Actors

I’ve just finished Garry O’Connor’s book on Paul Scofield and it’s been wonderful to ‘hear’ the old man’s voice again. It’s been like having an extended conversation over some of the things we never talked about. Sitting under the apple trees in Paul’s garden on a summer’s day eating all kinds of wonderful cakes home made by Joy was joy indeed. I cannot think of a better definition of ‘bliss’.

I am now embarking on Alec Guiness’s autobiography and it’s another total delight. I tend to read in five year spurts and I’m hoping this latest spurt will last until I’ve read the biographies of all the formidable actors that are now memories. I probably know least about Ralph Richardson, so I’m hoping someone clever has written up his story.

(How great it was to read that Paul refused to extend UNCLE VANYA’s short run once Colin Blakely had left the cast: Colin was always one of my favourite actors).