of Pinewood Studios WATER BABY: Keira Knightley gets immersed in her work xx during the fi lming of Atonement 27 stm29026.indd26 2-3 The Sunday Times Magazine June 29, 2008 June 29, 2008 The Sunday Times Magazine 2719/6/08 17:28:01 Investigation Wanted posters Neighbours were asked if they had seen a foreign show both male and woman; they hadn’t. The police went through the female Ichihashis neighbouring apartment onto the balcony over- looking Ichihashi’s home. It was dark, but they were right next to Ichihashi’s balcony. He had ere nothing is ever quite her, don’t speak to them. This is my community, dragged his bath out onto it and Lindsay was what it seems to be. It should come as no surprise she said, they all know I’m the English teacher, I dead inside it with her hand sticking out, but Hthat the hand-carved solid oak entrance to the have to speak to them. When you’re on the train, the police did not see her. The police could see main building of Pinewood fi lm studios is just read a book, Bill told her. Don’t freak, Dad, there was somebody inside the apartment but, actually an extravagantly grand Elizabethan she said, it’s just crazy Japan. She was always say- their notes said, they could not go in because they fi replace, imported seven decades ago from a ing that. Crazy Japan. could not obtain a key. stately home in Derbyshire. It was set up on She thought it was crazy on Tuesday, March 20, Nearly two hours after the nine offi cers had plinths to make room for the doors beneath, which when a young man who had been sitting oppo- assembled, at 9.45pm, some were standing out- are from the RMS Mauretania, an ocean liner site her on the train approached her as she left side the apartment door when it opened and decommissioned in the 1930s. Pinewood bought the station on her way home from work. You’re Ichihashi came out, closing the door behind him. the bulk of its fi xtures and fi ttings at auction. my English teacher, he said, as she was getting on He had a rucksack on and was barefoot, in the It was here that Tom Humphries stood sentry, her bike. I’m not, she said. But you are an English Japanese tradition of keeping your shoes outside stationed at this opulent facade throughout the teacher? Yes, she said. your door. The police said: “You are Ichihashi and best and busiest years of the studio’s glamorous As she described it in an e-mail to Ryan, her we want to talk to you about a foreign woman and past, which is celebrated in a new exhibition of boyfriend back home, the man had run after her we want to come in.” They later said they could photographs from its heyday. As the studio’s as she cycled away and he had come to her apart- not “compulsorily restrain him” because they did offi cial commissionaire, Tom was a striking ment asking for water. Out of precaution, rather not have a “grasp of detailed facts”. fi gure in his peaked cap and braided blue uniform, than recklessness, she had invited him in so that Ichihashi turned back, took the key out and and even now, at 97, he still commands attention. he could see she was living with two fl atmates. received the missing-person report, at 5.40pm, began to open the door, then he turned away, Tom left Pinewood over 30 years ago, taking He had taken out a pen and paper and drawn that the police sent two offi cers from Funabashi pushed past the offi cers and ran off down the a picture of Lindsay there and then — that would station in Chiba prefecture to visit Ichihashi’s stairs. An offi cer grabbed at the rucksack, which have impressed her, Bill said — and signed it with apartment in Ichikawa City, one train stop from came off while Ichihashi kept running. He was 28 his name, telephone number and e-mail address. Lindsay’s home. The police had by now discov- and very fi t. Some offi cers gave chase but could He had not seemed scary, more ridiculous, and ered that although Ichihashi had no history of not of course use the walkie-talkies they didn’t Lindsay felt sorry for him and said she would try convictions, there was a previous allegation of have to give a quick alert to their colleagues to help. That was her nature. Once with her family “theft and injury” against him. The story was that downstairs. Ichihashi vaulted the last few feet a beggar had asked for money for tea and Lindsay he had assaulted a woman in the street during a from the open stairwell to the ground and kept had given him £2. Bill was furious and pointed robbery, possibly as far back as six years ago. The running. The offi cers in pursuit did not jump after SMOKING HOT out he was working all the hours God had sent Sunday Times Magazine was told that Ichihashi’s him — the Hawkers think this was for health-and- September 1961: Joan — running a driving school — to fund her educa- father, acting in line with Japanese law, prevented safety reasons — and Ichihashi ran off into the Collins takes a break during tion. Lindsay pointed out that the beggar had not the case going to court by paying ¥1m — around dense neighbourhood of apartment blocks. the fi lming of the comedy had the opportunities Bill had given her. As Bill £6,000 — to the victim to buy her silence. The police began searching for him and must The Road to Hong Kong said, they were a close, happy family with a com- The police carefully noted how, on discovery have been persistent as he suddenly reappeared, fortable lifestyle living in their safe little bubble. of this information, they realised that “Lindsay now wearing shoes that he must have stolen from NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER “And somebody popped that bubble big time.” August 1963 (left): Elizabeth IT WAS HARD FOR BILL TO DESCRIBE WHAT Taylor and her daughter ill and Julia don’t know if Lindsay con- HAD BEEN DONE TO HIS DAUGHTER. Liza on the set of Becket tacted Ichihashi again or if he contacted B her, but she made an arrangement to SHE WAS BOUND AND GAGGED DREAM LOVERS give him a lesson at the cafe that Sunday morning. WITH PLASTIC TIES AND SCARVES July 1965 (right): She did everything she was supposed to do. Nova Honor Blackman and advised teachers that it was all right to give private may have been the victim of a crime”. The offi cers outside a nearby apartment, and ran right past Laurence Harvey during the lessons, but only in public places and always leave did not arrive at the apartment until 7pm (by now offi cers for the second time, haring down the making of Life at the Top a note of where they were going and who they 10am Monday morning in England, where Bill street, turning left and left again before disap- PREVIOUS PAGES: PHOEBE RUDOMINO. THESE PAGES, ALL IMAGES: GETTY were going to meet. Lindsay had given a formal and Julia were frantic and had still not heard from pearing, never to be seen since. with him some of the old glory – these days private lesson before and had often talked with Nova). They did not go and knock at the apart- Meanwhile, other offi cers had entered the Pinewood doesn’t even have commissionaires – ‘They were all heavy drinkers, those Carry Nova students in cafes after school. ment — apparently they could not do so without apartment and found Lindsay. It was hard for Bill but he likes to return every so often for a pint at The police were not informed by Nova that proper cause, even though they by now suspected to describe what had been done to his daugh- the bar, where he talked me through his scrapbook On people, Kenneth Williams, the lot of ’em’ Lindsay was missing until around 2.30pm on that Lindsay might have been the victim of a crime ter. She had been bound and gagged with plas- of personally signed photographs of the stars. Monday, March 26, the second day she had not — but instead observed some “doubtful points” tic ties and scarves, but only apparently after a Tom greeted them all every morning He won them over with his “happy smile” “They were all heavy drinkers, those Carry On arrived for work. Friends had also tried to report inside, particularly that there was no light on, life-or-death struggle. Barely an inch of her when they turned up at 8am in their Bentleys (signed Kirk Douglas) and the “pleasure” (Rod people, Kenneth Williams, the lot of ’em.” her missing, but the message had not been passed but somebody appeared to be there. The offi c- body was unmarked by bruises or injuries, even and Rollers to begin work. “Good morning, Steiger) he gave them. He knew who produced Tom used to drink at the bar sometimes with on from one police station to another. Lindsay ers called for assistance and three more were dis- her feet. Lindsay was 5ft 10in and had learnt welcome to Pinewood,” he would chirp.