Product Description

In his autobiography, Crawford recalls his childhood, early memories and his early years in showbusiness and the friendships it led to. The stage like "The Phantom of the Opera" and films such as "Hello Dolly!" are remembered. He offers both professional and personal behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #310580 in Books
• Published on: 1999-08-24
• Released on: 1999-10-18
• Formats: Abridged, Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Audio Cassette

Amazon.co.uk Review
Michael Crawford is one of Britain's best-loved entertainers, with roles as varied as the hapless accident-prone Frank Spencer in the 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em, and the menacing creature of the night in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1980s smash-hit musical The Phantom of the Opera. It's hard to believe that the ever-youthful thespian has been in the profession for over 40 years, when a lead role in the school production led him swiftly to become a fully-fledged teenage actor. Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String (the unusual title refers to the telegram announcing his birth) is Crawford's warm, engaging autobiography, from the early years with his mother and grandmother ("from the very beginning there didn't seem to be a time when I wasn't surrounded by women"), to the hard slog of stage work and film acclaim in the 1960s with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, How I Won The War, and The Jokers to name but a few.

But it is three very different roles that made Crawford's name and for which he will be best remembered: the classic comedy of idiotic Frank Spencer, black beret set jauntily at an angle as he finds himself caught up in yet another hair-raising adventure (it comes as no surprise that Crawford, a true professional, did all his own stunts), the unicycling showman of Barnum (another gruelling physical schedule), and the masked misfit who just wants to be loved in the phenomenally successful stage version of The Phantom of the Opera, which revealed Crawford's tireless energy as a performer and showcased his powerful singing voice. Parcel Arrived Safely is an unselfconscious, generous memoir, full of hilarious anecdotes and starstruck encounters. It provides an excellent overview of growing up in post-war suburbia and of British comedy in the 1960s and 70s, and above all Crawford shows that his stability and focus come from the support of his late mother and grandmother, his ex-wife and their two daughters. "My mother used to tell me I had St Vitus's dance" he writes, "the truth is I was hyperactive, always running, always busy, taking things apart, putting them together; always imagining and inventing; endlessly competing, challenging, and questioning." What better way to describe Michael Crawford. --Catherine Taylor

Customer Reviews

Shines with warmth, humour and nostalgia.
I read "Parcel Arrived..." when it was first published, and now dip into its pages whenever I have run out of other reading material. It is written with so much warmth, humour (much of it throw-away), and reading it will cause any Brit born during or just after the War, to have a terrible attack of nostalgia! It takes you straight back to your childhood and those (difficult!) teenage years.

Michael has not had wall-to-wall success in his life and career and he writes of good times with pride and humility at the same time (if that is possible!) and the bad times with honesty; that mischievous sense of humour creeps in when least expected!

I confess to being a fan of the author, but even if I wasn't, I would enjoy this book for the wonderful style of writing; it is almost as if Michael is sitting talking to you. He's had a pretty interesting life as well! Can't wait for the next instalment!

A treasure to Britain!
I have always admired Crawford's work.And being such a fan of autobiography I just had to read this book. His acting and singing is truely incredible and I can now add writing to that list. Though much of the book is heartbreaking the rest is so funny! Crawford has a natural talent for comedy which shows through this book. While I was reading this book ( which I had finished within 2 nights)I often felt as though I knew Crawford personally and shared the bad and happy times of his life. I highly recomend this book to any fan of autobiography and of Crawford himself.

Some actors do write 'em!
Dear Michael,

Parcel arrived safely; contained an autobiography...

My school friends used to find my impressions of Frank Spencer hilarious. Even now, I can still attract attention when I recount the yarns of Michael's life to fellow bus passengers. I once met Michael, but I don't think he would remember me now - I had a beard at the time. I loved this book. It's Michael telling us about his life and what he's done and all stuff that made us laugh and cry. I really like the way he spills the beans about being in showbiz. I think he's the British Sammy Davis Jr.