PRESS NOTES
MARON PICTURES
Present
STRENGTH AND HONOUR
Written, Directed & Produced by
MARK MAHON
MICHAEL MADSEN
GAIL FITZPATRICK
Starring
VINNIE JONES
and
PATRICK BERGIN
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
Winner – Festival Prize – 23rd Boston Film Festival
Winner – Best Feature – 23rd Boston Film Festival
Winner – Michael Madsen, Best Actor – 23rd Boston Film Festival
Winner – Best Feature – 2008 Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival
Winner – Michael Madsen, Best Actor – 2008 Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival
Winner – Best Feature – 2008 New York International Film Festival
Winner – Best Director – 2008 New York International Film Festival
Winner – Michael Madsen, Best Actor – 2008 New York International Film Festival
Winner – Best Score – 2008 New York International Film Festival
Winner – 56th Annual Columbus International Film Festival (Chris Awards)
Winner – Best American Independent Feature – 2008 Mount Shasta International Film Festival
Winner – Best Performance in a Feature – 2008 Mount Shasta International Film Festival
Winner – Best Foreign Feature – 2008 International Action On Film Festival
Winner – Best Director – 2008 International Action On Film Festival
Winner – Best Screenplay – 2008 Alan J. Bailey Excellence Award
Winner – Best Supporting Actor – 2008 Alan J. Bailey Excellence Award
Winner – Best Soundtrack – 2008 Malibu International Film Festival
Winner – Best Picture – 2008 Apra Foundation for Film, Music and Art (AFFMA)
Winner – Best Director – 2008 23rd Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (Oct ‘08)
Official Selection– 2008 17th St. Louis International Film Festival (Nov ‘08)
Festival of Festival Selection – 2008 32nd Cairo International Film Festival (Nov ’08)
PREVIOUS FESTIVALS & NOMINATIONS
Official Selection & Guest of Honour – 2008 Northridge University, California
Best Director Nomination– 2008 Apra Foundation for Film Music and Art (AFFMA)
Best Picture Nomination – 2008 Malibu International Film Festival
Best Cinematography Nomination – 2008 New York International Film Festival
Best Picture Nomination – 2008 International Action On Film Festival
Best Actor Nomination – 2008 International Action On Film Festival
Official Selection – 2008 Strasbourg International Film Festival – NOT COMPETITIVE
Official Selection – 2008 28th Cambridge Film Festival – NOT COMPETITIVE
Panorama Selection – 2008 Shanghai International Film Festival – NOT COMPETITIVE
Beijing Olympics Selection – 2008 Sports Film Screening Week – NOT COMPETITIVE
Official Selection – 2008 Celtic Heart London Film Festival – NOT COMPETITIVE
Gail Fitzpatrick – Best Supporting Actress Nomination – Irish Film & Television Academy
Mark Mahon – Rising Star Nomination – Irish Film & Television Academy
www.strengthandhonourthemovie.com
Running Time: 90 minutes – Rated 15A
Contact:
Maron Pictures
Mariners Rest, Mariners View Avenue,
Passage West, Cork, IRELAND
Tel. +353 21 484 3550/Fax. +353 21 484 3500/Email: info@maronpictures.net
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STRENGTH AND HONOUR
Starring
MICHAEL MADSEN
VINNIE JONES
PATRICK BERGIN
GAIL FITZPATRICK
and
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
MICHAEL RAWLEY
LUKE WHELTON
SHERIDAN MAHON
FINBAR FUREY
Executive Producer
OLANN KELLEHER
Director of Photography
ALAN ALMOND, B.S.C.
Production Designer
ELEANOR WOOD
Editor
KATE COGGINS
Costume Designer
EIMER NI MHAOLDOMHNAIGH
Music Composed by
ILAN ESHKERI
Music Produced By
GOHL/MCLAUGHLIN
Line Producer
HOWARD GIBBINS
Irish Casting
CARMEL O’CONNOR
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CAST
Sean Kelleher
Michael Madsen
Smasher O’Driscoll
Vinnie Jones
Papa Boss
Patrick Bergin
Denis O’Leary
Richard
Chamberlain
Michael Rawley
Chaser McGrath
Mammy McGrath
Gail Fitzpatrick
Michael Kelleher
Luke Whelton
Barry Lacey
Myles Horgan
Chosky Boss
Finbar Furey
Coco McGrath
Sheridan Mahon
Baby McGrath
Krystal Mahon
Fixer Ward
Michael Galvin
Michael Murphy
Joe O’Gorman
Mary Murphy
Gerry McLoughlin
Wheeler Mccoy
Pat Shortt
Ciara Lacey
Lesley Conroy
Dr. Sheridan
Alf McCarthy
Neiler
Kevin McCormack
Traveller #1
Paul Valentine
Traveller #2
Liam Heffernan
Traveller #3
Paul Creighton
Priest
Fr. John Galvin
Barman
David Keelan
Cathal Murphy
James Browne
Postman
Pascal Scott
Shannon
Norma Sheahan
Waitress
Hilary
O’Shaughnessy
Conor Dwane
Desmond Curran
District Nurse
Debbie Byrne
Dr. McCarthy
Cora Fenton
Frankie O’Neill
Michael Collins
Hopper O’Shea
Brendan Condron
James O’Shea
Denis Tuohy
Journalist
Michelle Forde
Musher
Jimmy Upton
Nurse – Kids ward
Fiona Condon
Nurse #2 – ICU
Mary Mooney
Surgeon
Neil Prendeville
Newsreader
Mark Mahon
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STRENGTH AND HONOUR
SYNOPSIS
STRENGTH AND HONOUR tells the story of an Irish-American boxer, Sean Kelleher (Michael Madsen),
who accidentally kills his friend in the ring and promises his wife that he will never box again.
However, years later, when he discovers that his only son is dying of the same hereditary heart
disorder which has taken his wife, he is forced to break his promise in order to raise the substantial
funds needed for the surgery that could save his son’s life.
