Mr Burton – Mentors and friends

This is a film about Philip Burton, the man who helped Richard Burton become the greatest actor Wales has ever produced. Back then, before being helped and mentored by Philip Burton, he was just young Richie Jenkins, a wild school boy from Port Talbot. I had not heard of Philip Burton before seeing this movie, but I had of course heard of Richard Burton. Where Eagles Dare is one of my favourite war movies, a rare action movie for a man who became one of the leading actors of his generation. And the man who voiced Jeff Wayne’s album version of War of the Worlds – who can forget the chilling resonant tones of his opening line – ‘No one would have believed, in the last years of the 19^th century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space…’
History is surely littered with untold stories of those who helped make famous people great. You may not have heard of Mordecai Ham but he had a massive influence on the world. During one of his revival meetings he converted a 16-year-old farm boy called Billy Graham.
Jesus may not have had mentors but he certainly had those who encouraged and helped him. He had good parents in Mary and Joseph. We would guess that he learned carpentry from Joseph, and it was his cousin John who introduced him to the people as the lamb of God at the Jordan and then baptised him as he began his ministry. Mary and Martha were close friends who often gave him a bolt hole in their home in Bethany. And in those dying moments on the cross a man beside him reminded him that it did not end there. He was a king with a kingdom and the power to save. ‘Remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ That must surely have been an encouragement in those dark lonely hours of pain and anguish.
I can think of folks who have been vital in my life, those who have guided and helped, leading me on in faith, hope and learning. And I’m so grateful for those people. I hope I have been useful to others in that way. Thank you Lord for those who have guided and helped us to reach this moment.

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