By Jack Rosenthal: An Autobiography in Six Acts

(Paperback)

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Jack Rosenthal had always resisted writing an autobiography until he hit on an original way of writing it that excited him: it would be as a screenplay, with himself as the central character, the storyline that of his own life, the supporting cast drawn from the many wonderful and sometimes eccentric people who touched, shaped and shared that life.
What a prospect, coming from the author of such memorable classics as 'Bar Mitzvah Boy', 'The Evacuees', 'Londons Burning', 'The Knowledge' and 'Ptang Yang, Kipperbang', a writer who uniquely won three successive BAFTA Awards.

The story moves from Manchester in the 30s via school, evacuation, university, the Navy, the early days of Granada TV (he wrote 129 pioneering episodes of 'Coronation Street'), the Busby Boys, marriage and life with Maureen Lipman, fatherhood, writing his famous plays, working with Barbara Streisand to Muswell Hill in the 90s. Sharp, funny, evocative, teeming with memorable stories and characters, this is an autobiography like no other but then, its author is Jack Rosenthal.

Reviews

"'This most original of autobiographies is as fresh, lively, and entertaining as anything he wrote in his screenplays there are Some wonderfully funny set pieces. Christopher Matthew, Daily Mail 'Soars high above the standard offering...He does showbiz anecdotes, but everyone does showbiz anecdotes. Not everybody though writes about his family life like Rosenthal, and for the bits he couldn't manage, Mrs. Rosenthal.' Rowland White, Sunday Times 'The perfect form for his laconic, underplayed character, with its visual and verbal gags that hit you like depth-charges a minute After they are delivered.....This rich cheesecake of a life will enthrall. delight and move any reader.' Michael Kustow, Jewish Chronicle 'A succession of perfectly timed and beautifully underplayed comic scenes' The Guardian"

Author Bio

Jack Rosenthal was born in 1931 in Manchester into a Jewish family. After attending Colne Grammar School he read English Language and Literature at Sheffield university, and then trained as an eavesdropper on Russian radio transmissions whilst on national service in the Royal Navy. His first job in television was in the promotional department at Granada, where he later wrote for 'Coronation Street.' In a career of over 40 years of writing for television, cinema and the theatre, Jack has been associated with some of Britain's best-loved, longest-running, and critically acclaimed entertainment. As a writer, producer, lecturer on screenwriting, commissioner of such hits as 'London's Burning' and 'That Was The Week That Was', documentary maker and playwright Jack was honoured in 1994 with a CBE. Jack's widow, Maureen Lipman, who introduces and contributes to the book, lives in London N10.