STRENGTH AND HONOUR is a story of hope and love, sacrifice and devotion, set against the violent
underground world of bare-knuckle boxing.
The film stars Michael Madsen (RESERVOIR DOGS, KILL BILL: VOLUME 1), Vinnie Jones (SNATCH, XMEN: THE LAST STAND), Patrick Bergin (SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, PATRIOT GAMES) and Richard
Chamberlain (“The Thorn Birds,” “Shogun”).
Screenwriter Mark Mahon makes his directorial debut with a film that questions people’s prejudices
against other communities and how fate can play a part in one’s life, no matter how much you try
to change it.
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ABOUT THE FILM
"I've played a lot of dangerous, nefarious guys over the years, and I guess I liked the idea of playing
someone with heart. I want to finally play a guy who rides off into the sunset with the girl," says
Michael Madsen, who brings Sean Kelleher’s character to life in Maron Pictures’ STRENGTH AND
HONOUR. As a man whose life falls apart after the death of his wife, Kelleher’s showdown with fate
is a perfect match for the intense and engaging well-known “tough guy,” in a rare performance
displaying his sensitive side.
For director Mark Mahon, who also wrote and produced STRENGTH AND HONOUR, it was the
culmination of a lifelong dream. “Despite winning an award in Hollywood a couple of years ago for
one of my other projects (FREEDOM WITHIN THE HEART), nobody would give me a chance, so as a
writer/director I was forced to become a producer,” says Mark.
Mahon won the coveted Hollywood ‘Best Screenplay Unproduced’ Award in 2005 at the
International Action on Film Ceremony in Los Angeles and was courted by some of the major U.S.
studios for a spell. One point that became very evident was that the making of FREEDOM WITHIN
THE HEART was going to be expensive and the studios had reservations about the costs. Mahon
knew that the only way he could make things happen was to take charge himself, so he set up his
own production company, Maron Pictures.
“I discussed the project with my solicitor, friend and now Executive Producer, Olann Kelleher, as to
how we could get this project off the ground.” The problem that then presented itself was how
they would raise the twenty million for his first production. “Prior to setting up Maron Pictures I was
developing property, where I would buy sites, get planning and build the properties. I reckoned
that film producing is effectively the same thing, except instead of dealing with sites, I would be
dealing with scripts,” says Mahon. After exhausting all possibilities, Mark and Olann decided with
proper investigation and planning that they could make a movie for approximately half of this
figure and so the writer developed a script with the budget constraints in mind. In December 2005,
he started writing STRENGTH AND HONOUR. He knew initially what the underlining theme was going
to be, that of overcoming the odds, a theme which has run through his own life.
After meeting Michael Madsen, Mark had a chat with him about his idea for the film. Michael
wanted to see the script. After completing its ninth draft, Mark personally dropped it off to
Madsen’s manager. It didn’t take long for Michael to ring the Irishman and tell him that he loved
the screenplay and wanted to do it.
At first glance, the film seems to revolve around the world of boxing in Ireland but digging deeper,
the feel-good movie turns into a magical experience where the audience will be left with a sense
of deep satisfaction. In the film, Madsen plays Sean Kelleher, an Irish-American forced to break the
last promise he made to his dying wife in order to save their son’s life. His decision to return to
boxing and fight for what he knows is right is a powerful story of good overcoming all. “I was lucky
to work with Quentin Tarantino in my early days, and I say the same about Mark today,” says
Madsen. “So much of any picture is down to the writing, and I see in Mark the kind of talent for
telling a story that's really rare to find.”
What most intrigued Madsen – in addition to playing the good guy – was his character’s internal
battle with himself. It is not just about fighting the devil incarnate in Smasher O’Driscoll (Vinnie
Jones), but the demon that plagues his own soul.
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ABOUT THE CAST
Madsen’s fascination with the role goes beyond his love of boxing to the character’s dramatic
change of life. He knew that the role was going to present certain physical challenges and started
an intense training program twelve weeks before coming to Ireland. “I love this part because it is
different from the bad guy roles that people have come to associate me with. It’s quite a shot for
me to play the other side of the coin, and be the good guy in the white hat for once,” says
Madsen.
Besides the physical demands, another taxing order was going to be the accent for the IrishAmerican character. For the perfectionist that he is, Madsen worked with a dialect coach before
he even got on the plane to the Emerald Isle, but soon found that you can’t beat being on the
ground. Madsen adds, “I learned a lot more about it from hanging out with the local people than I
did from any books or anything of that nature. You pick it up pretty fast just being there, you know!
Everybody talks a certain way and pretty soon, you start talking the same way and it just becomes
part of your speech pattern after a while. And besides, I'm supposed to be Irish American, which is
what John Wayne was when he did THE QUIET MAN. It was a similar story about someone who kills
someone in the boxing ring and, later on, they have to come back and face the realities."
“Mike has played some great parts in his career, but I always felt that he had more to give than his
usual typecast,” says Mahon. “In the environment where Sean would eventually end up, the actor
playing Sean had to be a tough guy physically but with a gentle, caring soul underneath the
surface. Actors who can meet these requirements are few and far between.”
Just as every fighter has a trainer, so does Sean. Mahon couldn’t believe his luck when he was
waiting outside an office in a major studio for a meeting. Sitting across from him was Richard
Chamberlain. He recognized the star immediately, as his grandmother was a big fan of the hit
mini-series “The Thorn Birds,” “Shogun” and her favourite movie, KING SOLOMON’S MINES. The two
had a pleasant conversation and Mahon explained that he was making his first film in Ireland later
that autumn. He gave Mr. Chamberlain his card and they parted company. Days later, Mahon
received an email from Mr. Chamberlain’s manager saying that Richard loved the outline of story,
which Mark had told him about and was there any possibility that he could read the script.
