To make it from comparative poverty to wealth and fame is always to make oneself interesting. Acting has several times made John Thaw, son of a Manchester lorry driver, one of the most instantly recognised faces in television, and his dedication to his profession keeps him from being notably arrogant about the fact. Thaw talked his way into RADA while still underage and was one of the talked-about figures of a generation that included Tom Courtenay and Sarah Miles. Stage success eluded him until he was already famous--though his performance as a Labour Party leader in David Hare's Absence of War was rightly praised. This likable book concentrates on his television work, rightly recognising that it is as the character of Regan in The Sweeney and as Inspector Morse that he awakened the interest of millions; there is a full account of how those two performances grew and changed. Thaw has for 25 years been married to Sheila Hancock; the book is, without being intrusive, an ... read more