Today I learned of the passing of the absolute nicest and most cultured
person I ever met in my entire life, Bill Ndini. I am posting about him
here, because I am sure some of you crossed paths with him.
I met Bill Ndini in 1990, when I ran my first auction for Christie's in New
York City, and Bill was the curator of what would become the world's
largest privately held movie poster archive. We started as business
acquaintances, but that soon evolved into a friendship, one which continued
long after his archive ceased actively buying.
We lived a long way apart, but whenever I visited New York we would get
together for lunch, and Bill always wanted to eat at the legendary Plaza
Hotel, shown here.
Bill was a very private person (so private I could not find a single image
of him on the Internet), and never interested in talking about himself, but
through conversations over the years I was able to learn he was the son of
working class immigrants, who became a theater major in college, acting in
a number of plays.
After college he was drafted into the Army during Vietnam, and he became a
medic, because he could never imagine hurting anyone. After that service,
he worked at various jobs, but (as I said above) he ended up as the curator
of a massive private movie poster archive.
Whenever I had the occasion to describe Bill to anyone, I would say, "You
have surely met nice people in your life, but I guarantee you have NEVER
met anyone as nice as Bill", and in addition, he was SO "cultured" and
"classy", and "genuine" that he almost seemed too good to be true, but he
indeed WAS every bit as good as he seemed.
A year ago I decided I wanted to take my two daughters (Hayley and Lucy) to
New York City for a trip they would never forget, and I called Bill and
asked if he would like to have lunch with us. He immediately agreed, and of
course suggested we meet at The Plaza.
But he went on to ask what other plans I had made, and I said I had just
started, and he immediately set to work planning things for us to do,
helping me to get good tickets to two Broadway shows, a trip to the
Metropolitan Museum, and a guided tour of Julliard (we also went to the
Statue of Liberty)!
I had told my daughters that Bill was the nicest person they would ever
meet, and indeed, he met us at The Plaza with gifts for each of them, and
after our lunch, I could see that Bill had charmed them as completely as I
am sure he did everyone else he encountered!
A few months later, I took a second trip, this time with my son, Samson,
and once again Bill helped set up our itinerary (which again was very
memorable, and included the two part Harry Potter Broadway show), and again
we had a memorable lunch with Bill at The Plaza, and again, I could see
Bill had had a big impact on Samson.
Bill had had serious health problems for some time before that, and last
February he was in a car crash and was badly injured, but against all odds
he survived, but today he could not fight any longer, and he passed away,
and he was 79.
But I don't want to dwell on that. I want to think about the many thousands
of lives this wonderful man greatly enriched throughout his entire long
life. He was everything any good person strives to be, and hopes to someday
be, and the world is much the poorer for his no longer being in it. RIP, my
dear, dear friend. :(
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________
How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List
Send a message addressed to: [email protected]
In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L
The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
