Terry-Thomas (1911–1990)

It grieves me greatly to say, that this book is poor fair. It took me some time, and not an inconsiderable fiscal outlay, to obtain a copy of same; I was, therefore, hoping to be waxing lyrically.
The problems start with the fact that the book is not an autobiography, as billed. In his last years, whilst suffering from MS, TT spoke to an intermediary, Terry Daum, who wrote the book. Mr Thomas does not seem to have discussed his life with his ghost writer, so much as vented his grievances upon the World. Almost the only thing we learn about TT's early life, is that he refused to acknowledge his brothers and father, whom he considered to be too common!
It is impossible to decide, from this work, whether Terry-Thomas was the most obnoxious actor who ever lived, or whether Mr Daum was too late to get to the real TT and was happy to write a lucrative, but unfortunate biography.… (mere)