Barry Day, author of The Noël Coward Reader, says Noël Coward was a prolific artist with incredible range of talent: actor, playwright, composer, poet, director, singe and comedian.

Time magazine called “a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise.”

Coward hoped his epitaph would be, “He was much loved, because he made people laugh and cry.” In an interview late in his life, Noël Coward was asked to distill his work into one word. After consideration, and at the risk of sentimentality, he chose, “Love.”

Some people don’t know that Noël Coward was a spy during World War II. King George VI wanted to knight him, but Winston Churchill dissuaded him.

For a real education on Noël Coward, listen to the interview below: