Otherwise Engaged The Life of Alan Bates

In 1956, at the age of 22, Alan Bates was cast in John Osborne's controversial play, <i>Look Back in Anger</i>. The play changed the course of British theatre - and of Alan's life.<br> <br> With a sudden rush of fame, he became a member of a new circle of actors at the Royal Court- the English Stage Company. From then on, he also worked steadily in television and won international acclaim for his roles in a number of major films, from <i>A Kind of Loving</i> and <i>Zorba the Greek</i> to <i>Women in Love</i>.<br> <br> But his personal life was not always as seemingly straightforward as his career - his relationships, including that with his wife, Victoria Ward, were often turbulent. Drawing on dozens of interviews with his family, lovers, colleagues and friends - and mining a rich store of primary research - Donald Spoto chronicles Alan's achievements as a performer against the backdrop of a complicated personal life.