Sir John: The Many Faces of Gielgud

Sir John Gielgud is one of Britain's leading and best-loved actors and, in a sparkling career that has spanned seven decades, he has played myriad character roles on stage and screen. Now, in a joint celebration of a distinguished career and Sir John's nintieth birthday, actor and artist Clive Francis has compiled an evocative book of caricatures, complemented by many anecdotes and reminiscences provided by Sir John's chums and colleagues in show business. Peter Hall, John Mortimer, Robert Lindsay, Maggie Smith, Christopher Fry, Anthony Hopkins, Paul Scofield, Judi Dench, Donald Sinden, Glenda Jackson, Irene Worth - these are just a few of the luminaries who have more than a word to say on this theatrical legend whose face became a fascination for Clive Francis after Sir John told him many years ago that Dame Edith Evans thought his face resembles that of a camel ... Sir Alec Guinness, who has written the Foreword says of Sir John: 'Not all of us will survive to celebrate John G's 100th birthday in ten years time but I will bet my Equity subscription that he is as upright, debonair and brilliantly tactless as he is now.' All those facets of his character and many, many more are explored in this vivid and sharp portrait which at last does justice to a remarkable life and career.