Individual actors Books

Book SynopsisInside accounts of the making of some of the most influential theatre productions of the last four decades. Max Stafford-Clark has been at the cutting edge of theatre in Britain for more than thirty years. Taking Stock draws on diaries, photos and interviews to recreate the evolution of nine of his most famous and influential productions: Fanshen by David Hare Epsom Downs by Howard Brenton Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill Rita, Sue and Bob Too by Andrea Dunbar Serious Money by Caryl Churchill Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker The Steward of Christendom by Sebastian Barry Some Explicit Polaroids by Mark Ravenhill Macbeth by William Shakespeare The result is one of the richest, most intimately informative books on the making of theatre.Trade Review'a rare opportunity to get inside the mind of one of British theatre's most original practitioners... a fascinating view of an incredibly diverse body of work' * British Theatre Guide *'a splendid portrait of the vicissitudes of the collective life' * Times Literary Supplement *'fascinating... By pioneering the workshop method of rehearsal, where actors and director all contribute ideas before sending the playwright off to pen the text, Stafford-Clark made a major innovation in the evolution of British drama... He also tells a good story' -- Aleks Sierz * Independent *'a terrific read... an absolute treasure trove of insights, tips, reminiscences and lessons in the 'process' of how a new play comes into the world' * Rogues and Vagabonds *

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Book SynopsisFor the first time, author Sophie Johnson reveals the story behind Miranda's rise to fame. The comedian was born in Torquay in 1972, yet despite graduating with a degree in politics, she always wanted to be a comedian. In 2002 she performed at the Edinburgh Festival, and her early career was followed by Jennifer Saunders, who cast Miranda in an Ab Fab Christmas special. TV roles such as The Vicar of Dibley, Nighty Night, Hyperdrive and Not Going Out followed - before Miranda Hart's Joke Shop was commissioned by BBC Radio 2 in 2008, leading to the development of the smash hit series Miranda, which made her a household name. Since then, Miranda has branched out into straight acting, with a highly-acclaimed role in BBC drama Call the Midwife. She is the newest comedy legend to capture the imagination of the public - this is her full story.

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Book Synopsis"This Is More Than I Can Stand" is a detailed biography of Charlie Hall, a little known man from Birmingham who worked with some of the biggest stars of the silver screen. Charlie was born into a working class family in the Ward End district of Birmingham, in 1899. In 1920 he left England to start a new life in New York. Incredibly, within a few years he had moved to Hollywood, and was appearing in films with some of the greatest silent comedy stars of all time. How did this come about? And why did Charlie find himself working back in a factory in Birmingham in 1938? These and many other questions will be answered in this new book about the life of Charlie Hall. The book contains interviews with family and friends who knew him and remember meeting him when he returned to Birmingham in the late '30s. Plus some of Charlie's personal letters, written at this time, giving a unique insight into his thoughts, his memories and what it was like to work with Laurel and Hardy. From humble beginnings, Charlie experienced the early movie industry, the birth of the talkies, and the advent of television. Not bad for a lad from Ward End.

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Book SynopsisNorfolk Summer presents the story about the making of a film starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates Joseph Losey's award-winning movie The Go-Between was filmed entirely on location in Norfolk in 1970. The film charts the tragic story of a young boy's loss of innocence during a hot summer and stars Julie Christie and Alan Bates as a pair of lovers crossing class boundaries in late Victorian England. The production brought together the playwright Harold Pinter, who adapted L.P. Hartley's elegant novel for the screen, the acclaimed director Joseph Losey and a cast of international stars for ten weeks' filming in and around Melton Constable Hall in north Norfolk - a time of happy creativity, some tension and a good deal of comedy. But the idyllic summer only came about after years of bitter battling over the rights of the book, and it was to be followed by yet more intrigue and high drama, which culminated in the film's triumph at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d'Or.Trade Review'A brilliant new book' - Ian Collins, Eastern Daily Press; 'Charming and generously illustrated' - Lewis Jones, The Spectator; 'Can fill you in further on the background [to the making of the film]' -Rupert Christiansen, Daily TelegraphTable of ContentsContents: Foreword 1 Summer's Day 2 Long Road 3 Norfolk Idyll 4 Release 5 Legacy Synopsis of the Film Film Credits Sources Index

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Book Synopsis?From the filth and the fury to the elegant extravaganza, Peter Gravelle', the many named photographer, has remained in the shadows of punk rock, low culture and high fashion, deflecting attention while steadily producing an epic body of iconic work. ?The Death of Photography' is a tour de force, a high end art book showcasing forty years of the best punk, fashion and portraiture of Gravelle's career. Heavily stylised images are woven together with Gravelle's own fascinating recollections from a live lived in technicolour.

