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Paudge Behan

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Paudge Behan
Occupation(s)Actor and writer[1]
Years active1991–present

Paudge Rodger Behan[2] (IPA: [pɔːj ˈrojər ˈbiːən], pawj RO-jər BEE-ən) (born January 1965) is an Irish actor and writer. The son of IRA Chief of Staff Cathal Goulding and Beatrice ffrench-Salkeld, the widow of playwright Brendan Behan, Paudge Behan worked briefly as a journalist for a Dublin newspaper before turning to acting. After a series of minor film and television roles in the 1990s, he was handpicked by English novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford to appear as the male lead in a 1999 dramatization of her book A Secret Affair (1996).

Behan has also appeared in the feature films A Man of No Importance (1994), Conspiracy of Silence (2003) and Veronica Guerin (2003), and has taken leading roles in two short films, A Lonely Sky (2006) and Wake Up (2007).

Family and early life

Paudge Behan received his family name from his mother Beatrice's husband Brendan Behan, pictured here at the Jager House Ballroom in New York City in 1960.

Born in January[3] 1965,[4] Paudge Behan is the son of Cathal Goulding (1923–1998), Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Official IRA, and Beatrice Behan (née ffrench-Salkeld) (1925–1993).[4][5] As a teenager, Goulding was involved with the IRA youth wing Fianna Éireann which he joined with his neighbour and lifelong friend Brendan Behan (1923–1964), who later became one of the most successful Irish dramatists of the 20th century. After Brendan Behan's early death at the age of 41 on 20 March 1964, Goulding had Paudge Behan with Brendan's widow Beatrice.[6][7] Paudge and his half-sister Blanaid[8] grew up at 5 Anglesea Road, a red-brick, semi-detached late Victorian house in Ballsbridge, Dublin, which Brendan Behan bought for his wife Beatrice in 1959 for IR£1,400. In her memoirs,[9] Beatrice Behan described the house as "ugly on the outside, but neat and compact within".[1] The house eventually came into Paudge Behan's ownership, and he reluctantly put it up for auction in June 2005; a guide price of €1.2 million (around £840,000 in 2007) was quoted for it.[1] However, the house, known as Cúig, remained unsold until its asking price of €1.65 million was met in February 2006. The Times reported that a sale would be agreed as soon as Behan had returned from travelling in India.[10]

Education and career

Before turning to acting, Behan had a brief career in journalism in Ireland: "I interviewed everyone from priests to prostitutes before my Dublin paper folded."[11] Behan was also involved in theatre work – he was a costume assistant during the original production of Tom Murphy's adaptation of Liam O'Flaherty's 1925 novel The Informer on 13 October 1981 at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin.[12] He participated in various other plays in Dublin, but finding them "all very over the top, very amateurish, full of people turning up drunk or not turning up at all", he decided to leave Ireland and pursue art studies in Berlin.[13]

However, Behan found he could not concentrate on his art in Germany as he was working too hard in the evenings in nightclubs and bars to earn money. Also, as he was doing "too much drinking as well, so unless I wanted to start a new art style where it would've been very 'shakey' [sic] to look at, basically I decided I had to do something else". He resolved to go to London to study acting. After applying to three drama schools he was accepted by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[13] For about three years from 1990 or 1991, he lived with his friends from RADA, David Harewood and Danny Cerqueira, at 39 Ravenshaw Street in West Hampstead. Harewood recalls that his housemates were "fantastic characters" – "It was a wonderful, experimental time. We'd spend long nights discussing art, life and politics; smoking weed, drinking lots of whisky, listening to music and throwing furniture on the fire."[14]

The Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, as it appeared on 20 November 2006.

