Stewart’s memoir is my favourite kind of actors’ autobiography, combining lots of Shakespeare, building from one-liner parts to the title character, then film and TV success, with more theatre all the way through. Add to that an interesting working class Yorkshire childhood, and the fact that he’s a humble and lovely bloke, it was perfect. Mind you, as a Shakespeare addict and big Star Trek fan, I was always going to read it with somewhat rose-tinted specs.
Stewart was born in 1940 in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, his father was away at war, and the midwife was at the cinema – but his mum held on until the film finished! They lived in a two-up, one-down with outside toilet. He shared the small bedroom with his older brother Trevor. Their house didn’t have many books, and only a beloved Monopoly set, but young Patrick was a great reader – thanks to the local library.
It was a childhood of hardship and treading on eggshells as his father could be violent, something that haunted him for decades and therapy has helped. But he prefers to say it was there and not expound too much further.
I had many flying dreams […] For some reason, I never went above the clouds in these dreams. Maybe this was because Mirfield boys like me weren’t expected to have lofty ambitions. Certainly none that would ever take me into outer space.
Yet Patrick went on to discover a love of acting as a teen and joined local amateur dramatic societies, finding himself in demand. He picked up some great mentors along the way and along with his teachers, he was encouraged to apply to the Bristol Old Vic theatre school, following Brian Blessed who’d gone there the year before, and thanks to a grant from the Council he was able to get his tuition and digs funded.
After that it was the ups and downs of seasons in rep for a while, juggling roles big and small in companies across the northern half of England mainly, before managing to gain a place at the RSC in Stratford. This was a bit of a come-down for Patrick who’d got used to larger parts by now, but he persevered and better roles did come. He’s generous about his colleagues, learning from them all. It was wonderful to read the different directors takes on Shakespeare, some concentrate on the verse speaking first, others get straight into the production. He tells a very funny story from a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona where he played Launce, who has a dog called Crab – and doggy-actor Blackie stole the show.
He lost his hair early, but eventually, TV and film roles beckoned. His Sejanus in I Claudius was excellent, and his non-speaking Russian spymaster Karla in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy memorable. At the movies, I remember him as Leondegrance, Guinevere’s father in Excalibur (1981), one of my favourite films ever. As for Dune … that wasn’t a fun shoot, but he does tell a great story about meeting Sting and not having a clue who he was.
When he signed up for ST: TNG, everyone assumed they wouldn’t get past a single season, but it was renewed again and again – and made him world-famous as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I loved reading the story again about how they flew his toupee over to LA for his audition – it’s a classic in the Trek lexicon. He’s very honest about how fame and loneliness in LA got to him, but also how the TNG cast helped him to ditch his seriousness and stage-acting stiffness, by taking the piss out of him mercilessly. Although his marriage had been rocky before, having the Atlantic between him and Sheila was the breaker. He had a short second marriage to Wendy Neuss, a producer on ST: TNG, but is now very happily married to Sunny, a singer-songwriter, who is younger than both his children. Ian McKellen officiated at their wedding!
He has always returned to the stage though, with his award-winning one-man show of A Christmas Carol and acting with his good friend Ian McKellen in Waiting for Godot in London and on Broadway to pick out a couple of productions, with some Shakespeare always in the mix.
Sir Patrick Stewart’s memoir was a fascinating read. He comes across as very honest and humble and a lovely man. Quite rightly, the Star Trek section doesn’t dominate, so if you enjoy theatrical memoirs heavy on the 1960s onwards, this is a rewarding read indeed. I wish I’d managed to see him in London or Stratford though, somehow I’ve always missed him, although I’ve seen McKellen quite a few times.
See also Lory’s review.
Source: Own copy. Gallery books hardback, 469 pages. BUY in paperback at Blackwell’s via my affiliate link.
I don’t think I have ever read an actor’s bio, but your first line highlights how fascinating it can be. 15/20, you are getting there!
I love great actor’s bios/memoirs. It’s always fascinating to see how they and their directors interpret texts, and it’s great when their careers spillover from the stage to screen like Patrick Stewarts.
I’ve now read 19 of my 20, so have some review catch-ups to do.
I’m so glad you liked it too! Some great stories, as in all the best theatrical memoirs. Behind the scenes is a drama of its own.
I love theatrical memoirs, and this was brilliant. Always been a fan of ‘Pat the Spaceman’ as he was known in our house for a while.
This sounds fascinating. I’m a big Shakespeare nerd so the theatrical sections are especially appealing. I’m struck that the local library and a council grant gave him such immense opportunities – it’s heart-breaking how these are being eroded.
It was an excellent memoir indeed. He was all set to work every hr he could to make enough money to go when he found out about the grants.
I think my first proper intro to Stewart was when he was in a television series Emily used to watch called Maybury, in which he played a very relatable but professional psychiatrist. I will of course have seen him in Excalibur but can only just recall him. He comes across as such a lovely man.
That sounds really good, and well done for getting up to no 15 read and reviewed! I’ve slipped back a little (and have one big one left in the pile) but hoping to get some solid reading in this weekend.