Jeffrey Archer was born on April 15, 1940, in Somerset, England, and has survived a roller coaster life of fame, financial ruin, political prominence, and scandal. After graduating from Oxford, Archer founded his own company named Arrow Enterprises and promptly amassed a fortune. In 1969, he was elected to the House of Commons. A conservative Member of Parliament, Archer was, at the age of 29, the youngest member at that time. While in Parliament, Archer invested in a corporation and lost his fortune because of embezzlement. Devastated and facing financial ruin, Archer recounted his experiences in his book, "Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less." The success of this book launched Archer's… writing career. "Kane & Abel" and "Honor Among Thieves" are some of Archer's other well-known titles. "Shall We Tell the President?", a work of fiction about an assassination plot on "President Edward Kennedy," created much controversy, and was considered to exhibit poor taste toward the Kennedy family. Archer himself encountered controversy when, while he was serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party in 1987, a prostitute claimed to have had sex with him and to have accepted money to leave the country. Archer won a case against the tabloids that printed the story and once again survived an unpleasant situation. In 1992, Archer was created a Life Peer. In addition to his controversial writings, Archer also writes plays and children's books.
Michael York, May 27, 1942 - Michael York was born in Fulmer, England, on May 27, 1942. He performed on stage with the National Youth Theatre in London and on international tours. He also belonged to the Oxford University Dramatic Society, having graduated Oxford in 1964. He was also a member of the Dundee Repertory, and Laurence Olivier's National Theater Company - where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli, who gave him his film debut as Lucentio in "Taming of the Shrew" in 1967 and his breakthrough role as Tybalt in "Romeo and Juliet" in 1968. He first appeared onscreen in "The Mind Benders" in 1962, and got his first good film role in "Accident" in 1967. He also appeared on TV earning… acclaim for his portrayal of Jolyon in "The Forsyte Saga" in 1967. Perhaps York's best role was the part of Brian Roberts in "Cabaret" in 1972, followed by Count Andrenyi in "Murder on the Orient Express" in 1974 and D'Artagnan in several Musketeers films. Michael York has starred in over 50 TV movies, continued stage work, starred on Broadway, made many spoken word recordings and written and lectured internationally. His autobiography, published in 1993 was titled "Accidentally on Purpose." He was also a recipient of the O.B.E., or Officer of the British Empire.