“I remember thinking after the phone call that the only character that I could see him playing was
the Denis O’ Leary character (Madsen’s boxing coach) but he was written as a ‘small, balding man
in mid-seventies.’ A quick second later, the character took on a new life as ‘DENIS O'LEARY, late
fifties, slim and good-looking for his age,’ says Mahon. Despite being retired for several years and
having looked for a script that he would make a comeback with, Chamberlain seized the
opportunity. “It was always going to take a special script to tempt me back to work again. When I
read STRENGTH AND HONOR I knew straight away it was the right one for me,” says Richard. “I think
the very human nature of the script is what attracted me to it in the first place.”
With the boxer and coach taken care of, Mahon turned his attention to casting Smasher O’Driscoll,
Sean’s nemesis. The director found himself with a new dilemma. With the underground world of
bare-knuckle fighting being as tough as what it is, who could he possibly get as an antagonist,
especially when the character would have to make the 6’2” Madsen appear intimidated? Mickey
Rourke’s name was mentioned but Mahon knew that visually if wouldn’t work with Rourke standing
at 5’ 11.” Always being a great fan of Vinnie Jones and reckoning that his talents as an actor were
underappreciated, Mahon sent the script to Mr. Jones. A week later, Vinnie signed up.
“Smasher O Driscoll’s brilliant for me. He’s a character who really takes over when you put the gear
on…,” says Vinnie. Part of his deal with Mahon though, was the British bad-boy had to play an Irish
traveller accent, as the director knew that he had it in him. Vinnie adds, “Brad Pitt used a special
voice coach to prepare for his part as a traveller in the film SNATCH. He suggested that I use the
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same person. I already knew a few travellers and also enlisted their help.” On set, Mahon’s training
as an actor really came into being, as he would personally go over lines with Vinnie before delivery.
“I trained solidly for six weeks for this role and after seeing it, it was all worth it,” says Jones. “To me,
this is one of the best fight movies ever made.” Mahon adds, “Vinnie got so into the character, one
night we went out for a few drinks and he started doing his traveller accent in a bar. Minutes later,
the manager came up and asked us to leave. When I asked why, he said that he had trouble in his
establishment before with travellers and wasn’t going to have it a second time. We both couldn’t
stop laughing and when we explained who Vinnie was, he nearly died of embarrassment.”
Looking for a strong female lead, the director scoured Ireland in open auditions to cast ‘Mammy.’
“For me, every actor in every movie has a scene that is theirs. Mammy’s scene is when she
confronts the travellers in her camp and I knew that if an actor could nail that, they would nail the
‘Mammy’ character. Gail Fitzpatrick auditioned for me and I asked her to do the scene. I gave her
some notes and the second time, Mammy came to life in front of me. I got up, shook her hand and
told her that I had met Mammy in the flesh,” says Mahon. Gail has over eleven years of experience
as an actor and loved the whole experience. “I have worked with writer/directors,
producer/directors, writer/producers, etc. many times before. But never have I experienced one
who could do all three (write, produce and direct) with the same level of skill and passion. I was
fortunate to be part of a rare and unique experience,” says Fitzpatrick.
For the key supporting roles of ‘Papa Boss’ and ‘Chaser McGrath,’ the filmmaker turned to one
veteran actor and one newcomer: Patrick Bergin and Michael Rawley.
“Patrick read the script and loved the part. Less than 48 hours later Mahon’s phone rang with Mr.
Bergin on the phone. A cool voice said to him, “I heard that you’re looking for a Papa Boss,” recalls
Mark. “I couldn’t believe it, as I was a big fan of SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY. I immediately jumped
on a plane to Patrick’s summer house in Brighton and Papa Boss was cast.”
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Very conscious that STRENGTH AND HONOUR was his directorial debut, Mahon storyboarded the
entire script, something which is unheard of in the industry. “In reality, I did it so there would be no
miscommunication with what I was trying to achieve visually. Even my opening shot could have
proved difficult, as the inside of the ring is well lit and darkness magically touches the ropes but
remains outside, so I wanted the camera to crane up, over and around the ring. The hidden
message in the shot is that there is a fine line between good and evil, right and wrong, darkness
and light. By handing storyboards to each department head, everybody knew what I wanted to
achieve.”
It fell to Production Designer Eleanor Wood to turn Mahon’s vision into a reality. Wood loved the
idea of creating the travellers world. “She was amazing,” says Mahon. “When we found the gym in
Passage, Cork, it was a derelict building. Afterwards I realized that Ele must have been delighted,
as she was effectively given a clean canvass. The first time that we turned up on the set after she
was finished, every one of the cast and crew just stopped and stared in amazement.”
Wood and her team utilized everything to its fullest capacity like the warehouse, which saw the
opening of the ‘Puck Fight.’ The building was to hold over six hundred extras, with four fights going
off simultaneously.
Financing for the movie was raised privately, with the assistance of Ireland’s S481 tax incentive. The
film was shot on location in Cork in Southern Ireland over seven weeks in the autumn of 2006.
Mahon says that making his film debut in his hometown really worked to their advantage. “The
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people of Cork knew that it was my first feature and really got behind me. Police, the local council,
everybody did whatever they could to help, which made the shoot a dream.” Madsen couldn’t
believe how the cast and crew were treated. “The fact that Mark chose to film in Cork using so
many local actors, was a brave decision that has worked. It would have been impossible to
generate the sense of reality on set had the film been shot in Hollywood,” says Madsen.
Adds Executive Producer Olann Kelleher: “All the places we filmed in the city and county were
within a 20-block radius of each other, so it was very compact and very economical. Cork really
embraced us filming there.”
The man charged with capturing Mahon’s vision was Director of Photography Alan Almond. “Mark
always wanted to get Michael on the right side of the screen, which is an old Hollywood tradition
about the goodie always being on the right and the baddie always being on the left. So that was
an added complication in terms of choreography and camera position, and camera position in
relation to where the sun was,” says Almond.
Lighting wise, the D.P. says that he worked with Mahon’s suggestion of using the darkness and light
with Madsen’s character. He adds, “one of the key features of the lighting plan was to keep
Michael’s character in the dark for much of the film. We would light an area and then have him
come near the light rather than right in it.”
