In Spite of Myself: A Memoir (Roughcut)

by Christopher Plummer (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Fans of Plummer's acclaimed Shakespearean performances or his stately film roles, from Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music to the Klingon General Chang in Star Trek VI, may not recognize him in this breezy, bawdy memoir. Plummer drinks and parties his way through a six-decade career; beds starlets, prompters and wardrobe girls; and endures countless mid-performance indignities and pratfalls. (Lesson repeatedly learned: actors and stagehands should not get drunk right before the show.) Plummer is ebullient, a bit hammy (I cried myself to sleep for weeks, he sobs, after his dog Toadie dies), full of canny insights into the actor's craft and prone to occasional stabs of self-reproach over his own failed marriages, aloof parenting and unjustified tantrums. Throughout, he's an enchanting observer of the showbiz cavalcade, drawing vivid thumbnails of everyone from Laurence Olivier to Lenny Bruce and tossing off witty anecdotes (George C. Scott turned up at our doorstep one morning at 4:30 a.m. looking most sinister and as usual dripping blood from head to toe) like the most effortless ad libs. The result is a sparkling star turn from a born raconteur for whom all the world is indeed a stage. Photos. (Nov. 11)
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Review
“For anyone who loves, loves, loves the theater, not to mention the vanished New York of the 1950s and ‘60s. . . a finely observed, deeply felt (and deeply dishy) time-traveling escape worthy of a long stormy weekend. Just grab a quilt and a stack of pillows. No need for a delectable assortment of bonbons. They’re in the book. . . In spite of himself–his relentlessly high artistic principles; his penchant for playing the underdog, even when he was the star; his keen ear equally attuned to the precision of Elizabethan verse and to what passes as truth across a whiskey at 5 a.m. . . . this man has experienced a life rich in textures, and he is able to give most of them glorious voice. His is a life in the theater lived hard and true, in the grand tradition of those distinguished players who went before, whom he surely made proud. Good sir! I raise my glass to you.”

—Alex Witchel, The New York Times Book Review

“A staggering parade of theater-world luminaries struts, swaggers and, yes, occasionally staggers through this compulsively readable memoir. . . Mr. Plummer seems to have worked with just about everyone imaginable–Ruth Chatterton and Katherine Cornell, Jason Robards and Laurence Olivier, Julie Harris and Judith Anderson, Tyrone Guthrie and Edward Everett Horton (!) – and he has a tasty anecdote about onstage, backstage or drinking-hole doings about every single one of them.”

—Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

“ [A] splendid, lively memoir, and for that matter a fair description of his life and personality… An immensely satisfying memoir, of rare grace, good humor, and unapologetic self-honesty…. as rich as a Christmas pudding… Plummer’s book is chockablock with a lifetime’s worth of good stories, interesting people and memorable performances, the distillation of a great career, and, I would guess... --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Roughcut: 656 pages
• Publisher: Knopf (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679421629
• ISBN-13: 978-0679421627
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,626 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Plum, Plummer, Plum Beautiful, November 8, 2008

By	S. Berner (Boca Raton, Fl USA) - See all my reviews

Since the only review of this book, so far, is by someone who HASN'T read it, I thought I'd take the opportunity of voicing an opinion of one who has! My first thought upon starting the book was: At 600 plus pages, this would seem to be less a "memoir" and more a full-scale autobiography. But, memoir it is as Mr Plummer seems to be recounting his life not is strict chronological order, but as memories assail him while writing. One can almost hear his thinking: "Oh, I'd forgotten that! Well, it's just too good not to tell! I'll get back to the main "plot" in a minute!" The stories are amazingly entertaining (As one who, as a youth saw the "Ian Keith/Broadway Television Theater" moment I was thrilled to discover I hadn't just imagined the whole thing!). The history of the theater, and its decline (and triumphs) over the last half century, heartening and heart-breaking. The portrait of stars and lesser luminaries of, at least, the past four generations is enthralling. As to the writing: suffice to say Mr Plummer is almost as good a writer as he is an actor (he couldn't be AS good... he'd be Shakespeare!) If you love theater, read this! If you don't, read this and you will!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In Spite of Himself...Indeed!, November 2, 2008

By	Jenny Moore "Avid Book Reader" (Lincoln, CA) - See all my reviews

I eagerly awaited the release of this book. I have been a lifelong fan of Mr. Plummer's and I have been looking forward to reading his self-penned memoir for several years. The night of it's release, I literally stayed up a good portion of the night reading it...long into the early morning hours. I finished it the next night. It was a pretty captivating book, I must say. Overall I cannot give it five stars as I strongly felt the language and explicit sexual descriptions (a few of them actually) were too graphic and the language in my opinion, was unnecessary. I figured he was using it for effect but it really seemed like it could have been toned down. Call me a prude but that's how I feel. I do think that it isa nicely written memoir. I felt, that after seeing him on stage and on screen for so many years, I really walked away knowing him a little better. Throughtout the book, he was self-deprecating, honest and frank about his triumphs and his failures as a performer and as a person.

I was left with a few questions though. What happened to his second wife Trish? After surviving a near fatal car accident, which led to a raging alcohol problem, I got the distinct feeling that after their divorce, she succombed to her alcoholism and passed away. He never cleared up what happened to her. It left a lot of loose ends...whether or not this was intentional, I will never know but I would like to.

I also got the feeling that he has never gotten over the breakup of his marriage to Tammy Grimes. He seemed to leave the reader feeling like his heart had been broken, to his own fault in many ways as he was very much into his partying days then, but still. I would have liked more stories of him and Tammy together. They seemed like, had they been a little older, maybe it would have worked out. Who knows? I know he is crazy about his third wife Elaine and I'm glad he's found true happiness and love with her. I just got the vibe that he never got over Tammy..

I was surprised at how much he seemed to enjoy being a father initially, to baby Amanda "Manders", although by his own admission, he wasn't around very much to really call himself a father. It's interesting that he did the exact same thing to his daughter that his own father did to him and I found that sad. I'm glad he and Amanda have reconciled and are now close. I feel bad that he missed out on all of her growing up years and I get the sense, from his writing, that is one of his biggest regrets as well.

Overall, I found it a very charming and honest memoir. I loved the chapter on The Sound of Music and it seemed like he and Julie have a great fondness for each other, which is so obvious anytime they are around each other, both on and off the screen.

I hope to make it to one of his book signings. It's an excellent read, just be warned there is a lot of bad language and blantant sexual encouters, for those prudes like myself. Bravo on a great job writing this book, Mr Plummer! I wish you'd write more and I wish you'd release a CD of your amazing gifts as a concert pianist. You are truly gifted. God bless you sir!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I Met a Man in a Bar........., December 30, 2008

By	Book lover -Philadelphia - See all my reviews

Reading this book is like being in a bar and listening to the guy on the next barstool who is very talkative and in love with the sound of his own voice. He has an extraordinary memory for colorful details, has known more than his share of famous people, and is very entertaining. You have to listen closely, as he also loves to use some fairly arcane words and metaphors, as well as English (or Canadian) colloquialisms. If you're a fan of theatre or movies, you'll enjoy the stories even more as you have a frame of reference.

This is a very entertaining book, well-written and organized [every person in every photo is identified, unlike some other books I've read recently]. At 600 pages, it's pretty hefty and could probably have used some editing but the author is consistently charming. If you have any objections to drinking, this is not the book for you as there is ALOT of alcohol consumed, by almost everyone. The sexual escapades are treated with some discretion and delicacy. Plummer has many friends and it is easy to see why as he is a delightful companion.