War hero and '60s Soho doyen Bruce Copp has lived a unique life in which he has formed lifelong friendships with celebrities, swam regularly with a James Bond, hung out with Lenny Bruce and spent an unforgettable night with Marlene Dietrich. Serving in the army throughout the Second World War, he witnessed the deaths of his comrades, suffered a nervous breakdown and tried to commit suicide by walking into enemy fire. He miraculously survived and was subsequently mentioned twice in dispatches for bravery. Bruce describes his extraordinary experiences as a young gay man in the army and provides a unique insight into how homosexual relationships persisted with the tacit agreement of the authorities. After the war, Bruce went on to become an important figure in London's 'swinging sixties', running a series of successful theatrical restaurants, including Peter Cook's legendary The Establishment club, which attracted the icons of the era, most notably the Kray twins. 'Out of the Firing Line ? Into the Foyer' is a fascinating memoir covering nearly 100 years of social history and personal experiences, all told for the first time. AUTHOR: Andrew Merriman has written the acclaimed biographies Hattie: The Authorised Biography of Hattie Jacques (Aurum, 2006) and Margaret Rutherford: Dreadnought with Good Manners (Aurum, 2010). More recently he has written Greasepaint and Cordite: How ENSA Entertained the Troops During World War Two (Aurum SELLING POINTS: ? Foreword by Dame Judi Dench and contributions from the likes of Alan Bennett ? A truly unique story of a gay war hero who was forced to hide his sexuality for half of his adult life ? A fascinating insight into how homosexuality was viewed by the armed forces in the Second World War 16pp b/w images
