British stand-up comedian, actor and entertainer Eddie Izzard has built a fan base that transcends age, gender, and race. Writing with the same candor and insight evident in his comedy, he reflects on a childhood marked by the loss of his mother, boarding school and alternative sexuality, as well as a life in comedy, film, politics, running and philanthropy. Eddie Izzard recently appeared on television as Dr. Abel Gideon in Hannibal, and he starred in the FX Networks series The Riches. His films include Valkyrie; Ocean's Thirteen and Ocean's Twelve; Across the Universe; Mystery Men; Shadow of the Vampire; The Cat's Meow; Lost Christmas; Castles in the Sky; and Whisky Galore. In 2010, the documentary Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, Izzard ran forty-three marathons in fifty-one days throughout the United Kingdom.