John Houston's movie premiered today in 1956 - starring Gregory Peck and Orson Welles.

Shot in Fishguard, Youghal, Madeira and Canary Islands - the movie went over budget, and wasn't a commercial success.

However, it was well received - and still worth watching - with ground breaking filming techniques involving the whale.

Used as a guide for Spielberg's later movie - with another large sea creature; Jaws was an major financial winner.

And there's a pub in Youghal (south coast of Ireland) - from which Houston directed the movie, daily.

Soon after the massive amount of film personnel, and accoutrements left - that pub was renamed Moby-Dick.

For over 60 years, people come to see the photos on the walls - and wonder whether the whale was real.


Or maybe leased from Iceland - or perhaps one of those troubadour whales.

Many of which I see occasionally around Clapham Common.

Schofield's best line - 'but for Wales?' - Man for All Seasons. To the legendary John Hurt..

Was Moby Dick our favourite book as a child, Barney? You have mentioned it before so I was wondering what was significant for you?