Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography

I've just finished reading 'Elisabeth Sladen: The Autobiography', and for any Doctor Who fan -or indeed any fan of the world of television and theatre- it was a real treat. It felt very much like having Elisabeth sit next to you and chat about her life. But David Tennant puts it better than me in the Foreword: 'Charming, diffident, conscientious, giggly, determined, straightforward, a little crazy, and enormously warm. She inspired absolute devotion in everyone who worked with her. Through her largesse and openness, I very quickly moved from adoring fan to genuine devotee. I would quiz her for stories about Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and after awhile she’d oblige, but always with absolute grace and generosity. She would never bore anyone with actorly anecdotes, she had way too much class; but if you could tease some out of her, they were always delicious.'

And 'delicious' is a good word for it. It's a very satisfying book for anyone who's interested in the 'behind-the-scenes' aspect of acting, especially in Doctor Who. While it will never make up for the loss of Elisabeth from this world in 2011, I recommend it as a way of getting to know the lady behind Sarah-Jane Smith.

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-Grant P. Hudson is the founder of Clarendon House Publications. Download a free catalogue here.