Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography of Angela Lansbury [Hardcover]

Martin Gottfried (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1999

Fully authorized, this biography of Angela Lansbury, one of the most beloved stars of stage, screen, and television, completely covers her life and fabulous career.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

According to drama critic and celebrity biographer Gottfried (George Burns and the Hundred-Year Dash, LJ 2/1/96), Angela Lansbury's greatest regret is that she never starred in a motion picture. But she has had many wonderful character parts in films and starred on Broadway and in the hit TV show Murder She Wrote. Her personal life has also been successful, with a long marriage, children, and a domestic life she loves. As the title indicates, though, her life has been a "balancing act" that has taken its toll. Lansbury's voice is heard throughout. She grew up in England but escaped to the United States during World War II. Her mother was an actress, and Angela followed in her footsteps, gaining early success with roles in The Picture of Dorian Gray and Gaslight. True stardom eluded her until she created the role of Mame on Broadway. Authorized biographies are often puff pieces, but this is a candid examination of an extraordinary life. The tone has a certain British reserve, but then so does Lansbury herself. Highly recommended.?Rosellen Brewer, Monterey Bay Area Cooperative Lib. System, CA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown; 1st edition (January 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316322253
• ISBN-13: 978-0316322256
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #543,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining biography of Lansbury, but only of her career, September 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography of Angela Lansbury (Hardcover)

I enjoyed reading this book. I learned many things that I didn't know about Angela Lansbury before. She is quoted extensively, and provides many fascinating anecdotes about her career in movies, theater, and television. But since it is authorized, you have to wonder what's left out. The fact that it's authorized may also account for its big flaw. The title and introduction suggest that Lansbury has had to balance professional triumphs with personal tragedies throughout her life. The book itself doesn't give you that impression. It devotes many chapters to the triumphs, but mostly skims over the tragedies, espicially Lansbury's children's drug problems, so that they are merely afterthoughts and don't seem to have affected her much. This may be because Lansbury and the others interviewed did not really want to talk about these tough times, or it may be because Martin Gottfried did not do enough research. Worth reading for the chapters on Lansbury's career, but don't expect much depth where her personal life is concerned.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not only a mere biography of a great Star!, April 22, 2000

By 

Andy Lazzarin (Berlin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography of Angela Lansbury (Hardcover)

This is not a mere biography of a great Hollywood and Broadway Star. Here you can "listen" to her voice too, you can share her best and worst moments while acting in Broadway and Hollywood. You should read it even if you think you already know Angela Lansbury; and if you're a big fan of this wonderful actress, you HAVE to read it.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, January 25, 2002

By 

Yumuri "Polilla" (NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Balancing Act: The Authorized Biography Of Angela Lansbury (Paperback)

With angela Lansbury's cooperation, the author was able to construct the life of the star and her dreams without being intrusive into episodes of her life. He truly respected the subject and the star rewarded him with candor. it is too often that authors choose biographies to sensationalize a life. In this case, the author told it straight but with humanity and dignity and affection for a woman of icnredible talent and character.