First published 2004
Richard Harris possessed brilliant acting talent, but his wild personal life often grabbed more headlines than his performances. Callan, an Irish writer and director, befriended Harris in the mid-1970s and witnessed firsthand the actor's turbulent existence. Harris built his reputation across four decades, moving from small theater stages to major Hollywood productions. He delivered memorable performances in Mutiny on the Bounty, A Man Called Horse, Camelot, The Field, and Unforgiven. Yet his notorious drinking and romantic escapades with fellow actors Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole created equal buzz. Most people couldn't handle Harris's unpredictable lifestyle for long, but Callan stuck around. He originally wrote an authorized biography during their friendship, then expanded and revised the work after Harris's death. This updated version draws from Callan's unique position as both biographer and close friend, offering intimate access to a complex performer whose genius competed with his demons.
Genres: biography, addiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: complex-character, redemption, troubled-genius
Period: 1970s, 20th-century, 21st-century
354 pages · Paperback · Robson Books
Content warnings: alcohol-abuse, substance-abuse