Overview

Kenneth More was the living embodiment of British humour, straightness, and resilience on the film screen and off. Born into a life of wealth in 1914, he fell into show business almost by accident and worked for nearly two decades – including at the famous Windmill Club – before becoming the icon we know today. After a long, distinguished stint in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, he was 'discovered' by Noel Coward and set on the road to fame. What followed was a string of films we have come to know as the most beloved classics of British cinema: 'Genevieve', 'Reach for the Sky', 'The 39 Steps', 'A Night to Remember', 'Sink the Bismarck!', 'Scrooge' . . . the list goes on. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, his private life was almost as exciting as the roles he played. Following a string of affairs and eleven years of marriage, he made national headlines after running off with a young actress. Worse still, when a public spat with the head of Britain's biggest movie studio damaged his career, he found a new home in television. On screen, Kenneth More fought some courageous battles, but his bravest fight came when Parkinson's disease ended his career in the late 1970s. This is a comprehensive biography of one of the most iconic and enduring legends of British cinema, with contributions from Martin Jarvis, Jane Asher, Chris Sarandon, Anneke Wills, Susan Penhaligon, Alvin Rakoff, Peter Medak, Barry MacGregor, and many others. AUTHOR: Nathan Morley is an award-winning broadcaster and journalist. His books have included 'Radio Hitler: Nazi Airwaves in the Second World War' and 'Holidays with Hitler: State-sponsored Fun in Nazi Germany' both published by Amberley. As a journalist, he has written for Deutsche Welle, CBC Canada, ORF, Vatican News, Catholic Herald, Voice of America, Yours Retro, LBC, BBC, and many others.

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9781846894206

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Reviews

'A new biography lifts the lid on the extraordinary life of Reach for the Sky star's personal battle with illness that proved his greatest act of bravery.' * Daily Mirror, 9th March 2026 *

Author Information

Nathan Morley is an award-winning broadcaster and the author of critically acclaimed biographies on British film icons Jack Hawkins and David Tomlinson. His work has earned praise from notable figures such as Craig Brown and Richard Ingrams, and has been featured across the mainstream press. A recipient of a New York Festivals Award and a Member of the Royal Historical Society, Morley is also the author of the bestselling historical study Radio Hitler: Nazi Airwaves in the Second World War.

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