On 15 May 1991 at Dublin's Abbey Theatre, Behan played the lead character Connolly in the original production of Tom Murphy's play The Patriot Game, which charted the events of the Easter Rising of 1916.[15] He also acted as a thug in the comedy film London Kills Me (1991); and made an appearance in the TV film Anglo-Saxon Attitudes (1992), based on the 1956 satirical novel by Angus Wilson. Other TV roles included characters in episodes of Highlander: The Series (1995) and The New Adventures of Robin Hood (1997). He was subsequently handpicked[16] by English novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford to be the male protagonist of the made-for-television film A Secret Affair (1999), based on her 1996 book. In the film, which gained him a large and enthusiastic female following, he starred as Bill Fitzgerald, a war correspondent who falls in love with and pursues Vanessa Stewart (Janine Turner) in Venice although she is engaged, and who is subsequently kidnapped in a war zone.[17]

Other films in which Behan appeared include A Man of No Importance (1994), Conspiracy of Silence (2003) and Veronica Guerin (2003). In the latter film, he played Brian Meehan, who was convicted of murdering Irish crime journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.[18][19] In 2006, he appeared in Nick Ryan's short film A Lonely Sky as Jack Reilly, a test pilot who risks his life to break the sound barrier in 1947, but who is forced to question his reasons and abilities by a strange yet familiar man. The ten-minute film won Best Film (Production and Post-Production) at the Digital Media Awards in Dublin in February 2007.[20] His most recent project is the short film Wake Up (2007), in which he plays the lead character Nathan. The film is the first 20 minutes of a proposed feature film.[21]

Concerning acting, Behan has been quoted as saying "this is a good business when it's working, but when it’s not, it's awful".[13]

2008 police investigation

On 12 July 2008, Behan was questioned by the Carabinieri (Italian military police) in connection with the murder of a 72-year-old woman, Silvana Abate Francescatti, at her home on Monte Amiata, Arcidosso, in Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy. The woman was found on 11 July with 13 stab wounds, including a fatal throat wound, but was believed to have died the previous day.[2][22] Behan, who had been resident in Arcidosso for part of the year since 2006, was arrested after seeking treatment twice at a hospital near Arcidosso for a cut on his thigh. In an interview with The Irish Times, he claimed he had first gone to the hospital on 10 July after cutting himself in the thigh while unpacking furniture and other objects delivered from the USA. However, hospital staff had mistakenly decided he had been acting suspiciously due to his poor spoken Italian, and the fact that he had expressed annoyance at how the hospital was managed and its bad signage.[23]

Upon returning to the hospital on 12 July for a tetanus injection, Behan was arrested by five policemen and taken to their Arcidosso barracks for questioning. He did not know what was happening at first as the police had no interpreter in the barracks. He was only provided with a lawyer and interpreter 15 hours later when a magistrate from Grosseto came.[23] Behan exercised his right not to answer questions. He was released, but was formally informed that he was under suspicion. As of 15 July 2008 he was the only suspect in the case.[24] The police subsequently seized his car and a knife from his home, and secured a room in the house in which traces of blood were allegedly found.[2] In addition, shoe prints found were said to have matched his footwear.[25] Custody of his car and home (except for the cellar) were returned to him on 14 July by the judge overseeing the investigation.[22][24]

Speaking on Italian television, Behan denied knowing the victim and maintained his innocence, saying "I've got nothing to hide."[2][24][26] He has accused the police of subjecting him to "psychological torture" during his detention and has threatened to sue them.[19][27]

Selected work

Film

Year(s)
of appearance 		Film Role Awards and nominations
1991 London Kills Me White thug at party
1994 Uncovered Domenec
1994 A Man of No Importance Kitty
1996 Snakes and Ladders Dan
2001 Bye Bye Inkhead (short film)[28] [Unnamed cast member]
2003 Conspiracy of Silence Niall
2003 Veronica Guerin Brian Meehan
2006 A Lonely Sky (short film) Jack Reilly
2007 Wake Up (short film) Nathan

Some information in this table was obtained from Paudge Behan: Filmography, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2007-11-11.

