Biography:
Born and educated in the United Kingdom, where he befriended Lindsay Anderson at St. George's Windsor and Cheltenham College. He briefly studied English Literature at Oxford University, but left after realizing he would have to learn mediaeval English to earn his degree.
Career:
He worked as an editor for Sight & Sound magazine from 1950 to 1956. In 1956, he moved to Los Angeles to serve as the personal assistant to director Nicholas Ray on the film "Bigger than Life." He later published his first book, "The Slide Area," in 1959.
He spent the majority of his career writing novels, including "Inside Daisy Clover" (1965),which he also adapted into a film, and biographies, such as "Norma Shearer" (1990) and "Nazimova" (1997). His screenwriting work earned him two Oscar nominations for "Sons and Lovers" (1960) and "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" (1977).
Personal Life:
From 1973 to 1990, he divided his time between Tangier, Morocco, and Los Angeles, USA. He moved back to Los Angeles in 1990, where he lived until his death in 2005. He became a US citizen in 1964.
Influences:
He credited Krishnamurti as having been the most significant influence on his life. An account of his experiences with Krishnamurti can be found in his biographical memoir, "Mainly About Lindsay Anderson" (2000).
