I'm equally ashamed to admit that it has taken me longer than that to catch up with Nigel Planer - other than to say that  he is the current, excellent Amos Hart singing Mr Cellophane in CHICAGO which I reviewed so enthusiastically recently.

Nigel is certainly an interesting, and rounded, personality, as befits a man who started his theatre life as an eight year old puppet master in his East Sheen home - badgering his parental audience to stay awake at the back of the kitchen auditorium.

And any man who graduated from  LAMDA at the time it was a hundred yards away from the fleshy temptations of  the nubile Kangaroo Valley visitors, has got to be respected.

Nigel Planer's passport describes him as an actor/writer. As an actor, his professional credits started with him understudying David Essex in the original production of  EVITA at the Prince Edward theatre. They both stayed the course.

Since then Nigel has played a wide range of  dramatic and comic roles on stage, film and  television.  SHINE ON HARVEY MOON,  THE YOUNG ONES,  FILTHY RICH AND CATFLAP,  FRENCH AND SAUNDERS,  and  THE LENNY HENRY SHOW are examples of his television work.  Film credits include BRAZIL,  CLOCKWORK MICE,  CARRY ON COLUMBUS,  SUPERGRASS  and  LAND GIRLS.

He has a refreshing modesty and practical approach to his career development, being honest enough with himself  to realise that his height might be a disadvantage. Indeed he set himself a two year target for survival in his acting career, which has now been extended to forever - courtesy of a good relationship with his longstanding agent, and a good attitude to getting work.

"I never turn down jobs - if they think I can do it - I can.  That way I am always busy and I pre-empt the feeling of failure." 

This rounded and talented person, despite having played so many comic roles, would not describe himself as a stand up comedian. Even having stolen the Bob Monkhouse joke book, he develops his own humorous style through the character he's playing. He is indeed, an actor,  but with significant singing and musicianship overtones.

For the future there is very little doubt that Nigel Planer recognises the pen as mightier than the sword. His best selling books, A GOOD ENOUGH DAD AND I, and  AN ACTOR  (Nicholas Craig), will be followed later this year by his first novel  THE RIGHT MAN.

For me, on short acquaintance,  THE RIGHT MAN is a good title for both - the book and the man.

John Timperley