And God Created Burton

by Tom Rubython, Robert Hardy

Believe me, you will never have read anything quite like this" The Spectator--London "With Richard Burton, I was living my own fabulous and passionate fantasy. Everyone bought tickets to watch Liz and Dick, and we gave them what they wanted."--Elizabeth Taylor "In all honesty, had he turned his considerable charms on me early in rehearsals, I do not know what my reaction would have been. He was that attractive."--Julie Andrews "If there were twelve elephants on a stage, you would look at Rich."--Richard Harris "They say best men are molded out of faults. And, for the most, become much more the better for being a little bad."--William Shakespeare "I came to dread the moment before dawn when Richard had to dress and go back to his wife."--Claire Bloom In 1951, at the age of 26, an unknown British actor was signed by Richard Zanuck of 20th Century Fox on a three film deal worth $250,000. Very quickly, Richard Burton became Fox's biggest star, culminating in the 1953 blockbuster The Robe, where he out acted and outshone Victor Mature. Zanuck doubled his salary to $500,000 and Burton never looked back, eventually starring in the most expensive film ever made at the time, Cleopatra, and then marrying the world's biggest female star of the time, Elizabeth Taylor. Three times he was the toast of New York on the Broadway stage with performances in Camelot, Hamlet, and Equus, even today never bested for the box office takings or sheer strength of performance. This is the story of Richard Burton, a sweeping saga spanning 1898 to 1984, a story more exciting than any novel about the most charismatic actor that ever walked the stage. Stretching from the coal mines of South Wales to the film sets of Hollywood, this far reaching 800-page biography reflects the entire life of one of the greatest Anglo-Americans of our time. In the process, he became as rich as Croesus; the first actor to be paid a million dollars a film, he outbid even Aristotle Onassis to buy the world's greatest diamonds. He loved and lost some of the world's most beautiful women, including Elizabeth Taylor, Raquel Welch, Susan Stasberg and Claire Bloom. Reputedly bedding over 2,000 women, he was a lothario on a scale only equaled since by Warren Beatty. The book also reflects on his fatal flaws and how he spent almost every day of his adult life intoxicated with alcohol. He was the last of the hell raisers, a pack of actors that included Lee Marvin, Peter O'Toole, Oliver Reed and Richard Harris. Supplemented by 64 pages of stunning photographs, many of which are published here for the first time.

Genres: Biography

800 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2011

Reviews

[Mervyn Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this one. I read it straight after Melvyn Bragg's Rich. The latter is a better, more thoughtful, read. And has the greater insights. Rubython obviously rates the Bragg book highly as he quotes from it over 50 times. And I think that is my problem with his book. Take away the quotes from other peoples' books, and from documentaries and talk shows, and I'm not sure what's left. Rubython has done some interviews of his own. And getting Robert Hardy and Roger Moore to write the prologue and foreword respectively was a coup. But I'm not sure there's that much that's new. Footnotes or endnotes would've helped. But at over 800 pages the book was probably too long to include them. Which brings me on to another criticism. Like just about all biographies the ending is rushed. Fifty pages for the last 10 years. So, that's two marriages, a divorce, a load of films, teaming up with Elizabeth Taylor for Private Lives, Burton's death and legacy...in 50 pages. Still, this is Richard Burton's life we're talking about. And what a life. The rags-to-riches story, the (many) great performances, the (many, many) turkeys, the marriages and divorces, the money, the jewels, the fallings out, the (many, many, many) women, the boozing - truly, it has it all. Certainly enough to keep you interested. And entertained. Quick note to Rubython: Henry VIII had 6 wives, not 8. Elizabeth Taylor was married 8 times, although only to 7 husbands.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive tome of a book that if dropped on someones head would kill them, despite the size of this bugger I read it in 4 days primarily because it was so well written with no boring bits whatsoever, the author clearly new his subject 'burton'incredibly well and it is facinating from beginning to end. Unlike a lot of biographies the narrator does not just go on and on about the career of the very wonderful Richard Burton but also on his personal life which is essentially what interested me. A facinating passionate but at times very selfish man who put his needs before others, had so many affairs and bedded so many beautiful women I am amazed that he had time to make any films - well worth the effort.

