Seventieth birthday tribute to Britain's favourite actress.
The very name encourages a warm and admiring response from the public, whether as an actress admired for her Shakespearean performances or in the contemporary theatre (plays by David Hare, Hugh Whitemore etc), or on TV (the series A Fine Romance and As Time Goes By) or in the cinema (Mrs Brown, Shakespeare in Love, Shipping News, Iris, and four James Bond films as 'M'). Judi Dench is Britain's favourite actress. Some might make claims for Felicity Kendal or Prunella Scales, but Judi is box-office. When she and Maggie Smith - another favourite - appeared together in a David Hare play last year all seats were sold for the run within 24 hours. John Miller has known her for ten years. Produced for her seventieth birthday, this book features tributes by fellow actors, writers - people of the theatre, film and TV in a volume edited by John Miller. Judi has promised full co-operation, including her photograph albums. The list of those confirmed so far includes, Billy Connolly, Pierce Brosnan, Gwyneth Paltrow, David Hare, Richard Eyre, Peter Hall, Trevor Nunn, Bill Nighy, Martin Jarvis, Ned Sherrin, Ian Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith, Benedict Nightingale, Hugh Whitemore - among many others. Her life has not been all roses, not least the death two years ago of her husband, Michael Williams. The book is not a 'lovie-in', but it will be a celeration, it will be a must-have Christmas present for her fans.
