New Lucy Books

[Luvsbway]

Wonder if the infamous box storing incident from Lee's book will be talked about.

[Neil]

13 hours ago, HarryCarter said:

No release date listed, but Paula Stewart's book, Lucy Loved Me, is being published by Bearmanor Media.  

http://www.bearmanormedia.com/lucy-loved-me-hardcover-edition-by-paula-stewart

 

 

 

I don't know that I'd want to be "known for "Dinah East". 

[HarryCarter]

I see that Love, Lucy and A Book are both getting audiobook releases on May 1. There is no information who is voicing either one. I'm very curious. 

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37009

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37010 

[Luvsbway]

27 minutes ago, HarryCarter said:

I see that Love, Lucy and A Book are both getting audiobook releases on May 1. There is no information who is voicing either one. I'm very curious. 

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37009

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37010 

Well that's interesting. I know there are audio tapes of Lucy telling her book on tape. That's apparently what the woman who wrote it used. There are a few bits of them on the old scrapbook CD ROM.

 

As for Desi I came across an auction from years ago that included 10 audio tapes where he discussed his book, including many things not included in it.

[HarryCarter]

59 minutes ago, Luvsbway said:

Well that's interesting. I know there are audio tapes of Lucy telling her book on tape. That's apparently what the woman who wrote it used. There are a few bits of them on the old scrapbook CD ROM.

 

As for Desi I came across an auction from years ago that included 10 audio tapes where he discussed his book, including many things not included in it.

The audiotapes of Lucy on the CD ROM are incredible and I wish we could hear more of them. Since this as listed as "unabridged version of the book," I assume it is not Lucy's own audio recordings.  

[Luvsbway]

I switched computers last year and I don't know if I can make it be 1996 again so I can play my CD ROM again.

[HarryCarter]

On March 22, 2018 at 6:18 PM, HarryCarter said:

I see that Love, Lucy and A Book are both getting audiobook releases on May 1. There is no information who is voicing either one. I'm very curious. 

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37009

https://www.brillianceaudio.com/product?i=37010 

The release date has been moved to August. According to Lucie's social media, Juan Pablo do Pace (who dressed as Ricky Ricardo on Fuller House) will be reading A Book. 

[HarryCarter]

Love, Lucy will be released on audiobook on August 18... and voiced by Lucie! 😃

[Neil]

I'll buy it!!!

I got out my book "Lucy: The Bitterweet Life of Lucille Ball", the first serious biography of Lucy (not counting that 50s paperback).  It's interesting because of when it was published:  1973, but obviously written in 1972,  so mid-way through HL's 5th season after the broken leg HL episodes but before "Mame" and the end of "Here's Lucy".     To put into context, Desi Jr. was not quite TWENTY and is currently going with Liza.  Lucie is not yet divorced but her marriage is "on the rocks".    Here are some passages:  parenthetical interjections are MINE.

On Lucie's 1971 wedding:  "Desi Jr. without trying stole the show, incredibly handsome in his tux and those on the scene recall he was a meticulous host.  Women at the party were "swooning" over him and everyone gossiped about he 18-year-old's current romance, a rumored on-again, off-again affair with the estranged wife of a "major major" figure in show business."  (Obviously Dean Martin.   It certainly wasn't Jack Benny or Richard Carlson!)

"Lucie could have a big career if she wanted one.  But unlike her brother, a career on her own wouldn't come easily.  In the opinion of a top producer "Lucie is personable and has a certain sparkle, but nobody's going to beat down doors for her services.  It's Desi who has so much style and charisma that even if he didn't want a career in show business, it would be inevitable."   (Interesting because at the time, Desi Jr. WAS hot.  His performance in "Red Sky in the Morning" was praised.  But he had been brought up privileged and didn't want or need to work hard.  And of course, he descended into the Studio 54-like party scene...and Liza.  In spite of how it looked in 1972, Lucie indeed became the star and Desi wasted his good years and eventually went to seed.) 

"About Here's Lucy", a top writers says "The Lucy character is really an ingenue, and Lucille is getting away with it.  As you know it is completely acting.  The Lucy she plays in the Lucy show has nothing to do with Lucille Ball.  In most cases television is an Xray and you can't exist very long unless you're playing yourself.  She's done it."

