The Guvnor, a memoir of the late Lenny McLean, has to be one the most
brutally honest memoirs ever published. For those who might not know,
Lenny McLean was a man who made his name through being the toughest
person in Britain. He was a man who, through bare knuckle boxing and
unlicensed fighting, secured himself a fearful reputation. Later he
then turned his back on the under world to have a successful television
and film acting career.
If you're reading this and think he
sounds like some sort of criminal, he was, but he was a criminal with a
heart of gold. The book written in his own words and peppered with bad
language tells the story of a man who, while being shot and stabbed
repeatedly, also loved and looked after his dear old mum, a man who
faced down the fearsome IRA while also being a loving father of two, a
man who flew to New York and took on the might of the Mafias best man
in a street fight and battered him into submission in less than three
minutes simply to make money to feed and clothe his family.
Lenny had a fearsome reputation but those who knew him also stated that
he had a heart of gold -- he would always put other's needs before his
own. Right up until his death he would try to help any one who asked
for his help, no plea went unanswered. The Guvnor was always willing to
listen.
It was Lenny's reputation that first secured him
roles on television but it was also his reputation that almost got him
sent to jail for murder. After seeing a man sexually harassing women at
a club he was running, he gave the man a slap and threw him down some
steps. The man was later found dead and Lenny was arrested and charged
with his murder. In the high profile trial that followed Lenny was
found not guilty and with the experience having left him jaded he
decided more than ever to concentrate on a show biz career. A host of
television projects followed and then Lenny secured a role in the Bruce
Willis block buster The Fifth Element, but it was with his next film
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels that Lenny was to become a star.
The film would go on to be one of the most successful British films of
all time but tragically during filming Lenny found out he was suffering
from terminal cancer. Knowing he didnt have long left, Lenny decided to
pen his autobiography and as it stands The Guvnor has gone onto sell
more than a million copies worldwide and make people more aware of the
name Lenny McLean.
Although Lenny died before the memoir was
published I think he would have been most pleased with the book because
it gave a true and accurate picture of the man and his life.
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