But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame!: The Amazing History of the World's Favorite Madcap Aunt [Paperback]

R.T. Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

When the novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis was first published in 1955, it became an instant hit and national bestseller. More than forty years later, it was brought back in print in a trade paperback edition and has, again, proven to be a commercial success. ABC is currently planning to air a two-hour special Auntie Mame movie starring Cher, and "Mame" is headed back to Broadway for the 2004 season. Now, industry insider Richard Tyler Jordan - who works as a senior publicist for Disney - provides an engaging and amusing historical look at the makings of this legendary and fictional character, and the impact it had on numerous lives and careers, including such celebrities as Rosalind Russell, Angela Lansbury, and Lucille Ball. But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame! colourfully chronicles the novel's journey from book to stage to play to film to Broadway musical and then film version of the musical. Filled with gossip and descriptions that bring every character life, But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame! vividly brings to life the character that combines the most interesting features of Tallulah Bankhead, the Duchess of Windsor, Cinderella, and a touch of Princess Diana tossed in for good measure.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Auntie Mame indisputably belongs to the pantheon of modern theatrical creations who have ascended from character to archetype, the grand old dame who initiates her young nephew into the joys of life in the big city. Generations of fans are certain to delight in this slight but entertaining anecdotal history of Auntie Mame's theatrical journey from a bestselling novel by Patrick Dennis to stage play to film (Auntie Mame) to Broadway musical and then film version of the musical (Mame). Jordan, a senior publicist at Walt Disney Studios, takes readers through the birthing process of each of these productions, filling his pages with reminiscences from those who lived them. The original play revived Rosalind Russell's faltering career; later, the musical did the same for Angela Lansbury. Judy Garland was interested in replacing Angela Lansbury when she departed after 775 performances, but the producers feared that Garland, who was brilliant in her audition, could not manage eight shows a week. When casting the movie version of Mame, Lucille Ball, who had a huge "Q" rating (public awareness level), was cast despite the apprehension of many theater and film people. Their fears were well taken: the reviews for the film in general and Ball in particular were scathing. Filled with wonderful anecdotes and backstage gossip, this is a colorful overview of how a now-classic play and musical, after some near-misses along the way, came to life.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Filled with wonderful anecdotes and backstage gossip...a colorful overview."

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1st Printing April 2004 edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758204825
• ISBN-13: 978-0758204820
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #831,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Auntie Mame is as Fascinating as Ever!, January 27, 2000

By 

Nickole F. Ingram (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame!: The Amazing History of the World's Favorite Madcap Aunt (Paperback)

Richard Tyler Jordan takes the saga of Patrick Dennis' now-world-famous character of Mame Dennis from the moment the producers of the original Broadway triumph latched onto the idea of making a book into a play and take it through every major incarnation -- book to play to movie to musical to movie. Jordan's telling of these delightful stories are more terrific for his superb sense of pacing and tact. He tells those details about Broadway productions and theatre history that will pleasure the best readers of this book -- the fans and theatre-philes of the world. I read this from cover to cover in one sitting, and found myself roaring with laughter or breathless with anticipation about the casting of Angela Lansbury as Mame. Obviously, I knew the ending, but it is a tribute to Jordan's writing and extraordinary research that makes such a story filled with the best kind of tension! I believe it is clear that the real Auntie Mame -- Patrick Dennis aka Edward Everett Tanner, III, himself -- would have loved this book. What a triumph of theatre history writing where you feel like you had a front-row seat for every important performance!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great REVISED edition more photos/gossip (Cher/Barbra/Bette), March 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame!: The Amazing History of the World's Favorite Madcap Aunt (Paperback)

I'm so thankful that Kensington has republished this wonderful, long out-of-print treasure and went several steps beyond by having the author UPDATE the book. We now have a fuller picture of the recent battles to bring AUNTIE MAME to the big and small screen with Richard Jordan detailing all the initial interest, demands for script changes, and collapse of various projects when scripts were written (and REWRITTEN) for actresses like Angela Lansbury, Goldie Hawn, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler and Cher. Jordan not only read many of the scripts--which range from misguided (Goldie Hawn's script would have been set in the 60s and present day) to the glorious. BUT DARLING... is filled with great B&W photos and whether you're a fan of the Rosalind Russell AUNTIE MAME or even the Lucille Ball musical MAME (did you know Madeline Kahn was fired from that film by Lucy?), there's plenty of gossip and deep affection for the creators (not only Patrick Dennis but Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee and Jerry Herman). A fascinating, enlightening tale of the evolution of this eternal gay icon who told us to "Live! Live! Live! Life is a banquette and most poor suckers are starving to death!" The perfect gift for movie and theatre buffs.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mame is a banquet, and no poor suckers starve w/this book!, August 23, 1998

By 

Mike Ward ([e-mail]) (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: But Darling, I'm Your Auntie Mame!: The Amazing History of the World's Favorite Madcap Aunt (Hardcover)

BUT DARLING, I'M YOUR AUNTIE MAME! brings together all the details of the world's favorite and most famous Aunt, Mame Dennis. From Patrick Dennis' best-selling novel to its incarnations of play to movie of the play to a musical of the play to the debacle of a movie of the musical, Richard Tyler Jordan gives you much to feast on at Auntie Mame's banquet.

Jordan --heard recently on the syndicated talk show STRICTLY BOOKS hosted by Dan Vojir on the TALKAMERICA Radio Networks-- is clear, concise and detailed as well as entertaining on his subject and engages the reader to eat heartily into the amazing history of the world's favorite madcap Aunt.

Rarely do I sit with a book and read it directly through... well, actually, I did have to sleep, as I picked the book up at 11:00 pm and found myself not able to pry myself away. When the clock chimed 3:00 am, I had to climb into bed, not starving, but still hungering to feast from Richard Tyler Jordan's chronicle.

Upon waking, I devoured the rest of the novel and was reminded once more why I --and millions of others-- have fallen in love with this incredible woman. From when my mom --who in her youth bore a striking resemblence to Rosalind Russell-- first gave me the book to read in my teens to recently sharing the movie --again-- with family and friends, Auntie Mame has been an endearing and treasured member of my family.

Richard Tyler Jordan illuminates this luminescent creature further and fills our appetites at this smorgasboard of Mame Dennis Burnside's history and it is highly recommended to anyone who has been captured by the charm, grace and whackiness of this truly elegant and lovely lady. Pick up a copy and keep yourself from starving from a deficiency of Mame in your literary diet... and in her immortal words, "Live!"

Michael Ward aka [e-mail]