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Book SynopsisAn insight into French film through its actors: profiles of 175 actors and actresses of the French Cinema, illustrated with caricatures of each actor by Jenny BATLAY and Igor BRATUSEK. - Not just biographies, but personal sketches of the actors and actresses, looking at their personalities, acting, and careers. The book is presented alphabetically in mini-dictionary form, and its contributors include academics from around the world - from universities in Australia, Austria, Canada, Cyprus, France, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and throughout the United States - as well as journalists, film curators, and lovers of French cinema, both francophones and Francophiles. It contains a comprehensive alphabetical Index of 2,200 Films - mostly French Films (with their alternative English titles where these were issued), as well as American and European films in which the profiled French actors have appeared. Accurate biographical details (from original records) are provided, including birth names for those actors with a stage name different to their birth names.Table of ContentsCONTENTS [names entered without accents on BookData]: FOREWORD; ISABELLE ADJANI (1955 - ), ANOUK AIMEE (1932 - ) [Francoise Sorya Dreyfus], MATHIEU AMALRIC (1965 - ), RICHARD ANCONINA (1953 - ), FANNY ARDANT (1949 - ), PIERRE ARDITI (1944 - ), NIELS ARESTRUP (1949 - ), ARLETTY (1898 - 1992) [Leonie Bathiat], ANTONIN ARTAUD (1896 - 1948), ARIANE ASCARIDE (1954 - ), STEPHANE AUDRAN (1932 - ) [Colette Suzanne Dacheville], DANIEL AUTEUIL (1950 - ), SABINE AZEMA (1949 - ), CHARLES AZNAVOUR (1924 - ) [Charles Aznaourian], JEAN-PIERRE BACRI (1951 - ), EDOUARD BAER (1966 - ), JOSIANE BALASKO (1950 - ) [Josiane Balaskovic], JEAN-FRANCOIS BALMER (1946 - ), BRIGITTE BARDOT (1934 - ), JEAN-LOUIS BARRAULT (1910 - 1994), HARRY BAUR (1880 - 1943), NATHALIE BAYE (1948 - ), EMMANUELLE BEART (1963 - ) [Emmanuelle Behart-Hasson], LEILA BEKHTI (1984 - ), JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO (1933 - ), FRANCOIS BERLEAND (1952 - ), SARAH BERNHARDT (1844 - 1923) [Henriette-Rosine Bernard], JULES BERRY (1883 - 1951) [Marie Louis Jules Paufichet], RICHARD BERRY (1950 - ), JULIETTE BINOCHE (1964 - ), MICHEL BLANC (1952 - ), FRANCIS BLANCHE (1921 - 1974), BERNARD BLIER (1916 - 1989), RICHARD BOHRINGER (1941 - ), ROMANE BOHRINGER (1973 - ), SANDRINE BONNAIRE (1967 - ), DANY BOON (1966 - ) [Daniel Hamidou], MICHEL BOUJENAH (1952 - ), CAROLE BOUQUET (1957 - ), MICHEL BOUQUET (1925 - ), BOURVIL (1917 - 1970) [Andre Raimbourg], CHARLES BOYER (1899 - 1978), MARCEL BOZZUFFI (1928 - 1988), CLAUDE BRASSEUR (1936 - ), PIERRE BRASSEUR (1905 - 1972) [Pierre-Albert Espinasse], JACQUES BREL (1929 - 1978), JEAN-CLAUDE BRIALY (1933 - 2007), GUILLAUME CANET (1973 - ), JULIEN CARETTE (1897 - 1966), JEAN CARMET (1920 - 1994), JEAN-CLAUDE CARRIERE (1931 - ), MARIA CASARES (1922 - 1996) [Maria Victoria Casares Perez], VINCENT CASSEL (1966 - ) [Vincent Crochon], ALAIN CHABAT (1958 - ), MAURICE CHEVALIER (1888 - 1972), CHRISTIAN CLAVIER (1952 - ), FRANCOIS CLUZET (1955 - ), JEAN COCTEAU (1889 - 1963), COLUCHE (1944 - 1986) [Michel Gerard Joseph Colucci], CLOVIS CORNILLAC (1967 - ), MARION COTILLARD (1975 - ), DARRY COWL (1925 - 2006) [Andre Darricau], MARCEL DALIO (1900 - 1983) [Marcel Blauschild], BEATRICE DALLE (1964 - ) [Beatrice Cabarrou], GERARD DARMON (1948 - ), DANIELLE DARRIEUX (1917 - ), JEAN-PIERRE DARROUSSIN (1953 - ), JAMEL DEBBOUZE (1975 - ), CECILE DE FRANCE (1975 - ), LOUIS DE FUNES (1914 - 1983) [Louis de Funes de Galarza], ALAIN DELON (1935 - ), JULIE DELPY (1969 - ), CATHERINE DENEUVE (1943 - ) [Catherine Dorleac], CHARLES DENNER (1926 - 1995), GERARD DEPARDIEU (1948 - ), JULIE DEPARDIEU (1973 - ), EMMANUELLE DEVOS (1964 - ), PATRICK DEWAERE (1947 - 1982) [Patrick Bourdeaux], JEAN-CLAUDE DREYFUS (1946 - ), MARIE DUBAS (1884 - 1972), JEAN DUJARDIN (1972 - ), ALBERT DUPONTEL (1964 - ), ROMAIN DURIS (1974 - ) ANDRE DUSSOLLIER (1946 - ), GAD ELMALEH (1971 - ), FERNANDEL (1903 - 1971) [Fernand Joseph Desire Contandin], EDWIGE FEUILLERE (1907 - 1998) [Edwige Louise Caroline Cunatti], BRIGITTE FOSSEY (1946 - ), FREHEL (1891 - 1951) [Marguerite Boulc'h], PIERRE FRESNAY (1897 - 1975) [Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach], CATHERINE FROT (1956 - ), JEAN GABIN (1904 - 1976) [Jean Gabin Alexis Moncorge], CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG (1971 - ), MICHEL GALABRU (1922 - ), NICOLE GARCIA (1946 - ), MARIE GILLAIN (1975 - ), ANNIE GIRARDOT (1931 - 2011), JUDITH GODRECHE (1972 - ) [Judith Goldreich], EVA GREEN (1980 - ), SACHA GUITRY (1885 - 1957), JOHNNY HALLYDAY (1943 - ) [Jean-Philippe Smet], MARINA HANDS (1975 - ), ISABELLE HUPPERT (1953 - ), AGNES JAOUI (1964 - ), LOUIS JOUVET (1887 - 1951), GERARD JUGNOT (1951 - ), ELIE KAKOU (1960 - 1999) [Alain Kakou], ANNA KARINA (1940 - ) [Hanne Karin Bayer], SANDRINE KIBERLAIN (1968 - ) [Sandrine Kiberlajn], BERNADETTE LAFONT (1938 - 2013), CHRISTOPHE LAMBERT (1957 - ), JEAN-PIERRE LEAUD (1944 - ), MADELEINE LEBEAU (1923 - ), FERNAND LEDOUX (1897 - 1993), VIRGINIE LEDOYEN (1976 - ) [Virginie Fernandez], VALERIE LEMERCIER (1964 - ), JEAN LE POULAIN (1924 - 1988), ROBERT LE VIGAN (1900 - 1972) [Robert Coquillaud], THIERRY LHERMITTE (1952 - ), VINCENT LINDON (1959 - ), MICHAEL LONSDALE (1931 - ), FABRICE LUCHINI (1951 - ) [Robert Luchini], BENOIT MAGIMEL (1974 - ), JEAN MARAIS (1913 - 1998), SOPHIE MARCEAU (1966 - ) [Sophie Daniele Sylvie Maupu], JEAN-PIERRE MARIELLE (1932 - ), ROXANE MESQUIDA (1981 - ), PAUL MEURISSE (1912 - 1979), GERARD MEYLAN (1952 - ), MIOU-MIOU (1950 - ) [Sylvette Herry], EDDY MITCHELL (1942 - ) [Claude Moine], YVES MONTAND (1921 - 1991) [Ivo Livi], JEANNE MOREAU (1928 - ) , YOLANDE MOREAU (1953 - ), FRANCOIS MOREL (1959 - ), MICHELE MORGAN (1920 - ) [Simone Roussel], PHILIPPE NOIRET (1930 - 2006), VANESSA PARADIS (1972 - ), GERARD PHILIPE (1922 - 1959) [Gerard Philip], EDITH PIAF (1915 - 1963) [Edith Giovanna Gassion], JEAN PIAT (1924 - ), MICHEL PICCOLI (1925 - ), DENIS PODALYDES (1963 - ), BENOIT POELVOORDE (1964 - ), JEAN POIRET (1926 - 1992) [Jean Gustave Poire], ALBERT PREJEAN (1894 - 1979), RAIMU (1883 - 1946) [Jules Auguste Cesar Muraire], SERGE REGGIANI (1922 - 2004), JEAN RENO (1948 - ) [Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jimenez], PIERRE RICHARD (1934 - ) [Pierre Defays], EMMANUELLE RIVA (1927 - ) [Paulette Riva], JEAN ROCHEFORT (1930 - ), VIVIANE ROMANCE (1912 - 1991), [Pauline Arlette Ortmans], LUDIVINE SAGNIER (1979 - ), EDITH SCOB (1937 - ) [Edith Helena Vladimirovna Scobeltzine], JEAN SEBERG (1938 - 1979), EMMANUELLE SEIGNER (1966 - ), MATHILDE SEIGNER (1968 - ), MICHEL SERRAULT (1928 - 2007), DELPHINE SEYRIG (1932 - 1990), SIMONE SIGNORET (1921 - 1985) [Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker], MICHEL SIMON (1895 - 1975), SIMONE SIMON (1910 - 2005), JACQUES TATI (1907 - 1982), [Jacques Tatischeff], AUDREY TAUTOU (1976 - ), SYLVIE TESTUD (1971 - ), JEAN-LOUIS TRINTIGNANT (1930 - ), CHARLES VANEL (1892 - 1989), LINO VENTURA (1919 - 1987), BORIS VIAN (1920 - 1959), JACQUES VILLERET (1951 - 2005) [Mohammed Boufroura], JACQUES WEBER (1949 - ), LAMBERT WILSON (1958 - ), ELSA ZYLBERSTEIN (1968 - ); COMPREHENSIVE INDEX OF 2,200 FILM TITLES; THE EDITORS AND ARTISTS; THE 67 INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTORS.

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Book SynopsisA long overdue, illustrated celebration of Grace Kelly, one of Hollywoods brightest stars. Following on from the popular full-sized edition, this gift-sized version was published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Grace Kelly's death and is now reissued to coincide with the release of the film Grace of Monaco, starring Nicole Kidman.

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Book SynopsisStanley Baxter delighted over 20 million viewers at a time with his television specials. His pantos became legendary. His divas and dames were so good they were beyond description. Baxter was a most brilliant cowboy Coward, a smouldering Dietrich. He found immense laughs as Formby and Liberace. And his sex-starved Tarzan swung in a way Hollywood could never have imagined. But who is the real Stanley Baxter? The comedy actor’s talents are matched only by his past reluctance to colour in the detail of his own character. Now, the man behind the mischievous grin, the twinkling eyes and the once- Brylcreemed coiffure is revealed. In a tale of triumphs and tragedies, of giant laughs and great falls from grace, we discover that while the enigmatic entertainer could play host to hundreds of different voices, the role he found most difficult to play was that of Stanley Baxter.Trade Review'I f**king love Stanley Baxter.' - Billy Connolly Praise for Stanley Baxter ‘Stanley Baxter is my comedy hero. He had big ideas and he fought for the money to do them. Then when he’d had enough he just walked away.’ – ALAN CUMMING ‘I don’t know anybody that doesn’t think Stanley Baxter is a genius.’ – JONATHAN ROSS ‘I really don’t think the phrase ‘out of this world’ fits anyone better than it does Stanley Baxter.’ – FORD KIERNAN

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Book SynopsisStanley Baxter delighted over 20 million viewers at a time with his television specials. His pantos became legendary. His divas and dames were so good they were beyond description. Baxter was a most brilliant cowboy Coward, a smouldering Dietrich. He found immense laughs as Formby and Liberace. And his sex-starved Tarzan swung in a way Hollywood could never have imagined. But who is the real Stanley Baxter? The comedy actor’s talents are matched only by his past reluctance to colour in the detail of his own character. Now, the man behind the mischievous grin, the twinkling eyes and the once- Brylcreemed coiffure is revealed. In a tale of triumphs and tragedies, of giant laughs and great falls from grace, we discover that while the enigmatic entertainer could play host to hundreds of different voices, the role he found most difficult to play was that of Stanley Baxter.Trade Review'I f**king love Stanley Baxter.' - Billy Connolly Praise for Stanley Baxter ‘Stanley Baxter is my comedy hero. He had big ideas and he fought for the money to do them. Then when he’d had enough he just walked away.’ – ALAN CUMMING ‘I don’t know anybody that doesn’t think Stanley Baxter is a genius.’ – JONATHAN ROSS ‘I really don’t think the phrase ‘out of this world’ fits anyone better than it does Stanley Baxter.’ – FORD KIERNAN

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Book SynopsisIn But Enough About Me, legendary film actor and Hollywood superstar Burt Reynolds recalls the people who shaped his life and career, for better or for worse. From Robert Altman, Cary Grant, Clint Eastwood and Robert Mitchum to Bette Davis, Marlon Brando, Woody Allen and Kirsty Alley, Burt pays homage to those he loves and respected, acknowledges those who've stayed loyal, and calls out the assholes he can't forgive.Recalling his life and career spanning over 50 glorious years, the legendary actor gives special attention to the two great loves of his life, Dinah Shore and Sally Field, his son, Quinton, as well as to the countless people who got in his way on his journey to Hollywood domination. With chapters on his early childhood, how he discovered acting, played poker with Frank Sinatra, received directing advice from Orson Welles, his golden years in Hollywood, his comeback in the late 1990s, and how his life and art led him to found the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre, But Enough About Me is a gripping and eye-opening story of one of cinema's true greats.

