~ Tom Courtenay...

BY DANNY McCARTHY

TRIVIA: THOMAS COURTENAY was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Queen's New Year's Honours List for his services to drama.

IN THE 1980's THOMAS COURTENAY was on Broadway in OTHERWISE ENGAGED. I wrote him and he kindly replied in the stamped-addressed-envelope I included with his signature on an OTHERWISE ENGAGED PLAYBILL.

I have an original copy of a Gannett Westchester Newspaper Sunday, November 22, 1081 tearsheet reading Shining Courtenay as he and PAUL ROGERS were on Broadway in THE DRESSER. I kept that tearsheet for my professionals' collection as I purchased that newspaper copy up in New Rochelle, New York while majoring in SPEECH AND DRAMATIC ARTS at IONA College, which is NOW IONA University.

My Mattituck North Fork Community Theatre pal TODD BIBEY when we co-starred at the NFCT in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS asked me to be THE DRESSER. Todd so-unfortunately died at the age of 39 and DID MANAGE to keep himself in terrific shape. YES! ~ I MISS HIM!

https://www.findagrave.com/mem...

DICK CAVETT made his Broadway debut in OTHERWISE ENGAGED after TOM COURTENAY's contract ended. I would tune-into the DICK CAVETT SHOW and decided to write DICK CAVETT to see if I could get his autograph. He graciously replied-back again YES! in the stamped-addresed-envelope I provided with his signature in a rubber-stamped-format on an OTHERWISE ENGAGED PLAYBILL.

OLYMPIC CHAMPION TOM COURTNEY passed away in August 2023.

https://www.legacy.com/news/ce...