Behaving Badly: Richard Harris

Cliff Goodwin, author of the bestselling Evil Spirits: The Life of Oliver Reed, has interviewed some of Harris's closest friends and fellow actors to amass a wealth of previously unpublished stories and information about a man who frequently lived as a recluse - but never failed to make headlines.

Richard Harris was never an easy person to get along with. He was a difficult schoolboy (and was later disowned by his Limerick teachers), then he went to work in the family flour and milling business - where he organised a strike against his father. 
 
It was as a gifted and compelling actor that Richard Harris dominated stage and screen for more than four decades. He was nominated for an Oscar twice: for his earthy portrayal of a rugby player in This Sporting Life and as a dominant and bullish Irish farmer in The Field. More recently he delivered gripping screen performances in Gladiator and two Harry Potter films. 
 
But it was his violent, drunken, womanising private life that fed the public myth and made Harris, one of a new breed of rogue male actors, an international celebrity. Married and divorced twice, with three sons - two actors, one a film director - he claimed the only time he had been miscast was as a husband. His lovers included legends such as Merle Oberon, Sophia Loren, Ava Gardner and Vanessa Redgrave.

The Life of Oliver Reed

Evil Spirits

A compelling and insightful biography of Oliver Reed, international film star and infamous hellraiser

A top-drawer. thorough account of the Great British hellraiser's finest moments.

Cliff Goodwin's book delivers the goods on all counts ... hugely enjoyable.

In May 1999, after a 40-year career including 100 films, Oliver Reed died, as he had invariably lived, drinking with friends while making a film - his well-reviewed performance in the blockbuster Gladiator. Having risen through Hammer Horror films to international stardom as Bill Sykes in Oliver!, Reed became, in his own works, 'the biggest star this country has got'. With his legendary off-screen exploits and blunt opinions - especially of his co-stars - he was also one of the most infamous. 
Bestselling author Cliff Goodwin uses material from first-hand interviews with Reed's family, friends and colleagues and never before seen photographs to explore Reed's eventful career. But he also reveals another side to this unique and complex man.

Cliff Goodwin

reveals the true nature of the popular star.

Covering Sid's early years in South Africa and life as a ladies' hairdresser, his obsession with gambling and women, his questioning by Scotland Yard in a murder case, Hancock's Half Hour and the Carry On films, and Sid's death on stage at the age of 63, Cliff Goodwin reveals the amazing truth behing the legend.

Sid James: A Biography

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Best-Jane-Austen-quotes_Online-Desktop_Penguin

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

sectionTitle

isEnabled

anchor

anchorLabel

prhuk/featured-book

prhuk/praise-section

maxBooks

showViewMore

prhuk/books-section

hideAuthorAlert

formName

iterableDivision

iterableBrand

buttonText

description

heading

legalText

successHeading

successText

image

alignment

variation

prhuk/email-section

prhuk/series-section

prhuk/biography-section

prhuk/articles-section

prhuk-authors

Little Black Classics Box Set

Penguin Modern Box Set

Frankenstein

Cliff Goodwin

Praise for Sid James: A Biography

Fascinating reading and funny.

reveals the true nature of the popular star.

very good read indeed

Fascinating reading and funny.

reveals the true nature of the popular star.

very good read indeed

Fascinating reading and funny.

reveals the true nature of the popular star.

very good read indeed

Books by Cliff Goodwin

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter