Windthrop

Hellraisers by Robert Sellers is an entertaining 'celebration' of four larger than life, hellraising legends -

Richard Burton
Richard Harris
Peter O'Toole
Oliver Reed

It is written in chronological order like a joint biography cataloging the highs and lows of their careers and private lives. There are plenty of entertaining anecdotes and one or two stories I hadn't heard before. If you have read a large number of individual bios of the actors there will be few surprises and it might seem like a 'cut and paste' job, if you are new to bios on these thesps you might want to try it. There is no real analysis or profound observations and it is very much a celebration of one of the most dynamic and charismatic group of British actors ever. If you are in the right mood pour yourself a large glass of your favorite tipple and start turning the pages.

Thats the joke that killed the Music Hall !

dremble wedge

I've read this and enjoyed it. As you say there's not an enormous amount of new material but I like its brisk tone.

I think there were a few missed anecdotes e.g. Robert Shaw was in Austria with Richard Burton on Where Eagles Dare as his wife Mary Ure was in the film. Was there any carousing there?

There's also a fantastic story about Oliver Reed and Uma Thurman in Rome when filming The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and another Ollie one when he was arrested in London shortly before he died and left a note for Peter O'Toole in Hampstead nick!

It's an amusing read though.

donna

Russell Crowe the poor mans Burton

batman

Maxwell Reed - 'the wild man of British cinema'. Anyone who tries to sell Joan Collins to an Arab is OK by me.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

donna

David Niven with Errol Flynn

stevie boy

Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee were Hell Drinkers. Howard drank Sinatra under the table,Lee did the same with Burton.

stevie boy

Surely that is Anthony Hopkins

Mark O

I've heard Ava Gardner could drink 'em under the table as well!

Mark

batman

I bet Max and Trev had a good time making The Clouded Yellow.

Ian Dickerson

I've just finished this. As other folk have said, no great character analysis or observations but nevertheless great fun to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.