Leslie Phillips's story begins with a poverty-stricken childhood in north London, made all the worse when his father died when Leslie was just ten years old. Soon after, he began his acting career, and since then he has worked with Steven Spielberg, Laurence Olivier, Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, among many others.

Best known for his comic roles in the Carry On and Doctor series, he took the decision in later life to take on more serious roles in films such as Empire of the Sun, Out of Africa and Scandal, as well as performing in plays such as The Cherry Orchard.

In this, his long-awaited autobiography, he recalls some of the great characters he has worked with, and the book is packed with hilarious anecdotes. He also highlights how different he is in real life from his onscreen persona as a bounder. It is a fascinating story, brilliantly told.