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Book SynopsisThe town of Port Talbot has long been seen (quite literally) as synonymous with the steel industry. Yet it also has another claim to fame as the actors' capital of Wales. It has produced a remarkable number of actors since the inter-war years. Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen head the glittering cast but there are many others including early stars such as Ronald Lewis and Ivor Emmanuel, more recent figures like Rob Brydon and Di Botcher as well as a cluster of exciting young actorsstarting to make their names in the West End and on the big and small screen.This book suggests explanations for this phenomenon. Its author is a historical biographer who hails from Port Talbot and has done extensive research including numerous interviews. It explores the provision of educational and cultural facilities for young people over the years and demonstrates a commitment to drama that is deeply embedded in the town's history.It tells in some depth the stories of the super-stars but in a novel way, focusing on how they emerged and on those who nurtured their talent, presenting the actors as part of a tradition that was set in motion even before Richard Burton began to make his mark. It surveys the careers of fifty actors from Port Talbot and it considers what its most famous stars have put back into their community, culminating in the spectacular three-day event of Easter 2011 when Michael Sheen resurrected Port Talbot's pride and hopes through the immersive theatrical experience of The Passion.Written at a time of mixed fortunes for actors when funding for training is threatened yet opportunities for theatre and film work are expanding within Wales, this book puts centre-stage a town, its actors and those who guide them and so offers a new kind of cultural history. Such an approach also raises wider questions about the importance of the arts and of drama in particular to the wellbeing of communities.

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Book SynopsisMichael Coveney has been writing theatrical obituaries alongside reviews for several decades and makes a telling, sometimes surprising, selection of the best performers of our time, from Laurence Olivier to Alan Rickman, Peggy Ashcroft to Helen McCrory, Richard Briers to Ken Dodd. Most of these obits appeared in the Guardian, several in the Observer, the Financial Times and the Evening Standard. The fifty articles are arranged in chronological order of each actor’s demise and constitute a vivid history of postwar theatre through the lives of the actors, ‘the abstract and brief chronicles of the time’ as Hamlet called them. There are happy/sad juxtapositions of shooting stars Robert Stephens and Alan Bates; tragic niece and aunt, Natasha Richardson and Lynn Redgrave; classical queens Diana Rigg and Barbara Jefford; and versatile showtime hoofers Una Stubbs and Lionel Blair.Trade Review'Great idea, great cover, great writing. The Final Curtain is a book we need.' Simon Callow

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Book SynopsisFilm star. Icon. Agitator. Martyr. Paul Robeson was a twentieth-century icon; the most famous African-American of his time. The son of a former slave, he found worldwide fame as a performer, travelling from Hollywood to the West End, and even to communist Russia. A champion of social justice and equality, he would go on to lose everything for the sake of his principles. Here, Jeff Sparrow traces Robeson’s remarkable life. Part travelogue, part biography, this is a story of political ardour, heritage, and trauma — a luminous portrait of a man and an urgent reflection on the politics that define us now. Trade Review‘Sparrow shows how this admittedly splendid actor, this marvelous singer, this charismatic speaker, had somehow evolved into something more: he had for many people become the embodiment of the global longing for a better world, a juster dispensation … Sparrow has made perfect and haunting sense of him.’ * New York Review of Books *‘In a chronologically methodical and delightfully insightful approach that might best be described as “bio-tourism”, Australian author, journalist, and broadcaster Sparrow tells the story of preternaturally gifted Paul Robeson … [A]n excellent and perhaps timely reboot of Robeson’s singularly incredible life, especially as its trajectory now intersects with contemporary racial issues.’ * Library Journal *‘Written with an exhilarating combination of insight and passion … A necessary book. A social movement that calls itself “Black Lives Matter” exists because those lives are being treated as if they don't. Sparrow knows that when he writes of the past, “If you believed in nothing, you’d fall for anything”, he is also writing about now.’ * Anna Funder, author of Stasiland *‘This is an inspiring biography of a really remarkable human being.’ -- Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream‘Brilliantly told by Jeff Sparrow, Paul Robeson's story is compelling and important. No Way But This is a challenge to history and a reminder of what unites us.’ -- Owen Jones, Guardian columnist and author of The Establishment‘Jeff Sparrow is the latest biographer to tackle this riveting subject and he ably demonstrates how journalistic method can contribute to historical understanding.’ * TLS *‘Urgent and compelling … A mix of essay, journalism, history and biography [that is] engaging, original and insightful … Fascinating, instructive and full of astute observations on race and politics, No Way But This: In Search of Paul Robeson will appeal to readers passionate about social justice and the history of 20th-century political movements.’ STARRED REVIEW * Books+Publishing *‘An amazing story I didn't even know I didn't know. Jeff pulls us through the grubby terrain of race, Jesus, prison, and fascism.’ -- John Safran, author of Murder in Mississippi‘With sensitive inquisition; fierce curiosity; razor-sharp observation; crisp, engaging prose; and a fondness and respect for his subject that fairly sings, Sparrow once again proves himself one of the finest nonfiction writers we have.’ -- Maxine Beneba Clarke, author of The Hate Race‘Part journalist, part historian, Jeff Sparrow writes with loving discernment about a remarkable man and the forces that shaped his unmistakable voice. [This is] a gripping story of courage and commitment, told by one of our finest chroniclers of the human capacity for tenderness amid the squalor. Sparrow takes us on a global journey, revealing that beyond an old man and a river, there lies a deep valley of hatred and hope, sadness and solidarity.’ -- Claire Wright, Stella Prize-winning author of The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka‘Jeff Sparrow's No Way But This is a major addition to what we know of, and how we may know, this 20th-century giant … It's impossible to do justice in a brief space to such a life of commitment — or to suggest just what a compelling narrative Sparrow has made of it. He has aptly brought this giant to the attention of later generations.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *‘Paul Robeson was truly a giant of a man, in physical stature, courage, intellect, and creative endeavour. With this intimate and engaging portrait, we are able to gain an invaluable insight into a major political and artistic talent of the twentieth century. Ours is a time requiring inspiration, affiliation, and solidarity. Paul Robeson surely provides the inspiration we desperately need.’ -- Tony Birch, author of Blood and Ghost River‘A great book about a fascinating man. Read it and be inspired!’ -- Srdja Popovic, author of Blueprint for Revolution‘Both moving and illuminating … It is timely that in an era when there are more African-American men in jail or on parole in the United States than there were men in bondage at the height of slavery and when the Black Lives Matter movement is gathering momentum that there is a book to remind us about this astonishing individual and the political climate in which he used his popular voice to highlight systemic inequality.’ * Readings *‘An illuminating look at the life of a frankly remarkable man.’ FIVE BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ THIS MONTH * The AU Review *‘Book of the week … [A] conscientious and often painful biography.’ * Daily Mail *‘Sparrow has eloquently portrayed Robeson as a giant of a man who was prepared to kill off his career for his political beliefs. He emphasises that past struggles should inform today; we need not just inspiration to act but affiliation to organise and solidarity to withstand.’ * Morning Star Online *‘Remarkable … It revives Robeson as a model of integrity and bravery — someone who, despite the precarity of his social position, risked his life and career for the ideas of workers' rights, black liberation, anti-colonialism and international socialism. As Robeson's story unfolds, the ghosts of past struggles unite with those who fight for political emancipation around the world today. By naming and connecting these diverse groups, Sparrow opens a space for a new public to be formed. Robeson, with his integrity, struggles and flaws, provides a powerful model for the kinds of political action we so desperately need.’ * Sydney Review of Books *‘Told sensitively and often movingly by a writer awake to the nuances of the political and social contexts in which Robeson moved, this is a story that reverberates today, full of tragedy but also exhilaration and promise. It is the story we need to hear.’ * Overland *‘Sparrow's lively portrait should restore a little of the fame the great man deserves.’ * Weekend Herald (Auckland) *‘Robeson’s character, art, principled politics and legacy of extraordinary courage all come vividly to life in No Way But This. There are many worthy books about the life of Paul Robeson, but this is one not to be missed.’ * Red Flag *‘ … a splendid account of this fabulous figure … This is an intriguing life, beautifully realised by a fine writer, and should be widely read and appreciated.’ * The Miner *‘A thoughtful, sensitive and respectful examination of the life and work of Paul Robeson … More than the biography of one remarkable man, the book is a testament to Robeson's conviction that despite it all, there was no way but to struggle for a better world.’ * Green Left Weekly *‘The book gripped me. I read excerpts to The Spouse over breakfast; I neglected the ironing, forgot to water the vegetable patch … Now that’s a book well worth reading!’ * ANZ LitLovers *‘An entertaining, informative and important book.’ -- Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon‘Absolutely wonderful.’ -- Simon Callow‘Sparrow's account not only soars, it sings.’ * Sight and Sound *‘This passionate biography is testament to a figure who deserves to be better remembered.’ * Esquire, The Big Book Awards *‘[W]ritten with deep admiration for its subject.’ -- Nadifa Mohamed * The Guardian *‘[A] pleasing, engaging mix of biography, social history, in-the-footsteps research, and personal reflection … A lucid, thought-provoking tribute to Robeson by an author determined to stand where Robeson stood and imagine what he thought.’ * Kirkus *‘Sparrow has made a worthy effort, joining other recent work, including Jordan Goodman’s Paul Robeson: A Watched Man and Gerald Horne’s Paul Robeson: the Artist as Revolutionary. Each is worth reading.’ * Paul Buhle *‘Sparrow’s book is a very effective and compelling way of introducing Robeson to readers not so interested in conventional biographies.’ -- Tayo Aluko * Morning Star *

