No this isn’t one of his films but in fact his Autobiography – at least as far as it went as this was published in 1947 so in fact, his life – and his film life – would have much more to be written about.

I have read one comment quite a while ago, from someone who had read ‘No Royal Road’ and he had found that the thing that struck him was that David Farrar seemed to have a very high opinion of himself.

This book is notoriously hard to find but I was lucky although I had searched regularly for it – not that I am a big fan of his but he was in memorable films of my youth.

I recall the story of a school trip by the Old Monrovians to Denham Film Studios where the film ‘Mr Perrin and Mr Traill’ was being made which also starred Marius Goring and Greta Gynt. Apparently all the actors particularly Edward Chapman were very helpful and friendly with the boys but David Farrar was not.

He appeared looking dis-interested, had a picture taken, and then just strode off and that’s the last the schoolboys saw of him.

He does come over as superior and supercilious and unfriendly.

‘Mr Perrin and Mr Traill’ is one of my favourite films

David Farrar was certainly happily married for a lot of years and it does sound as though his wife was very influential in his Theatre work and in the films he played in.

He did regret turning down the main ‘villain’ role in that big production of ‘Ivanhoe’ made in England and released in 1952 – a lavish MGM Technicolor production. The part went to George Sanders after his refusal – and David later said that he wished he had done it – it was the most interesting role in the film in his opinion.

David Farrar moved to Hollywood probably later than he should have done – he appeared in films there with limited success.

One of his later films ‘300 Spartans’ is well remembered to this day

When he retired from films, and after his wife died he went to live near his daughter in South Africa. He didn’t keep in contact with any of his colleagues in the film industry – and appeared to have few friends