Reed all about me. The Autobiography of Oliver Reed signed first edition 1979

London: W H Allen, 1979
 
8vo., original brown publisher’s boards, lettered in gilt direct to spine; in the original unclipped dust jacket (£5.95 net), with both upper and lower panels showing photographs of the author; pp. [vi], vii-x, 261, [i], together with numerous black and white photographs throughout; a sturdy example, the pages lightly toned, as ever, light pushing to spine tips and corners; else a very uptogether copy in the near-fine jacket which is a touch creased to extremities, with very marginal toning. 
 
First edition. This copy complete with a rather dashing signed black and white photo showing the actor in his breakthrough film, The Curse of the Werewolf. 
 
Reed was born in 1938, and made his first screen appearances in the Hammer Horror films of the 1960s. It was Oliver!, however, which shot him to fame in his role as Bill Sikes. He went on to star in numerous productions, with his final performance as the gladiator trainer in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator earning him a posthumous BAFTA nomination. 
 
Reed was perhaps at the height of his career when this book was published. In it, he describes his life, from the opening line, “My father found me through a ration book”,his adventures in prep school, and his time as a bouncer at a Soho club, through to his acting career, and subsequent adventures. 
 
The Curse of the Werewolf was Reed’s first starring role. It was also the first werewolf film to be shot in colour.