...... very June Whitfield! Gentle and charming
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June Whitfield is such a great comedy actress that I'm inclined to agree with the surprise of Frank Muir and Denis Norden that anyone should contemplate a comedy show without her. And indeed, it appears that very few did during the sixties and seventies in particular. What I hadn't realized was how long June Whitfield had actually been treading the boards, going right back to 1947! This book details her career right up to 2000 and features a veritable who's who of British comedy from Noel Coward to Arthur Askey, from Tony Hancock to the Carry On's, and from Terry Scott and Harry H. Corbett to Jennifer Saunders and Absolutely Fabulous. Through it all June Whitfield's approach of accepting work whenever it was offered and ensuring that her role was supporting the lead and not stealing the limelight means that she was at the forefront of most British comedy, and very entertaining it is too. The book portrays her career as trouble-free and almost straightforward. Undoubtedly there were lows to go with the apparent highs but the book has no vitriol to heap on anyone, offering instead the kind of happy reminiscing that you'd like to think represents the era best.
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A good read but a bit repetitive
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This is a nice book by a nice lady who has contributed so much to our world of entertainment. I found the first half of the book better than the 2nd, which got rather repetitive.. tonight in this theatre, tomorrow in that theatre and so on... was a bit of a who's who of theatre's and productions.
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Nice, gentle read.
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A real nice gentle read from a real nice gentle lady. Nothing to shock - the reverse in fact. She talks of the people she met with warm affection when I suspect some were not quite as nice as they could be or June decided not to mention those people. Either way this is a good insight into her long career that at sometime has touched us all.
If there was a critisim then it did get a bit repetitive towards the end but that really is a minor complaint. As I said, a nice, gentle read.
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Gentle and amusing read
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By June Whitfield's own account her life has not been one of overwhelming struggle against the odds. She was born into a prosperous south London home, made her way into show business in the 40s, married happily and has had a long and successful career. Not much drama here perhaps but Miss Whitfield is an engaging and modest narrator and has many enjoyable insights into the entertainment world of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. If you're too cool for June Whitfield...well then you're too cool. I can't imagine anyone who enjoys British Comedy not finding something of interest in this book.
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an absorbing read
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i found this book really good june whitfield tells a great story i found this hard to put down i found it touching when she talked about her working relationship with terry scott another great entertainer june had a great life which has twice been celebrated by This Is Your Life i liked june in abfab i beleve she was a big part of its success i especially liked the part where edina said inside me theres a thin person screaming to get out cue mother just the one dear june has received the CBE i think eventually she will become a Dame of the british empire
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