Coming from a musical background, Mahon knew the importance of getting a great score to
enhance the drama. He met with Ilan Eshkeri and the two immediately hit it off. “I loved every
step of the process but one of the highlights had to be recording the score in the world famous
Studio One, Abbey Road. I’ll never forget walking down the corridor and looking at the posters of
the amazing movie scores that were recorded there. In my heart, I knew something magical was
about to happen,” says Mahon.
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ABOUT THE CAST
MICHAEL MADSEN (Sean Kelleher)
There is no simple way to describe Madsen. You can try “piercing green eyes…the trademark
raspy voice…a real man’s man.” But that’s where the simplicity begins and ends. Just as his credits
run the gamut from the hippest of cult films to the biggest studio blockbusters, his characters
transcend both ends of the spectrum. He is the ear-slicing “Mr. Blonde” in Quentin Tarantino’s
RESERVOIR DOGS, dancing and humming to the tune “Stuck in the Middle with You;” the deviant
killer in THE GETAWAY with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger; the psycho killer in John Dahl’s KILL ME
AGAIN; the Mafia family captain Sonny Black in DONNIE BRASCO with Al Pacino and Johnny Depp;
the tough-guy cop in MULHOLLAND FALLS; and the hard-core government operative in SPECIES.
Yet, Madsen is also the lovable and caring father in FREE WILLY; Susan Sarandon’s supportive,
understanding boyfriend in THELMA & LOUISE; the gentle Virgil Earp opposite Kevin Costner in WYATT
EARP and Halle Berry’s CIA boss in the James Bond film DIE ANOTHER DAY.
Madsen reunited with Quentin Tarantino for the first time in over ten years as “Budd” (aka
Sidewinder) in Tarantino’s KILL BILL: VOLUME 1 with Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah,
and Lucy Liu. Madsen also appeared in SIN CITY, Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of Frank Miller’s
stories, alongside Bruce Willis, Josh Hartnett, Brittany Murphy, and many others. He co-starred in the
USA TV movie “Frankenstein” from Executive Producer Martin Scorsese, author Dean Koontz and
director Marcus Nispel. Madsen plans to finish shooting the film RED LIGHT RUNNERS in which he
stars and co-produces. Madsen plays “Killian” who works for the government in their Special Ops
department in this spy thriller with Harvey Keitel, Peter O’Toole and Crispin Glover. From there, the
busy actor will join Tarantino and Larry Bishop as the star of the biker film HELL RIDE.
Madsen’s compilation of short stories and poems entitled Burning in Paradise further proves his
capabilities as an artist. Burning in Paradise, winner of the Independent Book Publisher’s
“Firecracker Poetry Book of the Year” Award, explores the intense and gritty experiences of a man
living on the edge. Dennis Hopper, who composed the book’s foreword, says Madsen is “Better
than Kerouac.” And in 2002, Michael’s book of poetry, Blessing of the Hounds, was released by 12
Gage Press. Both books are available at www.michaelmadsen.com, along with Madsen’s recently
released third book of prose entitled 46 Down.
Born in Chicago, Madsen and his two siblings, including actress Virginia Madsen, were reared in a
close-knit family environment. Michael entered the world of acting after seeing the production Of
Mice and Men at the Steppenwolf Theatre. It wasn’t long before Madsen wound up performing at
the theatre himself. When director Sergio Leone saw Madsen in a theatrical production of Carnal
Knowledge, he was so taken with Madsen’s performance that he insisted on meeting the young
performer, only to encourage Madsen to pursue an acting career.
After painting houses, repairing cars, working as an orderly in a hospital and pumping gas in his late
teens and early twenties, Madsen took Leone’s advice and moved to Los Angeles. It wasn’t long
before he landed guest-starring roles on “Miami Vice,” “Cagney and Lacey,” and “St. Elsewhere,”
to name a few, only to make his film debut in the hit feature WAR GAMES. After roles in RACING
WITH THE MOON, THE NATURAL, KILL ME AGAIN and the mini-series “War and Remembrance,” Ridley
Scott cast him in THELMA & LOUISE opposite Susan Sarandon, and Madsen became an “overnight
success.”
With a long list of features including THE DOORS, MONEY FOR NOTHING, LAST DAYS OF FRANKIE THE
FLY, and THE FLORENTINE, Michael also starred in his own series “Vengeance Unlimited,” a one-hour
drama on ABC where he played Mr. Chapel, vigilante extraordinaire.
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When Michael isn’t working, he relaxes in Malibu at home with his wife, De Anna, and his five
children. A dedicated husband and father, Michael loves to ride his Harleys as well as restore and
race old American classic cars. There’s simply only one way to describe Michael Madsen. He
personifies the word “cool.”
VINNIE JONES (Smasher O’ Driscoll)
An English born ex-footballer and former captain of the Wales national football team, Jones retired
from football in 1999 and, despite a lack of formal training in acting, has since found success in
front of the cameras. He has particularly profited from both his 'hard man' image (appearing in
crime and action films) and his football experience, appearing in films such as Guy Ritchie’s LOCK,
STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH, as well as GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS, MEAN
MACHINE, SWORDFISH, EUROTRIP, A NIGHT AT THE GOLDEN EAGLE, SLIPSTREAM, and SHE’S THE MAN.
He also had a part in an episode of the BBC show “Extras” and appeared recently opposite “Stone
Cold” Steve Austin in the WWE Films production THE CONDEMNED.
In 2006, Jones portrayed “Juggernaut” in X-MEN: THE LAST STAND. In an interview he stated that he
is signed for move movies: “I’ve signed for X-MEN 3, 4 and 5…that’s my contract…yes.” There is
also a possibility that he may revive his “Juggernaut” role in the X-Men spin-off film WOLVERINE to
star Hugh Jackman.
