beccy ♱

He arrived in America accompanied by his first wife, Margot Bennett Dullea, If 's publicist whom he had married in 1975. Shortly afterwards, he began an affair with the America actress Mary Steenburgen. She became the second Mrs McDowell and the mother of his children, Lily and Charlie, now in their late teens.

"I'm not really proud of my behaviour and I don't like hurting - God forbid - any other human being, but really, when your life is on the line, there are certain decisions you have to make, however painful. There were no children involved. That was good. The next time I got divorced it wasn't because of any other person. We just threw in the towel. I think two actors being together is extremely difficult. They're both basically babies."

He is now married to Kelly Kuhr, a painter he met at a gallery opening. "I just thought she was the

most adorable person. Of course, it had to be on looks. She was gorgeous. Blonde. I think I was ready for a change from a brunette to a blonde. I don't know ... that's crass. I didn't realise she was 22, half my age. But we've been together 13 years."

No regrets, then, about his divorces? "You know what? Yes, at the time it's painful, but I don't regret any of the affairs I've had or the marriages. At the time they were absolutely right and I suppose I'm lucky. I had enough money to be able to get divorced. I don't want to live in sheer hell and, if you're unhappy, move on - but a lot of people can't afford to."

While married to Steenburgen he abandoned his considerable alcohol and drug intake. His father, Charles, the publican, had been an alcoholic and died at 70. "By the time I was 40, I was done with it, everything, all drugs, all substances, illegal and otherwise, even prescription stuff." Was his father's addiction a factor? "God no, it was so much fun. But it was beginning to rule my life. It was the first thing I thought about when I woke up. When my son was born I went, 'This is it.' And he's 18 now."

Directed by Patrick Montgomery