Television

Year(s)
of appearance 		Film or series Role Awards and nominations
1992 Anglo-Saxon Attitudes Larrie Rourke
1995
(1 episode) 		Highlander: The Series (1992–1998)

"Reasonable Doubt"

Lucas Kagan
1997
(1 episode) 		The New Adventures of Robin Hood (1997–1998)

"Your Land is My Land"

Dan
1998 Close Relations Todd
1999 A Secret Affair[29] Bill Fitzgerald

Some information in this table was obtained from Paudge Behan: Filmography, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2007-11-11.

Theatre

Year(s)
of appearance 		Production Role Awards and nominations
1991 The Patriot Game (1991)
by Tom Murphy

Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

Connolly

Personal life

In addition to his half-sister Blanaid, Paudge Behan has one older half-brother, Cathal Og (the son of Cathal Goulding and Patty Germaine who married in 1950), and a younger half-brother Aodhgan and half-sister Banbán (the son and daughter, respectively, of Goulding and Dr. Moira Woods who lived together from 1971 to 1991).[30] He also has six step-siblings – Penny, Denis, Chris, Catherine, Timothy and Benjamin Woods[31] – the children of Dr. Woods.[32]

He is also a nephew by marriage of Irish songwriter, short story writer, novelist and playwright Dominic Behan (1928–1989), who was Brendan Behan's brother.[32]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Frank McDonald (2005-05-26), "Home of All the Behans", The Irish Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  2. ^ a b c d "Amiata, donna uccisa nella sua villa: l'attore è indagato per omicidio [Amiata: Woman killed in villa: Actor questioned about homicide]", la Repubblica, 2008-07-13 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) (in Italian).
  3. ^ Sergio Lo Gatto (2008-07-14), Delitto dell'Amiata. Accertamenti sull'attore irlandese [The Amiata crime: Assessment of the Irish actor], Fondazione Italiani {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) (in Italian).
  4. ^ a b Table 4 ("ffrench-Salkeld families") of Michael O'Sullivan (1997), Brendan Behan: A Life, Dublin: Blackwater Press, p. xviii, ISBN 0861216989.
  5. ^ Beatrice Behan (1973), My Life with Brendan, London: Leslie Frewin Publishers, p. 41, ISBN 0-85632-042-0 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help). See also Biography for Brendan Behan, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2007-11-18
  6. ^ For this reason, it is inaccurate to describe Paudge Behan as Brendan Behan's "adoptive son", as IMDb does: see Biography for Paudge Behan, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2007-11-18
  7. ^ "Goulding's career included many years as IRA chief of staff, many more seeking to break into politics, and an exotic love-life which included having a son by Behan's widow": David McKittrick (1998-12-29), "Obituary: Cathal Goulding", The Independent (reproduced on FindArticles) {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help). In her memoirs, Beatrice Behan omitted to mention that Paudge was her biological son. She wrote, "Life in my house hasn't changed much, except that Blanaid, now a frail, brown-haired girl with a gift for drawing, has a brother, Paudge, a fair-haired boy I adopted, who makes a good companion for her": My Life with Brendan, p. 250. A photograph of Blanaid and Paudge as children with their pet rabbit Sneachta in their garden in Dublin appears as illustration 47 on p. 224 of the book.

    In December 2003, Paudge Behan expressed unhappiness that Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, had officiated at the unveiling of a statue to Brendan Behan at the Royal Canal in Dublin. When asked to say a few words after the Taoiseach's address, Behan addressed Ahern directly, saying: "There is nobody further removed from Behan's spirit than yourself." He later explained that his family had not been consulted about who would attend the event in an official capacity and he had not been pleased at the Taoiseach's attendance. "What has Bertie Ahern in common with Brendan Behan, other than they are both Irish? When you see what is happening with the fat cats in this country, with Bertie Ahern and his Government, I can't think of anyone further from the spirit of Brendan Behan. Shannon being used as an American air base for waging war on another country, was that in the spirit of Brendan Behan?": Olivia Kelly (2003-12-09), "Ahern incurs wrath of Paudge Behan", The Irish Times (reproduced on Indymedia Ireland) {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).