His first "sensitive" - hard-man role was in JOHNNY WAS, which premiered at the Karlovy Vary
International Film Festival in 2006. In the drama he acted alongside another sportsman-actor,
former undisputed Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World, Lennox Lewis, as well as Eriq La
Salle (ER), Roger Daltrey of The Who, and Patrick Bergin.
Last year, Jones made his musical theatre debut performing in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods
at the Royal Albert Hall, alongside Anita Dobson.
The busy actor’s upcoming films include THE RIDDLE with Derek Jacobi and Vanessa Redgrave,
MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, based on a short story by Clive Barker, starring Bradley Cooper and Brooke
Shields, and TOOTH & NAIL and HELL RIDE, both re-teaming him with STRENGTH AND HONOUR costar Michael Madsen.
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN (Denis O’Leary)
A veteran of film, theatre and television, Chamberlain has created a unique position with the world
of mini-series, having starred in some of the most dramatic and powerful productions in the history
of television. Over the last three decades the actor has starred in six of the most acclaimed miniseries: “Shogun,” “The Thorn Birds,” “Wallenberg,” “Centennial,” “Dream West,” and “The Bourne
Identity.”
“Shogun,” based on the James Clavell best-seller, earned Chamberlain a Golden Globe Award as
Best Actor, as well as an Emmy nomination. The actor received another Golden Globe Award,
Emmy nomination, and a People’s Choice Award for his work as ‘Father Ralph’ in the Australian-set
forbidden love story “The Thorn Birds.”
Born in Los Angeles, Chamberlain first wanted to become an artist but switched gears when he
scored successfully in theatrical productions at Pomona College. After this, he was drafted into the
U.S. Army, where he gained his sergeant’s stripes in Korea.
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Returning to Los Angeles, Chamberlain furthered his acting ambitions. He was featured in a dozen
American television programs in minor roles until he landed the lead in the TV series “Dr. Kildare,”
which made him a household name, virtually overnight. He played the popular physician for five
years, and at the height of his fame was receiving over 12,000 fan letters a week, far more than
even Clark Gable ever received.
After “Dr. Kildare” ended, Chamberlain decided to try his luck in England with British repertory
theatres and made a name for himself as a classical stage actor. He became the first American
actor to play Hamlet on stage in England since the great John Barrymore in 1929. Chamberlain
repeated his original stage triumph in a subsequent TV production of “Hamlet” for Hallmark Hall of
Fame, co-starring Sir John Gielgud and Michael Redgrave. His other stage credits include Richard
II, Cyrano de Bergerac and Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit.
While in England, director James Cellan Jones thought the California-born actor right for the role of
“Ralph Touchett” in the six-part BBC TV serial adaptation of Henry James’ “Portrait of a Lady.”
Chamberlain’s numerous mini-series and movies for television also include portraying King Edward
VIII, with Faye Dunaway as Wallis Simpson, in “The Woman I Love;” “F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Last
of the Belles,” playing opposite Blythe Danner and Susan Sarandon; the remake of the Dumas’
classic “The Count of Monte Cristo,” for which he received an Emmy nomination; “The Man in the
Iron Mask;” the epic mini-series “Centennial;” and “Dream West.”
Chamberlain’s more than 20 feature films include Richard Lester’s PETULIA as Julie Christie’s brutal
husband, THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT opposite Katharine Hepburn, JULIUS CAESAR as the
cunning Octavius, and Ken Russell’s THE MUSIC LOVERS playing the tormented Russian composer
Tchaikovsky. In 1973, he starred in the swashbuckling extravaganza based on Dumas’ classic THE
THREE MUSKETEERS. Chamberlain reprised his role as the womanizing, priestly musketeer Aramis in
the films’ two sequels, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS and THE RETURN OF THE MUSKETEERS, which reunited
him with Michael York and Oliver Reed. In the box office blockbuster THE TOWERING INFERNO, he
was part of an all-star cast headed by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, playing William
Holden’s villainous son-in-law. It was followed by raves for his performance in Peter Weir’s
fascinating Australian feature THE LAST WAVE. He later spent a year in Zimbabwe filming KING
SOLOMON’S MINES and the sequel ALLAN QUATERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD, both with
Sharon Stone.
In the mid-nineties, “the King of the Mini-Series” filmed the sequel to the acclaimed “Thorn Birds”
called “The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years.” In another multi-parter entitled “Too Rich: The Secret
Life of Doris Duke,” with Lauren Bacall, he plays the infamous butler who was purported to have
hastened the billionairess’ death. And last year, Chamberlain co-starred in The Hallmark Channel’s
“Blackbeard,” featuring his “Thorn Birds” co-star Rachel Ward. He most recently appeared in the
feature film comedy I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY starring Adam Sandler and Kevin
James.
Aside from acting, Chamberlain has long been known for his interest in environmental affairs. He
lobbied long and hard in Sacramento, California, as well as Washington D.C., to save the Tuolomne
River flowing from Yosemite National Park in California. He also narrated a widely acclaimed
Audubon TV special about the poaching of animals in National forests, as well as a special about
Hawaii’s precious ecology and the film “The Grand Canyon, Its History, and Fragile Ecology.”
His most recent adventures away from acting have been his first public art show in Lahaina, Maui
and the publication of his autobiography Shattered Love in 2003.
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PATRICK BERGIN (Papa Boss)
The son of a theatre owner and younger brother of an actor, Bergin was born and raised in Dublin.
He worked in the theatre throughout his school years and at age seventeen, moved to London and
created an experimental theatre group, Mum’s Underground, serving as director, producer and
actor. Patrick also worked in the National Central Library and educated himself by night. At age 21,
Bergin was accepted to the North London Polytechnic, graduating with a degree in Education. He
soon discovered that he disliked traditional teaching and turned to alternative education in his
desire to help habitual truants. He pioneered a program that is still used today for children who
refuse to attend school.
