Absolute Pandemonium: My Louder Than Life Story

Description

There is no one quite like Brian Blessed. He's an actor, film star, trained undertaker, unlikely diplomat, secret romantic, martial artist and mountaineer. He's also a brilliant storyteller who will - and you must brace yourself - simply leap out of the pages at you. Ready? Then open Absolute Pandemonium and you'll be taken on a riotous journey from his childhood, growing up the son of a miner in Goldthorpe, to finding fame in Z-Cars. You'll see Brian falling for Katharine Hepburn on the set of The Trojan Women, suffering wires strapped round his wotsits as he was hoisted into the heavens on Flash Gordon, almost causing an international incident when meeting the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and winning round George Lucas to get the role of Boss Nass on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Along the way he takes secret revenge on headmistress Mrs Jarman and her very big bottom, punches Harold Pinter, loves and hates Peter O'Toole, woos his beautiful wife Hildegard Neil and braves the shocking death toll on cosy TV drama My Family and Other Animals. Crammed with anecdotes from his illustrious career, this is a funny, warm-hearted, life-affirming, LOUD and unique memoir from a much-loved figure.

Brian Blessed grew up in Goldthorpe, Yorkshire, and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His television appearances include Z-Cars, Boy Dominic, I, Claudius, Cold Comfort Farm, The Little World of Don Camillo, Blackadder, My Family and Other Animals, The History of Tom Jones and Peppa Pig. His films include The Trojan Women, Flash Gordon, Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, As You Like It, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Brian is also an explorer and mountaineer. He became the oldest man to reach the North Magnetic Pole on foot in 1999 and to reach 28,000 feet of Everest without oxygen. He lives in Surrey with his wife, Hildegard Neil. This is his fifth book.

Stuffed with riotous and hilarious tales . . . never less than entertaining and in some parts, as in his relationship with Peter O'Toole, even quietly revelatory. * Daily Express * Fizzing entertainment * Saga * A hoot * Scotsman * Absolute Pandemonium is exactly what you would expect only louder, taller and bigger and more so . . . pleasingly bonkers and bloody entertaining. -- Viv Groskop * Observer * The pages of Absolute Pandemonium reverberate with the sound of that inimitable voice and his appetite for life. -- Andy Miller * Sunday Express * The beauty about actor, adventurer and Everest climber Brian Blessed's uproarious memoir is that his huge voice leaps out at you from every page. * Belfast Telegraph * He bursts onto the page and then roars through his experiences. It's very funny. * The Stage *