  8. ^ Blanaid Behan, the daughter of Brendan and Beatrice Behan, was born on 24 November 1963: My Life with Brendan, p. 235. She was named after Beatrice Behan's grandmother Blanaid Salkeld, a poet, dramatist and actress: Brendan Behan: A Life, p. 296.
  9. ^ My Life with Brendan, pp. 148–149.
  10. ^ "Moving on", The Times, 2006-02-12 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  11. ^ Behind the scenes of "Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Secret Affair" 1999, BarbaraTaylorBradford.com, ?1999, retrieved 2007-11-11 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  12. ^ The Informer, Irish Playography, retrieved 2007-11-13.
  13. ^ a b c Michael Hilliard (2003-07-23), Interview: Paudge Behan, 19th July 2003, Film Scene [blog], retrieved 2008-04-01 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  14. ^ Caroline Rees (2008-01-20), "Time and place: David Harewood", The Sunday Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  15. ^ The Patriot Game was originally commissioned as a TV play by the BBC in 1965 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising which occurred in 1916, but it was never aired: The Patriot Game, Irish Playography, retrieved 2007-11-13.
  16. ^ Army Archerd (1999-08-26), "With Cates out, Oscar needs producer", Variety {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  17. ^ A Secret Affair at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata. Retrieved on 11 November 2007.
  18. ^ Paudge Behan: Filmography, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2008-08-08.
  19. ^ a b Emer Connolly (2008-07-20), "Hostage to misfortune in a real-life melodrama", Irish Independent {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  20. ^ Official website of A Lonely Sky. Retrieved on 11 November 2007.
  21. ^ Wake Up at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata. Retrieved on 11 November 2007.
  22. ^ a b John Hooper (2008-07-15), "Irish actor named as suspect in murder of Italian woman, 72", The Guardian {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  23. ^ a b Paddy Agnew (2008-07-15), "Irish actor arrested after woman's death says police made a mistake", The Irish Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  24. ^ a b c Paul Bompard (2008-07-15), "Actor Paudge Behan questioned over murder", The Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  25. ^ "IRA chief's son in quiz on murder", Daily Mirror, 2008-07-14 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); "Grosseto, indagato attore irlandese: è ferito [Grossetto: Questioned Irish actor: He is hurt", il Giornale, 2008-07-14 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) (in Italian).
  26. ^ See also Sarah Neville (2008-07-14), "Killing suspect is son of late IRA chief", Evening Herald {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); "Police: Irish actor investigated in stabbing death of elderly woman in Tuscany", International Herald Tribune, 2008-07-14 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  27. ^ Kerry Waldron; Jason O'Brien (2008-07-15), "Actor endured 'mental torture' during police murder probe", Irish Independent {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Colin Bartley (2008-07-16), "Arrest actor to sue Italian police", Irish Independent {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  28. ^ Bye Bye Inkhead, AFI Fest Festival Database, retrieved 2007-11-13.
  29. ^ Ray Richmond (1999-10-27), "Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Secret Affair [review]", Variety, retrieved 2007-11-13 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help).
  30. ^ "Music and tributes resound at funeral of Cathal Goulding", The Irish Times, 1999-01-01 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help). Some sources incorrectly state that Banbán Goulding Woods is a man: see, for instance, Daire Boyle (1998-12-28), "Ex-IRA chief of staff and socialist politician dies", Irish Independent {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help).
  31. ^ "Cathal Goulding [obituary]", The Irish Times, 1999-01-19 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help). See Archive search [using keywords "Paudge Behan"], Ireland.com (The Irish Times), retrieved 2007-11-11 {{citation}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help).
  32. ^ a b Biography for Paudge Behan, Internet Movie Database (IMDb), retrieved 2007-11-18.

References

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