had been in time to speak with him. I am most grateful to his son, Will Hiley, for allowing me to study the important collection of papers that he has inherited.
Michael Reddington, who as a young actor went with the Oliviers to Australasia in 1948, has allowed me to read the letters which he wrote home to his parents during the tour.
Ronald Harwood did me the signal kindness of reading this book in draft so as to pick up the errors and omissions that I feared my lack of theatrical background might have caused. Those that remain are, of course, entirely my responsibility.
Maggie Smith was kind enough to read the many passages in my book in which she featured. Generally she accepted them; though with the caveat that her final relationship with Olivier was more friendly than the record of her many clashes with him might have suggested was the case. Peter O’Toole also read the extracts in which he featured. He considered that they gave “an entirely false account of what actually happened” but did not feel disposed to divulge in what way they differed from his own recollections.
All biographers must owe a debt to those who have worked in the field before them. Nearly every book about Olivier contains at least one nugget of information which I would not have been able to obtain from other sources. The most considerable of previous biographies is that by Terry Coleman. I have benefited signally from his labours.
Archivists and keepers of public papers are nearly always helpful in their advice and generous in the time that they spare researchers. Kathryn Johnson of the British Library has far exceeded what mighthave been expected of her: her contribution to this book has been of inestimable importance. Gavin Clarke of the National Theatre Archive was similarly helpful.
My old friend and publisher, Christopher MacLehose, has been indefatigable in his efforts to improve my text. He is a great editor; if his handwriting was as clear as his mind he would be the perfect one. To him, to his assistant, Paul Engles, and to the copy-editor, Nick de Somogyi, my obligation is enormous.
Many others have in one way or another contributed to my work: notably Desmond Biddulph, Michael Blakemore, Roger Braban, Simon Callow, Frank Dunlop, Mary Evans, Suzanne Farrington, Trader Faulkner, Frank Finlay, Patrick Garland, William Gaskill, Gawn Grainger, George Hall, Peter Hall, Laurence Harbottle, Rohan McCullough, Sarah Miles, Jonathan Miller, Ronald Pickup, Tom Stoppard, John Ure, Moray Watson, Hugh Whitemore and Joan Winterkorn. The list is not complete. There has been a sad breakdown in my filing system. I hope that anyone whose name I have omitted will forgive my incompetence.
Picture Credits
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 33: The British Library Archive
7, 17, 26, 31, 40, 49, 50, 52, 59: © Getty Images
9, 55: © Bettmann/Corbis
12, 13, 15, 16, 32, 35, 36, 43, 44, 45: Angus McBean Photographs (M.S. Thr 581).
© Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University
21: © Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
22: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis
24: © I.T.V./Rex Features
27, 57, 58: Joan Plowright
28, 29: © Granada International/Rex Features
34, 38, 46: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis
37, 53: © Rex Features
39, 42, 56: © Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
41: © John Timbers/ArenaPAL
47: © Sophie Baker/ArenaPAL
48: © The Estate of Mark Boxer
51: © John Haynes/Lebrecht Music & Arts
54: © Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
Michael Reddington, who as a young actor went with the Oliviers to Australasia in 1948, has allowed me to read the letters which he wrote home to his parents during the tour.
Ronald Harwood did me the signal kindness of reading this book in draft so as to pick up the errors and omissions that I feared my lack of theatrical background might have caused. Those that remain are, of course, entirely my responsibility.
Maggie Smith was kind enough to read the many passages in my book in which she featured. Generally she accepted them; though with the caveat that her final relationship with Olivier was more friendly than the record of her many clashes with him might have suggested was the case. Peter O’Toole also read the extracts in which he featured. He considered that they gave “an entirely false account of what actually happened” but did not feel disposed to divulge in what way they differed from his own recollections.
All biographers must owe a debt to those who have worked in the field before them. Nearly every book about Olivier contains at least one nugget of information which I would not have been able to obtain from other sources. The most considerable of previous biographies is that by Terry Coleman. I have benefited signally from his labours.
Archivists and keepers of public papers are nearly always helpful in their advice and generous in the time that they spare researchers. Kathryn Johnson of the British Library has far exceeded what mighthave been expected of her: her contribution to this book has been of inestimable importance. Gavin Clarke of the National Theatre Archive was similarly helpful.
My old friend and publisher, Christopher MacLehose, has been indefatigable in his efforts to improve my text. He is a great editor; if his handwriting was as clear as his mind he would be the perfect one. To him, to his assistant, Paul Engles, and to the copy-editor, Nick de Somogyi, my obligation is enormous.
Many others have in one way or another contributed to my work: notably Desmond Biddulph, Michael Blakemore, Roger Braban, Simon Callow, Frank Dunlop, Mary Evans, Suzanne Farrington, Trader Faulkner, Frank Finlay, Patrick Garland, William Gaskill, Gawn Grainger, George Hall, Peter Hall, Laurence Harbottle, Rohan McCullough, Sarah Miles, Jonathan Miller, Ronald Pickup, Tom Stoppard, John Ure, Moray Watson, Hugh Whitemore and Joan Winterkorn. The list is not complete. There has been a sad breakdown in my filing system. I hope that anyone whose name I have omitted will forgive my incompetence.
Picture Credits
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 33: The British Library Archive
7, 17, 26, 31, 40, 49, 50, 52, 59: © Getty Images
9, 55: © Bettmann/Corbis
12, 13, 15, 16, 32, 35, 36, 43, 44, 45: Angus McBean Photographs (M.S. Thr 581).
© Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University
21: © Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
22: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis
24: © I.T.V./Rex Features
27, 57, 58: Joan Plowright
28, 29: © Granada International/Rex Features
34, 38, 46: © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis
37, 53: © Rex Features
39, 42, 56: © Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
41: © John Timbers/ArenaPAL
47: © Sophie Baker/ArenaPAL
48: © The Estate of Mark Boxer
51: © John Haynes/Lebrecht Music & Arts
54: © Moviestore Collection/Rex Features
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