By Jon Kelly BBC News Newspaper tycoon, football owner, liar, bully, dead for 16 years and now the subject of a primetime drama. Why does Robert Maxwell remain such a captivating and charismatic figure in the public imagination?
By Jon Kelly BBC News Newspaper tycoon, football owner, liar, bully, dead for 16 years and now the subject of a primetime drama. Why does Robert Maxwell remain such a captivating and charismatic figure in the public imagination?
To those unfortunate enough to have worked under him, he was a monster - a bully, a demagogue, and, worst of all, a thief.
To those unfortunate enough to have worked under him, he was a monster - a bully, a demagogue, and, worst of all, a thief.
Robert Maxwell, the Daily Mirror owner who plundered his own workers' pension fund, is portrayed at his paranoid, blustering worst by David Suchet in a new BBC One drama.
Robert Maxwell, the Daily Mirror owner who plundered his own workers' pension fund, is portrayed at his paranoid, blustering worst by David Suchet in a new BBC One drama.
He lowered an entire bunch of grapes into his mouth, then pulled it out again minus the fruit Mirror journalist In many ways Maxwell was the classic rags-to-riches story, a Jewish immigrant who escaped extreme poverty and Nazi persecution in eastern Europe, fought with the British Army across Europe and became one of the most powerful men in British publishing.
He lowered an entire bunch of grapes into his mouth, then pulled it out again minus the fruit Mirror journalist In many ways Maxwell was the classic rags-to-riches story, a Jewish immigrant who escaped extreme poverty and Nazi persecution in eastern Europe, fought with the British Army across Europe and became one of the most powerful men in British publishing.
Despite his reputation having been under assault for more than a decade, many in journalism still feel a sneaking nostalgia for the days of big characters like Maxwell - not to mention the extremely generous wages he paid his staff.
Despite his reputation having been under assault for more than a decade, many in journalism still feel a sneaking nostalgia for the days of big characters like Maxwell - not to mention the extremely generous wages he paid his staff.
It was the tycoon's force of personality which both propelled him to the top and guaranteed his slot in the Fleet Street hall of shame.
It was the tycoon's force of personality which both propelled him to the top and guaranteed his slot in the Fleet Street hall of shame.
One journalist employed by Maxwell recalls being summoned to a Brighton hotel suite during one party conference season to find the boss reclining in his chair like a Roman emperor.
One journalist employed by Maxwell recalls being summoned to a Brighton hotel suite during one party conference season to find the boss reclining in his chair like a Roman emperor.
David Suchet captures the ambiguous character
David Suchet captures the ambiguous character
"I entered the room to see Maxwell in his dressing gown, his pale bare legs shining like porcelain," the reporter remembers.
"I entered the room to see Maxwell in his dressing gown, his pale bare legs shining like porcelain," the reporter remembers.
"He lowered an entire bunch of grapes into his mouth, then pulled it out again minus the fruit, with only the stalks remaining.
"He lowered an entire bunch of grapes into his mouth, then pulled it out again minus the fruit, with only the stalks remaining.
"Certainly, he could be intimidating. But if you managed to stay on his good side you felt like you'd really achieved something - you'd tamed the beast."
"Certainly, he could be intimidating. But if you managed to stay on his good side you felt like you'd really achieved something - you'd tamed the beast."
Despite his misdeeds, Maxwell benefited from a curious and long-standing phenomenon in British public life - a fondness for loveable rogues. Whether it is a peccadillo of the personal life or a criminal record, the misbehaviour of an Alan Clark or a Ronnie Biggs can only add to their mythos.
Despite his misdeeds, Maxwell benefited from a curious and long-standing phenomenon in British public life - a fascination with rogues. Whether it is a peccadillo of the personal life or a criminal record, the misbehaviour of an Alan Clark or a Ronnie Biggs can only add to their mythos.
Even with the ruination of his workers still relatively fresh in the mind, Maxwell's reputation remains ambiguous because more moral leeway seems to be offered to those who are charismatic, and still more latitude to those who are powerful.
Even with the ruination of his workers still relatively fresh in the mind, Maxwell's reputation remains ambiguous because more moral leeway seems to be offered to those who are charismatic, and still more latitude to those who are powerful.
Strange loyalty
Strange loyalty
Maxwell kept his staff in a constant state of terror. One journalist was working at his desk when he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. Turning round, he was horrified to see Maxwell looming over him.
Maxwell kept his staff in a constant state of terror. One journalist was working at his desk when he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. Turning round, he was horrified to see Maxwell looming over him.
MAXWELL FACTS Born Jan Ludvik Hoch in 1923Grew up in former CzechoslovakiaBought Daily Mirror in 1984Died 1991Left debts of £400mLeft 30,000 pensioners without life savings Maxwell peered at his victim. "Oh," he said, before walking away. "Mistaken identity."
MAXWELL FACTS Born Jan Ludvik Hoch in 1923Grew up in former CzechoslovakiaBought Daily Mirror in 1984Died 1991Left debts of £400mLeft 30,000 pensioners without life savings Maxwell peered at his victim. "Oh," he said, before walking away. "Mistaken identity."
Famously, a man who enraged him by smoking in a lift was sacked on the spot, with a £250 pay-off thrust into his hand by Maxwell, to send him on his way. It was only later Maxwell found out the man was not in fact one of his employees, but a courier who had been delivering a package to the building.
