Nothing Like a Dame: My Autobiography

Elaine C Smith

Random House, Nov 22, 2010 - Biography & Autobiography - 352 pages

'How did I end up here?' A question Elaine C. Smith asked herself when sitting in the dressing-room of a top theatre in London's West End, about to go on stage with one of the UK's most successful plays.

In Nothing Like a Dame, Elaine reflects on a 50-year journey that took her to the peak of the entertainment world. She recounts her long struggle to make it in a male-dominated, working-class society when women were supposed to just shut up and stay thin, especially in the sexist world of theatre and television, where she was told, 'Look, women just aren't funny.'

Despite many highs and lows, she proceeded to forge a stellar career in show business, hosting her own TV series and becoming a household name thanks to her comic portrayal of Mary Nesbitt, the long-suffering wife in the award-winning BBC comedy Rab C. Nesbitt.

Nothing Like a Dame is a heart-warming memoir: candid, outspoken, hilarious and at times deeply sad.

Contents

• Funny Girl: 2
• For Stella: 3

About the author

Elaine C. Smith is one of Scotland's best-loved entertainers, an actress, comedienne, writer and columnist. From 2008, she has toured in the hit play Calendar Girls, which also had a hugely successful run in London's West End, and is about to take over the lead role in the current tour in autumn 2010.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Nothing Like a Dame: My Autobiography
• Author: Elaine C Smith
• Publisher: Random House, 2010
• ISBN: 1907195211, 9781907195211
• Length: 352 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts; Performing Arts / Individual Director; Performing Arts / Television / General; Performing Arts / Theater / General