Barbara Roisman Cooper – författare

Born Joan Boniface Winnifrith on January 2, 1913, Anna Lee is best known for her portrayal of General Hospital's Lila Quartermaine, a character who she brought to life for over two decades. From her early years in England to her final days in Hollywood, she recounts details of her extraordinary life in her memoir. Expressed in her energetic style, Anna Lee tells of her childhood as the daughter of an English clergyman and her early determination to become an actress. She writes of her teenage struggles to realize her dream, two failed marriages, and the difficulties she faced raising a family while maintaining her career. Finally, we see the picture of a mature Anna Lee--a successful actress playing a role she loved while enjoying an ideal marriage to writer Robert Nathan. Personal remembrances from her family and General Hospital co-stars round out this touching, entertaining self-portrait of the actress' life. A complete filmography and list of television appearances is also included.

Although there are encyclopedias and biographical dictionaries of contemporary British film and theatre actors, most lack the intimacy of face-to-face interviews. Typically drawn from secondary sources, collections of interviews often repeat tired anecdotes about an actor’s film or stage roles, with very little nuance or fresh insights. Great Britons of Stage and Screen: In Conversation features interviews with some of the leading actors of the last fifty years and more. In this collection, Barbara Roisman Cooper presents interviews she personally conducted with more than twenty stars of film, television, and theatre. Held in intimate surroundings—including the actors’ private homes and theatre dressing rooms between performances—these interviews provide readers with a rounded understanding of the creative process and the dedication required to develop a performance. Including many well-known Oscar, Tony, Olivier, and BAFTA winners, each interview is preceded by a short introduction and followed by the performer’s most significant credits, both on the stage and screen. The actors and actresses who shared their stories in this volume includeDame Eileen AtkinsIsla BlairSimon CallowDame Joan CollinsPeggy CumminsSinéad CusackSamantha EggarStephen FryJulian GloverStephen GreifJeremy IronsSir Derek JacobiFelicity KendalSir Ben KingsleyDame Angela LansburySir John MillsAlfred MolinaLynn RedgraveJean SimmonsDavid SuchetRichard ToddMichael YorkDesigned to serve as a resource for those studying or writing about the worlds of theatre and film in general—and the art and craft of acting, specifically—Great Britons of Stage and Screen will also appealto the many fans of the artists who have entertained audiences for decades.