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about three things: 1. A room called the Comedy Cellar. 2. Who gets to speak in that room. 3. What they get to say. The Comedy Cellar is a tiny basement club in New York’s Greenwich Village. Run according to the principles of its owners, the Dworman family, it became a safe place for stand-ups to take risks and experiment. Superstar comedians such as Amy Schumer, Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, and Louis CK became regulars, celebrities started to hang out, the club hosted debates, and everyone was encouraged to argue at its back table. Then the Comedy Cellar ended up on the frontline of the global culture war. Andrew Hankinson speaks to the Cellar’s owner, comedians, and audience members, using interviews, emails, podcasts, letters, text messages, and previously private documents to create a conversation about who gets to speak and what they get to say, and why. Moving backwards in time from Louis CK’s downfall to when Manny Dworman used to host folk singers including Bob Dylan, this is about a comedy club, but it’s also about the widening cultural chasm.Trade Review‘For all those interested in comedy, free speech and how they do those things in New York, Andrew Hankinson’s Don’t applaud. Either laugh or don’t is really excellent, and has made me immediately want to read his other book.’ -- Dara Ó Briain‘This book is fucking fantastic … Honestly one that was nearly impossible to stop reading.’ -- Doug Stanhope, comedian‘A fascinating tour through the history of a comedy club in a constant state of flux caused by the political and technological upheavals outside its walls.’ * The Telegraph *‘Cleverly structured ... So smartly done and so unbelievably timely too ... One of the best books I've read this year.’ -- Stuart Heritage, author of Bedtime Stories for Worried Liberals‘Fascinating.’ -- Al Murray‘If you're interested in comedy or free speech or power you MUST read Andrew Hankinson's new book about the Comedy Cellar which is one of those great bits of writing that makes everyone's position feel interesting.’ -- Sarah Ditum‘Credit to Hankinson for tackling these broad, important ideas – what speech is acceptable, what’s forbidden – and trying to understand them through the prism of a specific environment.’ -- NJ McGarrigle * The Irish Times *‘A fascinating read.’ -- Georgina Godwin * Monocle *‘Thought-provoking … the author takes the history of the nearly-forty-year-old club as a microcosm of the comedy industry; Hankinson see its values, its unspoken rules and attitude to acceptable speech, onstage and off, as a useful reflection of American culture as a whole.’ -- Madeleine Brettingham * TLS *‘Compelling … the sacrifice of authorial vanity gives this book warmth, honesty, and a resistance to easy conclusions.’ -- Sarah Ditum * UnHerd *‘This oral history is dominated by discussion of freedom of speech and what should be acceptable within the confines of a comedy club … it captures the intensely combative, competitive, hierarchical and often petty atmosphere of an iconic comedy venue.’ -- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald *‘Andrew Hankinson is a brilliant writer, and this is a fascinating book. And I say that as someone with zero interest in stand-up comedy.’ -- Melissa Harrison, author of The Stubborn Light of Things‘The best book I've yet read about freedom of expression.’ -- Andy Miller, author of The Year of Reading Dangerously‘The smartest (and funniest) book yet on the culture/free speech wars. Andrew Hankinson does it again with another incredible work of nonfiction.’ -- Will Storr, author of Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed‘A deeply thoughtful and perceptive new book … [A] truly brilliant voice.’ -- Jason Hazeley, writer on Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe and Paddington‘It is brilliant.’ -- Padraig Reidy * Little Atoms *‘A valuable historical document but also a timely and important investigation into morality, masculinity, censorship and freedom of speech in the modern age. It has all the makings of a future cult classic. There’s no book like it.’ -- Benjamin Myers, author of Male Tears‘A demonstration in form and fact of what a less polarised, more humane, discussion about comedy, politics, taste and people looks and feels like, and it's so very necessary.’ -- Mark Blacklock, author of Hinton‘Cannot stop thinking about it. It's the story of an NYC comedy club but it's also about the culture war, even as it rages all around us. What a fantastic book.’ -- Andy Miller, co-host of Backlisted‘Fantastic … The structure is superb.’ -- Adelle Stripe, author of Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile‘A proper creative nonfiction writer who tells true stories with art, in the fine tradition of The New Journalism. A terrific, vital, painful subject.’ -- Richard T Kelly, author of The Knives‘It's incredible.’ -- Bonnie McFarlane, comedian, writer, and co-host of My Wife Hates Me ‘Insightful, and brings back amazing memories of the greatest club in comedy history.’ -- Colin Quinn, comedian, actor, and writer‘Done with such skill that you imbibe stuff by osmosis … Unsettling and understated, this report from the frontline of live comedy is more memorable and thought-provoking than any number of polemics on free speech and offence. Andrew Hankinson is a master of showing, not telling.’ -- Helen Lewis, author of Difficult Women‘An extraordinary insight into the workings of stand-up — the people, the practicalities, the politics, the lines that are crossed … original and affecting.’ -- Dan Davies, author of In Plain Sight‘Plenty of readers will be offended by certain jokes or comments — that’s the nature of the business — but Hankinson ably captures the importance of the Comedy Cellar. A well-crafted tale of comedy stars and thorny social issues that shows just how hard it is to make people laugh.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘What can comedy tell us about the ways the world is changing? This history of storied New York stand-up club The Comedy Cellar offers an in-depth look at the space that helped many a famous comedian break out. But, as befits a venue frequently associated with Louis CK, it also explores the comedy scene’s part in larger cultural controversies, and the Comedy Cellar’s penchant for stoking them.’ -- Tobias Carroll * Inside Hook *‘When someone comes to write the definitive account of Laughter in the Age of Trump — the cruel guffaws, the neutered snickers, the strange inversions whereby the left went into a collective cringe while the authoritarian right waved the flaming brand of free speech — Andrew Hankinson’s superb oral history of a single New York club, the Comedy Cellar, in Greenwich Village, will be heavily featured … Hankinson probes the owners, the comedians, the staff, and the audience.’ * The Atlantic, ‘Summer Reading Guide 2021’ *Praise for You Could Do Something Amazing With Your Life [You Are Raoul Moat]: ‘Immersing the reader in Moat's self-justifications, You Could Do Something Amazing With Your Life [You Are Raoul Moat] is both an experiment in empathy and an exploration of the limits of empathy — holding the reader hostage in the echo chamber of an angry and confused man's head.’ -- Louis TherouxPraise for You Could Do Something Amazing With Your Life [You Are Raoul Moat]: ‘A claustrophobic true-crime account in the tradition of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood … [Hankinson’s] purpose is to show Moat as a product of our culture and society … Moat is presented as an intriguing case study in disintegration, making bad choices then devoting all his intelligence to justifying them in his own head.’ -- Gavin Knight * The Guardian *Praise for You Could Do Something Amazing With Your Life [You Are Raoul Moat]: ‘The second-person voice is a notoriously tricky one to maintain and Hankinson uses it to great effect … Another strength is the overwhelming sense that Moat is not in control of his own narrative.’ * The Saturday Paper *

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Book SynopsisDame Maggie Smith stands as a remarkable example of the concomitance - in a performer's career - of typecasting and characterisation, that is the ability to impersonate `against type' infinitely various screen or stage characters. This book of appreciation essentially aims at correcting the preconceived image that the general public has of Dame Maggie Smith. Focusing on the last twenty-five years, it examines, through the many parts she has played since the early 1990s, her ability to go beyond typecasting and give, thanks to her chameleon skills, nuanced and convincing portrays of infinitely diverse characters. From "The Importance of Being Earnest" to "Gosford Park" and "Becoming Jane", to "Downton Abbey" and "Sister Act", to "The Last September" and the "Harry Potter" saga, Dame Maggie Smith has had a wide spanning career in TV and Film. Not to mention her theatrical work on the stage.