"Gary described her ordeal in the hospital (after broken leg) "It was like a scene from MASH.  That place was really very nice.  Next year we'll go back so Lucy can break the other leg" LUCY FORCED A SMILE. "    -----(my caps: that's what I call REAL ACTING)

"A famous actress who has work with Lucy claims that "Lucy has had her face lifted, but everybody should look that good after one.  I've seen a lot of those women who've had their faces lifted, but their bodies look like they have to be carried in and out of the car.  Lucy's got a good body.  She's always tuned up.  I've never seen her get sloppy fat.  She's always kept herself in good shape. " ---(so DID SHE?  or DIDN'T SHE?---have that face life?)

"It's clear that "Here's Lucy" will continue as long as Lucy wants it to, which appears to be indefinitely "

"Lucille Ball, at sixty-one, is still a striking-looking woman on the television screen.  But there are virtually no close-ups on her show."

"Will Lucille make any more films?  She is scheduled to begin Mame in January 1973.  She's certainly perfect for the role and despite the problems of make-up, lighting and now her broken leg, she is definitely going ahead with it."

The book ends with:  "Will Lucille Ball ever retire?  She's answered that question herself: "Yes. When I drop in my tracks."

[Luvsbway]

I think the eye clip was the only plastic surgery. I think the proof is that if she had one she would have gotten rid of the contraption as it pained her. It's like why wear glasses if the lasic worked.

Sloppy fat? As opposed to well planned porking up?

Oh more Jeannie affair stuff in print. I just can't even think how those 2 thought their was nothing wrong with that arrangement. And Lucy's reaction to it seemed pure unrashional Lucy. I wonder Gary had to talk her down from taking things over the top. Probably just happy she wasn't yelling at him.

 

 

 

[HarryCarter]

On June 6, 2018 at 7:27 PM, HarryCarter said:

Love, Lucy will be released on audiobook on August 18... and voiced by Lucie! 😃

Lucie voices Love, Lucy:

 

[Luvsbway]

Interview with Lucie about recording the book. The interviewer asks 2 very good questions I always wanted to know the answer to.

https://www.palmspringslife.com/lucie-arnaz-lucille-ball/

[HarryCarter]

13 hours ago, Luvsbway said:

Interview with Lucie about recording the book. The interviewer asks 2 very good questions I always wanted to know the answer to.

https://www.palmspringslife.com/lucie-arnaz-lucille-ball/

That is a very insightful interview. Thanks for posting!

[HarryCarter]

Love, Lucy and A Book are currently available for download on Audible.com. 

https://www.audible.com/pd/Arts-Entertainment/Love-Lucy-Audiobook/B07FB98XCJ?qid=1532470838&sr=sr_1_1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=4J43B40QF8A53REBJC30&

[MaryJaneFan]

I was able to get Love, Lucy on CD from Barnes & Noble, but I haven't found A Book on CD yet (only CD-MP3).  Any recommendations on where to purchase A Book?

[Neil]

NEVER read a book by either of these authors: Darwin Porter or Boze Hadleigh.  They play fast and loose with "facts" and make up and quote conversations between deceased celebrities, unrecorded salacious stuff that only the 2 of them (the celebrities) would know about.  For some reason, closeted celebrities spilled their guts to Boze and made passes at him.  (Cary Grant: a completed pass, this according to Boze---Google him for a picture of him.....I seriously doubt he was the belle of the ball).

If you must read them, take everything written with a grain of salt.  "Hollywood Babylon Is Back" is co-authored by Porter and has a lengthy section about Lucy.   Random excerpts: 

Lela Rodgers "Do you want to be a star in 2 years?"; Lucy: "It's the dream of my life".  Lela: "Then FU@& every director on Broadway."  Lucy: "If that's what I have to do, I'll go there."  Lucy (after being fired from "Step Lively"): " "Even though I slept with the bastard, he fired me after 2 weeks."   Lucy hated 'singing for my supper' and sometimes went for weeks without TURNING TRICKS followed by this QUOTE: "When a young girl isn't eating, she'll do a lot of things.  I told my johns I was 14 and they liked them young."   One has to wonder where these 'quotes' came from.  Certainly not from any interview she later gave to "TV Radio Mirror"!

