Diaries of actor who inspired Withnail character to be auctioned in London | Withnail and me

I have to drink a little! So goes the famous line exclaiming Richard E Grant as the title character in the cult classic Withnail and I.

And judging by the recently discovered diaries kept by one of the troubled actors the film was based on, it's clear why this kind of dialogue has become so easy.

Vivian MacKerrell had few acting credits, but her main contribution to cinema was the hedonistic antics that inspired the film, written and directed by her former roommate Bruce Robinson.

His diaries recount the sordid lives endured and aided by a cocktail of cheap wine, lighter fluid and fringe benefits enjoyed by both men during their time as creative skints living in Camden Town.

The 1987 film stars Grant and Paul McGann as two actors, Withnail and Marwood, who retreat to a country house in an attempt to escape their chaotic lifestyle in 1960s London, but the A couple's vacation turns disastrous as they find themselves in conflict with the locals and carry on with their lives. to drink a lot.

Grant's character, Withnail, is based on MacKerrell. The entries give a first-hand account of real-life versions of scenes from the film, such as MacKerrell drinking a can of lighter fluid and visiting wolves at Regents Park Zoo.

The actor, who died in 1995, shared a house in Camden Town with the film's writer and director Bruce Robinson, on which Marwood's character was based, where they lived in similar squalor to the film's main characters.

The two diaries up for auction cover the years 1974 and 1975 and even mention that Robinson wrote Withnail and Me. When sold at Sothebys in London, they are expected to sell for between 12,000 and 18,000 pieces.

An excerpt reads: Got up around 9:30 to go down and check in with B.[ruce]. Work [exchange] seemed more full than usual, they reduced the staff, the buggers.

After a pint, Withnail and I read and corrected his book again and when he returned we opened the bottle of Pouilly-Fuiss that L had put in the planter to cool off.

They've never been seen outside of MacKerrell's friends and family and provide new insight into the inspiration behind the film, as the actor talks about his apartment being invaded by mice, his 30th birthday and his feelings about seeing his friends move on with their lives.

Although the film ends when the character based on Robinson moves out, the diaries continue after his departure and show that MacKerrell remained in the same squalid house with new roommates, continuing his heavy drinking and drug use.

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The journals also record MacKerrell's dreams, a list of songs, miscellaneous notes, creative prose writings, and drafts of letters.

A set of MacKerrell's photographs, including never-before-seen negatives from a Vogue photo shoot, will also be included with both journals. Gabriel Heaton, books and manuscripts specialist at Sothebys, said: “Vivian MacKerrell’s diaries are a wonderful discovery.

They maintain a witty, acerbic, unapologetic and melancholic voice, and depict a sordid bohemian lifestyle that is instantly recognizable to Withnail lovers and me.

It is a great privilege to have this insight into the inspiration and context of one of the greatest modern British films, when Bruce Robinson began writing his first version of Withnail and I, which is recorded in the newspapers themselves. .

The diaries are also a touching tribute to MacKerrell's friendship with Bruce Robinson and the impact they had on each other's lives.

Nearly 40 years later, Withnail and I remains embedded in our consciousness, the recent stage adaptation shows the strong appeal it still retains and these diaries allow us to better understand and celebrate one of the real-life characters who inspired it .