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Gay?

The article says that Portman was a life long bachelor, which is factual but could also be a euphemism common in obituaries etc. Should it not also refer to him being gay? Eg: in Secret Classrooms (Geoffrey Elliott & Harold Shukman, St Ermin's Press 2002 ISBN 1 903608 13 9), pp. 91-92 which talks of his boyfriend running the Bistro Bar at the St Petroc's Club - apparently a known gay club back in the 1950s.

Elliott & Shukman point out that the relationship presented "a new insight for the many naive souls whose adolescent picture of him had been formed by his roles as the imperturbable silver-haired Senior British Officer in The Colditz Story ..." 82.20.14.251 19:30, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

His being "a life long bachelor" is a deliberate euphemism for his being gay. It was used in many articles about him in fan magazines. He never came out. But remember that for most of his life, homosexuality was illegal in the UK -- SteveCrook 22:09, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

I'm pleased someone else sees the probable euphemism - tough I was going a little doo-lally for a moment. However, are reference articles correctly a place in which to to resort to such devices? It really does not matter in the context of the article that homosexuality was illegal for much of his life, although doubtless somewhere else there is a discussion about these various euphemisms. Either the possible euphemism should be detailed or a link to a discussion of the phrase "lifelong bachelor" should be provided.

There is also a grammatical issue, for the pedants such as myself. You either are/were a bachelor or you ain't. "Lifelong" is redundant.

I've used Wikpedia for a while and the time is long past when I ought to have signed up, so I will. Apologies for the unintended anonymity. However, signing up will be one thing & editing a page quite another! 82.20.14.251 23:08, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

For "tough" above, read "thought". But at least I'm now signed up ...

Au contraire, you can be a bachelor for part of your life, and then get married. Also, I think the times in which he lived had a big influence on his concealing his homosexuality. But I agree, a reference work like this should make it clear. Both that the phrase was used as a euphemism and that it was to conceal something that was illegal -- SteveCrook 00:51, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

If you die a bachelor then you must have been so throughout your life. However, in the historical context it is certainly apt to use the phrase. Thanks for updating the page and so saving me from a tentative first dabble - nicely done, too Sitush 07:59, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

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