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Book SynopsisThe great singer, Paul Robeson was born in Princeton, New Jersey, USA on 9 April 1898. His father, William was a Presbyterian minister and a former slave; his mother, Maria was also descended from slaves. For Robeson as an African-American, the 'American Dream' was a nightmare. At Rutgers College he was subjected to deliberate violence on the football field; his concerts were disrupted by the Ku Klux Klan; he was hounded by the government on account of his communist sympathies. And yet, it is difficult to think of any human being in the whole of history who was more multi-talented. At Rutgers he was admitted to the very highest academic societies: he subsequently played football in the newly-created NFL; he became acquainted with more than 40 languages, and played the piano. He played 'Othello' at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, and 'Joe' in the film, Show Boat. Yet it was his voice, arguably the finest bass baritone ever to be possessed by a human being, and the message contained in his songs and speeches that echoed right around the world. Here was a message of hope for the poor and underprivileged everywhere, of whatever colour or creed. They too could bring down the 'Walls of Jericho'; gain access to the 'Promised Land'; and finally, be carried to Heaven on a 'Sweet Chariot'! As an author, the challenge for me was to see if I could make contact with any of Paul's descendants and any descendants of his slave owner, who might have unique information about the Robeson family, and to find out where exactly his father, William and mother, Maria had been enslaved. The search was a fruitful one; beyond my wildest dreams, as the reader will discover!Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Author's Note: Some Definitions and Preferences Preface: The Author's First Introduction to Paul Robeson 1 Paul Robeson (born 9 April 1898): A Background of Slavery 2 Paul's Father, William Drew Robeson 3 Paul's Mother, Maria Louisa and her Origins 4 The Reverend William Drew Robeson is Ousted from his Post 5 The Tragic Death of Paul's mother, Maria Louisa 6 Paul's Relationship with his Father 7 Princeton, New Jersey (April 1898-1907) 8 Westfield, New Jersey (1907-1910): Somerville, New Jersey (1910-1915) 9 Paul's Siblings 10 Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey (1915-1917) 11 Harlem: Columbia University, New York City (1919-1923): Marriage to Eslanda (1921) 12 Eslanda's Background 13 The Theatre and Concerts: Paul junior is Born (2 November 1927) 14 How Eslanda Helped Her Husband, Paul 15 Paul's Alleged Faults 16 London (1928-1939) 17 Eslanda's Visit to Africa (1936) 18 Paul's Attitude to Colonialism 19 Return to the USA (1939) 20 The Paris Peace Conference (20-24 April 1949): Jackie Robinson 21 Further Strivings (1949-1953) 22 Eslanda Testifies to the HUAC (7 July 1953) 23 Paul Testifies to the HUAC (12 June 1956) 24 1956-1958 25 Wales: A Welcome in the Valleys for Paul (1957 and 1958) 26 Paul Returns to Czechoslovakia (1959) 27 1961-1976 28 Was Paul Racist? 29 Paul's Forebears: Testimony of the Family 30 Paul's Grandfather Benjamin who was Held in Slavery 31 Paul's Grandmother Sabra who was Held in Slavery 32 Temperance Congleton: A Link with the Robersons 33 The Geographical Proximity of the Roberson and the Congleton Families 34 From what Region of Africa did Benjamin and Sabra's Forebears Originate? 35 How and Where did Benjamin and Sabra First Meet? 36 Oak Grove Church, Perkins, Pitt County, North Carolina: Another Congleton/Roberson Connection 37 Benjamin as a Slave for Hire 38 The Birth of William Drew, Ezekiel, and Margaret 39 The Identity of the Slave Owner of Sabra and her family 40 More About George Outlaw Roberson 41 The Escape of William Drew, Ezekiel, and Margaret 42 How did William Drew, Ezekiel, and Margaret Effect their Escape? The 'Underground Railroad' 43 The American Civil War (12 April 1861 to 9 May 1865): The Contribution made by Blacks 44 What Became of Ezekiel and Margaret? 45 What Became of Paul's Father, William Drew Robeson 46 Were Slave Owners Universally Cruel? 47 How Paul's Songs Resonated Throughout the World 48 Paul's Final Years: Charlotte Turner Bell 49 Paul's Religious Beliefs 50 Epilogue Appendix 1 Some of Paul's Lifetime Awards and Recognitions Appendix 2 The Manilla Appendix 3 George Washington's Personal Standard Appendix 4 Evolution of the 'Stars and Stripes' Appendix 5 The Paul Robeson House & Museum, 4951 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA. Appendix 6 A Church in Dorset and its Connection with the 'Stars and Stripes'. Appendix 7 Tammy Roberson James, Robersonville, North Carolina, USA, 6 January 2021 Appendix 8 Stephen A. Bess, Rockville, Maryland, USA, 9 January 2021

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Book SynopsisIn October 1957 Marlon Brando married a young studio actress called Anna Kashfi. He was thirty-three and at the pinnacle of his beautiful fame having recently won an Oscar for On the Waterfront. The wedding was front-page news around the world. His new bride was twenty-three, claimed to be an Indian princess and was pregnant. The day after the wedding a factory worker living in Wales, William O'Callaghan, revealed that Brando's bride was in fact his daughter, Joan O'Callaghan and had been a butcher's assistant from Cardiff. This book sets out to discover who was telling the truth and who was lying – and, perhaps more importantly, why?

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Book SynopsisActress and playwright Vanessa Rosenthal has been searching for her identity her whole life. Is she Jewish or not? English or not? This character, or that, on and off stage? As she explores these conflicting positions, her frank and funny findings form the basis of this fascinating memoir, bringing her to no fixed conclusion. Vanessa’s story covers her early life and family – and how her mother’s conversion to Judaism sowed the seed of being on the outside looking in. It takes the reader through her years of marriage and family, and the comic trials and successes of life as an actor, mother, wife and ‘establishment’ partner as well as her travels in Europe and Israel. Along the way she examines many taboos on Jewishness, including the deeply sensitive subject of how Judaism deals with conversion. The questions persist despite a happy and creative life, bursting at the seams but this multifaceted and moving memoir moves her closer to one answer: as an apparently insufficiently Jewish Jew, what or who should she be? This memoir will appeal to readers who enjoyed Lynn Barber’s An Education and Laura Cumming’s On Chapel Sands.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Belonging? Chapter 2: London Lights Chapter 3: Beginners on Stage Chapter 4: ‘Let Me Not Admit Impediments’ Chapter 5: All Roads Roam to Leeds Chapter 6: ‘By Indirections Find Directions Out’ Chapter 7: Eastern Europe Chapter 8: Ruth Chapter 9: New Horizons Chapter 10: Bialystok to Burnley Chapter 11: Normandy and Beyond Chapter 12: Being Earnest Chapter 13: Twilight Chapter 14: ‘Writing the Century’ Chapter 15: A New End Chapter 16: And Now Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisAnita Pallenberg, instantly recognisable as a member of The Rolling Stones rock n roll circus in the Sixties and Seventies, was no docile groupie. Fluent in four languages, she partied with the jet set in Rome, met Warhol, Ginsberg and Ferlinghetti in New York, was at home with London s leading lights of popular culture and went on to star in over a dozen films, perhaps most notably in Performance. A German-Italian rebel and social phenomenon, Anita consistently gravitated towards the next wave of movers and shakers. Based on exclusive interviews with friends and family, and full of her extraordinary adventures with the rich and famous, as well as her personal triumphs and tragedies, She's a Rainbow delves deep into her fascinating and moving story for the first time ever.

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Book SynopsisThe image of Jordan with her white shards of beehive and Mondrian make-up is one of the most iconic in pop culture. From the counter of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s taboo-busting shop on 240 King’s Road, she helped shape a revolution. But who was the woman behind it all? How did a ballet-mad girl from Sussex make her way, via the clandestine gay clubs of Brighton and London, to the eye of punk’s storm? What happened after she shared so many hair-raising adventures with the Sex Pistols, Adam and his Ants, Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol – and then just disappeared? With commentary from key players and close friends including Vivienne Westwood, Paul Cook, Marco Pirroni, Holly Johnson, and her partner behind the SEX counter, Michael Collins – plus a wealth of never-before-seen images – Jordan reveals her outrageous life story. Buckle up for a masterclass in true punk spirit.

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Book SynopsisPeter Sellers was one of the biggest stars of the 1960s and 70s. His career began with characters such as Bluebottle on BBC radio’s The Goon Show and he achieved global fame as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series. What is less well known is that he served in the Royal Air Force Entertainment Units (known as Gang Shows) for over three years. Now, for the first time, this story can be told, a tale of the formation and education of his remarkable talents, as well as a small corner of Second World War history that seems uniquely British (groups of servicemen and women sent around the world with hampers full of theatrical props and costumes, to rally the troops in distant outposts of Empire). This book reveals previously unknown film footage, photos, performances, broadcasts and recordings, from the very beginning of Sellers’ career.Trade Review"This new book reveals previously unknown film footage, recordings and radio broadcasts, as well as records of more than 100 performances across two continents. It charts [Sellers's] progress from raw recruit to gang show veteran, a journey full of colour and inspiration." -- Chortle (UK)

