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John Dennis "Biffo" Bindon〔http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C13431200〕 (4 October 1943 – 10 October 1993) was an English actor and bodyguard who had close links with the London underworld. The son of a London cab driver, Bindon was frequently in trouble as a youth for getting into fights, and spent two periods in Borstal. He was spotted in a London pub by Ken Loach who asked him to star in his film ''Poor Cow'' (1967). Other film and television productions followed, with Bindon sought after to play gangsters or tough police detectives. He played a violent mobster alongside Mick Jagger in ''Performance'' (1970) and a London crime boss in ''Get Carter'' (1971). Philip Hoare described Bindon as "the archetypal actor-villain, and an all-round 'good geezer'".〔 He was also known for having many socialite girlfriends, such as Christine Keeler, the former Playboy "Bunny Girl" Serena Williams and Vicki Hodge, who had a 12-year abusive relationship with Bindon.〔 Through Hodge, Bindon gained access to British aristocratic circles, which culminated with his meeting Princess Margaret in the late 1960s, at her home on Mustique in the Caribbean. Bindon claimed he had sex with the princess, whilst Margaret later denied the meeting ever took place despite photographic evidence.〔〔Andrew Pierce ("Princess Margaret linked to gangster lover in Channel 4 documentary" ), ''Daily Telegraph'', 28 August 2008〕 Bindon lived his hard man persona on and off screen. He was believed to be running protection rackets in west London pubs and have alleged connections to the Kray twins and the Richardson Gang. In the late 1970s in addition to acting work he provided security for actors and musicians, most notoriously for Led Zeppelin on their 1977 US tour, where he was sacked for brawling backstage. In 1978 Bindon was tried for the murder of London gangster Johnny Darke. Bindon pleaded self-defence and was acquitted, but the case damaged his reputation, and this coupled with being seen as difficult to work with by directors meant his acting career declined. In the 1980s Bindon became reclusive and died in 1993 from an AIDS-related illness. ==Early career== John Bindon was born in Fulham, London, and was the son of Dennis Bindon, a merchant seaman and engineer, turned cab driver.〔 The second eldest in a working-class family of three children, Bindon went to St Mark's Church School in Fulham where he became a noted rugby union junior, but left at the age of 15. He was given the nickname "Biffo" for starting or getting into fights. As a teenager, he served time in a borstal for possessing live ammunition. After jobs ranging from laying asphalt to dealing in antiques (his best friend for several years was the glamorous and now-infamous international antiques dealer John Hobbs) Bindon pursued a career in acting. Director Ken Loach, spotting him in a London pub in 1966, considered him perfect for the role of a rough husband in the film, ''Poor Cow'' (1967). His next big break came the following year with a role in ''Performance'' (not released until 1970) alongside Mick Jagger, where he played a violent mobster. His portrayal earned him critical praise and typecast him for future roles. In 1968, he met Vicki Hodge, a baronet's daughter turned model and actress, who introduced him to British aristocracy. However, he had been previously invited to the Caribbean island resort of Mustique, where Bindon claimed to have had sex with Princess Margaret. The biographer of the Princess, Noel Botham, was also of the opinion that Bindon had an affair with her.〔 During this time Bindon gained the nickname "Big John", due to the reported size of his penis.〔Clarkson, Wensley (2005). ''Bindon: Fighter, Gangster, Actor, Lover – the True Story of John Bindon, a Modern Legend''. London: John Blake. p. 123. ISBN 1-84454-116-9〕 He went back to Mustique for a second time in 1969 and took girlfriend Hodge with him.〔(Times of India, Princess Margaret's 'relationship', 29 August 2008 )〕 The princess later publicly denied meeting Bindon (despite pictures of them next to one another) and was reportedly unimpressed to hear stories of their sexual encounters in the press. Bindon's name was also linked with a succession of models, including Christine Keeler,〔 the former Playboy "Bunny Girl" Serena Williams,〔 and also Angela Barnett, then girlfriend and future wife of pop star David Bowie.〔〔(Daily Telegraph, 15 October 1993 )〕 Bindon was awarded the Queen's Award for Bravery, a police bravery medal, for diving off Putney Bridge into the River Thames to rescue a drowning man, in 1968, although some said he had pushed the man in and only rescued him when a policeman appeared.〔 Bindon had a violent temper and a natural intimidating personality, and he was accused of running a protection racket in west London, targeting pubs, restaurants and cafés. There were also suggestions of connections to the Richardson Gang and the Kray twins, who supported his control of west London, as well as rivalries with gangs from south London. The south London rivalries were suggested to have contributed to his bankruptcy, when he accrued drug debts. The extent of his involvement in the English underworld has never been reliably established. Bindon's best known film roles were his appearance in ''Get Carter'' (1971) and The Who's film ''Quadrophenia'' (1979) as a drug dealer. He also appeared in television series such as ''Public Eye'', ''The Gold Robbers'', ''Department S'', ''Dixon of Dock Green'', ''Z-Cars'', ''Paul Temple'', ''Special Branch'', ''Softly, Softly: Taskforce'' and ''Hazell'' playing out his usual tough-guy roles. Despite a productive film and television career, Bindon felt he needed a break from acting, and went into organising security. It was to be a move which would have disastrous personal and financial consequences. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Bindon」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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