I am extremely excited about the launch of our Austen Authors website tomorrow. It should be a grand experiment in creativity. However, I am still playing around with a slideshow of actors who have appeared in Jane Austen related films and who are celebrating their September birthdays. I am hoping Sharon Lathan can bail me out on this matter. My frustration level is still high, and I need a break from the computer. Sharon is very tech “smart” and should make it look like it should. I will need to master it before October as this will be a regular feature on the website. At least, that is what we are hoping.
This month you will see some familiar faces such as Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Greer Garson. Many of you will also recognize Rupert Penry Jones and Billie Piper, especially if you are fans of the BBC. Sabina Franklyn (Jane Bennet, Pride & Prejudice 1980), Peter Settelen (George Wickham, P&P 1980), Alan Badel (Fitzwilliam Darcy, P&P 1958), and Christopher Villiers (Tom Bertram, Mansfield Park 1983) may not be so recognizable to some of you. However, we are hoping you will return each month to view who is celebrating another birthday.
Another issue was that many actors only listed their year of birth in their bios. Some of Austen favorites give us no clue as to when we might acknowledge them. They include Amanda Root, J J Field, Elizabeth Garvie, and Simon Woods.