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Book SynopsisIn 2020, for the first time in centuries, heavy red curtains swept closed on stages across the West End; all theatres were closed. Two actors, keenly feeling the loss of their theatre homes, turned to a form of art that could still thrive over the following months, and set about photographing the stage doors of the deserted city. An extraordinary collaborative project almost two years in the making, Exeunt - The Stage Door Project collects together these moving images, alongside anecdotes from some of the world's leading luminaries who have trodden the boards of the pictured theatres. A tribute to the magical nature of the stage door and the tales lurking behind it, Exeunt is a celebration of the legendary theatres of the city, the extraordinary figures behind the curtain - and the faithful audiences who have flocked back after the storm. Proceeds from sales of this book go to the Actors' Benevolent Fund, ArtsMinds and Theatre Artists Fund Featuring the words of Dame Judi Dench, Emma Rice, Ned Seago, Simon Callow, John McCrea, Diane Page, Reece Shearsmith, Anita Dobson, Macy Nyman, David Bedella, Kwong Loke, Luke Giles, Stephanie Street, Dame Harriet Walter, Rebecca Frecknall, David Jonsson, Jackie Clune, Ben Cracknell, Richard Sutton, Adeyinka Akinrinade, Le Gateau Chocolat, Paule Constable, Lucian Msamati, Adrian Scarborough, David Acton, Natalie Law, Gordon Millar, Leanne Robinson, Thomas Aldridge, Katrina Lindsay, Eben Figueiredo, Andy Taylor, Aimie Atkinson, Jack Holden, Laura Donnelly, Laurie Kynaston, Abraham Popoola, Oengus MacNamara, Louis Maskell, Valda Aviks, Garry Cooper, Mark Dugdale, Lyn Paul, James Graham, Emma Sheppard, Paul Bazely, Preston Nyman, Lauren Ward, Jessica Hung Han Yun, Natalie McQueen, Gavin Spokes, Niamh Cusack, Paterson Joseph, Anna Fleischle, Daniel Monks, Michael Sheen, Lia Williams, Ruthie Henshall, Simon Lipkin, Tom Brooke, Ian Rickson, Rufus Hound, Zoe Tapper, Patsy Ferran, Joshua McGuire, Sharon D Clarke, Mark Gatiss, Taz Skylar, Marianne Benedict, Ferdinand Kingsley, Lez Brotherston, Tamsin Withers, Hadley Fraser, Karl Queensborough, Neil Salvage, Jessie Hart, Kathy Peacock, Howard Hudson, Jonathan Andrew Hume, Andy Nyman, Andrew McDonald, Claire Roberts, Michael Jibson, Jason Pennycooke, Christopher Tendai, Laura Baldwin, Matt Henry, Robert Lindsay, Simon Evans, Fisayo Akinade, Irvine Iqbal and Zoe Wanamaker.Table of ContentsIntroduction, Old Vic, Apollo, Novello, Playhouse, Shaftesbury, Apollo Victoria, Coliseum, Duke of York's, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Prince of Wales, National Theatre, Criterion, Fortune, Peacock, Palace, Shakespeare's Globe, Gillian Lynne, Gielgud, Trafalgar, Palladium, Phoenix, St. Martin's, Ambassadors, Savoy, Aldwych, Donmar Warehouse, Harold Pinter, Noel Coward, Royal Court, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Dominion, Piccadilly, Her Majesty's, Cambridge, Vaudeville, Garrick, Lyceum, Sondheim, Royal Opera House, Wyndham's, Lyric, Victoria Palace, Adelphi, Duchess, Prince Edward, The Bridge, Index, Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisIn It’s Not a Proper Job, TV legend Chris Tarrant regales the reader with hilarious and heart-warming stories from his stellar 50-year career in television and radio. With trademark wit and self-mockery, Chris not only recalls his behind-the-scenes capers with fellow celebrities, but also shows us how, as a man of the people, he has relished rubbing shoulders with ordinary folk on his way to becoming one of the nation’s favourite TV faces. A former teacher and ATV newsreader, Chris soon established himself at the forefront of trailblazing telly as the host of Tiswas, and here recounts this 1970s, anarchic, flan-flinging children’s show that spearheaded a fresh format and a new era for Saturday morning TV packed with pranks, full of fun, and which remains a benchmark to this day. For later audiences, Chris will be more familiar as the face of yet another groundbreaking show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which he presented for sixteen gripping years, and which grew into a global phenomenon exported to over one hundred countries. Here Chris remembers the joyous highs of contestants’ life-changing winnings, the frustrating lows of loss, the cringing embarrassment of ignorance, and the infamous cheating of the ‘Coughing Major’. Spanning five decades, Chris’s television credits are the envy of aspirational TV stars, but reading his laugh-out-loud anecdotes – akin to having a chat with the man himself over a pint, or listening to one of his entertaining, after-dinner speeches – reveals a man still amused by life, by the people he meets, and by his own humble assertion that none of his glittering career can, in any way, be called ‘a proper job’.

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Book SynopsisA Long and Varied Career John Lyons started his acting career as a founder member of the ‘East 15 Acting School’ in 1961. Upon leaving he went into the Professional company of the school ‘Theatre Workshop’ which at the time was under the direction of Joan Littlewood. In the intervening 50 years John’s career has been both long and varied, covering both West End musicals and straight plays, including three separate years in ‘The Mousetrap’ and tours both in England and The Continent with the Musical " Oh! What a Lovely War" But his career went beyond the stage. His TV appearances are numerous (over 500) ranging from ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ Play for Today’ ‘The Sweeney’ to ‘On the Buses’ ‘George & Mildred’ and ‘The 19th Hole with Eric Sykes. John Lyons is of course best known for playing Sir David Jason’s long suffering sidekick D.S. George Toolan in ‘A Touch of Frost’ which ran for a very successful 17 ½ years and currently being repeated daily on ITV3. Panto has played a very big and fun time in John’s life, starting in 1997 with productions of Dick Whittington and Aladdin with the Comedian Jim Davidson, playing Bristol. Palace Theatre Manchester, Mayflower Southampton etc, over a period of ten years. And John is still working. John is in great demand on the after dinner speaking circuit, personal appearances at ‘On the Buses’ reunions and numerous P & O Cruises talking about ‘An actor's life - the beginning and conclusion’ – ‘The Touch of Frost Years’ (his 17 years in a Touch of Frost with clips, outtakes, clips of pranks played on him). This is the story of John Lyons, Not Just George. You'll laugh, we promise, you might cry, and you'll get a look at the life of one of the most prolific actors of our time.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize 2023 The director Peter Dews prophesied: “You’ll be alright when you’re forty, and even better when you’re fifty.” It turns out that Peter Dews was right, almost to the month. In a study of British theatre through a varied acting career spanning over sixty years, Oliver Ford Davies explores the many changes within the performing arts scene through his experiences on various stages, in a variety of productions, across the country. Davies charts the ups and downs of British theatre in the last sixty years, while offering a unique perspective on life behind the curtain and the daring journey from leaving behind an academic career and into acting. From Shakespeare to Shaw, Chekhov to Pirandello, this is the story of an actor initially struggling to make a mark before making his breakthrough at fifty, winning the Olivier Best Actor award and being propelled into thirty years of leading roles.

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Book SynopsisThe third and final volume of Kevin J. Last's books about Cotchford Farm, Hartfield, East Sussex in three different eras. Semi-Detached Suburban Mr Jones is set in the 1960s and tells the story of Brian Jones, the only middle class member of the Rolling Stones and how he came to purchase Cotchford Farm as a country retreat away from the Stones London life. Despite the fact that he was founder of the group, Jones''s increasingly wild behaviour ensured that Mick Jagger eventually became the group''s leader. Harking back to his roots, Jones saw himself as a Sussex country gentleman but it all went impossibly wrong due to a vicious East End builder, Frank Thorogood, who made life hell for him with Jones eventually drowning in his own swimming pool in suspicious circumstances. How and why this happened is examined in close detail.

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Book SynopsisWho would you trust more with your future than the high priestess herself, Meryl Streep?Printed on high-quality card material, and packaged in a handy un-bendable box, this unofficial tarot deck celebrates the legacy of Meryl Streep. With more credits to her name than cards in tarot, and 21 Academy Awards to boot, she''s a guiding beacon for us all to follow when times are unclear. This deck is based on the structure of the classic Rider-Waite, with each card featuring a character from her career''s many highlights. And hey: if your future, as ordained by these cards, ain''t looking so bright - just turn on one of your favorite movies she''s been in and lose yourself in her RAW talent. Meryl, we''re not worthy.

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Book SynopsisThe Jenaissance has arrived!Keep Coolidge and Carry On: The Wisdom of Jennifer Coolidge is a breakdown of her career, from her time as Jodi, Jerry’s girlfriend on Seinfeld, to her ascension as Tanya McQuoid on The White Lotus, which has crowned her, rightfully, as HBO and Hollywood royalty.Study her wisdom and learn how to manage a diner you inherited from your husband, plan a birthday party for your dog, bake a perfectly moist cookie, and, of course, bend and snap.Learn about behind-the-scenes details of Coolidge’s movies and life, hear how she managed to pose as Ernest Hemmingway’s daughter to get into bars, and take a quiz that will separate fans who’ve only watched The White Lotus from the stans who can spot her in the crowd of the Austin Powers football game.

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Book SynopsisMax Markson is a name-dropper. In his line of work he has to be. As one of Australias best-known Publicists, the names of the people hes previously worked with are his calling card, his introduction and his CV, all in two words -- or, in the case of Pele, one word. On the Road With Bill Clinton is a collection of Maxs stories, memories and experiences with some of the biggest and most recognisable names in the world, from show business to sports and politics, over twenty years. Its the ultimate peek behind the curtain, both into the world of publicity, PR, event organisation and promotion, and into the personalities behind the celebrity names. From Nelson Mandela to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tony Blair to Al Gore, Kim Kardashian to former President of the United States Bill Clinton, Max Markson is often asked, What were they really like? In On the Road with Bill Clinton youll find out.