In 1980, he decided to pursue his love for the arts full-time. Soon after, he began appearing in
repertory theatre and in the English television film “Those Glory, Glory Days.” He made his film
debut in THE COURIER, starring Gabriel Byrne about drug-running in Dublin. He then landed a
featured role in the Irish drama TAFFIN starring Pierce Brosnan.
His first major screen role came as the charismatic English explorer Sir Richard Burton in Bob
Rafelson’s MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON. Bergin soon co-starred with Julia Roberts, playing her
obsessive husband in the thriller SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, followed by the title role opposite Uma
Thurman in John Irvin’s ROBIN HOOD, Phillip Noyce’s PATRIOT GAMES with Harrison Ford, MAP OF THE
HUMAN HEART, LOVE CRIMES, HIGHWAY TO HELL, LAWNMOWER MAN 2, and TREASURE ISLAND with
Jack Palance.
Bergin’s other film credits include ONE MAN’S HERO with Tom Berenger, which tells the story of the
Saint Patrick’s Battalion’s struggle during the Mexican-American War, THE LOST WORLD, based on
the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER with Ewan McGregor and Ashley Judd,
MERLIN: THE RETURN, the title role in “St. Patrick” for the Fox Channel, WHEN THE SKY FALLS opposite
Joan Allen, INVISIBLE CIRCUS with Cameron Diaz, “Jewel,” a CBS TV Movie with Farrah Fawcett, and
ELLA ENCHANTED. In recent years Patrick has played the guest lead in the TV series “Smallville,”
and the Hallmark mini-series “Icon” opposite Patrick Swayze and Michael York. His upcoming films
include GALLOWWALKER, opposite Wesley Snipes, shot in Namibia.
When he is not working, Bergin divides his time between Dublin, Ireland, Brighton, England and Los
Angeles, California. He has produced SOME OTHER PLACE – a trilogy of films adapted from three
poems by W.B. Yeats – The Cat & the Moon, Calvary and The Countess Cathleen – all directed by
his wife Paula Fraser-Bergin.
GAIL FITZPATRICK (Mammy McGrath)
A veteran of more than 30 stage productions, Fitzpatrick has worked in all the main theatres from
The Abbey and The Gate in Dublin to The Opera House in Cork, Ireland. She was nominated for an
Irish Times Theatre award in 2000. As well as numerous short films, she has appeared in “Father Ted,”
“The Clinic,” “Pure Mule” and many other TV productions. Of the six feature films she has been in,
Bruce Beresford’s EVELYN starring Pierce Brosnan, and HOW HARRY BECAME A TREE with Colm
Meaney and Cillian Murphy, were amongst them. Gail was nominated for an Irish Film and
Television Academy Award for her role, as Mammy in STRENGTH AND HONOUR.
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MICHAEL RAWLEY (Chaser McGrath)
Rawley is a native of Cork, Ireland. At the age of 16, he played the role of “Foxy” in his film debut
DISCO PIGS, getting the opportunity to work alongside Cillian Murphy and Elaine Cassidy. Michael
later joined the drama group Boomerang, expanding his interest in acting. It spurred him on to
numerous plays such as Deeply Regretted and a couple of short films including DIRT and JANE BY
THE SEA by Anspach Solveig. He was featured in the RTE TV series "Pure Mule" and "Stardust" and
also worked on the ongoing soap "Fair City."
FINBAR FUREY (Chosky Boss)
A native of Dublin, Furey had a love of music from an early age. In the 60’s, Finbar and his brother
Eddie toured the folk clubs and universities throughout the U.K. and Europe. ‘The Fureys’ became
folk legends across the continent and introduced a whole new generation to Irish folk music,
playing to thousands of people across Europe, particularly in Germany. In 1993, Finbar decided to
go solo and has since gone on to explore new pastures with phenomenal success as a singer,
producer, writer and actor. He previously appeared in Martin Scorsese’s GANGS OF NEW YORK.
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ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
MARK MAHON (Writer/Producer/Director)
A native of Cork City, Ireland, Mahon started out at a young age as a singer/songwriter and wrote
over forty songs, several of which were recorded. At the age of eighteen, he trained to be an
actor. During this time, he successfully completed his L.A.M.D.A (London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Art) acting examinations with distinction.
At the age of 22, Mark was severely injured in an accident and had to spend several months in
hospital recovering. Confined to a wheelchair for three years, he turned his love of acting and his
passion for the industry to writing feature films to stay involved in his chosen career. Left with a
permanent disability, he has completed five scripts and one novel.
In 2005, he won the 'Best Screenplay Unproduced' Award at the International Action on Film
Ceremony in Los Angeles for FREEDOM WITHIN THE HEART, which was launched in conjunction with
Atlantis Studios in late 2007, as a four edition, full colour comic book series. Later the same year, he
set up his production company ‘Maron Pictures,’ which now has offices in Ireland and Los Angeles.
Always wanting to direct and not being able to find a director who shared his vision, Mark decided
that he would helm his first project himself. So in early 2006, he went to London and received his
Director's Diploma from the Raindance Organization. Then, Mark directed his first feature STRENGTH
AND HONOUR.
In 2007, he made the cover of the April edition of ‘Hollywood Scriptwriter’ and was recently
honoured by the Action on Film Awards by having ‘The Mark Mahon Award of Excellence in
Writing’ named after him. Now 35, his first feature has taken over nineteen wins, twenty nominations
and official selections, including an Irish Film and Television Academy Award nomination. A
member of the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland and the Irish Film and Television Academy, Mark is
now planning on shooting his next project, FREEDOM WITHIN THE HEART in 2009.
OLANN KELLEHER (Executive Producer)
Kelleher is a Law Graduate from University College Cork and qualified as a solicitor in 1977. He is
the founding partner of the firm, Comyn, Kelleher, Tobin, one of the most prestigious law firms in
Cork City. He specializes in litigation, sports and entertainment law.
He has represented many famous sportsmen over the years, the most notable of whom is probably
Roy Keane, former Manchester United Captain and now manager of Sunderland F.C. He acts as
solicitor to Cork City Football Club and Munster Rugby. An accomplished sportsman himself he has
represented Munster in both Rugby and Cricket. He is also the Rugby Analyst for Cork Radio.
