Lay on, Macduff

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 1

Lay on, Macduff

(N.Z P.A. Staff Correspondent) LONDON, March 22. A New Zealand actor, Terence Bayler, was slashed in the face during a rather too realistic sword fight while “Macbeth” was being filmed near London. Bayler, playing Macduff, was battling for the Polish director, Roman Polanski with an English actor, Jon Finch, who plays Macbeth, when he was badly cut only a quarter of an inch from one of his eyes. He was taken to hospital where five stitches were

sewn In the wound, and he was recovering at his London home this morning. A studio spokesman said the fight had been most realistic. At first the studio nurse had not been able to tell the difference between' the actor’s real blood and Polanski’s prop blood, his own special mixture which includes instant coffee. The film will cost more than s2m and is backed by Hugh Hefner, of “Playboy.” The script is by Polanski and Kenneth Tynan.