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Book SynopsisRuth Bowers had a dream of becoming a professional violinist. In 1910, when traditional careers for women included nursing or teaching, Ruth joined the chautauqua and lyceum tour circuit and hit the road. In the first part of the twentieth century, these popular tours brought music, education and entertainment to millions of people in rural North America. But chautauquas and lyceums also provided employment and fame for many female lecturers and performers. At a time when women did not even have the right to vote, musicians like Ruth Bowers were travelling, becoming financially independent and expanding ideas of what women could do-they were part of the first wave of the women''s liberation of the twentieth century. A remarkably talented violinist from Erie, Pennsylvania, Ruth Bowers performed at venues across North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and from Texas to British Columbia. Ruth shared the bill with famous people like orator William Jennings Bryan, illusionist Eugene Laurant and impersonator Elma B. Smith. While on tour, Bowers collected photographs, postcards and memorabilia and sent letters home. Using this material from his family archives, along with newspaper articles from the 1900s and research files from the chautauqua collection at the University of Iowa, author-historian Jay Sherwood pieces together the unique life of his grandmother. With over 125 previously unpublished photographs and images, CHAUTAUQUA SERENADE offers readers a backstage pass to the iconic chautauqua tour through the eyes of a young woman with a big dream.

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Book SynopsisSam Peckinpah (1925-1984), an accomplished writer and director of television westerns, did not attract media attention until the release of his second feature-length film, the award-winning Ride the High Country. Peckinpah revealed in early interviews his deep knowledge of film history, an uncompromising aesthetic, and an intolerance for any crew members who did not share his capacity for hard work. As his career progressed, he began having increasingly difficult times with producers who did not share his vision. His problems with them emerge as a major focus of his interviews. Sam Peckinpah: Interviews features the combustible director discussing his best-known films, including the gory western The Wild Bunch, the unsettling and controversial Straw Dogs (which Pauline Kael described as ""the first American film that is a fascist work of art""), and the crime thriller The Getaway. In these conversations, Peckinpah's candor--about himself, filmmaking, studios, male/female relations, violence, and contemporary politics--provides a thoughtful portrait of a polarizing filmmaker. Kevin J. Hayes is professor of English at the University of Central Oklahoma. His previous books include Poe and the Printed Word, Folklore and Book Culture, and An American Cycling Odyssey, 1887, among others. He edited Charlie Chaplin: Interviews and Conversations with Jack Kerouac, both from University Press of Mississippi.

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Book SynopsisHOLLYWOOD From Below the Line: A Prop Master's Perspective Steven M. Levine, a veteran Hollywood property master, through both humorous recollections and poignant stories, not only takes the reader onto a Hollywood set as aTrade Review"Steven clearly shows how vitally important props are to an actor--and to a film. His book is full of amazing information, anecdotes, and details only an insider would know. This is a wonderful, personal view of an often-overlooked, rarely written about, fascinating part of show business. My personal favorite is the chapter on Pee-wee's Big Adventure!" -- Paul "Pee-wee Herman" Reubens, Actor

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Book SynopsisAfter Betty Grable, but before there was Marilyn, America's penchant for popcorn blondes focused on LANA, the "ultimate movie star." She had it all: Looks to die for, money to burn, the romantic adulation of the world, and lovers who included the world's most desirable men. In her 1937 film, They Won't Forget, a 16-year-old Lana, without wearing a brassiere, walked down the street with her boobs bouncing. Censors protested, but when it was shown, America cheered and nicknamed her The Sweater Girl." From there, Lana competed with Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth as the pre-eminent pinup girl (so many men, so little time") of World War II. Horny GIs referred to her as the Girl We'd Like to Find in Every Port." From the start, her private life was marked with scandal: She aborted Mickey Rooney's baby; seduced a young John F. Kennedy; and fell for Frank Sinatra, who later caught her in bed with another love goddess, Ava Gardner. In the early 1940s, after a nationwide campaign promoting the sale of War Bonds, Carole Lombard frantically boarded a small plane headed back to Hollywood, suffering a fiery death when it crashed within 13 minutes of takeoff. The risk she took during that thunderstorm was motivated, it was said, by her obsession with rescuing her husband, Clark Gable, from the amorous clutches of Lana Turner. Tyrone Powertall, dark, photogenic, and famouseventually evolved into the greatest love of her life until the Aviator, Howard Hughes, arguably the most psychotic billionaire in the history of Hollywood, flew in to seduce both of them. Lana (aka The Ziegfeld Girl") didn't hear The Postman Always Rings Twice because she was in bed with John Garfield. Later, in search of love, she spent a Weekend at the Waldorf before moving to Green Dolphin Street and later to the notorious Peyton Place, she found it during an experiment with an Imitation of Life. Gable took her to a Honky Tonk and vowed, Somewhere I'll Find You," before their Homecoming reunion. With Ray Milland, she found A Life of Her Own before dancing to The Merry Widow waltz with sexy Fernando Lamas. Many notoriously hot menmany of them her filmmaking co-starslay in her future: Richard Burton, Sean Connery, and Errol in like Flynn." Samson (Victor Mature) was said to be Lana's Biggest Thrill." Lana rescued Peter Lawford from Elizabeth Taylor; Ricky Ricardo from Lucy; and, when not singing amore with Dean Martin, Kirk Douglas learned that she was Bad and Beautiful both on and off the screen. "The bombshell" once said, I wanted one husband and seven babies, but I got the reverseseven husbands and an only child!" She married Tarzan (Lex Barker) after his designation as The Sexiest Man in the World," but the union ended when she caught him seducing her teenaged daughter. Opinions about Lana were as varied as her changing looks. She was amoral," said MGM's CEO, Louis B. Mayer. Robert Taylor commented: She was the type of woman a guy would risk five years in jail for rape." Gloria Swanson sniffed, She wasn't even an actress...only a trollop." And Ronald Reagan--a man who later became U.S. president--asked, In what cathouse did she learn those tricks?" And then there was that embarrassing murder: Did Lana fatally stab her gangster lover, Johnny Stompanato, known for his links to the Mob? Or was the heinous act committed by her daughter, a traumatized teenager who, after time in reform school, officially outed herself as a lesbian? How did these whirlwinds of scandal affect the gal who had it all? According to Lana, I'd like to think that in some small way, I've helped to preserve the glamour and beauty and mystery of the movie industry." Never before has there been, until now, a definitive, uncensored, and comprehensive biography of "the Ultimate Movie Star," LANA TURNER. Until now.

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Book SynopsisOne L meets You'll Never Eat Lunch in This Town AgainIn this comic and moving and completely true tale, Film School reveals what life is like at the elite school that trained Hollywood's biggest names.When Midwestern journalist Steve Boman applied to the University of Southern California's vaunted School of Cinematic Arts, the world's oldest and most prestigious film school, he had more than a few strikes against him: His wife was recovering from thyroid cancer. His beloved sister had just died of leukemia. He lost his job. He had three young children. He was in his late 30s…. And he had no experience in filmmaking.As Boman navigates his way through USC's arduous three-year graduate production program, he finds that his films fall flat, he's threatened with being kicked out of the program and he becomes the old guy no one wants to work with. Defeated, he quits and moves back to the Midwest to be with his family. After he is urged by his wife to reapply, he miraculously gets in for a second time...only to have a stroke on the first day of classes. But instead of doing the easy thing – running away again -- Boman throws caution to the wind and embraces the challenge. He slowly becomes a gray-haired Golden Boy at USC with films that sparkle. And then he does the impossible: While still in school, for a class project, he dreams up a television series that CBS catches wind of and develops into THREE RIVERS, a primetime Sunday night show.This story of challenge and triumph—and what it takes to make it in the world's most famous film school—is a must-read for anyone aspiring to become a Hollywood great or anyone just looking for a good story.Trade Review"Read Steve Boman's Film School to understand all the effort, heartbreak, creativity, begging, stealing, joy, backstabbing and stamina that it takes to make movies. Part exposé, part-American-Dream-come-true, Boman's keenly observant and fascinating book takes the shine off of the glamour we know as Hollywood and shows us the real world of making movies."—Ali Selim, writer and director of SWEETLAND, 2007 Independent Spirit winner; director of episodes of IN TREATMENT, CRIMINAL MINDS

