Halfway to Hollywood: Diaries 1980-88, By Michael Palin

Christopher Hirst
Friday 20 August 2010 00:00 BST
Comments

These diaries confirm Palin's TV image as intelligent and self-deprecatory, but can he be so modest if he's willing to publish diaries from 30 years ago? His entries from this distant era tend to bland geniality with spots of interest.

George Harrison is discovered repairing a hedge-trimmer. Alan Bennett tells a story of Noel Coward observing Dudley Moore at the piano. Much of the book is devoted to the slow progress of movie projects.

Even the infamous It's a Royal Knock-Out, in which he participated, was "peculiar, but almost magical". His view of Prince Andrew as "intolerably bossy" hints at the more acerbic tome he might have produced but for his fatal niceness.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in