Jason Cook’s movie – The Devil’s Dandruff
I’ve mentioned before in this blog, author and former criminal Jason Cook’s plans to film his three semi-autobiographical novels. The first in the planned trilogy – The Devil’s Dandruff – is based on his first book There’s No Room For Jugglers in My Circus.
The selling line of the movie is:
ONE LINE IS NEVER ENOUGH
…A THOUSAND IS TOO MANY
I had a chat this week with former Kray Twins associate Micky Fawcett. He has written arguably the definitive insight on life with the Kray Twins – Krayzy Days – but it involves much, much more than the Krays.
“So Jason sent an email asking if I would play a cameo role in his film,” he told me.
“As yourself?” I asked.
“Yeah. He sent me a couple of options – One was I could have a non-speaking part. The other was him and me sitting playing chess and I look up and see Mr Adams…”
“Mr Adams?” I said, surprised.
“That’s the words.”
“That’s not a good idea,” I suggested.
“Mr Adams might be the name of the screw,” said Micky. “I dunno. I look up and say: Looks like the game’s up, Jason.”
“Well,” I said, “it might well be.”
Then we talked about the uncertainty of film financing and other more general financing and how to recover debts.
Micky Fawcett outside the May Fair Hotel, London, last week
“Well, the first thing you gotta do,” said Micky, “is make sure they’ve got the money. Otherwise you’re banging your head on the wall.”
“So how did you persuade them of the error of their ways within the letter of the law?” I asked.
“Well…” said Micky.
“People will have told you their theories,” I suggested.
“Someone once told me,” said Micky, “that you can soften them up and your solicitor points out to them that they should get a solicitor. Then that other person’s solicitor gives it to your solicitor who passes it on to you. You don’t take the money direct. You would not want to be guilty of demanding money with menaces.”
“But, if you did something naughty and, coincidentally, money was transferred…”
“Well,” said Micky, “it wouldn’t be you who did anything naughty either, would it?”
“It would be an act of God, probably,” I said.
“Exactly.”
Micky is, to be honest, knocking on a bit.
“But you must still be very healthy,” I said to him, “because of all the exercise you did in your boxing days and before.”
“I used to do a lot,” Micky told me. “My exercising is very restricted now but, if I don’t do it, I start fretting. Valentine’s Park in Ilford has got all the equipment in it. I’m a big fan of walking as well.”
“I never owned a car until quite late on,” I said, “and I don’t have one now.”
“I am,” said Micky, “pleased with the fact I was disqualified from driving a few times. I used to just walk everywhere. I have had motor cars and I also like driving but now I don’t drive if I can help it.”
“When I was a student,” I said, “I used to live in a bedsit in Hampstead and sometimes walk down to the college in Regent Street – it was lovely – about 45 minutes walk. Swiss Cottage, Primrose Hill, Regents Park. A nice walk. Now I’m trying to slim. But I put on 5 lbs last week.”
“Walking is good,” agreed Micky.
“How are film plans going for your own Krayzy Days?” I asked.
“That’s another story,” said Micky.
SO IT GOES - John Fleming's blog 
You were a student ?
…and I went to school before that. It’s difficult to believe, but true.