Central to raising necessary finance for the making of STRENGTH AND HONOUR, Kelleher is also a
partner, lawyer and negotiator for Maron Pictures.
ALAN ALMOND (Director of Photography)
After growing up in both India and Africa, Almond is now based in London. As a young boy he
wanted to be an actor. He studied photography at the Nottingham College of Art, acquiring skills
that later became the foundations on which he has built a successful career as a D.P. Alan has
been involved in many feature films including BROTHERS IN TROUBLE and MY SON THE FANATIC,
- 14 -
both directed by Udayan Prasad. He has worked extensively in television drama. Among his many
credits are “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Jericho,” “Miss Marple,” and “Foyle’s War.” He recently
completed “A Room with a View,” a film for ITV, starring Timothy Spall and Sinead Cusack. Alan is a
member of the British Society of Cinematographers.
ELEANOR WOOD (Production Designer)
Educated in Manchester, Wood began her career as a furniture designer for leading furniture chain
Habitat. After winning a designing award for her work, Ele then toured India. Following this, she
joined a visual theatre group called Horse and Bamboo, which toured the West and North of
Ireland. During this time, Eleanor fell in love with Ireland. She then started designing for television
and feature films, which has given her a fifteen year career. In 2005, Eleanor picked up an Irish Film
and Television Academy award for her production design work on the feature film SHORT ORDER.
More recently, she was Production Designer of BOTCHED, which was a cult hit at the German
Fantasy Film Festival.
KATE COGGINS (Editor)
Coggins grew up in Oxford and attended Cambridge University where she read English Literature,
ran the Film Society and directed several plays. On finishing her degree, she first gained an
internship at the Royal Court Theatre, and then moved on to working in a casting studio, filming
screen tests for films such as ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, STAGE BEAUTY and Roman Polanski's OLIVER
TWIST. While there she also began cutting show reels and promos, which sparked her love of
editing. Her previous work includes I COULD NEVER BE YOUR WOMAN, a romantic comedy starring
Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd, directed by Amy Heckerling. Her credits, as an assistant are the
British TV movies "Friends and Crocodiles" and "Gideon's Daughter" which won two Golden Globes
for Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt, directed by Stephen Poliakoff, and LAND OF THE BLIND by Bob
Edwards starring Ralph Fiennes and Donald Sutherland.
ILAN ESHKERI (Composer)
The British composer lives and works in London. He recently composed the score for STARDUST,
Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel, starring Claire Danes, Robert De
Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer. His relationship with Vaughn began when he composed the score for the
box office hit LAYER CAKE, starring Daniel Craig. For this score, he was nominated in the category
of “Discovery of the Year” at the World Soundtrack Awards.
Other recent feature film scores include HANNIBAL RISING, the Hannibal Lecter prequel,
STRAIGHTHEADS starring Gillian Anderson, and VIRGIN TERRITORY, a romantic comedy starring
Hayden Christensen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth.
Ilan has also worked with various songwriters and is currently working on string arrangements with
Annie Lennox for her broadcast special and forthcoming tour. He has also written string
arrangements for Badly Drawn Boy’s songs in Nancy Meyers' SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE and cowrote a song with Take That for STARDUST. Ilan has been on tour supporting David Gilmour and
more recently programmed and arranged strings on Gilmour’s hit solo album “On An Island.”
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CREW
Stunt Coordinator
Roger Yuan
Assistant fight Arranger
Norman Kelly
Stunt Men / Boxing Doubles
Taylor Lane
Paul Cummins
Stephen Byrne
Pat Walsh
Greg Loeskin
Ciaran O’Neill
Trevor Kearney
Lee Cairnes
Niall O’Sullivan
Gary O’Sullivan
Kevin Power
Dan Connors
First Assistant Director
Charlie Watson
Second Assistant Director
Catherine Dunne
Third Assistant Director
Henry Forsyth
Extras Coordinator
Oonagh Kearney
Marie Celine O
Reilly
Kevin O’Leary
Assistant Extras Coordinator
Trainee Assistant Director
Damien Coughlan
Niall Owens
Production Coordinator
Bettina Lyster
Asst. Production Coordinator
Michelle Carew
Production Runner
Lisa Fleming
Assistant to Mark Mahon
Siobhan Flynn
Production Accountant
Stephen McGillen
Assistant Accountant
James Murray
Camera Operator
Alan Almond
Focus Puller
Ray Moore
Clapper Loader
Anthony Meade
Grip
Adam Tsan
Assistant Grip
David O’Connor
Camera Trainee
Mary Crowley
Danny Forde
Fergus Long
2nd Unit Camera Operator
Matt Skinner
2nd Unit Focus Puller
Paul Shanahan
2nd Unit Clapper Loader
Cris Ayoub
Script Supervisor
Caroline Sax
G.B.C.T
Alice O'Sullivan
Trainee Script Supervisor
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Location Sound Mixer