 

[Luvsbway]

1 hour ago, Neil said:

NEVER read a book by either of these authors: Darwin Porter or Boze Hadleigh.  They play fast and loose with "facts" and make up and quote conversations between deceased celebrities, unrecorded salacious stuff that only the 2 of them (the celebrities) would know about.  For some reason, closeted celebrities spilled their guts to Boze and made passes at him.  (Cary Grant: a completed pass, this according to Boze---Google him for a picture of him.....I seriously doubt he was the belle of the ball).

If you must read them, take everything written with a grain of salt.  "Hollywood Babylon Is Back" is co-authored by Porter and has a lengthy section about Lucy.   Random excerpts: 

Lela Rodgers "Do you want to be a star in 2 years?"; Lucy: "It's the dream of my life".  Lela: "Then FU@& every director on Broadway."  Lucy: "If that's what I have to do, I'll go there."  Lucy (after being fired from "Step Lively"): " "Even though I slept with the bastard, he fired me after 2 weeks."   Lucy hated 'singing for my supper' and sometimes went for weeks without TURNING TRICKS followed by this QUOTE: "When a young girl isn't eating, she'll do a lot of things.  I told my johns I was 14 and they liked them young."   One has to wonder where these 'quotes' came from.  Certainly not from any interview she later gave to "TV Radio Mirror"!

 

From my Ginger reading and subsequent Lela reading, I can't picture Lela giving Lucy or her own daughter any of this advice. When Lela died Lucy was teaching her first ever seminar. She broke down in tears, saying that she protected her and girls under Lela's wing. All these young, nieve girls would show up on the bus to Hollywood, fall prey to con artist guys and end up raped. So for Lela to say "hey, you know you'd get more parts if you slept around" doesn't seem right. Lela was also very religious.

Now Lucy did have that Pandro issue. I don't think career advancement was her motive in that relationship though. 

[Neil]

Everything I'd read about right-wing Commie hater, morally rigid  Lela makes this seem like ludicrous "made-up dialogue"*, a Darwin Porter specialty.  In his "tell-all" book about Merv Griffin, he writes of  a conversation between Merv and Eva Gabor (using dialogue quotation marks)  that no one witnessed and one neither Merv or Eva would have recounted verbatim to anyone else.  

But I have to give some credence to the idea that the 60s-80s Beverly Hills conservative matron Lucille Ball portrayed herself as (the one that stopped the showing of "Blow Up" in disgust, was livid at Brando for "Tango in Paris"--her suggestion to Marlon:  "use EGGS!!"---but somehow was OK with screening Paula's  "Dinah East" with its full-frontal male nudity--on the "lanai"--the latter according to Paula in "Lucy Loves ME" )  was a far cry from the wild little Lucy Ball from Jamestown in the late 20s and NYC/Hollywood in the 30s--although I wouldn't go along with Darwin's assertion that she was "turning tricks".  (Hip-swaying "McGillicuddy" of "Ricky Gets a Raise": maybe; but not Lucille Ball).  If it were so (and not necessarily believing it), I do NOT hold it against her.  It was the depression and Lucille Ball in New York City was starving. Literally !  Look at pics of her from that era.    I also think it's possible that this "2 years of not walking because of rheumatoid arthritis" could possibly be a cover-up for a pregnancy and possible birth of a child in or around 1929.    I only say this because I have a vague memory of talk-show Lucy telling two different versions of this "down time".  I don't remember the other version (hit by a car, I think).  Again IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IN THE SLIGHTEST.   I only know that she shit-canned the autobio-book with Betty Hannah Hoffman once BHH went to Jamestown and starting digging into Lucille's lest-than-Norman Rockwell-esque childhood/adolescence..   This would have been 30 years after Lucy left Jamestown  and plenty of current (1962) Jamestown residents would have remembered the Lucille of the 20s. 

