Arthur Lowe: A Life that Led to Mainwaring

by Graham Lord

More than 20 years after Arthur Lowe, who played the legendary Captain Mainwaring, died in 1982, Dad's Army has become a classic comedy series, is regularly repeated all over the world, and has captured yet another generation of enchanted fans. For this first in-depth biography of Lowe, Graham Lord has followed in his footsteps all over Britain and has interviewed both of his sons and other relatives, as well as dozens of actors, friends, and army comrades, including all of the surviving stars of Dad's Army. The result is a vivid and moving account of one of British television's most beloved comic actors.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable and detailed account of Arthur Lowe's life that culminated in not only household recognition as one of British comedy's greatest characters, but respected as an outstanding actor by greats such as Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Paul Schofield.

For people like me who knew little of Arthur Lowe's life or career outside Dad's Army Mr Lord provides a strong story of the boy, the young soldier and the actor finding his way in repertory theatre through to stardom in Coronation Street.

Family relationships and friendships - although few of the latter existed outside a small circle as he was a private man - are explored as is his marriage and devotion to Joan. Joan is herself an interesting, volatile and complex character who was a actress of average talent who chose Arthur's scripts and followed him everywhere, but was racked by alcohol.

There are many quotes and detail provided by colleagues, friends and acquaintances either gathered directly by the author or using other sources, including Arthur Lowe's son Stephen.

Not a five star as I was irritated by the author describing so many people as ugly, including Lowe's son Stephen when he acted as a child in the film of the Titanic A Night to Remember, and offering - for me - too many of his own opinions on films or productions.

That criticism aside this should not put any one off reading Graham Lord's biography about the man who uttered one of British comedy's greatest lines of all time: "Don't tell him Pike!"

[Gareth Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a difficult book to write. Lowe was rather aloof and whilst Lord presents as detailed record as he can, Lowe is is still something of an enigma. Very little is known of Lowe's early life; for example, Lord doesn't know what secondary school Lowe attended. The early part of the book, therefore, is built on slight evidence and supposition and Lord commits the biographer's crime of supposing how his subject felt. It gets really bizarre when a murder occurs in Lowe's hometown. Lord suggests that the young Lowe must have been excited by this, especially if knew the murderer and his victim, which he probably did. Nonsense! The book does improve greatly, and overall is glimpse into a very different world.

[Mike Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arthur Lowe has been a favourite of mine for most of my life: mainly Dad's Army but also for being the narrator of the Mr Men animated kids TV show in the '70s. I love his pomposity, I suppose in a similar way to the way I love Oliver Hardy's character or that of Tony Hancock.

It seems he wasn't an easy man to know and could be a prima donna when the mood took him. Which creative person isn't guilty of that though.

An interesting read - I enjoyed it.

[Robert Hinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

A book of great depth into Arthur Lowe professionally and as a man and there is no doubt the regard he was held as an actor but there seems to be a split in whether his character as a man was good or not, appears to have strained family relationships.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently, he was a very private individual who no-one got to know very well. That really doesn't help a biographer.

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this in-depth insight into the great Arthur lowe
i thought i knew about him but this book gave me so much more

[John Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book made me regret that I had not seen more of Arthur Lowe's stage performances, which seem to have been more various, more fully achieved and far more interesting that the role for which he is best known, Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army. Mr Lord obviously believes George Orwell's dictum that "[auto]biography is not to be trusted unless it reveals something disgraceful" and on that account he is to be commended for facing the fact that Mr Lowe was often, in real life, as pompous, intolerant and selfish as was his Home Guard alter ego. Nor is his unsparing account of Mrs Lowe for the faint-hearted - possessed of a lesser talent than her husband's, she was unable to face that fact and became a drunk, which compounded her neglect of both her sons. Mr Lord's chapters on Lowe's early life are padded out with too much speculation and questionably accurate testimony from contemporaries at school and work, nor is the account of the war years much better. The book really takes on a life of its own with a vigorous and well detailed account of the post-war repertory theatre and Mr Lowe's ascent to national fame in Coronation Street, the soap-opera which has rarely been equalled and never surpassed. There are some puzzling inaccuracies; for example, Mr Lord writes of Arthur Lowe making television commercials in 1952 - 54, bfore commercial television began in this country. Other than that, this is an interesting read, presented in a workmanlike journalistic prose which, if never memorable, is never less than serviceable.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

efficient enough biography, but not very engaging