Simon Willis
Boom Operator
Andrew Felton
Sound Trainee
Enda Callan
Location Manager
Kieran Hennessy
Location Assistant
Gillian Morrison
Wardrobe Supervisor
Colette Jackson
Wardrobe Assistant
Valarie Kelly
Eimer O Laoghaire
Costume Trainee
Catherine Dalton
Make-Up Designer
Morna Ferguson
Hair Designer
Lorraine Glynn
Make-Up Assistant
Niamh O’Loan
Art Director
Owen Power
Art Department Trainee
Derek Nagle
Storyboard Artist
Steve Werblun
Caravan Wrangler
Paul Liengaard
Assistant Caravan Wrangler
Denise Malcolm
Production Buyer
Anne Fitzsimons
Trainee Buyer
Dearbhal Connan
Prop Master
Seth Turner
Dressing Props
Jerome McDonnell
Dressing Props
Kieran Shellard
Standby Props
Pat Mckane
Trainee Standby Props
John Snee
Construction Manager
Andy harris
Stage Hand
Aaron Harris
Goat Wrangler
Ulli Wolfe
Dog Handler
Tom O’Reilly
Gaffer
Steve Swannell
Best Boy
Ian Madden
Electrician
Addo Gallagher
Electrician
Peter O’Toole
Genny Operator
Eugene O’Sullivan
Stills Photographer
Bernard Walsh
Dialogue Coach
Poll Moussoulides
Cathal Quinn
SFX Supervisor
Gerry Johnson
Catering
Peter McEvoy
Jennifer Mcvoy
Ruth Smith
Debbie Fitzgerald
- 17 -
Ted Jones
Transport Captain
Paul Cullen
Drivers
Dermot Moore
Gary Foster
Alan Bevan
Stephen Fearon
John Fearon
William Kenefick
Lloyd Creagh
Jimmy Devlin
Johnny Fortune
Mervyn Ewing
Patrick Fisher
Tony Troy
Noel Molloy
Post Production Supervisor
Phil Brown
Post Production Coordinator
Moira Brophy
Assembly Editor
Richard Smither
ADR mixer
Peter Gleaves
FX Sound Editor
Adrian Rhodes
Foley Editor
Ben Norringtion
Supervising sound/Dialogue Editor
Tim Hands
Foley Recordist
Peter Gleaves
Re-recording Mixer
Adrian Rhodes
Assistant Re-recording Mixer
Phil Jenkins
Sound Post Production
De Lane Lea Post
Production Ltd
Collette Boyle
Sound Facility Coordinator
Asst. FX Editor
Phil Freudenfeld
Asst. Dialogue Editor
Gavin Rose
Foley Artist
Ruth Sullivan
Paula Boram
Studio Assistant
Dave Wren
ADR Studios Los Angeles
Pop Sound
ADR Mixers Los Angeles
Michael Miller
ADR Studios Dublin
Screen Scene
ADR Mixers Dublin
Mark Fitzpatrick
ADR Studio Coordinator
Suzanne McKenzie
Digital Film Facility
Prime Focus/VTR
DI Film Consultant
Mike Fraser
- 18 -
DI Manager
David Clarke
Film Colourist
Duncan Russell
Online Editor
Alan Maiden
DI Producer
Danny Pagan
DI Technical Supervisor
James Tillett
ARRI Laser Recordist
Reuben Goodyear
DI Film Scanner
Richard Fearon
CGI Supervisor
Alan Maiden
Special Effects Design
Faye Greenwood
MUSIC
Music Performed by
London Metropolitan Orchestra
Conducted by
Teese Gohl
Featured Singer
Pauline Scalon
Featured Musicians
Mike Taylor
Jill Tinglay
Finbar Furey
Music Recorded at
Abbey Road
Music Mixed at
North Pole
Mixed by
Steve McLaughlin
Mixed by
Richard Lancaster
Additional Music
Teese Gohl
Scott Shields
Chad Hobson
Pauline Scanlon
Finbar Furey
Orchestrations by
Julian Kershaw
Mark Baechle
Arranging/Programming
Christoph Bauschinger
Music Preparation by
Bob Lowdell
Music Production Coordinator
Elisa Kustow
Music Editor
Tom Chichester-Clark
Additional Music Editing
Arthur Jeffes
“Bring Me Down”
(Mark Mahon)
Performed by Mark Mahon
Courtesy of Mark Mahon
- 19 -
“Shannonside”
(Finbar Furey)
Performed by Finbar Furey
Published by Banshee Music Ltd.
Courtesy of Banshee Music Ltd.
“No Farewell, No Goodbye”
(Finbar Furey)
Performed by Finbar Furey
Published by Banshee Music Ltd.
Courtesy of Banshee Music Ltd.
“Wild Horses”
(Andrew Frampton, Natasha Bedingfield, Wayne Wilkins)
Performed by Natasha Bedingfield
Published by EMI Publishing Ltd & In Genius Songs Ltd
(P) 2004 Sony BMG Music Entertainment (UK) Limited
Licensed courtesy of Sony BMG Commercial Markets
“The Riverboat Song”
(Minchella, Fowler, Harrison, Cradock)
Performed by Ocean Colour Scene
Published by Universal/Island Music Ltd.
Courtesy of Universal-Island Records Ltd.
Under Licence from Universal Music Operations
Financial Services
HLB Nathans
Corporate Financial Advisor
Trevor Leacy
Project Tax Adviser
Mark Barrett
Legal Services
Comyn, Kelleher and Tobin
U.S.A. Legal Services
Paul S. Levine
Insurance
Media Insurance
Laboratory
Deluxe London
Telecine Facilities
Arion Facilities
Film Stock
Fujifilm (Ireland)
Camera & Lighting
Equipment
Facility Vehicles
The Production Depot
Irish Film Location Facilities
Aerfast International
Couriers
Walkie Talkiies
TVF Communications
Travel Agency
Flair Travel
Media Correspondent
Billy MacGill
Produced with the support of investment incentives for the Irish Film Industry
provided by the Government of Ireland.
WITH THANKS
Dee and Maya
Morgan Freeman
- 20 -
Aer Lingus
Bank of Ireland
Cork Airport Authority
Cork City Council
Cork County Council
Cork University Hospital
Everlast
Fedex
Dermalogica Skincare
Dane Lane and the Rylane Boxing Club
Keary’s of Cork Ltd
Mahon Point Shopping Centre
OPW Charles Fort, Kinsale
St. Colemans Boxing Club
St. Mary’s Parish Passage West
Strand Security Services
The Health Service Executive
Wilton Shopping Centre
Arnaud Disant
Claire Cunningham
Councillor John O’Shea
Councillor Michael Ahern
David & Pam Kearney
Donna Eperon
Niall and Debbie Byrne
Nigel Douglas
Pat O’Halloran
and
THE PEOPLE OF CORK
- 21 -