The Man Dirk 'Married' ; It Was the Most Profound and Mysterious Relationship of Dirk Bogarde's Life, Lasting 40 Years and Ending in Heartbreak. Now His Official Biographer Casts New Light On the Man Bogarde Called 'Wifey' Dirk the Deceiver Part Two

Daily Mail › August 16, 2004

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Summary

WHEN Dirk Bogarde died five years ago, the world lost a consummate actor. But, although he wrote his memoirs, he guarded fiercely the secrets of his life. Only now, in an authorised biography by John Coldstream, written after five years of research into the papers Bogarde left behind, can the real story of his life be told . . .

ONE THING that could be said of life chez Dirk Bogarde was that it was never dull or ordinary. Take the occasion when the writers Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall arrived at his then country house in Buckinghamshire in 1960 for Sunday lunch to discuss a script.

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The Man Dirk 'Married' ; It Was the Most Profound and Mysterious Relationship of Dirk Bogarde's Life, Lasting 40 Years and Ending in Heartbreak. Now His Official Biographer Casts New Light On the Man Bogarde Called 'Wifey' Dirk the Deceiver Part Two

They were especially excited because they had been told the French actress Capucine would be there.

She was the subject of two outrageous current rumours - one that she was going to marry Bogarde because she was seen with him so often in public, and the other that she was in reality a man.

It was bizarre from the start, Hall recalled, as they drove through the gates and saw Bogarde's live-in companion, Tony Forwood, in an apron, vacuuming the lawn with a Hoover.

'Dirk appeared and welcomed us warmly. Tony poured champagne for the four of us, and one bottle led to another. Dirk then excused himself and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

'Raised voices drifted back. Dirk returned and instantly became the perfect host again - before he disappeared once more and the voices from the kitchen grew louder.

'Two o'clock was fast approaching but still no sign o...

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