*Ginger in her interview for the  WONDERFUL BBC "RKO Story" series from the late 80s expressed her concern and unhappiness that some of her movies may have had communist script-writer influence she was clueless about at the time (and IMO still simple-minded on the subject at the present).  "Tender Comrade" among them.   So she was still anti-Commie in 1987.  Both Lela and Ginger were on the side of the "get the Communists OUT of Hollywood" outrage movement.    I'm surprised Lucy's "Meet the People" didn't fall under scrutiny since that was EXACTLY the theme that was eventually considered "anti-Capitalism" which the right equated with pro-Communism.    This type of black/white thinking:  Not much has changed as I see it.  

[Luvsbway]

18 hours ago, Neil said:

  I only know that she shit-canned the autobio-book with Betty Hannah Hoffman once BHH went to Jamestown and starting digging into Lucille's lest-than-Norman Rockwell-esque childhood/adolescence..   This would have been 30 years after Lucy left Jamestown  and plenty of current (1962) Jamestown residents would have remembered the Lucille of the 20s. 

  

I recently found this interesting piece from the Post- Journal:

 “Mrs. Hoffman has been here this week with permission of Lucille Ball to collect stories and anecdotes especially of her early years here...Those who are familiar with any anecdotes from days Lucille lived in this area are invited to mail or leave them at the Post Journal.”  

 

18 hours ago, Neil said:

-but somehow was OK with screening Paula's  "Dinah East" with its full-frontal male nudity--on the "lanai"--the latter according to Paula in "Lucy Loves ME"

And she was cool with Gary being in Lenny as well. I really wonder if she was okay with something if close friends or family were in it. I recently was tipped off to a movie Desi Jr. did in the late 70s called Joyride. It's basically celebrities kid's in a movie, drinking, doing drugs and having sex. And yes there is nudity. Check it out, it's uncut on Youtube. So that made me think about a Carson I have where Johnny asks Lucy about her kids doing films like that and Lucy says that they would never do that. Wonder if Lucy ever saw that movie (it was made after the Carson appearance). 

 

18 hours ago, Neil said:

 It was the depression and Lucille Ball in New York City was starving. Literally !  Look at pics of her from that era.  

Bob Osborne said this: 

“She used to tell me about how, a lot of the times, she used to go to these parties, where she’s go in and there’d be this huge, long table. She said the girls would sit at every other seat. ‘The first thing you did,’ she’d say, ‘is reach under the plate and get your hundred-dollar bill.’ I don’t know if they had to end up going to bed with them, or were just there as dinner companions while these mobsters were having a meeting, but it was survival, just trying to survive.”-  in the book Desilu

 

18 hours ago, Neil said:

 I also think it's possible that this "2 years of not walking because of rheumatoid arthritis" could possibly be a cover-up for a pregnancy and possible birth of a child in or around 1929.    I only say this because I have a vague memory of talk-show Lucy telling two different versions of this "down time".  I don't remember the other version (hit by a car, I think).  

I keep running in to more people with this theory or have heard this rumor. Here is how I've tracked the story. Early 1930s publicity mentions a car accident in Central Park but it's never the same telling. By the 40s I see the story pop up but the story goes that it was a fever or some other illness that set in after the accident. In 1954 when her and Desi were on the Ed Sullivan tribute, the guy roasting them mentions the car accident. The RA story first turns up in the 1954 Harris book and is similar to the one Lucy tells in Love Lucy. So what is the reason for 2 different stories? 

And then there's this link for fun.

https://www.notstandingstillsdisease.com/2015/11/16/ive-pissed-off-lucille-balls-family-licensing-agency/?fbclid=IwAR3pIEwr4EXMcZWJoPtxx3aiejFtDPQOaPQN5Tnr7zgXo3wNz_9wR0ju9Lc

[Brock]

I found this lovely hardcover, Bosom Buddies, in an obscure gift shop last night:

https://www.amazon.com/Bosom-Buddies-Celebration-Friendships-throughout/dp/1452168393/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bosom+Buddies&qid=1549639577&rnid=2941120011&s=Books&sr=1-1

Lucy and Carol Burnett are profiled inside and I was happy to see they have depicted Carol alongside an era-appropriate Lucy rather than Lucy Ricardo. I'd post pictures but by phone is not cooperating. Will try again later, but the art is quite lovely.

