«Reed – who once asked, “I like the effect drink has on me. What’s the point of staying sober?” – realised, upon his arrival at Galway airport, Ireland, while lying drunk on the baggage conveyor, that he was slowly killing himself with his constant alcohol binges. He tried to make amends for his past behaviour, which included spiking snooker star Alex Higgins’ whisky with Chanel perfume. Higgins reacted by squirting washing-up liquid in Reed’s crème de menthe.»

http://www.bubblegun.com/features/15oliver.html

Éprise, hardly a fair exchange--No 5 costs far more than detergent! If I were Oliver Reed I'd have been very insulted!

Yeah, if I was that malicious, I would save the Chanel and put Lady Stetson in it!

Oooh, a perfume cocktail!

Glad you are having fun with the story!

Yes, poor Oliver Reed. He was so good in SONS AND LOVERS and TOMMY.

By all accounts he very simply drank himself to death.

What a waste. The last thing I recall seeing him in was the Russell Crowe vehicle ...... ummm Gladiator.

After finding this anecdote I wound up watching a very interesting doc, the Real Oliver Reed (part one of five is linked below). Many tales of drinking episodes, including his final one (RIP), and brief clips of some very interesting acting I haven't seen and should check out. The Devils sounds fascinating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OcRD6iuaE4
PS Excellent music throughout the doc.

Very good doc, agree music is great. He was gorgeous. I think the torch was passed to Rufus Sewell ... but Reeds eyes still have it.
I believe Alan Bates was/is his contemporary, and perhaps even considered the same 'type' when they were being cast. Yum on all
counts ;-)

Glad you enjoyed the doc incl. the music, Sofiadurango! I was stunned at the early pictures of Reed, being most used to seeing him at least middle-aged and especially with the beard, and finally 'got it.' (And therefore also the ladies' man - plus intense bastard - self-parody he does in a Jeckyl / Hyde-type picture that is the only film of his I've seen the entirety of.)

Eprise,

I've yet to watch the remaining segments. But the two I watched were very well done, indeed. Brit docs are well-known to
be the masters in the field. His portrayal of the character (Jack?) in the Twist story is supposed to be one of his finest. I saw
it a long time ago, and it bears re-viewing (making note to self).