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Book SynopsisLast Boat to Yokohama tells a story of both tragedy and grandeur in the 20th century. It recounts the life and work of Beate Sirota Gordon: the influence of her father, Leo Sirota, one of the greatest pianists of his generation; her secret work ensuring women's equality while helping to develop the post-WWII Japanese constitution--at the age of 22; her broad influence on hundreds of Western artists such as Robert Wilson, David Byrne and Peter Sellars--who were introduced to leading contemporary Asian music, dance, theater and visual artists through her extraordinary cross-cultural efforts. The book relives Beate's drive, talent, ambition, and influence, with intimate diary excerpts from her mother, an introduction by Beate herself, and an afterword from her daughter, Nicole.Trade Review"The story of the life of Beate Sirota is an inspiring one, and one that continues to inspire long after she has left the room. She set an example for all individuals, regardless of gender or nationality, that one person -- however modest, however unprepared for history -- can make a difference." --The Japan Times "With a prismatic approach that includes remarks from Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an interview with Gordon, journal entries by Gordon's mother, and other sources, Last Boat to Yokohama: The Life and Legacy of Beate Sirota Gordon gathers respectful reflections that shed light on a specific moment in history and on one woman's remarkable career." --Foreword Reviews "Inherently fascinating and exceptionally well written from beginning to end, "Last Boat to Yokohama: The Life and Legacy of Beate Sirota Gordon" is an impressive and highly recommended addition to community and academic library 20th Century Biography collections." --Midwest Book Review "All of us have a lot to learn from Beate Gordon--a woman with the courage to match her convictions." --Yoko Ono "Women's rights activist Beate Sirota Gordon's passion for bridging cultures is clearly evoked through this fascinating tribute to her work... Nassrine Azimi and Michel Wasserman pay tribute to Beate Sirota Gordon, champion of the arts and part of the American team who developed Japan's postwar constitution under General MacArthur. Gordon's story highlights her sustaining belief in making human connections. Last Boat to Yokohama gathers respectful reflections that shed light on a specific moment in history and on one woman's remarkable career." --Foreword Reviews "A fascinating book about an extraordinary woman."--BookPleasures "Last Boat to Yokohama is a necessary addition to myriad of books written about World War II. It is complementary to Beate Sirota Gordon's memoir The Only Woman in the Room and deserves a place in any school, public or personal library." --Anne Lee, Shojo Power "A splendid book. You must get a copy of LAST BOAT TO YOKOHAMA for yourself. I will not lend mine." --Dick Cavett, talk show host, actor, writer "An important book. Every woman on both sides of the Pacific should know about Beate Sirota Gordon and what she did for the women of Japan." --Martha Burk, Ms. Magazine "An inspiring book about an inspiring woman."--Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; and Chairperson, Water Leaders Summit "What [Beate] did as a woman in helping to create Japan's new constitution is historic. Few women of the 20th century have had her courage and vision. --Robert Wilson, experimental theater director and playwright "[Beate Gordon's] contribution in drafting language about women's rights for the new constitution was instrumental in effecting significant cultural change. Later, she would pursue a career in the performing arts in New York, where through her work at the Japan Society she brought the very essence of what was precious in Japanese culture and art to America. Read "Last Boat to Yokohama" and be inspired by her remarkable life." --Yo-Yo Ma, cellist

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Book SynopsisAs cofounder of the internationally-known, highly-controversial radical political troupe, The Living Theater, author Judith Malina is one of the leading female countercultural figures of the 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. in FULL MOON STAGES: PERSONAL NOTES FROM 50 YEARS OF THE LIVING THEATRE, she creates an intimate memoir in a unique format with a collection of personal notes written on every full moon for 50 years from 1964 to 2014. These never-before-published entries reveal Malina's most private thoughts and inform the reader on what The Living Theatre was performing as they wound their way from New York City to Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Brazil in a nomadic series of notable performances of such underground classics as The Brig, The Connection, and Paradise Now. Malina is relentless in her commitment to the full moon schedule, writing regardless of her current life circumstance. Notes issue forth from hotels, trains--even prison, offering a light on the consequences of holding true to her code of the theatrical expression of her pacifist-anarchist principles. The book's format is well-suited for modern readers interested in history of the counterculture. In addition, the book includes 30+ rare historical photos from Living Theatre archives.Trade Review"FULL MOON STAGES transcends the reception model that comprises most books, by which one simply absorbs information in the hope of better understanding the subject matter at hand, and demands of the reader an intensity of psychic and durative commitment that is difficult to summon in these days of instantaneity. This book-length poem privileges experientiality over intellectual understanding, asking that you take the trip and allow yourself to be changed by the journey. If one commits to taking the Malinian trip, this story of a life, told sequentially yet in fragments, as if it were an existence illuminated by lightning bolts, is one of the most powerful interactions I've ever had with a piece of nonfiction. As I sat at the table after finishing it, tears streaming down my face, I could not help but reflect on all that remained to be done." --American Theatre Magazine "Judith Malina, the pioneering cofounder of the radical, politically fiery troupe The Living Theater ... has performed all over the world and even went to jail for her convictions. But come hell or high water, on every full moon she wrote a new entry in the diary of her life. This memoir collects those frank and funny observations, creating a biography of her career and a record of the movement she helped steer for decades."--Broadway Direct Book Filter Best of the Winter Picks "Serious theater buffs will applaud this final performance by a singular artist." --Library Journal "An exceptional memoir rich with detail and an inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. Of special note is the succinct dedication by Al Pacino. FULL MOON STAGES is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Theatrical History and Theatrical Biography reference collections." --Midwest Book Review "For fifty years, Malina kept a journal, recording what she and her troupe were doing during every full moon ... It becomes a sketchbook, a framework of ideas stretching across generations. FULL MOON STAGES is a work of broad strokes that ... paints an intimate portrait of an innovator and her uncompromising vision of what theater can be." --Manhattan Book Review "The music of the repetition, its insistent organizing principle, functions like the serial arrangement in Cage, Steve Reich, or Phillip Glass, and it provides a haunting resonance. The impact on a reader over 200 pages is cumulative. Even though Malina's lens may be tightly focused, the scope of her story stretches over a half-century." --LA Review of Books "I can't think of any other inspiration of freedom that comes close to representing the message of The Living Theatre and its daring and monumental effects." -- Al Pacino, award-winning actor, from the dedication "Her stamina was extraordinary. She was happy, buoyant, and spread the love." --Angelica Huston, award-winning actress "A magical diary: pithy, salient. Shows the great arc of an ever radiant revolutionary artist and activist. Judith Malina is still out in the vast sky of our Utopian Living Theatre hearts and minds." --Anne Waldman, award-winning poet and performer "If one wants to have a life as a woman artist, first of all read Judith Malina--this lovely and evocative FULL MOON STAGES. She was one of the greatest theater makers of the 20th into the 21st Century, and one of the most fascinating, brilliant women of the world." --Karen Malpede, award-winning playwright "For the people who knew Judith Malina in life nothing can fill the absence of that most vibrant, profound, quixotic, being but this book, FULL MOON STAGES is a Fattura, a spell, that can conjure Judith for YOU in the present. It is a vortex, an entry into her world, into that amazing mind and life of hers. It is a diagram, an ex-ray, a blueprint, a map of a poetic, artistic, political, metaphysical life lived to the fullest." --Penny Arcade, award-winning performance artist "Every month describes a concise lunar aspect of the Beautiful Nonviolent Anarchist Revolution. Judith has inscribed The Living's Akashic Record in a 50-year love letter." --Joanie Fritz Zosike, Living Theatre company member "A palimpsest of Living Theatre experience of over 50 years." --Thomas Walker, Living Theatre company member "Having this collection in hand is to hold an intimate portrait of Judith's honesty, resilience, pain and spirit wrapped around life with her Living Theatre!" --Lois Kagan Mingus, Living Theatre company member since 1988/Artistic Associate/Board of Directors member "I can't think of any other inspiration of freedom that comes close to representing the message of The Living Theatre and its daring and monumental effects." -- Al Pacino, award-winning actor, from the dedication "Her stamina was extraordinary. She was happy, buoyant, and spread the love." --Angelica Huston, award-winning actress "A magical diary: pithy, salient. Shows the great arc of an ever radiant revolutionary artist and activist. Judith Malina is still out in the vast sky of our Utopian Living Theatre hearts and minds." --Anne Waldman, award-winning poet and performer "If one wants to have a life as a woman artist, first of all read Judith Malina--this lovely and evocative FULL MOON STAGES. She was one of the greatest theater makers of the 20th into the 21st Century, and one of the most fascinating, brilliant women of the world." --Karen Malpede, award-winning playwright "For the people who knew Judith Malina in life nothing can fill the absence of that most vibrant, profound, quixotic, being but this book, FULL MOON STAGES is a Fattura, a spell, that can conjure Judith for YOU in the present. It is a vortex, an entry into her world, into that amazing mind and life of hers. It is a diagram, an ex-ray, a blueprint, a map of a poetic, artistic, political, metaphysical life lived to the fullest." --Penny Arcade, award-winning performance artist "Every month describes a concise lunar aspect of the Beautiful Nonviolent Anarchist Revolution. Judith has inscribed The Living's Akashic Record in a 50-year love letter." --Joanie Fritz Zosike, Living Theatre company member "A palimpsest of Living Theatre experience of over 50 years." --Thomas Walker, Living Theatre company member "Having this collection in hand is to hold an intimate portrait of Judith's honesty, resilience, pain and spirit wrapped around life with her Living Theatre!" --Lois Kagan Mingus, Living Theatre company member since 1988/Artistic Associate/Board of Directors member "The single most influential American company of its era." --Stephen J. Bottoms, author, Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-Off-Broadway Movement "The most prominent and persistent advocate for a 'new theater,' one that sought to dissolve the accepted artifice of stage presentations, to conjoin art and political protest, and to shrink, if not eliminate, the divide between performers and the audience." --New York Times

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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