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There are shrines dedicated to writers, film stars, actors, heroes and eccentrics all over the world, but they are not necessarily the kind the famous people involved themselves would have chosen. Certainly Jim Morrison would have never thought of Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris and Keats would have probably opted for somewhere quieter and more in harmony with nature than Rome’s Spanish Steps.
In the case of British actor Oliver Reed, however, a pub for a niche or, possibly, a niche for a pub, would have received his full and enthusiastic seal of approval. Reed, who starred in such memorable films as “Women in Love”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Oliver!” and “Castaway”, died on May 2, 1999 aged 61 after a typical drinking session in The Pub, one of Valletta’s numerous watering holes.
The famous “Hellraiser” at the time had been on the island for the filming of the Hollywood blockbuster “Gladiator”. Today, admirers of the great actor arrive from all over the world to pay their respects by actually sitting on the very spot where Ollie sat on his last night out.
This small, English-style pub was where Oliver Reed collapsed after having downed one too many bottles of rum. Sadly, he died before the ambulance could get him to the nearest hospital. From then on the pub instantly became an artistic shrine where film-buffs, Ollie fans and curious other drinkers converge.
As the toasts for Ollie ring out every evening, somehow you cannot help feeling his spirit shifting clumsily in to acknowledge their highly merited accolade.
If you want to visit the location of Ollie’s most dramatic scene ever then just get to Valletta and find Archbishop Street and you can’t miss it. For more information you can always call them on (+356) 2123 7525.
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