Product Description

Leslie Phillips's story begins with a poverty-stricken childhood in north London, made all the worse when his father died when Leslie was just ten years old. Soon after, he began his acting career, and since then he has worked with Steven Spielberg, Laurence Olivier, Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, among many others. Best known for his comic roles in the Carry On and Doctor series, he took the decision in later life to take on more serious roles in films such as Empire of the Sun, Out of Africa and Scandal, as well as performing in plays such as The Cherry Orchard. In this, his long-awaited autobiography, he recalls some of the great characters he has worked with, and the book is packed with hilarious anecdotes. He also highlights how different he is in real life from his onscreen persona as a bounder. It is a fascinating story, brilliantly told.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #108098 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-03
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 406 pages

WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY
'A treasure trove of anecdotes'

Review
'A treasure trove of anecdotes' (WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY )

'A great tale told by a truly brilliant star' (YOURS )

'A lively book full of amusing anecdotes and insights into the life of a zestfully amibitious actor (THE SPECTATOR )

THE SPECTATOR
'A lively book full of amusing anecdotes and insights into the life of a zestfully amibitious actor

Customer Reviews

enjoyable remeniscences
Leslie Phillips provides a very diverting collection of remeniscences which proved an enjoyable and undemanding Christmas read. However, several of the anecdotes do tend to fizzle out rather, some of the encounters with fascinating characters are left hanging in the air (whatever became of the delightful Scottish landlady?) and I would particularly have loved to have heard more about the wonderful James Robertson Justice. Leslie does hint that he could have filled another book with memories, so perhaps he will!

Likeable autobigraphy of a sixties icon
When people talk about icons of the Sixties the names usually mentioned are the likes of Lennon & McCartney, Jagger & Richard and Bob Dylan. As a boy growing up then I maintain that you should add to that list the names Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor and Leslie Phillips. As much as anything the saucy postcard humour of the Carry On and Doctor films defined the era. Back in the fifties British comedy films tended to be on the tame side but the Carry On and Doctor films changed all that.
Even today these films are often repeated on TV and remain popular. That is why even though Leslie Phillips as carved out an impressive career as a serious actor I for one will always think of him in is comedy persona - that of the upper-class, slightly lecherous, predatory male. To a degree, in this book Leslie Phillips writes a little like that too, as too many times his descriptions of the women he as worked come across as being a bit over lascivious. That is my only complaint about this book though, as I found it very entertaining and would highly recommend it.
Of particular interest to me were chapters about his early life in Tottenham, where because (or maybe despite) money was short his mother enrolled him at the Italia Conti stage school, and his days in the army during the war, where after qualifying to become an officer he was invalided out on health grounds.
As theatrical autobiographies go this book is very good.

Ding Dong
Highly entertaining and wonderful to hear Leslie read it. Recommend it to any fan, casual or dedicated. Its not hugely informative, but on 4 CD's you cant put detail of that life into that short s time. Loved it and the man.