- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Pan Books; New edition edition (7 May 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 033036765X
- ISBN-13: 978-0330367653
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11.2 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
103,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #99 in Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Theatre Performers
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Trust Kenneth Tynan to get it right. Reviewing Diana Dors in one of her early stage outings, he opined: "Miss Dors is a landmark rather than a performer, and I expect the National Trust already have their eyes on her". Throughout her 52 years, Dors remained a landmark, a beacon on the English landscape instantly identifiable even to those who would be hard pushed to name a single film in which she starred, a star with no visible means of stardom.
As Damon Wise tells it, her story was a litany of wastrel and violent men, abortions, debts, constant run-ins with the law and an early death. It should have produced a tragic figure, a Monroe or Garland, but the nearest comparison is Jayne Mansfield, a vaguely ridiculous creature. Dors, née Fluck, was a self-created, much cantilevered titillator, a glamorous spendthrift in the post-war austerity years, an early manipulator of English tabloid mentality--and, naturally, one of its first victims. But what comes across clearly in this lucid, readable biography is the woman's capacity for hard graft, which kept her going when West End opening nights declined into Home Counties village fêtes, paid for upfront in cash. Wise shies away from passing comment on Dors' much-maligned talents--which is perhaps a canny move. After all, landmarks don't need artistic justification. --Alan Stewart
Product Description
Exactly how did Diana Fluck, born in Swindon and raised in post-war Britain, become Diana Dors - the nearest thing to a blonde bombshell to merit comparison with her contemporary Marilyn Monroe, that Britain ever produced? The roots of this mystery lie at the heart of this book - a quest to define how a woman whose acting career was never as distinguished as it should have been, whose brassy, peroxide and pneumatic charms prevented her from being taken seriously, and whose friendships with the underworld were dubious, remains a household name to this day.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Diana Dors was always popular with the British public and remained so until her death in 1984. It is strange that she should have been neglected to the extent that she has been. This biography goes some way to rectify this, introducing not only Diana Dors herself, but the entertainment world of 50s Britain to a new generation. Although this book is disappointing in the way it rushes through the later part of Dors' life, Wise does seem to capture the spirit of Dors and the many direct quotes from her give an authentic quality to his portrayal of her. I enjoyed this book, but then I always enjoyed Dors' films and TV appearances. Not strictly for Dors fans, it helps to have a healthy interest in "glamour" and showbiz gossip. A real "holiday read".
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An interesting read about a very complex person. This is a ideal book for people who did not know about the most colourful life of Diana Dors. Well written and investigated book.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In his first book, Damon Wise shows surprising maturity in this well-researched biography of the late lamented Diana Dors. Wise's prose is always sharp and to the point, painting a colourful picture of 50s London. I give this thoroughly entertaining book my heartfelt recommendation.
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