Dennis Price Bio

[Windthrop]

Just finished Elliot Huntley's bio of Dennis Price. Liked it - well researched and a detailed analysis of his career. Many of those who use this site will realise the trouble the author had to get this published in it's third edition and it is a tribute to him that despite having to obviously compromise on details of Price's private life (his sex life) the book remains very readable.



Worth the wait

[dremble wedge]

I fully concur, it's a fantastic read and well worth the publishing travails. I love the fact that Dennis went off to war packing six pairs of silk pyjamas in order to combat chafing from his rough uniform!



There is lots which remains unsaid but still enough fascinating material within that it serves the author's intentions admirably as a tribute.



Well done Elliot!

[kingbman]

For me he was one of Britain's best actors in the 50/60s, a great command of the english language and I always thought he was rather under used by some British film makers.



About the book, if no info on his private life is not reported how else are we to get inside the man's real life?, it's widely reported he was married but of course it was a front on his homosexuality, and of course he died virtually penniless with several unpaid bills at his local off license, a sad demise for a great actor.





KBM

[Windthrop]

About the book, if no info on his private life is not reported how else are we to get inside the man's real life?, it's widely reported he was married but of course it was a front on his homosexuality, and of course he died virtually penniless with several unpaid bills at his local off license, a sad demise for a great actor.



KBM

As I said in my earlier post the bio works despite this compromise which involves Price's private life. The author had to make such compromises to get the book published after a number of abortive attempts which I believe were blocked by the DP's family. I again emphasise that it is still very well worth reading and there is a surprising range of people interviewed for the book.

[Moor Larkin]

About the book, if no info on his private life is not reported how else are we to get inside the man's real life?,

Is not a biography that catalogues and clarifies an actor's work a worthy thing? So many actors' careers are clouded by ignorance and myth about what they actually did in the public sphere, that what they got up to in the privacy of their bedrooms seems pretty irrelevant to me.



I was struck by recent postings about Arthur Lowe. Such a well-known actor and yet still nobody has sorted out precisely what he was actually in.... as an actor...... and what all his roles were all actually about............



It seems almost rude that we are less interested in what the actor chose to share with us and instead insist on knowing what belonged to him or her alone.

[kingbman]

Is not a biography that catalogues and clarifies an actor's work a worthy thing? So many actors' careers are clouded by ignorance and myth about what they actually did in the public sphere, that what they got up to in the privacy of their bedrooms seems pretty irrelevant to me.



I was struck by recent postings about Arthur Lowe. Such a well-known actor and yet still nobody has sorted out precisely what he was actually in.... as an actor...... and what all his roles were all actually about............



It seems almost rude that we are less interested in what the actor chose to share with us and instead insist on knowing what belonged to him or her alone.

I was'nt being rude I merely would have liked to get inside the man's head to see what made him tick, If you read my post I stated that he was one of my favourite British actors so trying to understand the man in private life was all I was asking, I know all about his films and his acting greatness, there is an excellent mini bio of him on IMDB

[Bernardo]

Is not a biography that catalogues and clarifies an actor's work a worthy thing? So many actors' careers are clouded by ignorance and myth about what they actually did in the public sphere, that what they got up to in the privacy of their bedrooms seems pretty irrelevant to me.



I was struck by recent postings about Arthur Lowe. Such a well-known actor and yet still nobody has sorted out precisely what he was actually in.... as an actor...... and what all his roles were all actually about............



It seems almost rude that we are less interested in what the actor chose to share with us and instead insist on knowing what belonged to him or her alone.

Well said and so true. On another thread they are worrying how Jeremy Brett died????

[batman]

Well said and so true. On another thread they are worrying how Jeremy Brett died????

I don't think they are 'worried' about how JB died, merely involved in a dialogue about his death. The contributors to that thread (inc me) are interested in JB and have demonstrated genuine empathy for JB's predicament, I think it shows the esteem in which he is still held.

[Moor Larkin]

I was'nt being rude I merely would have liked to get inside the man's head to see what made him tick, If you read my post I stated that he was one of my favourite British actors so trying to understand the man in private life was all I was asking, I know all about his films and his acting greatness, there is an excellent mini bio of him on IMDB

I have little close knowledge about Mr. Price, although he was always fun to watch. I can understand that once all of a public career is discovered, then a fan will always want to know a little more about what made their particular icon tick. I suppose I was just reflecting that in so many cases, like Mr. Lowe's, it seems personal stories are told all about their sometimes difficult personal lives, and yet the biographer hasn't even gone to the trouble of unpicking the full details of that performers public career.



This may well not be the case here.

[CaptainWaggett]

The book is excellent on his career with some good analysis of some lesser-known films and plenty of information about his stage career. It's shame there's a gaping hole where Price's offscreen activities are concerned (and clearly the author thinks that too). I'd certainly like to have heard a bit more about some of the rumours that are dismissed out of hand - how did the rumours start in the first place?



Surely most of us would like to know more about the lives of our favourite actors/directors/writers etc? Perfectly natural curiosity I'd have thought.

[batman]

Surely most of us would like to know more about the lives of our favourite actors/directors/writers etc? Perfectly natural curiosity I'd have thought.

Blimey CW ... we agree!

[Windthrop]

The book is excellent on his career with some good analysis of some lesser-known films and plenty of information about his stage career. It's shame there's a gaping hole where Price's offscreen activities are concerned (and clearly the author thinks that too). I'd certainly like to have heard a bit more about some of the rumours that are dismissed out of hand - how did the rumours start in the first place?



Surely most of us would like to know more about the lives of our favourite actors/directors/writers etc? Perfectly natural curiosity I'd have thought.

The memoirs of Frank Muir and Amanda Barrie would seem to be the sources

[CaptainWaggett]

Blimey CW ... we agree!

Frank Muir isn't a reliable source?

[batman]

[zorro2566]

Has this book been deleted,i can't find it for sale anywhere?

[Windthrop]

Has this book been deleted,i can't find it for sale anywhere?

It was a limited print run to my knowledge

[batman]

Amazon have a copy listed .... but it's about £40.

[CaptainWaggett]

The author sells it on eBay - £14.99 plus £2.00 postage. It's worth every penny!

[Minafer]

He doesn't seem to ship to the States, unfortunately. Is there a copyright reason?

[Johnallan]

There is a copy for sale on Amazon for an eyewatering £49! (I searched under Elliot Huntley).

Dennis Price - A Tribute: The Life and Death of Dennis Price: Amazon.co.uk: Elliot J. Huntley: Books