GIVE IT A TWIST TO WIN Enjoy MILLER GENUINE DRAFT Sensibly. Visit Herlihy s bit part Fan-fare: The actor is fondly thought of by film buffs GIG Depeche Mode Its always the quiet ones who need watching. Through the 1980s and 1990s, self- consciously arty synth-poppers such as New Order and Pet Shop Boys may have been busily hoovering up all the critical kudos. But it was Depeche Mode Top Shop to New Orders Armani according to one critic who were humbly going about becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet. Today things have turned full circle critics and public are united in their adoration of the Basildon outfit who, it is now bleedingly obvious, have been one of the most influential electro outfits of the past 25 years. More than that, they continue to move forward. While their contemporaries fall into squabbling or creative stasis, The Mode soar onwards and upwards: 2005s Playing The Angel saw them take on Nine Inch Nails goth-pop; this years Sounds Of The Universe is a classic suite of synth-pop workouts. Live, meanwhile, theres another dimension to the group frontman David Gahan (pictured) is one of the last truly great rock vocalists of his generation, a natural showman who isnt above getting jiggy with his mike-stand or shaking his rear at the audience. If that sounds like exaggeration ask yourself how many other blokes the far side of 50 are prepared to look completely daft for the delectation of their fans? Exactly. Eamon de Paor Tonight, The O2 East Link Bridge D1, 8pm, 65.70 to 68.20. Tel: 0818 719 391. www.depechemode.com Thursday, December 10, 2009 metrolife 15 have a family, too bad. You can get caught up in this business and it can dictate where you live: everything. Youre chasing something: wealth, fame, whatever. For many, it doesnt cut it, but he adds, I am perfectly content with my lot. OHerlihy was born in California into an Irish- American family. His father was Wexford-born Dan OHerlihy, who came to fame in 1954s Robinson Crusoe and TV series Rawhide. OHerlihy Senior was prolific, acting in films like Robocop until his dotage. He was just an Irish kid who went off to Hollywood, made his name early and raised a big family: a strong family, says OHerlihy. But his taste for the profession occurred upon his return to Ireland. At 14, he began attending Blackrock College, then went to Trinity. After a stint in Dublins theatres, he hightailed it back to California, where his career took off with an appearance on 1973s The Mary Tyler Moore Show, followed by a stint as Ron Howards older brother on Happy Days. Six months in, though, he quit. All they were asking me to do was bounce a basketball. I was thinking, I dont want to sit and do this forever. So I asked to be released from a seven-year contract. I p***ed off a lot of people, but not myself. No regrets whatsoever. I saw them all years later. Henry [The Fonz] Winkler tracked me down and asked me to come to a reunion. And Ron directed Willow. Throughout the subsequent decades, while the actor played supporting roles in films like Superman III, he earned his crust in various TV series World War II drama Well Meet Again, Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission, Twin Peaks, and Star Trek Voyager, amongst others but until recently, he says there was a huge gulf between TV and film. When I was starting out, TV was only 20 years old, so it was a relatively new medium the minor league in the eyes of many. In the 1950s or 1960s, you could make serious money as an episodic guest star. That changed radically in the 1970s: after taxes and commissions, youd make about $2,700 a month as the lead guest star. When you do that ten times a year, youre bringing home $25,000 to $30,000. That wasnt a lot of money. TV got tough. It became a struggle. N ow living with his family in the English Cotswolds, OHerlihy is philosophical about his life in showbiz. He still works before The Descent 2, he appeared in ITVs Midsomer Murders but the days when he would leave home for nine months (as he did for the Sharpe TV series) are over. And if his legacy is a recognisable face few can pin a name to, thats enough. Its always kind of pleasant, I suppose, he says. Ive done roles that a lot of people remember. There are also Bond fanatics out there, Superman fanatics, film fanatics. Thats plenty for me. Actors became the 20th century royalty. Its slightly ephemeral. Its something you have to be careful with because none of it is entirely real. The Descent: Part 2 is out now The hoTTesT TickeTs in Town We have a pair of tickets to see THE MARS VOLTA tonight at The Olympia, 7.30pm For a chance to win, e-mail your answer to the question below to life@ metroireland.ie by noon today with Hot Tickets in the subject line. With your answer please include your name, address and a number where you can be contacted between 1pm and 3pm. Strictly one entry per person; entrants must be age 18+. Q. Which bassist appears on The Mars Voltas De-Loused In The Comatorium? A Flea B Geezer Butler The winners of yesterdays tickets to see Tisto are: Ola Kalus & David ODea I would have to say Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in Catcher In The Rye, is my favourite character. Because even though the book was published in the early 1950s, theres something about him that most men can probably identify with at some point in their life that sort of cynical look at life has a resonance. You find yourself taking on his personality for a few days after reading that book. Ive probably read it ten times now I go back to it every three or four years. The first time I read it, I was probably about 12. Its expletive-laden, so when youre 12 and find a book like that in your library, you think, Wow, this must be real literature! Rich Halls new DVD Hell No I Aint Happy is out now, priced 23 CHARACTER STUDY Rich Halls favourite fictional figure index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html