Nigel Hawthorne (1929–2001)

If Nigel Hawthorne were still alive today, I do not think that I would want him to be a friend. This is a good autobiography of a man who was responsible for all his achievements but any failures or weaknesses are somebody else's.
He spends much too much time. for my liking, decrying his family, and lovers and not nearly enough upon his career. He patronizes the black Africans in his life quite outrageously and makes Sir Humphrey seem to be a man of the people by comparison.
I find it difficult to assess the quality of the book but, I suppose it is a well written autobiography of the man - just not my cup of tea.… (more)

This is an unusually well-written autobiography, and one is left feeling rather sad that Hawthorne died before he could read the excellent reviews it attracted in the press and from readers.

He takes time and care over the childhood sections, something too many actors gloss over, and paints a fascinating picture of the young man he grew to be. Moving from South Africa, where he'd spent his early years, to Britain, at the end of his teens, he strikes a good balance between emotions and facts, skipping over some details ....but evoking a strong sense of the person he was. Similarly he doesn't dwell overly on his most famous roles (Sir Humphrey Appleby, for instance) but has some interesting insights into the arts of acting, directing, and writing. I was intrigued to find that "Father and Son", the Cat Stevens song covered by Boyzone, came from a musical Stevens and Hawthorne were collaborating on!

This book contains an unconventional love story (not just because Hawthorne was gay and not "out" for most of his life, but because he lived in a truly complicated domestic tangle that took some years to resolve), a heartwarming account of finally finding happiness, and some very funny, interesting or otherwise worthwhile stories about a well-loved actor who adored his chosen career.… (more)