[Mot Morenzi]

On January 4, 2019 at 4:42 AM, Luvsbway said:

I keep running in to more people with this theory or have heard this rumor. Here is how I've tracked the story. Early 1930s publicity mentions a car accident in Central Park but it's never the same telling. By the 40s I see the story pop up but the story goes that it was a fever or some other illness that set in after the accident. In 1954 when her and Desi were on the Ed Sullivan tribute, the guy roasting them mentions the car accident. The RA story first turns up in the 1954 Harris book and is similar to the one Lucy tells in Love Lucy. So what is the reason for 2 different stories? 

And then there's this link for fun.

https://www.notstandingstillsdisease.com/2015/11/16/ive-pissed-off-lucille-balls-family-licensing-agency/?fbclid=IwAR3pIEwr4EXMcZWJoPtxx3aiejFtDPQOaPQN5Tnr7zgXo3wNz_9wR0ju9Lc

I think the RA story is so prevalent because of that Goodtimes "Funny World of Lucy" documentary, which includes footage from a Dick Cavett interview in the 70s where she discussed it. Those tapes were a dime a dozen back in the 90s, then it was put on DVD in the early 2000s. I'm sure a huge number of casual Lucy fans would've picked that set up because of how inexpensive it was. Many probably only know the story from there and not her book.

In the Cavett interview, she claimed RA combined with malnutrition led to her infirmity; she wasn't taking proper care of herself in NYC and became very run down because of it. So again, the story seems to change slightly with each telling.

I thought that woman's article was a tad overreactive but I was pleased the comments were so balanced. I do agree with her point that the estate should make more of an effort getting the information removed from other sources, if it's that pressing a concern. 

[Neil]

This isn't new and not a Lucy book......but at least it's a BOOK.    1977's paperback "Reel Facts: the Movie Book of Records"

It has some interesting categories besides the usual:  Critic's lists of "best of the year", an annual list of the top grossing movies, an extensive list (200!) top grossing movies.  Not adjusted for inflation so the list is top-heavy with more recent movies. 

The author points out the problem with top grossing movies of a calendar year.  A movie could be released in October and make money into the next year, so even if the total take was substantial only the proceeds  from the calendar year total puts it on the list.  And the box office returns are not specified (profits?  gross receipts?, etc.).  

Several Lucy references:

"The Facts of Life" made the "10 best movies of the year" on both Time Magazine and New York Times's picks lists.  The ONLY comedy on either list unless you count Time's inclusion of 101 Dalmatians.  I've never heard how "Facts" did at the BO.  The #20 movie of 1961 made $3M, so it was less than that.  It was pretty cheaply made (black-and-white, rear screen, it had a real "TV" look to it) so it must have made SOME money.  Facts was out of the public eye for 30 years, not shown on TV after its "Sunday Night Movie" showing until its VHS release in 1996 (or 97).  The reason has never been clear to me: some sort of legal rights wrangling. 

"Yours Mine and Ours"  box office came in at #9 in 1968 with $11M.  The only other comedy in the top 20 was "Odd Couple" (unless you count "Jungle Book").   YMO came in at #150 in the top 200 money-makers of all time, with BO receipts listed here as $11.7M.    "Jaws" was #1 so "Star Wars" obviously hadn't come out yet. 

In 1950 "Fancy Pants" ranked the 20th grossing movie of the year at $2.6M---only $300,000 short of that year's Best Picture winner "All About Eve"  WHICH by the way made the #11 slot---tied with, of all things, "FRANCIS, THE TALKING MULE"!!  Nowhere on the 1950 of 1951 list is "Sunset Blvd."

"Long Long Trailer" was #17 with $4M.   1954's #9 through #17 were all within a range of $4M to $4.7M.

A few surprises in their list of the 50 top-rated theatrical movies shown on network television:  Besides the obvious ones:  Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz (8 times!), Sound of Music.  The big shock was #30, Doris Day's "The Ballad of Josie"---one of her last (if not THE last) movies, made in 1968.  Not considered stellar Day.   Shown on 9/16/69 (Tuesday)  it had a 56% share of the audience.  "TDDS" had just moved from Tuesday to Monday for its 2nd season.   This may have been the season premiere of "NBC's Tuesday Movie".    Another odd one: 1966's airing of "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" was #42. 

