BEING A BIT MORE BERYL
Who is BERYL, I hear you ask?
Beryl Vertue was a pioneering spirit who had a groundbreaking career in radio, TV and film going from secretary to multi-award-winning TV and film producer - throughout a period of significant change in the entertainment industry. You may recognise some of her work; ‘Til Death Us Do Part, Steptoe and Son, Sherlock, Men Behaving Badly, Coupling, The Who’s rock musical, Tommy starring Elton John, Eric Clapton and Tina Turner, Saturday Night Fever - just to name a few.
What she would probably never tell you is that she was appointed Office of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000 for her services to television and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2016 for services to television drama. 2004 she received BAFTA’s Alan Clarke Award for Outstanding Creative Contribution to Television. In 2012 she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards and in the same year was presented with the Harvey Lee Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting at the BPG TV and Radio Awards. In 2016 Benedict Cumberbatch presented her with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Women in Film and TV Awards.
I loved Beryl Vertue. She was an amazing woman whom I admired greatly. Although I hadn’t seen her since I was last in London, about fifteen years ago, I will never forget her kindness when she took me under her wing like a mother hen when I travelled abroad for the first time at 21 years old. When I showed up at Hartswood Films to see her and her beautiful daughters Debbie and Sue - it truly was like I had seen them all yesterday. Some people have that effect on you!
Sadly, Beryl died at the spritely age of 90 last month and at her funeral, which thankfully I was invited to watch, I was reminded of some key BERYLisms that I would like to share them with you.
IN LIFE
Assuming that everyone is genuine, doesn’t make you stupid.
To be successful, you don’t need to be cruel.
Kindness may mean the same thing as efficiency
WORK WISE
Only do things that you are passionate about
Don’t have that fear of missing out - if someone is more passionate than you - they are going to do a better job - just let them go and do it.
Never force someone into a corner; you have got to give them a way out.
Winning an argument isn’t everything.
Admit when you don’t know something. There’s no point in pretending you do when you don’t. If you admit that you don’t know things - everyone is going to come and help.
Work hard and have fun doing it.
It’s only money.
Make sure you can sleep at night … don’t do anything during the day when you are talking to people that are going to make you have a bad night’s sleep. Do things that allow you to sleep well.
Personally, I feel truly blessed to have known and spent time with this sensational woman. As her daughters, Debbie and Sue said “She was more than a mother to us - she was also a friend. Too many in the industry (and globally) she was more than a friend - she was often a mother”. Rest In Peace Beryl, and thank you for lighting up my life in countless ways, I am forever grateful.