Paul Scofield is often described as the greatest actor in the world. He has that rarest theatrical talent — he can make a good character fascinating. He demonstrated this in film as Sir Thomas More in A Man For All Seasons (for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor), and has repeated it many times since. His stage roles are already part of the glory of British Theatre history. His two performances as Hamlet were landmark productions. Few actors of the last century have achieved greater acclaim for the depth and range of performance, from extreme farce or comedy, to deepest tragedy, and his stature as one of the grand actors of our time has continued to be confirmed with each succeeding role.

An intensely private and modest man, Paul Scofield has kept most carefully out of the limelight throughout his illustrious career, refusing a knighthood four times, even turning down big roles and commercial opportunities. He has preferred instead to follow his own path as guardian of his craft and his integrity. The compelling story of this internationally revered icon, who marked his 80th birthday this year, is present for the first time in Applause Theatre and Cinema Books' Paul Scofield: An Actor for All Seasons 00314512).

Written by theatre biographer Garry O'Connor ( Ralph Richardson: An Actor's Life (00314360 )and William Shakespeare: A Popular Life (00314483), both from Applause), this richly drawn portrait captures the vision, spirit and accomplishments of the actor. For the book, O'Connor interviewed Scofield himself, as well as Simon Callow, Trevor Nunn, Richard Eyre and Peter Hall. He looks at Scofield's work on stage and screen, as Lear, Hamlet (Kenneth Tynan said he was the best Hamlet ever), Salieri in AMADEUS, Sir Thomas More in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS and in QUIZ SHOW.

Upon the book's recent release in London, the London Times wrote: "It is genial and probing at the same time, with O'Connor occasionally diverting us into Boswell-like accounts of conversations with his subject and incorporating Scofield's dry comments on his draft manuscript. Anecdotes from Scofield's directors and fellow actors and the judgements of critics are judiciously blended with O'Connor's own pithy apercus... It never loses sight of its central purpose, which is that of 'charting if possible the progress of an actor's soul.'"