[Elvis2 · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's terribly written, full of typos, boring, and detailed in the extreme. A repetitious and dull book, it should have been about 300 pages long, not 800. I simply cannot keep reading it.

I saw Burton, who will always really be Richard Jenkins to me, at a party in 1978. He wore an unflattering velvety tuxedo and appeared to be well into his 70s, used up and haggard, even though he was only 52. I was a young person who had an idea what 52 should look like and he wasn't it. I used to regret that I never spoke to him that night. No more.

He was an incredibly spoiled, willful, naughty, drunken and ill-behaved young person who never really grew out of it. Let's not confuse great acting with being a great person. This was a small person with a large talent.

He was renowned for having sex with anyone who would stand still long enough. A drunk does not make a great bed partner and no one has come forward to say that he was a star in the sack. He even had sex with another woman on the night of his wedding to Sybil. As time went by, he become an abusive drunk. The author mentions "low-life women" as his conquests, something I believe was accurate, and postulates that "very low fertility" prevented him from fathering children with all these women. Give me some proof of that one. He even had a private mailbox in Geneva that Sybil knew nothing about where he received mail from his lovers. How stupid was this woman to have stayed with him?

The one who says it all was Lauren Bacall. Read her quote. He was universally disliked in Hollywood for bedding everyone's wife, among other reasons, and his failure to get an Oscar after seven nominations speaks to that.

I could not finish this book and do not recommend it.

[Mick Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how a biography should be written,the story of his life dovetailed by his death and funeral.brilliant written,no salacious comments no judging the man.it was always said that Elizabeth Taylor was the start of his downfall,I beg to differ his downfall was drink,and the need for money for fear of being poor again.he should have been one if England's greatest stage actors and I think wasted on mediocre or poor films,only showing his potential in a few.his voice was mesmeric,his memory phenomenal,his Shakespearean forays would have been a wonder to see.what caused his oblivion into an alcoholic spiral we will never know the truth,hints at a homosexual past fears about being an actor and what that perceived,it was in his genes continually pointing at his father.the other part brought to life about his brothers accident I hadn't read before is the only part that was left open for speculation butt not by the author.a well deserved 5*do not let the size of the book put you off it is not a brief cut and paste job that many purported biographies tend to be.

[Robert Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and very satisfying biography. When I finished I was not sure if I liked Burton as a person!
He certainly was a great actor but obviously he had a lot of flaws. Great read

[Sandra Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Different view on Taylor Burton marriages. Sad he died when he finally found a peaceful relationship.
Elizabeth Taylor definitely put a different spin on it.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Burton is the most intriguing actor of his generation - arguably the best stage actor at least. Some suggest he ruined his career by going to Hollywood and getting mixed up with Elizabeth Taylor. I would agree. Hollywood and Taylor were arguably the death of Richard Burton - surrounded by her "yes man" entourage he had nobody to stop him drinking to excess or living to excess. This is what ultimately killed him.

This was an amazing book- easy to read and well researched. It covered every aspects of Burton's life and his death at a relatively young age. It also gives a slightly different impression of both the man and his love for Elizabeth Taylor than previous biographers. Burton grew bored of Taylor according to this biography and wanted little to do with her by the end of his life. Quite different to the oft presented story of the never ending tragic love story.

Burton was not a perfect man, he was a real man. He had his demons and his guilt over aspects of his life. But it is this that makes him such an intriguing subject matter. He knew he was not perfect. A great actor taken from us too soon - but through his own failings. You could almost say that Hollywood killed Burton. And it would be true.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What an interesting life!

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeez Richard. Drink a little less and use your brain a little more.

[Stuart Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda trashy but worth a look