| Only Make Believe: My Life in Show Business
Howard Keel with Joyce Spizer If country singer Loretta Lynn was the Coal Miner's Daughter, then bass-baritone Howard Keel was the Coal Miner's Son. Far from the bright color and schmaltz of the MGM musicals that first made him an international star, Howard Keel was born in 1919 in the coal mining town of Gillespie, Illinois to a poor dysfunction-tinged family. A shy, insecure child with a bum arm, Howard eventual rise to a legendary figure of the show business world in nothing short of fascinating. In this deliciously funny and sometimes poignant autobiography, completed shortly before his passing, Howard takes us inside his career highs and lows, two failed marriages, numerous affairs and, finally, lasting happiness with his third wife, a former airline hostess 25 years his junior. | ||
|
Plot & Themes job/profession: Job/profession/poverty story Yes Story of entertainer? - Singer/Dancer Period of greatest activity? - 1950+ Subject of Biography Gender - Male Profession/status: Ethnicity - White Nationality - American Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 7 () United States Yes The US: - California Europe Yes European country: - England/UK Misc setting - resort/hotel Century: - 1960's-1970's Writing Style Book makes you feel? - encouraged - like laughing Graphic sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - descript. of nude males (the big P) - - descript. of female anat. (the big B's) If this is a kid's book: - Age 16-Adult Pictures/Illustrations? - A ton 16-20 B&W How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 51%-75% of book |
||