R. C. Sherriff on Colin Clive

[too_much_in_the_sun]

This is a brief excerpt from R. C. Sherriff's 1968 autobiography, No Leading Lady. I have a lot more to say about this book, but I just couldn't wait to post this. There is a transcript following the image, and when I'm not posting from my phone, I'll go back and correct formatting errors.

This falls on page 97. Journey's End has started its second run, to rave reviews. Sherriff goes to talk with his young lead actor, Colin Clive.

I went to Colin Clive's dressing-room. No young actor for years had received such unanimous critical acclaim for his first big part in a West End play. His dressing-room had been besieged by enthusiastic friends when the first night had ended, and when he had gone out of the stage-door he had been mobbed by admirers with autograph books. For years he had plodded along with small repertory companies and thankless tours in the provinces, his name hardly known, and I wondered whether the wine of success had gone to his head. I expected to find admirers in his dressing-room that evening, but he was alone. He was dressed for his part except for his tunic, and was sitting before his dressing-table mirror in shirt sleeves. There was nothing about him to suggest a sudden spectacular leap to fame, only a humility and gratitude that an unaccountable twist of fate should have thrown the chance his way. He got up and shook my hand and said, "I'm glad you came in. It's the first time I've had a chance to say thank you." I was taken aback: I had come to thank him. I told him how much I owed to him, but he waved it aside. "With a part like this," he said, "any actor would have done the same." I didn't argue the point. I only knew how lucky we had been.
 

10 December edit: holy moly that image turned out huge! Downsized it, added lj-cut as well, please forgive me for wrecking your flist.

Comments

[missanthropicprinciple]

Ooooh man this is cool. Thank you for sharing this!!

[too_much_in_the_sun]

You're welcome! It's not an easy book to find, but turns out the university library has a copy.

[missanthropicprinciple]

Excellent!