Denholm Elliott: Quest for Love

by Susan Elliott

A biography of the actor, Denholm Elliott.

Genres: Biography

383 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 1994

About the author

Born Susan Robinson in 1942, the American actress married Denholm Elliott in London in 1962. They had met when she was working as a singing waitress in the Strollers' Club on 53rd Street, New York.

She died in a fire at her home in London in 2007.

Reviews

[Keith Astbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Susan Elliot's biography of her husband Denholm. I loved him as an actor - he was always worth watching even if the film wasn't. An interesting, almost contradictory character, too, judging by the book which doesn't gloss over his bi-sexuality or their open relationship. Well worth a read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this biography of a fine English character actor who won no less than six BAFTAs. The book was written with evident love by his widow Susan (his second wife, after a short-lived marriage to Virginia McKenna). Sadly some years later Susan herself died in a fire in her 4th floor apartment in London, trapped in her wheelchair.
I found the part about Denholm's experience of being a prisoner of war unexpected and quite gripping (he was in the RAF and was eventually shot down off the Danish coast). I also really enjoyed the depiction of life in unspoilt Ibiza where he and Susan made their main home.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't imagine we'll get any other bios of Elliott, one of my favorite character actors, so this will have to do. Written by his widow, she says that they were collaborating on a book until he got too sick to continue. She is fairly honest about Elliott's bisexual life, but the last half of the book, as Elliott is making a bigger splash as a movie actor in the 70s and 80s, is a bit of a slog. She doesn't say much about the movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Trading Places, A Room with a View). In fact, as far as his career, the first half of the book, which mostly covers his career before the two met, is more in depth, perhaps based on conversations or writing of Elliott himself--she rarely quotes him directly. The book doesn't really bring his personality to life, but it is readable enough.

[fanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

One and unique word : TOUCHING !