Amusing if fitfully irritating memoir of a (sort-of) brilliant
career.Character actor Spinetti recounts his '60s heyday, during
which he frolicked with the Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor, Orson Welles
and a host of other swinging celebrities, in anecdotes designed to
underscore what a clever and exceptional chap he is. Perhaps this
insecure self-promotion is understandable in a talented performer
who never achieved the fame of his more celebrated peers. Best
known for his role as the sneering television director swaddled in
an impossibly fuzzy sweater in A Hard Day's Night, Spinetti was
also a prominent player in the progressive theater of the era,
working with such visionaries as Joan Littlewood in plays like Oh!
What a Lovely War. He rubbed shoulders with the famous and almost
famous: "A man, totally naked, was peeing into the sink. He turned
round and, extending his hand, said, 'Hallo, I'm Sean Connery.' "
These glimpses of backstage life are great fun, with Richard
Burton, John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and a host of other dramatic
titans rendered human and surprising. The portraits are not
uniformly flattering. Peter Sellers is depicted as a schizophrenic
disaster who coldly cut Spinetti's scenes from The Return of the
Pink Panther, fearful he would siphon laughs from the star. Mostly,
though, Spinetti paints the international showbiz scene of the '60s
as a grand adventure full of warm fellowship. This contrasts
dramatically with the book's early sections on a grim childhood in
a small Welsh village, dominated by a remote, pleasure-hating
father completely mystified by his dreamy, unconventional son. The
family's Italian lineage led their neighbors to shun the Spinettis
after the outbreak of World War II, and this experience colors the
author's observations on his theatrical career. He is infuriated by
unfairness, fiercely loyal and haunted by the feeling of being an
outsider. Fortunately, these are useful qualities in a memoirist.A
slight but enjoyable read for film fans, theater junkies and '60s
nostalgics. (Kirkus Reviews)
Described by Sir Paul McCartney as "the man who makes clouds
disappear", Victor Spinetti is one of Britain's best-loved and most
outrageous performers. He became known to the Sixties generation
through his comedic roles in the landmark Beatles films and the now
classic Return of the Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers, and his
remarkable wit and versatility has earned him fresh popularity with
every generation since. A veteran stage actor, writer and director,
Spinetti gives us an irresistible account of his own life, from his
Welsh-Italian upbringing to his role as one of the few trusted
friends of the Beatles - they insisted he was in every film they
made - through to his recent portrayal of Einstein on stage in
London. Highlights include his 1964 Tony award for his Sergeant
Major in Joan Littlewood's Oh What a Lovely War!, working with
Laurence Olivier, close encounters with Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth
Taylor and Richard Burton, and collaboration with John Lennon on
'In His Own Write', the play he subsequently directed at the
National Theatre. Up Front contains startling new insights into
life with the Beatles, and a selection of previously unpublished
photos of the Fab Four. Spinetti's charismatic personality and his
fabulous ability to entertain, spanning over forty years and forty
films, combine to make this a book of exquisite charm, joy and
irreverence.
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