Morrissey 'wrote a short film' in the mid '90s?

I felt the urge to watch the "Sunny" music video as it had been awhile since I'd seen it and heard the song. Out of curiosity I'll sometimes look at YouTube comments, and I noticed a few responses by (someone claiming to be?) one of the actors in the video.

I screenshotted the comments, which describe the circumstances surrounding M's career at the time and the making of the video. I don't recall ever reading anything about this in the bits of Morrissey trivia I've happened across over the years - or in Autobiography, but it's been awhile since I read that.

Was this 'Drew Robinson' really one of the actors in the "Sunny" vid? Drew, are you a member of these forums? Does anyone know anything else about this?

Edit: Looking at the chap's profile, he does seem to be the sandy-haired guy in the "Sunny" vid.

 

[Famous when dead]

James O'Brien will know the particulars - try his social media.
Here's the actor's instagram if you feel inclined to ask him more too:
https://www.instagram.com/drewrobo/
Regards,
FWD.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting.

I'm not going to go into the exact circumstances but a couple of other Morrissey fans and myself spoke to Morrissey in Dublin 95, the night before he played with Bowie.

He said he was working on something with the BBC but didn't go into detail.

He also said that the label had refused to pay for a video for Sunny. So i suspect this excerpt from the film was used instead.

Funnily enough i think Morrissey is a racist prick now.

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

I like that video tbh, love to see more of what it’s cut from

 

[mcrickson]

He also said that the label had refused to pay for a video for Sunny. So i suspect this excerpt from the film was used instead.

At least the way Mr. Robinson phrases it seems to indicate that the Sunny video and this separate "film" are two separate pieces starring the same actors - not that the Sunny video is an excerpt of the film.

I haven't had a chance to reach out to Robinson about this yet, if anyone else feels inclined to do so.

 

[E Scott]

Is this a short film or music video?

 

[mcrickson]

Is this a short film or music video?

Robinson used the words "short film" in the second comment.

 

[Anonymous]

 

[Eric Hartman]

Everyone who ever worked with him on this project is a racist and an islamophobe!

 

[ACTON]

Interesting.

I'm not going to go into the exact circumstances but a couple of other Morrissey fans and myself spoke to Morrissey in Dublin 95, the night before he played with Bowie.

He said he was working on something with the BBC but didn't go into detail.

He also said that the label had refused to pay for a video for Sunny. So i suspect this excerpt from the film was used instead.

Funnily enough i think Morrissey is a racist prick now.

I was at that concert. Moz looked and sounded amazing. To hear 'Nobody Loves Us' live was such a highlight. The Bowie concert was cold by comparison. I don't really blame Moz for ditching that tour, it was a mistake.

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

I was at that concert. Moz looked and sounded amazing. To hear 'Nobody Loves Us' live was such a highlight. The Bowie concert was cold by comparison. I don't really blame Moz for ditching that tour, it was a mistake.

Mostly agreed, but dontcha think he ditched that tour at least in part cuz of Bowie singing one of moz’s songs?

 

[firstodie]

Moz said he wasn't very good at acting but I quite liked him in Suedehead. Was it Sam who was the little boy delivering the letter to him? Morrissey doesn't need to act. He's one of those people who the camera will make a star wherever he is on on film. He's like Elvis, whatever he does or wherever he is there's something special about the space that surrounds him. You could see hom on CCTV in your local store and you would know that he was a star. He creates his own environment, he creates his own reality. There's a magic there that will never go away.

 

[Old Mathew]

Did the long monologue that goes with the video ever see the light of day? I wonder if Mr. Robinson kept a copy of the script.

 

[AztecCamera]

Reckon it was lil' Sammy delivering James Dean's favorite book. I reckon lil' Sammy wanted to wear his Dodger cap, but he wasn't allowed at the time.

Sunny (RIP) is about Uncle Steve and Aunt Nancy's dog who died last year and is in my avatar. This is a music video not a "short film". Will you foreigners stop trying to make everything sound foreign that relates to Malibu surfer dude Steve.

 

[celibate]

Great, this is 'news'' what I like, and hat of to McRickson and FWD for searching, absolutely like Sunny...o.t.o.h. is ddoesn't suprise me the short film never get out, I bet there are more as the infamous
'south to America/ with Morrissey?'..which I know a few got promo of it, it was the 2000 south american shows, and filming Morrissey between the gigs [never saw it, but they was a little clip here as item] Anyway like the fact that Morrissey has interest in filming , and made a short film, enjoy the weekend all.

 

[Anonymous]

I remember vividly being at the 'Outside' Tour as a bright young thing on the Saturday night, 18th November 1995, when Moz was supporting David Bowie. The venue - the old Wembley Arena - was a f***ing awful place for a concert, soul-less and Amercianised, full of booths selling Coca-Cola and hot dogs, with seating areas with bright-red plastic seats. Moz fans, only about 25% of the audience, squeezed up to the front while Moz went through a set of mostly Southpaw Grammar tracks, while the 75% of Bowie fans loitered around and looked bored as hell. The band sounded great and Moz tried his best but it all felt very strained. In a more intimate venue would have sounded perfect - but it had the atmosphere of a wake. It was shortly after that Moz suddenly pulled out of the tour, much to Bowie's eternal irritation. The rumour was that Moz was suffering from depression. I can totally understand why touring with Bowie did that to him - it wasn't a pleasant experience and looked painful for him. What was Bowie like that night? Ok. But nothing too memorable to be honest. Nite Flights, a Scott Walker cover, was good, and Moonage Daydream was the stand-out track, played as an encore. The venue killed the atmosphere for me, to be honest. Apparently Brett Anderson from Suede was there that night - but he stayed at the bar during Moz's performance.

 

[Anonymous]

"...it was almost stream of consciousness so there were no parts of the monologue you could anchor your thinking to".

Sounds like 'List of the Lost'. Maybe we dodged a bullet by not seeing it?

 

[gordyboy9]

like the song and like the video.nice to see a little snippet of what went on during the shoot.

 

[Thewlis]

1995 was a crazy year for Moz. Apparantly at the height of his career, creatively and commercially, but the truth for those who were there was very different.
To think that these days he has people like Blondie or Tom Jones supporting him.

 

[Eldritch]

Moz said he wasn't very good at acting but I quite liked him in Suedehead. Was it Sam who was the little boy delivering the letter to him? Morrissey doesn't need to act. He's one of those people who the camera will make a star wherever he is on on film. He's like Elvis, whatever he does or wherever he is there's something special about the space that surrounds him. You could see hom on CCTV in your local store and you would know that he was a star. He creates his own environment, he creates his own reality. There's a magic there that will never go away.

Like many iconic pop stars, Morrissey would be a terrible actor. He has invested so much in becoming and being Morrissey, that it would make no sense for him to try to pretend to be someone else on the screen.