Wendy Richard... No 'S': My Life Story [Hardcover]

Wendy Richard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2001

Oh all right then, just for a minute...

That was the first the public heard of Wendy Richard, when Mike Sarne's Come Outside succeeded in tempting his girl out of the dance hall, and also to the top of the 1962 pop charts. It wasn't long before her name and face were as well known as her voice.

Despite the Cockney accent, Wendy's roots were in the Northeast. She was born in Middlesbrough, the only child of parents who made their living in the licensed trade. By the time she was five, the family had moved down to London, where her father was the landlord of the Shepherd Tavern in Mayfair. The local prostitutes knew Wendy by name and the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Wilding and Anthony Armstrong Jones were frequent visitors to the pub. Here Wendy's lifelong love of London was born.

Her father's death, when Wendy was 11, marked the end of a happy childhood. In order for her mother to carry on working, Wendy was sent to a boarding school and dreamed of a more glamorous life. With her mother's help, and the money earned from full-time work in, ironically enough, the ladies fashion department of a large department store, Wendy began attending the Italia Conti Stage Academy. Soon the parts started coming and appearances in Dixon of Dock Green, The Newcomers, Dad's Army led to her first famous role -- as Shirley Brahms in Are You Being Served? Wendy recounts tales of the enduring friendships formed on Dad's Army, the camaraderie of the cast of Are You Being Served? and of happy stints doing panto with colleagues who would become like a family.

But, life beyond the cameras was no barrel of laughs. Wendy's three failed marriages included one who betrayed Wendy to the tabloids. She turned more and more to work and this paid off when she landed the role in EastEnders as Pauline Fowler. As one of the two remaining original cast members, Wendy is frank about life with her alter ego; about the warmth of her relationship with her television son, Mark, Todd Carty; about the occasional tensions of being constantly in the spotlight; and about the lighter side of life in Albert Square.

She speaks movingly of her real-life fight against cancer in 1996 which overshadowed her otherwise now happy life, with her partner John and beloved cairn terrier, Shirley Brahms II. Following a further health scare, her happiness was made complete by the announcement of the award of the MBE for Wendy Richard's services to television drama, celebrating 40 years as a working actress...and counting!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The perky, much-loved, faux-Cockney British television star at long last divulges her life story in Wendy Richard... No `S': My Life Story. With her chin up, Richard recounts her struggles as a single mum putting her son, Richard, through acting classes; the deaths of her parents; her 12-year stint as Shirley Brahms in Are You Being Served? and her 15 years as Pauline on East Enders; an abusive marriage and another failed one; attempted blackmail by an ex-boyfriend; a serious bout with breast cancer; travels with her current partner and many more episodes in this chummy, forthright autobiography.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Talented British actress Richard, best known for her character of Shirley Brahms in the hit comedy Are You Being Served? and her charismatic portrayal of Pauline on Eastenders, has written an impressive autobiography. Richard's career has spanned over 20 years in film, radio, theater, and television, and this book adds new dimension to this gifted performer. Richard's personal life has been full of struggle, including the loss of her father when she was a young child, three failed marriages, and two bouts with cancer. Her professional life, however, has been one of hard work and many successes. As a writer, Richard displays wit and humor and maintains an upbeat tone throughout. Her writing style is personal, logical, and easy to read, and she includes some wonderful anecdotes about the cast and filming of Are You Being Served?, Grace and Favour, and, of course, Eastenders. Yet despite these many strengths, the appeal of this well-written autobiography may be limited to fans of British television. Recommended for large libraries where there is interest. Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (August 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743218701
• ISBN-13: 978-0743218702
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,339,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting and Informative Autobiography, April 23, 2002

By 

Tiggah "the Anglophile" (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wendy Richard... No 'S': My Life Story (Hardcover)

Whether one is familiar with her as Miss Brahms on Are You Being Served? or as Pauline on Eastenders, fans of either show are sure to enjoy this lively and very personal memoir of (and by) actress Wendy Richard.

From her early years as the only child of somewhat nomadic parents in the licensing trade through to her courageous (and successful) battle in 1996 with breast cancer and her recent MBE award, Wendy is very frank and upfront in chronicling both her personal life and her career. She tells of her deep love for her parents and how the tragic loss of her father while she was still a child resulted in hardship for her and her mother. Following the deterioration and death of her mother around 1973, Wendy embarked on a series of disastrous relationships (three of which were marriages) that spanned a period of more than twenty years, and Wendy takes us through it all.

