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Widely regarded as the greatest appearance in cinematic history – yet the actor stays utterly motionless.

Clarice Starling, just starting out, proceeds down a corridor of cells finally encountering Dr. Lecter's reinforced glass enclosure. He is positioned, with features like an animated death's head exuding demonic evil, unnervingly still wearing a snug blue inmate uniform. He doesn't move before suddenly he lunges against the glass, producing that distinctive snarling-hissing noise. A multitude of real-crime films have since shown that genuine criminals are often very boring, lacking anything like Hopkins' powerful on-screen charisma.

He was not an unknown upon receiving the part that won him an Oscar in the iconic film back in 1989: he was already established, but a legend was forged. His portrayal of Lecter drew influence, the actor happily remembers in this new autobiography, on Bela Lugosi's Dracula, on the Soviet leader as recalled by his daughter, and also from his strictly demanding Rada tutor Christopher Fettes. Additionally, there existed a father-daughter dimension within the narrative; a sore point for Anthony, who further explains how his King Lear was indirectly affected by painful regret about Abigail, his distant daughter from his initial marriage during the 60s to his first wife, who disliked his time away and drinking.

The book's name comes from an historical picture of Hopkins as a toddler on the beach with his dad – the kid who maybe thought he wouldn't succeed. He felt confused, isolated and sensitive child hailing from Port Talbot, his father was Richard Arthur Hopkins, the standout secondary character in this story: a bread-maker and a traditional male, a direct communicator who despised the sanctimonious churchgoers of the chapel and avoided expressing his feelings, but also exhibited wistful, tearful romanticism. Richard Hopkins who deeply disliked the necessity of going cap-in-hand to their wealthy relations such as Aunt Patty, whose spouse was acquainted with the politician Nye Bevan and could get young Anthony into a prestigious academy: “Due to their immense riches!” he raves during the car ride. “Everyone is looking for scraps! Total garbage, that's all it is!”

The pleading was effective, for a time. Anthony struggled academically in his new institution. Then, during in a literature class he needed to deliver the poem by Masefield titled The West Wind – sight unseen – and his voice awakened; he amazed the instructor and the other students. He says quite plausibly that poems, alone, started his career. This, along with enrolling in the dramatic society at the YMCA. Surprisingly, he exited school a no-hoper, pursued acting, and shocking his family, was acting alongside Laurence Olivier at the renowned Old Vic in under a decade. He largely achieved it alone, though at that time scholarships existed to attend Rada – an opportunity for performers from modest means. Richard Hopkins was continually impressed by his son's international fame: upon requesting his son to perform the Yorick monologue from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Richard listened carefully and then left the room and wept openly.

As for the hot-tempered, bloody-minded son, he quit the National Theatre company in a moment of anger – to Olivier's profound dismay and displeasure – but fortunately found a great TV role as a suspected war criminal in Leon Uris's QB VII, which led indirectly to characters including in Lynch's The Elephant Man and a successful acting career in movies, which he preferred to the stage. He gave up alcohol in 1975 having been a hell-raising alcoholic, and thus made it through midlife to execute great performances, including Lecter, the butler Stevens in the film The Remains of the Day alongside Emma Thompson and the old man with dementia in the movie The Father – his next Oscar win.

During the second part of the memoir he appears more reserved, more calculated. Certain stories doesn't quite come off. He mentions being taken out to lunch with his fellow actor in the film Nixon, the much-respected actor Paul Sorvino, who sought to advise him his performance as Nixon wasn't effective. Was this the opportunity for him to absorb advice from the renowned performer of the Goodfellas fame? Not really. Anthony appears to agree with Stone's rejection of Sorvino as driven by jealousy. Is that so?

He often portrays the tough, down-to-earth professional actor who believes you must to be on time, learn everyone's name on set and proceed with the work. Quite so. However, he also describes facing a rude director who brought a background actor to tears: “Apologise to her! And learn some manners. If you ever repeat that near me, I'll alter your appearance!” Anthony comes across as someone who gave up drink but possibly not the combativeness that accompanied it. A classical performer like Hopkins must know Cornwall's speech regarding Kent from Lear: “He is incapable of flattery! A truthful and simple spirit – he always tells the truth!”

He finishes his autobiography with an extensive addendum composed simply