Withnail & I - Vivian MacKerrell

The name ‘Withnail’ came from ‘Jonathan Withnall'– an upper-class, friend of Robinson’s father, but the character of Withnail was based on Vivian MacKerrell - a friend of writer and director Bruce Robinson’s who he met at drama school in 1964.

In the introduction to the Withnail and I screenplay, Robinson describes Vivian as a hedonistic, likable, hard-drinking chap.

MacKerrell was one of the people who lived in the Camden house bought by David Dundas, their drama school friend later who worked as music supervisor on the Withnail and I soundtrack.

From a wealthy “shabby genteel” background, Robinson later described some of his traits: acidity, pompous cowardice and a very pungent sense of humour.

Although no lines in Withnail and I come directly from the mouth of Vivian MacKerrel, one of Robinson’s diary entries mentions the near-legendary quote:

“If there’s a God, why are arses at the perfect height for kicking?”