Patrice Chaplin takes us on a tour of the unknown lives of the stars of glamorous Hollywood, starting in the 1970s.

The swimming pools are shimmering with talent, but Goddess Hollywood looks further afield and finds its next protege amongst the puddles of Kentish Town.

When Patrice Chaplin left Kentish Town for Hollywood she did not envisage the extent of the excitement of the lives of its biggest stars, but she quickly found herself in its fold. And when Lauren Bacall and Alan Ladd Jr wanted to turn Patrice Chaplin’s book into a film, many expected her to jump at the chance, but she didn’t…

In this series of vignettes, established novelist Patrice Chaplin takes us through some extraordinary moments in time. Her time. From spider spotting by the swimming pool with Jack Nicholson and plotting ways to get him to take off his glasses, to food shopping for Marlon Brando’s fridge, to meeting Elizabeth Taylor and Orson Welles, this is a mini-memoir of an enthralling and bygone world of Hollywood.

My Review

Hollywood To Kentish Town is a fascinating insight into the world of celebrity and stardom in the latter half of the twentieth century. We jump around a lot, with little vignettes from Patrice Chaplin’s interesting life. Some of them are amusing, some sad and some rather worrying, especially where Silvio is concerned.

In the synopsis, we hear about Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Orson Welles and other famous Hollywood Stars. But two people stood out for me. Canadian Film Director Silvio Narrizano and Ivan Moffat, the screenwriter, born in Cuba of Cuban/American heritage, though most people thought he was British. I had never heard of either, but I looked them up and found they were responsible for many films I have seen and loved.

Silvio is an interesting character, though chaos seems to follow him everywhere. And he always turns up at the most appropriate (or inappropriate) times. Ivan, however, is my favourite. Handsome and charming, he was nominated for an Academy Award for the adaptation of Edna Ferber’s Giant. They are extremely eccentric, but it’s only to be expected. In spite of everything, they both lived to ripe old ages.

Incidentally, I was never a Jack Nicholson fan, though he’s made some brilliant films. I first saw him in Easy Rider when I was too young to be watching it. I was bowled over by the lovely Peter Fonda, so much so that I saw it four times at the cinema, on one occasion sitting through it twice in one afternoon. I only paid once. Born To Be Wild or what!

Drugs, particularly cocaine, seem to feature in Patrice’s Hollywood more so than alcohol. Patrice doesn’t ‘do’ either, which her famous ‘friends’ found strange. Her younger son however, mixes in ‘alternative’ circles in his mother’s large house in Kentish Town, where everyone seems to congregate. Or maybe it’s because where I live is sheltered and provincial. I worried for her sons. I looked them up too (as well as their father Michael Chaplin) and their lives are also interesting, though there isn’t that much about them online.

I don’t usually read memoirs or biographies, but I really adored this. I read it in one sitting, loving the stories and insights. Marlon Brando’s binge eating disorder for instance, is legendary, but other stars’ eccentricities may not be. You’ll be delighted you picked it up.

Many thanks to Grace Pilkington Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Patrice Chaplin is an internationally renowned playwright and author who has published more than 36 books, plays and short stories. Her most notable work includes Albany Park, Siesta – which was made into a film staring Jodi Foster and Isabella Rossellini with music by Miles Davis – Into the Darkness Laughing, Hidden Star, Night Fishing, Death Trap and City of Secrets.

As a Bohemian in Paris during the 50’s and 60’s, she spent time with Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. She was married to Charlie Chaplin’s son, Michael, and during her avant-garde journeys through occult circles her friends included Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau – who gave her a starring role in one of his films – Lauren Bacall, Miles Davis and experts on the esoteric practices of the Kabbalah in Spain.

As an accomplished writer, Patrice has contributed to many collections of short stories, including Black Valentine and The Minerva Book of Short Stories 1. Her plays, documentaries, and short stories have been extensively written and adapted for radio. The short story Night in Paris has been translated in many countries, and other short stories of hers have appeared in magazines and newspapers, including The Independent. Patrice’s stage play From the Balcony was commissioned by The National Theatre in London in conjunction with BBC Radio 3, and was performed at the Cottesloe Theatre.

Patrice is the director of Northern Bridge Productions, a non- profit organization that leads workshops based in the performing arts as a new and unique way to help fight addiction.