Famously, a man who enraged him by smoking in a lift was sacked on the spot, with a £250 pay-off thrust into his hand by Maxwell, to send him on his way. It was only later Maxwell found out the man was not in fact one of his employees, but a courier who had been delivering a package to the building.
Yet the man who styled himself "The Publisher" inspired a strange kind of loyalty from his staff before his plundering of the pension fund was revealed.
Yet the man who styled himself "The Publisher" inspired a strange kind of loyalty from his staff before his plundering of the pension fund was revealed.
His paper's front-page splash the morning after his death was "The Man Who Saved The Mirror". And the Mirror's then-political editor Alastair Campbell, later Tony Blair's director of communications, famously punched a journalist on another title who mocked the tycoon's demise.
His paper's front-page splash the morning after his death was "The Man Who Saved The Mirror". And the Mirror's then-political editor Alastair Campbell, later Tony Blair's director of communications, famously punched a journalist on another title who mocked the tycoon's demise.
Roy Greenslade, an editor under Maxwell, suggests the publisher was more than just the tyrant of popular imagination.
Roy Greenslade, an editor under Maxwell, suggests the publisher was more than just the tyrant of popular imagination.
"What he did to the Mirror pensioners was terrible, and there's no doubt that he ruled the office by fear," he says. "But there was much more to him than that. Even if he treated you badly, you still recognised that. He could also be very funny, albeit unintentionally.
"What he did to the Mirror pensioners was terrible, and there's no doubt that he ruled the office by fear," he says. "But there was much more to him than that. Even if he treated you badly, you still recognised that. He could also be very funny, albeit unintentionally.
"He was a charismatic figure, a massive presence - literally, because of his huge frame."
"He was a charismatic figure, a massive presence - literally, because of his huge frame."
Maxwell was 6 ft 3in and weighed 22 stone.
Maxwell was 6 ft 3in and weighed 22 stone.
Lonely at top
Lonely at top
There is a certain grudging respect for those who "get away with it", walk the tightrope and get out of scrapes because of the sheer power of their charisma.
There is a certain grudging respect for those who "get away with it", walk the tightrope and get out of scrapes because of the sheer power of their charisma.
Alastair Campbell was Maxwell's political editorAnd while he may have ruled the Mirror's Holborn office with an iron fist, there was also an almost childlike quality to Maxwell. One reporter was alone in the Mirror office in the early hours working a night shift when he appeared at his shoulder.
Alastair Campbell was Maxwell's political editorAnd while he may have ruled the Mirror's Holborn office with an iron fist, there was also an almost childlike quality to Maxwell. One reporter was alone in the Mirror office in the early hours working a night shift when he appeared at his shoulder.
Slumping into a chair, Maxwell ordered flunkies to bring him a constant supply of food while he chatted until dawn. "It was only then I realised how lonely he was," the journalist recalls.
Slumping into a chair, Maxwell ordered flunkies to bring him a constant supply of food while he chatted until dawn. "It was only then I realised how lonely he was," the journalist recalls.
Perhaps the most telling anecdote of Maxwell, recounted by one Mirror reporter, sees his seven children coming downstairs to open their presents one Christmas morning, only to find their father sat under the tree surrounded by discarded wrapping paper.
Perhaps the most telling anecdote of Maxwell, recounted by one Mirror reporter, sees his seven children coming downstairs to open their presents one Christmas morning, only to find their father sat under the tree surrounded by discarded wrapping paper.
"He was unable to resist opening them himself, just like he was unable to resist helping himself to the pension fund," the reporter recalls.
"He was unable to resist opening them himself, just like he was unable to resist helping himself to the pension fund," the reporter recalls.
The very ruthlessness that drove him to the top may be explained by the extreme poverty from which he managed to escape. Born Jan Ludvik Hoch in Slatinske Dolt, Czechslovakia, on 10 June, 1923, Maxwell claimed he did not have a pair of shoes until he was seven.
The very ruthlessness that drove him to the top may be explained by the extreme poverty from which he managed to escape. Born Jan Ludvik Hoch in Slatinske Dolt, Czechslovakia, on 10 June, 1923, Maxwell claimed he did not have a pair of shoes until he was seven.
His orthodox Jewish parents were eventually victims of the Nazis, and Maxwell himself was fortunate to have escaped to Britain in 1940.
His orthodox Jewish parents were eventually victims of the Nazis, and Maxwell himself was fortunate to have escaped to Britain in 1940.
Maxwell dreamed of power But the sharp business practices of the man labelled "Cap'n Bob" and "the bouncing Czech" by Private Eye were apparent long before he took over the Mirror Group in 1984.
Maxwell dreamed of power But the sharp business practices of the man labelled "Cap'n Bob" and "the bouncing Czech" by Private Eye were apparent long before he took over the Mirror Group in 1984.
A 1969 DTI inquiry concluded Maxwell was "not in our opinion a person who can be relied on to exercise proper stewardship of a publicly quoted company".
A 1969 DTI inquiry concluded Maxwell was "not in our opinion a person who can be relied on to exercise proper stewardship of a publicly quoted company".
And so it transpired. Two weeks after Maxwell was presumed to have fallen to his death from his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, in November 1991, it became apparent that he had taken money from pension funds to keep his companies afloat and boost their share price.
And so it transpired. Two weeks after Maxwell was presumed to have fallen to his death from his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, in November 1991, it became apparent that he had taken money from pension funds to keep his companies afloat and boost their share price.
The man who could not resist opening his children's Christmas presents had truly left his mark.
The man who could not resist opening his children's Christmas presents had truly left his mark.
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