"In 1934, a friend brought fledgling actress Vivien Leigh to see Theatre Royal, where she would first lay eyes on Laurence Olivier in his brilliant performance as Anthony Cavendish. That night, she confided, he was the man she was going to marry. There was just one problem: she was already married-and so was he. TRULY, MADLY is the biography of a marriage, a love affair that still captivates millions, even decades after both actors' deaths. Vivien and Laurence were two of the first truly global celebrities - their fame fueled by the explosive growth of tabloids and television, which helped and hurt them in equal measure. They seemed to have it all and yet, in their own minds, they were doomed, blighted by a long-undiagnosed mental illness that transformed their relationship from the stuff of dreams into a living nightmare. Author Stephen Galloway takes readers on a bewitching journey as he studies their tempestuous relationship, one that took place against the backdrop of two world wars, the Golden Age of Hollywood and the upheavals of the 1960s - as they struggled with love, loss and the ultimate agony of their parting"--

"From Titus Andronicus with the RSC to media magnate Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, Brian Cox has made his name as an actor of unparalleled distinction and versatility. We know him on screen, but few know of his extraordinary life story. Growing up in Dundee, Scotland, Cox lost his father when he was just eight years old and was brought up by his three elder sisters in the aftermath of his mother's nervous breakdowns and ultimate hospitalization. After joining the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of fifteen, you could say the rest is history -- but that is to overlook the enormous graft that has gone into the making of the legend we know today. This is a rags-to-riches life story like no other -- a seminal autobiography that both captures Cox's distinctive voice and his very soul. Rich in emotion and meaning, with plenty of laughs along the way, it will be a classic in the vein of The Moon's a Balloon by David Niven and What's It All About by Michael Caine." --

"From his appearance as Ronald Merrick in the television adaptation of The Jewel in the Crown to his recent role in the hit play King Charles III, Tim Pigott-Smith has been recognised as one of Britain's most loved contemporary actors. On stage his work encompassed the Bristol Old Vic, Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, West End and Broadway. He acted with Jeremy Irons, Charles Dance, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Peggy Ashcroft and Judi Dench and collaborated with a host of famous directors, from his late friend Howard Davies, to John Huston and Peter Hall. In his memoir ... , [he] describes the actor's craft with witty anecdotes and fascinating insight. He recalls his childhood and early beginnings in the paint shop at the RSC Stratford, the life of a jobbing actor in 1960s and 70s London, strange meetings with glamorous Hollywood producers, filming a football match with Pelé in Hungary, the epic Indian saga of The Jewel in the Crown and more recent projects such as Mike Bartlett's King Charles III ... What is the story of Judi Dench and the black glove? What was it like to visit Michael Caine's LA mansion? How does one produce the character of the complex and unforgettable Corporal Merrick? Humorously written, warm, engaging and accompanied by black and white photographs ... Tim Pigott-Smith died in April 2017, shortly before this book was published, having passed final proofs for press"--Publisher's description.

Shining a light on the life of a truly remarkable performer whose stage and screen career spans six decades, this absorbing biography, written with Dame Maggie's blessing and drawing on personal archives and interviews, is a portrait of one of the greatest actors of our time.

"No one does glamour, severity, girlish charm or tight-lipped witticism better than Dame Maggie Smith, one of Britain's best-loved actors. This new biography shines the stage lights on the life and work of a truly remarkable performer, one whose career spans six decades. From her days as a star of West End comedy and revue, Dame Maggie would cross paths with those of the greatest actors, playwrights, and directors of the era. Whether stealing scenes from Richard Burton (by his own admission), answering back to Laurence Olivier, or impressing Ingmar Bergman, she built a career that can be seen as a 'Who's Who' of British theatre in the twentieth century. This book also covers her success in Hollywood, inaugurated by her first Oscar for her signature film, The prime of Miss Jean Brodie, as well as her subsequent departure to Canada for a prolific four-season run of leading theatre roles. Recently she has been as prominent on our screens as ever, with high-profile roles as Violet Crawley, the formidable Dowager Countess, in the phenomenally successful television series Downton Abbey, and as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise; what she herself describes as "Miss Jean Brodie in a wizard's hat." Yet paradoxically she remains an enigmatic figure, rarely appearing in public and carefully guarding her considerable talent. Michael Coveney's absorbing biography drawing on personal archives, interviews, and encounters with the actress, as well as conversations with immediate family and dear friends, is therefore as close as it gets to seeing the real Maggie Smith."--Book jacket.

"From her first theatrical roles as a teenager in York to her ... performances as 'M' in the James Bond films, Dame Judi Dench's professional life has consisted of non-stop acting, leading to numerous accolades, including an Academy Award for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love. [This book] is a candid blend of reminiscences and photos, many of them never-before-seen from her personal collection"--

Judi Dench chronicles her life and career, from her humble beginnings as an actor and drama school to her breakthrough on the big screen and her husband's battle with cancer.

From the moment Judi Dench appeared as a teenager in the York Mystery Plays it was clear that acting would be her career. Trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama it was her performance in her twenties as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's memorable Old Vic production that turned her into a star. But it is her role as 'M' in six James Bond films beginning with Golden Eye in 1995 that has gained her worldwide recognition. This book is, however, much more than a career record. Her marriage (Michael Williams died in 2001), their daughter, and her impish sense of humour contribute vividly to her account of more than half a century as Britain's best-loved actress.

"The definitive, larger-than-life account of the greatest Hollywood love story ever -- the romance of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton"--