As an interesting touch, Wendy chronicles the story of Pauline (the character whom she has portrayed on the soap opera Eastenders since 1985) at the same time as she chronicles her own life story. Pauline has been a huge part of Wendy's life and she seems to feel a real attachment to the character. I am not a soap fan and have never seen Eastenders; nevertheless, Wendy's own life reads so much like a soap opera itself that the parallel story is somewhat appropriate, and I rather enjoyed her account of it.

The book contains 24 pages of photos (colour and b/w). There are a few stills from AYBS?, but most of the photos are from Wendy's own collection--photos of her parents, of her as a child, of friends and fellow cast members, of her precious pooch named Shirley (Wendy is a committed animal lover!), and of her at various functions and events.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography--so much so that I had trouble putting it down. Wendy comes across as a very down-to-earth and caring person, and one can practically hear that distinctive (and delightful) "Cockney" accent as one reads! When I finished the book, I felt, quite honestly, like I'd just finished a lovely letter from a dear friend. Very highly recommended to fans of AYBS? or of Eastenders.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dame Wendy Richard MBE please!, June 2, 2006

By 

Sylviastel - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wendy Richard... No 'S': My Life Story (Hardcover)

Wendy Richard is one of Britain's beloved maternal figures better known for Pauline than Miss Brahms. This autobiography shows us her life up close and personal. She is one of those people who deserves more from life. If she was a mother, I bet she would have been a fantastic mother to any child. Unfortunately, she has had three marriages all ending in divorce for one reason or another. She now has love with John Burns but I think she could get married again. She has fought for her career and life and I think she is a wonderful role model. She is honest and candid and is aware of hurting others. When she thought about turning down an M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire), I wanted to reach in and slap on the television set. Of course, she deserves it. So what if she's a Conservative Monarchist and the Prime Minister is Labour. It doesn't matter, she has provided both great comic and dramatic moments. She has also had another bout of breast cancer since then and she has come through. God Bless you, Wendy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miss Brahms . . . Are You Free?, July 18, 2005

By 

Michael G. Batcho (McAdoo, PA (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wendy Richard...No "S": My Life Story (Paperback)

Roger Miller sang "England Swings(like a pendulum do. . . " back in the sixties . . . and Roger hit on something "special" about England . . . "it swings"! . . .

England gave us Shakespeare . . . Hayley Mills . . . The Beatles . . . and Ms Wendy Richard MBE!!! . . .

Wendy has been a "presence" in British theater and television since the sixties . . . and continues even today in a long-running role as Pauline on "The Eastenders" on the BBC and on Public Television in America.

But i remember (and still watch) Wendy as "Shirley Brahms" in "Are You Being Served?" . . . one of the all time great "classic comedies" which began it's run in 1972 . . and which continues to be aired and enjoyed here in "the States" over Public Television. Wendy will always "be" Miss Brahms!

In this book, Wendy recounts her most intersting life . . . from childhood to adult "fame" . . . and it is obvious that "fame" to Wendy is not what it seems to so many of us. She is quite normal . . quite "human" . . . and quiye unimpressed with ther artifice of "fame" . . . She is proud of her success as an actress . . prouder still of her care and concern for animals . . . and happy that her "work" and "talent" and "person' has brought so much joy and pleasure and delight to so many who have watched her on "the tele" . . . so many who look upon her as a person they "know" though never actually met.

Wendy can make you laugh hysterically . . . smile gleefully . .and even "cry" with sympathetic recognition . .. in her filmed work and art . . . but she can accomplish these same effects by recounting her real actual life as well . . and she does this in this volume. (There is a photograph of Wendy, as a child, standing outside a pub which her parents operated . . . and then, she stands outside that very same pub as a full grown successful adult . . . after reading this book, this photograph is so telling . . . and one wonders what thoughts must have ran through Wendy's recollections as she stood there for this most recent photo . . .

One thing becomes perfectly clear: Wendy Richard is a Londoner . . she loves "her city" . . and is faithful to it. (And now she's "Wendy Richard MBE"! :)

This book is a great read . . and you'll meet a great person when you begin reading it: Miss Wendy Richard (no "S")!