Customer Reviews

Backstage with the Original Hollywood Square

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is a great look back at the original run of The Hollywood Squares, primarily focusing on how Peter Marshall got the job and his memories of the squares, ranging from the regulars (Paul Lynde, George Gobel, Wally Cox, Cliff Arquette/Charley Weaver) to those that only made a handful of appearances (George C. Scott, Miss Gloria Swanson, Miss Helen Hayes). The book was a very short read, taking me just over 3 hours to read from cover to cover. The pictures in the book are simply amazing, ranging from pictures of celebrities in their cubicles to Peter Marshall and Alex Trebek as celebrity players on The Magnificent Marble Machine. The photo of George Gobel dressed as Little Boy Blue is absolutely priceless.

My 2 favorite parts of the book are the complete list of celebrities that occupied the squares and the CD copy of the Zingers album released in 1974. The audio occasionally cracks and pops but the jam packed humor on the CD more than makes up for it. In my opinion, the CD by itself is worth the cost of the book.

... is a phrase Peter Marshall admits he would have loved to hear on his hit television show "The Hollywood Squares". That fact, and a thousand others, come in a new and downright funny book, "Backstage with the Original Hollywood Square", written by Peter Marshall and Adrienne Armstrong.

Part memoir, part fond walk down memory lane, "Backstage" provides insights to the creation and hosting of one of America's all time successful games. Peter Marshall recants many stories, some of which he told on the E! True Hollywood Story of the "Squares" and others are brand new.

He starts off with a quick summation of his early career, and how he was offered the emcee job of a lifetime. Then he delves in to all the people behind the scenes that were important to the show. The book starts running when he reminisces about all the stars we grew to love over the years: Paul Lynde, Wally Cox, Rose Marie. While each section of the star could have been longer, he sheds some light on each one admirably.

Throughout the book, Peter comes across very polite and respectful. It's almost his persona on the Squares. He allowed the stars to shine by taking a somewhat backseat approach to hosting, yet you realize after watching it he was the glue that kept them together. In this book, he is the mere storyteller, and showcases everyone else.

What's more fantastic about this book is the CD that accompanies it. From an album entitled "Zingers from the Hollywood Squares" that was released in the 70's, this CD holds some of the Squares funniest one liners. That alone is worth the cost of the book. I had the album as a kid, and listened to it constantly, and to this day, recalled many of the jokes still!

This book was a long time coming, and needed. For many people, The Hollywood Squares wasn't a showcase for has beens, but a welcome comedic relief during some of our nation's most turbulant times. Thanks to Peter Marshall for writing this, and bringing back all the laughter!

Peter Marshall: Why do Motorcyclists wear leather jackets?

Paul Lynde: Because Chiffon Wrinkles.

For quite some time now, I have been listening to Peter Marshall on the radio every weekday morning as he hosts "the Music of Your Life" on KLOA a.m. His knowledge of music from that era is extensive and he always adds interesting comments and stories about the songs that he plays. Every once in a while he mentions the Hollywood Squares and you can hear in his voice how he cherishes that part of his life. With his new book, "Backstage With the Original Hollywood Square", he has a chance to reminisce fondly of the much beloved game show that brought joy to lives of so many.

The tone of the book is mostly fun, and even when he briefly mentions those few things that are perhaps less than pleasant, he does so with an honest, human candor that puts things in perspective. We get a quick glimpse of Peter's life before, during and after Squares, however, the majority of the book is about all of the celebrities that took part in the show, both those that were regulars like Paul Lynde and the many brief appearances by stars throughout the years as diverse as George C. Scott to Alice Cooper. The inner workings of the show are also presented for our enlightenment, as well as the pleasant announcement that the videos of the show that were once believed lost have recently been uncovered and are now playing on the Game Show Network.

My favorite story in the book concerns an amazing letter that Pete received from none other than the Duke himself: John Wayne!

As if this fabulous photo packed book were not enough, it comes with a CD of the long out of print album, "Zingers from the Hollywood Squares"! If you liked Hollywood Squares, then you will not be let down by this bargain package.

Game show host Peter Marshall sheds some light on the famous game show and you can't lose with this much information to draw on. However, there are some missing goodies.

We are treated to a somewhat humble biography about Peter Marchall, but it's mostly forgettable fluff. Every celebrity from the show is listed in the voluminous Index with a select handful being recognized with a page or two of biographical information. Most notable are Rose Marie, Dolly Parton, Vincent Price, Alice Cooper, Wally Cox, Milton Berle, Ruth Buzzie, Jonathan Winters and, of course, Paul Lynde. Marshall mentions tons of jokes that each celebrity has aired with some funny personal facts as well. The jokes are truly funny, but we learn that most of them were not written by the stars and no credibility is given to those that did. You might think that some interesting personal trivia would be exposed, but Marshall is very protective of his gang. Even Paul Lynde's widely known personal sexual life is ignored, covered by Marshall's proclaimed naivety and replaced with a story about Paul's devotion to his dog.

