No one does glamour, girlish charm or tight-lipped witticism better than Dame Maggie Smith, one of Britain's best-loved actors. This new biography shines a light on the life and career of a truly remarkable performer. From her days as a West End star of comedy, Dame Maggie's path crossed with those of the greatest actors of the era, including Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier and Ingmar Bergman. Her career is a 'Who's Who' of British theatre in the twentieth century. Despite recent roles in Downton Abbey and Harry Potter, she remains an enigmatic figure. Michael Coveney's absorbing biography therefore allows an insight into the real Maggie Smith.