I love these types of books but they always leave me wanting more.  With the internet, books like this aren't published anymore. 

[HarryCarter]

On 6/3/2019 at 5:06 PM, Neil said:

This isn't new and not a Lucy book......but at least it's a BOOK.    1977's paperback "Reel Facts: the Movie Book of Records"

It has some interesting categories besides the usual:  Critic's lists of "best of the year", an annual list of the top grossing movies, an extensive list (200!) top grossing movies.  Not adjusted for inflation so the list is top-heavy with more recent movies. 

The author points out the problem with top grossing movies of a calendar year.  A movie could be released in October and make money into the next year, so even if the total take was substantial only the proceeds  from the calendar year total puts it on the list.  And the box office returns are not specified (profits?  gross receipts?, etc.).  

Several Lucy references:

"The Facts of Life" made the "10 best movies of the year" on both Time Magazine and New York Times's picks lists.  The ONLY comedy on either list unless you count Time's inclusion of 101 Dalmatians.  I've never heard how "Facts" did at the BO.  The #20 movie of 1961 made $3M, so it was less than that.  It was pretty cheaply made (black-and-white, rear screen, it had a real "TV" look to it) so it must have made SOME money.  Facts was out of the public eye for 30 years, not shown on TV after its "Sunday Night Movie" showing until its VHS release in 1996 (or 97).  The reason has never been clear to me: some sort of legal rights wrangling. 

"Yours Mine and Ours"  box office came in at #9 in 1968 with $11M.  The only other comedy in the top 20 was "Odd Couple" (unless you count "Jungle Book").   YMO came in at #150 in the top 200 money-makers of all time, with BO receipts listed here as $11.7M.    "Jaws" was #1 so "Star Wars" obviously hadn't come out yet. 

In 1950 "Fancy Pants" ranked the 20th grossing movie of the year at $2.6M---only $300,000 short of that year's Best Picture winner "All About Eve"  WHICH by the way made the #11 slot---tied with, of all things, "FRANCIS, THE TALKING MULE"!!  Nowhere on the 1950 of 1951 list is "Sunset Blvd."

"Long Long Trailer" was #17 with $4M.   1954's #9 through #17 were all within a range of $4M to $4.7M.

A few surprises in their list of the 50 top-rated theatrical movies shown on network television:  Besides the obvious ones:  Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz (8 times!), Sound of Music.  The big shock was #30, Doris Day's "The Ballad of Josie"---one of her last (if not THE last) movies, made in 1968.  Not considered stellar Day.   Shown on 9/16/69 (Tuesday)  it had a 56% share of the audience.  "TDDS" had just moved from Tuesday to Monday for its 2nd season.   This may have been the season premiere of "NBC's Tuesday Movie".    Another odd one: 1966's airing of "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" was #42. 

I love these types of books but they always leave me wanting more.  With the internet, books like this aren't published anymore. 

The Facts of Life made $3.2 million. Variety had it in 30th place on the box office rankings for 1961.

The Ballad of Josie was the only Doris Day film to actually lose money. It did not get a wide release. When NBC broadcast the movie, it was only two years old. The NBC showing was the highest rated program of the week! It’s competition on CBS: The Doris Day  Show! It was a rerun and the final showing in its original Tuesday night time slot.

 

[Will]

I think Easy to Wed did well at the box office too 

[Neil]

On 6/4/2019 at 8:47 PM, Will said:

I think Easy to Wed did well at the box office too 

You are correct.  Previous to 1947, this book lists the top money-makers of the year in alphabetical order without giving specific numbers or rankings top to bottom.  The time period covers parts of 2 years.  Though she's 3rd billed, "Easy to Wed" is considered a Lucy movie and did make the list of 1945-46.  I guess MGM didn't appreciate Lucy's contribution because her contract with the studio was just about to end.   "Ziegfeld Follies" "Thousands Cheer "Top Hat" and "Roman Scandals" also made the lists. 

One more reference: 15 female film scholars were asked to name the top movies featuring women of all time.  "Dance Girl Dance" heads up the list compiled by one and was included in another.