It's still a great quick read full of jokes and some vintage pictures form the sixties and seventies. One of the highlights is a CD included that has 45 minutes of jokes from the television show. It's not Dolby Surround Sound by any means, but the point is the jokes and delivery and they are real side-splitters.

Example: Q: What fictional character ran around screaming, "I'm late, "I'm late"? Paul Lynde: That was Alice, and her mother's sick about it.

I just bought this book a week ago and read it in two days. Now that Game Show Network has brought the show back, it's nice to also read about it. Peter Marshall has written a book not about his life, but his time on "The Hollywood Squares". He talks about what life was like with Paul Lynde, Rose-Marie, George Gobel and many others that I loved as a kid watching the show.

I gave this five stars because of the book. It also includes a wonderful CD with the zingers that we all loved to hear after a question was asked. The only drawback on this CD is hearing Buddy Hackett's laugh for much of the CD, and it's always the same laugh! It's irritating to listen to, but I can get past that.

The book answers many questions and gives many secrets of what went on in the heyday of this show. I won't spoil it for others, but it has information on the recently discovered thought to be destroyed episodes that GSN now airs. Plus, you can read about stars of today who were contestants on the show. One secret I'll give away is the fact that Naomi Judd was once a contestant!

Buy this book today. You'll find it's worth the money!

You will have hours of entertaining escapist reading!
I don't normally read "showbiz" books, but bought this on an impulse, as it had so many great photographs. What was such a nice surprise is that Peter Marshall and his co-author Adrienne Armstrong, are excellent writers. They make the reader feel like he is sitting in a cozy bar with Peter, drink in hand, listening to wonderful tales about the making, and eventual breaking of Hollywood Squares.
Peter is refreshingly honest, delightfully candid, yet never disrespectful when discussing the celebrities and contestants who appeared on the show over the years.
An added bonus is the CD that comes with the book.
I'm a new Peter Marshall fan, who hopes he and his partner write again. Soon.

I loved it when GSN started airing the original Hollywood Squares run. When Peter Marshall was coming up with this book, as a game show fan I HAD to get it. Am I glad I did. Funny, touching, a bit risque, but that's Hollywood. The original Squares is still the best, though Tom Bergeron's version has improved with Henry Winkler at the helm

Peter came back to host, and never lost a step. I may not have seen the show when it first came out, but Marshall still proves he is THE MASTER OF THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES. The book is a great light read, but chock full of memories! If you're a game show fan GET THIS BOOK! You'll "agree" it's one to have, and that's no bluff.

Peter doesn't hold back. He gives honest stories about the stars that populated his Squares from 1966-82, and they're all fascinating reading. Any fan of game shows or celebrities in general will greatly enjoy this book. The CD of "zingers" is icing on the cake; dozens and dozens of the best joke answers from Lynde, Weaver, Hackett, Rose Marie, etc. Classic comedy.

Can it be that only a few decades ago every televised moment was not the life-or-death struggle it seems to have become? Almost; therein lies half the fun in this whimsical diary of one of television's many endearing but odd-ball institutions. The light, feel-good vibe gives one the sense that "Hollywood Squares" may have been a business proposition, but it became more like an extended family. The book (which includes tons of pictures and a hilarious CD) feels like a scrapbook, even as "Hollywood Squares" remains a television legacy whose staying power and influence cannot be denied. While Paul Lynde's departure from and later return to the show over salary disputes anticipated (and perhaps made possible) the "Cheers" and "Friends" contractual struggles that would follow, authors Marshall and Armstrong refrain from self-congratulation. Gossips may be frustrated by the easy, no-offense-intended style, but it is to the authors' credit that exploiting dead celebrities was not on the book's agenda. This was a time before such crudeness came into fashion (a simpler time, it would seem) and "Backstage with the Original Hollywood Square" captures it nicely.

The title of my review may be a mystery to those who haven't read the book. It's part of an off-camera punchline uttered by Paul Lynde that cannot be repeated in a family-oriented review, but almost worth the price of the book alone. I watched the original squares and consider it one of the funniest programs on TV, period. Here, Marshall recalls many of the funniest moments, and the ones he doesn't repeat are on the included CD, "Zingers from the Hollywood Squares."
If the book itself doesn't quite measure up to five stars, the CD brings it up to that stratosphere.
My only suggestion is it might have saved time and paper if Marshall listed only the people who've NOT appeared on the show. The show's guests were the Who's Who of Hollywood, and if Marshall missed naming one, I don't see how.
For a fan of any TV show, backstage info is always welcome. While it is no Show Biz secret that many of the funny "adlibs" were in fact written for the guests, it was the attitude and timing of the stars delivery that made it all work.
Lots of pictures, good show biz anecdotes, and a CD to boot? What's not to like?
I can't wait for Master Tom Bergeron to unveil the secrets of the current version. Like the fact that Whoopi--no longer producer/Center Square--seemed to know almost every question asked when she was in the booth, but was almost no help whatsoever when she came down for the lightning round, or if she was asked a "secret Square" question. Could it be that she didn't want to be embarrased, but King World would not risk the integrity of the "contest" by giving her (or allowing her to guess) the answers to critical questions in advance? Tom?