Time & hindsight

When were you happiest?

585 answers answered between 1930 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

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Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Science and medicine 4 Arts and letters 494 Politics and public life 38 Business and finance 19 Sport 30

Read by age Any age Before thirty 25 In their thirties 83 In their forties 113 In their fifties 109 In their sixties 100 Seventy and beyond 77

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Doris Day American actress and singer

My childhood summers in Trenton, Ohio, and starting work at Warner Bros.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, April 1995 source ↗

Jimmy Savile English media personality and sex offender

During the war - to a teenager, wartime is very exciting. And when there was no traffic, I could ride my bike about the lovely Yorkshire lanes with not a car in sight. And I'm very happy today because I'm not skint.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 May 2007 source ↗

Julie Andrews English actress, singer and author

In London. When Blake [Edwards, her husband since 1969] made me laugh so much I wept. Blake says I slept with a smile.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, April 2008 source ↗

Philip Glass American composer

There are many moments of happiness for me. I swim in a sea of them. They are related to my family and work.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 November 2008 source ↗

Vera Lynn English singer and entertainer

When my daughter, Virginia, was born, in 1946.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 December 2009 source ↗

Joyce Carol Oates Novelist, short story writer and essayist

On two dates: 23 January 1961 and 13 March 2009 (my two weddings).

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 January 2010 source ↗

Anthony Hopkins Welsh actor

Right where I am now.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, February 2010 source ↗

Patrick Stewart Actor

A year ago, after only four lessons, skiing alone in the Sierras.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2011 source ↗

Jerry Lewis American comedian, actor and filmmaker

In 1926 and in the maternity room.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, August 2011 source ↗

Margaret Atwood Novelist, poet and critic

Can't pick and choose, it's bad luck.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 October 2011 source ↗

Delia Smith English cook and television presenter

I am happy most of the time.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 November 2011 source ↗

Shirley Hughes English illustrator and author

Wandering around with my sketchbook in some lovely Italian town.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 January 2012 source ↗

Terry Gilliam American-born British filmmaker

Lost in a piece of music.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 January 2012 source ↗

Nadine Gordimer South African writer

Camping in the bushveld with my man.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 March 2012 source ↗

Donald Sutherland Canadian actor

When I was less well informed.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 March 2012 source ↗

Sue Johnston English actress

At the birth of my son, Joel, and then equally, last June, when my first grandchild, Rory, was born.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 January 2013 source ↗

Ben Kingsley English actor

I look forward to answering that question in 15 years.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 November 2013 source ↗

June Brown English actress and author

Childhood, up until the age of seven, when my sister died.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 December 2013 source ↗

Barbara Taylor Bradford British novelist

I've never really been unhappy.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 February 2014 source ↗

Sam Shepard American playwright and actor

Before I was born.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 June 2014 source ↗

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When were you happiest?

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