John Bindon

John Bindon was born in Fulham, London, and was the son of Dennis Bindon, a merchant seaman and engineer turned cab driver. Bindon pursued a career in acting. ==Acting and associations==

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. 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. The princess later denied meeting Bindon, despite pictures of them next to one another. During this time Bindon gained the nickname "Big John", due to the reported size of his penis. Apparently demonstrated on multiple occasions over decades, when inebriated, Bindon was able to hang five half-pint beer glasses from his manhood. 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. ==Oakland incident==

In early 1977, Bindon was hired by Peter Grant on advice from tour manager Richard Cole as security coordinator for the rock group Led Zeppelin during their concert tour of the United States. He had previously provided security for actors Ryan and Tatum O'Neal (he had appeared in Barry Lyndon in a scene with Ryan). An incident involving Bindon occurred at the band's concert at the Oakland Coliseum on 23 July 1977, near the end of their US tour. Upon arrival at the stadium, it is alleged that Bindon pushed a member of promoter Bill Graham's stage crew out of the way as the band entered via a backstage ramp. As a result, tension had been simmering between Graham's staff and Led Zeppelin's security team during the day, and as Grant and Bindon were walking down the ramp near the end of the concert, words were exchanged with stage crew chief Jim Downey, which resulted in Bindon knocking Downey unconscious. Bindon maintained that he was goaded into the fight after Graham's crew referred to him as "a weak limey fuck". Just minutes later a separate off-stage incident occurred. Bill Graham's security man Jim Matzorkis was accused of slapping Peter Grant's 11-year-old son Warren for taking a dressing room sign, and was savagely beaten up. Led Zeppelin's second Oakland show took place only after Bill Graham signed a letter of indemnification, absolving Led Zeppelin from responsibility for the previous night's incident. However, Graham refused to honour the letter and assault charges were laid against Grant, Cole, Bindon and John Bonham when the band arrived back at their hotel. The four received bail and later pleaded no contest, receiving suspended sentences. Bindon was dismissed by the band and returned to England. Grant later said that allowing Bindon to be hired was the biggest mistake he made as manager. ==Darke murder trial==

In 1978, Bindon became involved in a fight with John Darke, a London gangster, Bindon was acquitted of Darke's murder in November 1979. It was reported that the "substantial appearance" of actor Bob Hoskins as a character witness at the trial helped sway the jury's verdict ==Later years and death==

During the 1980s, Bindon became a reclusive figure, spending more of his time at his Belgravia flat. He died on 10 October 1993, aged 50. According to Philip Hoare's obituary in The Independent, he died from cancer. ==References in popular culture==

In 2002, a Carlton Television documentary of Bindon's life entitled Real Crime: Starring John Bindon was screened in the UK on ITV. It featured archival footage of Bindon behind the scenes and interviews with Angie Bowie, Vicki Hodge, Billy Murray, George Sewell and James Whitaker. Bindon also featured in the Carlton documentary for ITV, The Secret Life of Princess Margaret, broadcast in 2005. Bindon's relationship with Princess Margaret was the subject of Channel 4's documentary The Princess and the Gangster, which was broadcast on 9 February 2009. In 2010, Bindon was the subject of Ten Men: The Lives of John Bindon, a one-man verse play written and directed by Franklyn McCabe, with Matthew Houghton playing Bindon. The play was performed at the Open House pub theatre as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2010. Bindon appeared as a character played by the actor Jason Merrells in the stage play A Princess Undone which opened at the Cambridge Arts Theatre in October 2016. ==Filmography==

• From Russia with Love (1963) – Airport Passerby (uncredited) • Poor Cow (1967) – Tom • Inspector Clouseau (1968) – Bull Parker • Performance (1970) – Moody • Get Carter (10 March 1971) – Sid Fletcher • Man in the Wilderness (1971) – Coulter • The Mackintosh Man (1973) – Buster • ''No Sex Please, We're British'' (1973) – Pete • Love Thy Neighbour (1973) – White Groom • Dead Cert (1974) – Walter • 11 Harrowhouse (1974) (US title: Anything for Love) – Second Guard • Juggernaut (1974) (US title: Terror On the Britannic) – Driscoll • Barry Lyndon (1975) – Recruiting soldier • Trial by Combat (1976) – 2nd Reagan Brother • Quadrophenia (14 May 1979) – Harry ==Television appearances==

• The Gold Robbers (1969) – Terry Lardner • Department S (1969) – Greer • Z-Cars (1969) – Buzz Bentley • Special Branch: Intercept (1974) – Harry Beauchamp • Softly, Softly: Taskforce (1976) – Edward Dinsdale • Hazell (1979) – Jack Horner • The Racing Game (1979) – Terry Flynn ==Notes==