Ask Me if I'm Happy

One of Britain's best-loved comic actors, Peter Bowles is perhaps most famous for his role as nouveau riche lord of the manor, Richard de Vere, in the hit television comedy To the Manor Born. The show earned itself cult sit-com status when it first aired in the 1970s and 80s and, as the success of the 2007 Christmas special showed, it continues to be hugely popular around the world.

Now, in this witty, charming and colourful memoir, Peter Bowles recalls experiences and anecdotes from the time as well as from countless other productions he has worked on during more than half a century in the business. From his early days at Stratford under the direction of John Osborne to roles on iconic television programmes like The Avengers and The Irish R.M., to his current work with the great Peter Hall, Peter Bowles has worked, and laughed, with some of the biggest names in British drama.

Funny, candid and warming in equal measure, Peter Bowlesis the very personal story of this inspiring and quintessentially British actor.

One of Britain's best-known and best-loved actors, Peter Bowles has starred in many West End theatre hits and enjoys worldwide success from television series such as THE IRISH RM and TO THE MANOR BORN, and films such as Antonioni's BLOWUP and Tony Richardson's THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, and is currently starring on the London stage in THE RIVALS with Penelope Keith, directed by Sir Peter Hall.

'For all Peter Bowles's many triumphs on screen, it is clear from this book that the stage is where his heart is. He writes about life as an actor with elegance, wit and exceptional honesty' Sir Peter Hall 'Shrewd, witty and often hilarious. Peter is a born raconteur and writes as he speaks. Great entertainment' Richard Briers, CBE 'Magical and gloriously self-deprecating' Daily Mail 12/4 'Richly entertaining' The Stage 'Ask Me If I'm Happy is a model of the genre - witty, self-deprecating, revealing and brimful of theatrical stories' Daily Mail 28/5 'Bold and colourful' Good Housekeeping 'Retelling his 74 years as if it were a film, Peter Bowles writes candidly about the memories and feelings that have defined his life and career' Daily Express 18/3