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The Confessions of Robin Askwith: The Window Cleaner Reveals All!
In this work, Robin Askwith relates his long and varied career, from his audition for the first "Confessions" film in the 1970s through some of his 25 other films including Zefferelli's "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" and Pasolini's "Canterbury Tales".
261 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 26, 2019
A lighthearted read from Robin Askwith, best known as the cheeky star of British horror of the 1970s as well as the CONFESSIONS OF A WINDOW CLEANER franchise. This is a light read, packed to the brim with anecdotes from Robin's various misadventures on and off set. Sex plays a big part in both worlds, with endless conquests and romance (Linda Hayden figures heavily) alongside outrageous behaviour and all of the drug taking and excess you expect from the 1970s. Askwith's friends and contemporaries include Robert Powell and many other famous names of the era, so the stories are always fresh and funny. At times these anecdotes feel more like jokes building to a punchline so I'm not sure how truthful it all is, but at least it's entertaining.
September 18, 2021
In this brief and breezy autobiography Robin Askwith shows that he is just as mischievous and almost as prone to find himself at the centre of misadventures sexual and otherwise as his alter-ego Timothy Lea. From risking his life bringing bedroom farce to the stages of a war-torn African nation to sharing drugs with the down-and-out actors who would be mythologised as Withnail and I, he has some great stories to tell.
The first part of the book covers his experiences making the four Confessions films for which he is best known. Then he covers the stage shows which were spin-offs of the films and brings things up to the filming of Lindsay Anderson's Britiannia Hospital (1982).
Then he jumps back to his childhood to relate his experiences struggling with the effects of polio, and progressing on through his early acting experiences.
This works out well as it puts some of the more amusing incidents, including pissing for Pasolini, in the climatic part of the book.
The first part of the book covers his experiences making the four Confessions films for which he is best known. Then he covers the stage shows which were spin-offs of the films and brings things up to the filming of Lindsay Anderson's Britiannia Hospital (1982).
Then he jumps back to his childhood to relate his experiences struggling with the effects of polio, and progressing on through his early acting experiences.
This works out well as it puts some of the more amusing incidents, including pissing for Pasolini, in the climatic part of the book.
April 22, 2020
A jolly rump through the 70s if like me you are a fan you will like this book,it’s saucy and fun with just the right amount of info without too much name dropping.
June 12, 2011
This book is a real guilty pleasure and not for the reasons one might think. Robin Askwith is first and always will be an actor. He's a bit of an icon in England.
However he's a genuinely funny guy. He and I share in common both having appeared in the runaway British farce, "Run For You Wife!" by Ray Cooney. No we didn't appear in the same show together.
Anyway, the book is a real delight to read, it's a memoir and he tells it as only he could. What I love most about the book is, it feels like a personal chat with the lad himself. His life outside the "Confessions" film series is amazing. He is well known in the London Theatre and occasionally pops into a film here and there.
The book is broken down into chapters that reflect each of the Confessions films, with some backstory on his personal life growing up. The story behind making these films is more entertaining than the films themselves. Who would have though that Anthony Booth, who played his brother in law in this naughty sex comedies would have become father in law to British Prime Minister Tony Blair!
Outside of telling wonderful stories about life on and behind the set of the Confessions series, I would really like to see Robin Askwith write more. He has a great way of telling a story. So let's hope we more books from England's naughty boy Robin Askwith.
However he's a genuinely funny guy. He and I share in common both having appeared in the runaway British farce, "Run For You Wife!" by Ray Cooney. No we didn't appear in the same show together.
Anyway, the book is a real delight to read, it's a memoir and he tells it as only he could. What I love most about the book is, it feels like a personal chat with the lad himself. His life outside the "Confessions" film series is amazing. He is well known in the London Theatre and occasionally pops into a film here and there.
The book is broken down into chapters that reflect each of the Confessions films, with some backstory on his personal life growing up. The story behind making these films is more entertaining than the films themselves. Who would have though that Anthony Booth, who played his brother in law in this naughty sex comedies would have become father in law to British Prime Minister Tony Blair!
Outside of telling wonderful stories about life on and behind the set of the Confessions series, I would really like to see Robin Askwith write more. He has a great way of telling a story. So let's hope we more books from England's naughty boy Robin Askwith.
November 20, 2020
Robin’s saucy roles are well documented in this very easy read as are the many other better roles he played where he kept his clothes on. He is the epitome of the ‘Cheeky Chappie’ but he was also a grafter going from project to project with barely a rest in-between. With a colourful personal life to match his film persona, this isn’t the most erudite or in-depth of reads, but it’s honest and does cover that curious time in British film industry where film like the ‘Confessions’ and ‘On the Buses’ were the top grossing film in the UK. It was oh so different back then... in many ways.
October 24, 2016
Very comical and amusing.
Very funny at times I expected more confessions stories but other stories from the book more than make up for that.
Very funny at times I expected more confessions stories but other stories from the book more than make up for that.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews