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David Suchet shares his many memories of creating this iconic television series and reflects on what the detective has meant to him over the years In the summer of 2013 David Suchet filmed his final scenes as Hercule Poirot. After 24 years in the role, he played the character in every story that Agatha Christie wrote about him (bar one, deemed unfilmable) and he bid adieu to a role and a character that changed his life. Here he tells the story of how he secured the part, with the blessing of Agatha Christie's daughter, and set himself the task of presenting the most authentic Poirot that had ever been filmed. David Suchet is uniquely placed to offer the ultimate companion to one of the world's longest running television series. Peppered with anecdotes about filming, including many tales of the guest stars who have appeared over the years, the book is essential reading for Poirot fans all over the world.
About the Author
David Suchet, CBE is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He played Edward Teller in the TV miniseries Oppenheimer and for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus ... WikipediaHeight: 5' 7" (1.70 m) Spouse: Sheila Ferris (m. 1976) Siblings: John Suchet, Peter SuchetChildren: Robert Suchet, Katherine SuchetEarly lifeSuchet was born in London,[3] the son of Joan Patricia (nÃe JarchÃ; 1916??1992) , an actress, and Jack Suchet, who emigrated to England from South Africa in 1932, and trained to be a doctor at St Mary's Hospital, London in 1933. [3][4][5]Suchet's father was of Lithuanian Jewish descent, and his mother was English-born and Anglican (she was of Russian Jewish descent on her own father's side, and English Anglican on her mother's side) .[4] He was raised without religion, but has been a practising Anglican since 1986, having been confirmed in 2006. [4][6][7][8][9] Suchet and his brothers, Peter and John, attended Grenham House boarding school in Birchington-on-Sea, Kent; then, after attending another private school, Wellington School in Somerset, he took an interest in acting and joined the National Youth Theatre at the age of 18. He studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where he now serves as a council member. CareerSuchet began his acting career at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Berkshire; he has said that Watermill "fulfils my vision of a perfect theatre". In 1973, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. Suchet performed "John" in the drama Oleanna at the Royal Court Theatre in 1993. It was directed by Harold Pinter, and co-starred Lia Williams as "Carol". In 1996-97 he played opposite Dame Diana Rigg in the East-End production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. He was also featured as Salieri from 1998 to 2000 in the Broadway production Amadeus. In 2007 at the Chichester Festival Theatre, he played Cardinal Benelli in The Last Confession, about the death of Pope John Paul I.[10]Television and filmAfter making his first TV appearance in 1970, he appeared in the 1980 made-for-TV film version of A Tale of Two Cities. In 1980, he also played Edward Teller, later developer of the US H-bomb, in the joint BBC-US TV serial about the US Manhattan Project called Oppenheimer. In 1983, he played the insidious half-Chinese policeman with orders to kill British spy Sidney Reilly in Reilly, Ace of Spies. In 1985, he played Blott in the television series Blott on the Landscape, and corporate whistle-blower Stanley Adams in A Song for Europe. Ironically, Suchet appeared as Inspector Japp in 1985's Thirteen at Dinner, in which Peter Ustinov portrayed Poirot. In 1988, he played Leopold Bloom[11] in the Channel 4 documentary, "The Modern World: Ten Great Writers: - James Joyce's Ulysses, where some of the most famous scenes from the novel were dramatised. In 1989, he took the title role himself for the long-running
