show biz books

Recently, I have read two autobiography's and one biography....All of them are Show Business related.....There's the NEW Fred Astaire book---that's the 'biography'....and then, Diahann Carroll's autobiography, "The Legs Are The Last To Go", and I am just about finished reading Robert Wagner's new autobiography, "Pieces Of My Heart"......The thing is, when you have been in and around show business for as many years as I have (Coming on to over 60 years, my dears---but if we count when I first began going to the Theatre to Broadway Shows, it is over 70 years.....), you cross paths with lots of people, one way or another....And in the case of these three people, our paths crossed a few times over the years for various reasons. I cannot say I knew or know any of the the three really well, by any means.....But, there was, in each case, at least 'One Degree Of Separation'....And in reading these books, particularly Robert Wagner's, there are any number of 'one degree of separation' people included in his narrative....So, I find these books very interesting because, in the case of both Diahann Carroll and Robert Wagner, they are writing about my era.....Not only the films, or plays and talent, but the places and people mentioned, too....And though I have not had the kind of career that either Ms. Carroll and Mr. Wagner have had, it is very enjoyable to me to read about their lives and careers, in their own words.In the case of Fred Astaire, this new book, called just "Fred Astaire" is mostly about his career, though the writer, Joseph Epstein, certainly talks somewhat about Astaire's childhood and his early career with his sister Adele. Astaire was unique, in every way. A perfectionist where his work was concerned, he was a rather shy un-showbiznessy type of guy, and yet, one of the biggest "Movie Stars" that ever was......There was only one "Fred Astaire". And his talent and dedication to his work was above and beyond. I would urge many of you younger folk who may not be as familiar with Astaire as your parents and grandparents are, to see as many of his early films as you can---the Ginger Rogers period, and then the Rita Hayworth, Leslie Caron, and Cyd Charisse periods, too. He was a Master!

The oddest thing about this book to me, is that his daughter Ava is only mentioned twice!! And in such an unimportant manner as to be less than a footnote. Now that, I do not understand, at all. And, by the way, that is my personal connection to Fred Astaire. I first met Ava back in the early 1960's when she was going with and then became engaged to my good and dear friend Carl Bostelmann.....In fact, I have two little snapshots that Ava gave me a few years ago when I saw her at a small dinner party at a mutual good friends home here in Los Angeles....Ava lives in Ireland and England mostly, and so I rarely see her anymore. And though this new book is very interesting in many ways, there must be some reason that Joseph Epstein does not say more about Ava....She was the light of her fathers life, and she is a lovely dear bright and accomplished person in her own right. Personally, I think it would have enriched this book tremendously had Epstein spoken to Ava and included her recollections....Of course, she may not have wanted to speak with him. I am going to try to find out about that.

These two little snapshots are from Easter of 1963-64, (I am not sure which, at this point...) Carl and Ava had an Easter party at Daddy Astaire's home, where Ava was still living, on and off, until Carl and Ava were married....Carl, as was so typical of him, had planted an abundance of blooming flowers everywhere around the pool in the back garden where the party took place, just for that particular Easter Day.....That is me on the left, and Ava on the right. Ava had on an "Easter Hat" and I didn't even own a hat at the time, so I arrived bear-headed.....But, Carl and Ava had a lot of hats available for those of us who had arrived "hat less"......Here below: The Results! I love my hat.....lol! That is Carl over on the left holding his hat, and my dear dear soul mate, Sammy Reese, next to me, wearing the cowboy hat that Carl had supplied....I cannot get over how "dressed up" we were...and this was our 'dress: casual' look, for that afternoon. Well, that's how it was back then. Today, I guess we would all be in the grunge-goth look....lol! And below, here is a very special invitation...... Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this very special evening because I had to be out of town, but my dear Sammy went and he reported to me that it was lovely.....I'm sure it was, because anything that Carl was involved in bore his rare touch, and their Wedding Reception would certainly have been one of those very special evenings that he would have wanted to make as truly memorable as possible. He was so deeply 'in love' with Ava.

Fade Out: Eventually, a number of years later---maybe six or seven---Carl and Ava separated and then divorced and then, Ava remarried.....After the initial 'bad times' that often come with a lot of divorces, Carl and Ava were able to be good close friends once again, as they had been at the beginning, and they remained good close friends for the rest of Carl's life.....Fade Out, Once Again: Many years later, sometime in the mid to late 70's, Carl and his partner had a lovely Easter Brunch in the garden of their house on Almont Drive and Ava and her talented Artist husband Richard Mackenzie were there, along with some other people, including me.....It was a lovely gathering and this time many of the ladies wore very very pretty hats..... That is Ava at that particular table, wearing a very fetching hat......Carl knew how to entertain and it was always gracious and abundant and yet comfortable, in every way......The gentleman in the center of the picture below with the prematurely white hair is Ava's husband Richard.And that is Carl over on the left and that very pretty lady facing us in the very pretty hat right there in the center of the picture, was the lovely Mary Frann. Sad to say, both Mary and Carl are gone now.....And below, here is a closer look at dear Mary.... And Carl right behind her....I believe Mary was still on the Soap Opera "Days Of Our Lives" at that point...And this was quite a few years before she played Bob Newhart's wife "Joanna", for eight years on his second series.....And here below, a closer look at Ava..... Ava looks very beautiful in these little snapshot-pictures that I took that afternoon, and she still was absolutely lovely the last time I saw here in Los Angeles the evening she gave me those two little snapshots up above of that long ago 1963-64 Easter Party......She is a very happy women and has a lovely life with her Artist husband Richard..... Behind Ava in the picture above was Carl's partner Robert....He too, is gone now......! And the gentleman in the foreground who's name I just cannot think of...(Oh, dear)...he too, has passed on. This is what happens, I'm sorry to say.....The losses are painful and they certainly do pile up as each year passes. And as I get older, I am more and more aware of that, I'm afraid....But, that is the cycle of life.....Below, a recent picture of Ava and Richard taken this past summer at The Fred Astaire Conference in Oxford, England. Ava, here in 2008, is still a very beautiful presence...... And I actually only met Fred Astaire twice during those years. Both times at his home on San Ysidro Drive. The first time was the Easter Party and the second time was at another gathering of Carl and Ava's at Daddy Astaire's home. And I must tell you, to meet Fred Astaire was a great great thrill, both times!

More To Come.......