Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best [Paperback]

Nancy Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2002

A look at the life of Cary Grant describes his parents, favorite movies, his social life, and his marriages and features anecdotes by the people who knew Grant personally. Reprint. K.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Engaging, warm chronological memoir of Cary Grant, assembled from his own words and those of friends and fellow actors by Nelson, who represented Grant on the lecture circuit during his last years. This is a big, solid Grant biography that towers above recent books that show the actor ingloriously as a neurotic tightwad and bisexual. Nelson met Grant while arranging for his ``Evenings with Cary Grant''--Grant made 36 such unrehearsed appearances, speaking intimately to 1,000 to 3,000 listeners and answering questions for about two hours a show, to standing ovations. While Nelson pastes together her hundreds of quotations with quiet skill, she sometimes gets things wrong, as with Grant spending heavily to track down Plaza-owner Conrad Hilton to complain about getting only one half of an English muffin--a story that makes Hilton seem cheap. In fact, Grant got three halves and explained to Hilton that he was losing good will by not offering the fourth. Grant, born in Bristol, England, as Archie Leach, left school at 13 to go on the road as a dancer-tumbler-stilt-walker-pantomimist with the Pender troupe, skills that stayed with him for life and that brought him to America where he became a Coney Island stilt-walker, then a success in Broadway musicals. His first film was a bit in Singapore Sue, but it wasn't until 1937's The Awful Truth (directed by Frank Capra) that his gift for suave farce and physical comedy set him up as Hollywood's greatest farceur. By then he'd married and been divorced by Virginia Cherrill, Chaplin's blind girl in City Lights. Among the more moving episodes here is Grant's romance with young Phyllis Brooks, whose mother dampened any wedding bells. All speak of Grant's grace, taste, generosity, great wit and style, and the smashing quotes from his ``Evenings with...'' prove every word. Forget the other books, this is it. Superb. (Sixty-eight b&w photographs--not seen.) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Citadel (December 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080652412X
• ISBN-13: 978-0806524122
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,099,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for all Cary Grant Fans, October 12, 2001

By 

Sandra Mitchell "Sandra Mitchell" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best (Paperback)

If you love Cary Grant, you will love this fantastic book written by Nancy Nelson. What makes Nelson's book special is that because it is supported by Grant's daughter Jennifer and wife Barbara, the reader can feel confident that the facts and descriptions reported are true to Cary Grant's character. The text is an enjoyable blend of Nancy Nelson's writing as well as Cary Grant's own words and the words of those who were his close friends. I was in love with Cary Grant before reading this book, simply because I adore him in his movies. After finishing it, I adored Cary Grant as not only an incredible actor, but as an endearing and generous friend, father & husband. The mark that Cary Grant has left on us is priceless and his films continue to bring joy to so many generations after him. His charm is timeless. Nancy Nelson allows us to get as close to knowing Grant as we possibly can. I highly recommend this book.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And Afternoons with Cary Grant, March 5, 2002

By 

Judith Miller (Bluemont, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best (Hardcover)

When I was in high school, my best friend Susan and I relished old movies. A particular TV station always had wonderful classic movies on Sunday afternoons. Our favorites were always the movies that featured Cary Grant. We happily munched our potato chips and moved to Hollywood for a few hours.

The author tells us in the beginning of the book that this is not a biography. It's more of a tribute to Cary Grant. The book skips around through the years and not always in chronological order. The author does give us Grant's background, growing up in England, and the sad story of his mother. She was committed to a sanitarium after she suffered a nervous breakdown when Grant was 8 years old, and he did not see her again for more than 20 years. He believed that she had died and did not know until he received a letter from her in 1937 that she was still alive.

Grant made dozens of films with some of the most beautiful leading ladies in Hollywood. Always a gentleman, Cary would never say which one was his favorite actress. He retired from films when he was 62. He felt that he was too old to be cast as the romantic lead which was always his forte.

Nancy Nelson approached Grant in 1981. She asked him to consider doing some unrehearsed appearances in front of audiences where he would answer questions about himself and his movies. It took her some time to convince him to do it, but it finally came about in a one-man show called A Conversation With Cary Grant. Grant made 36 public appearances from 1982 until his death in 1986 at the age of 82. This book highlights Grant's own words in discussing dozens of topics. It's also filled with insightful quotations from Grant's famous friends.

Most of us seem to remember Grant saying: Judy, Judy, Judy, but Grant never said that in a film and there are various explanations about where it came from. One version, was that in a night club show, comedian Larry Storch was doing an impersonation of Cary Grant. During that part of his show Judy Garland walked in and Storch imitating Cary Grant, said "Judy, Judy, Judy."

Grant's friends saw him as a generous and caring person. If you liked Cary Grant, you'll enjoy this book which gives fascinating recollections of his life. For instance, he loved the telephone, generally answered it himself and was famous for making calls to people who would not believe it was really Grant and hanging up on him. He also wrote articulate letters which he usually signed, with "Happy thoughts!"

Happy thoughts to you too, Cary from one Judy.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great remembrance!, December 28, 1999

By 

Katherine Nunez (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and by Those Who Knew Him Best (Paperback)

I've just discovered Cary Grant and this book recounts his life in an amazing way through the personal accounts of his friends and family. It's so wonderful to be remembered as a charasmatic and just plain perfect person. He was definately charming and such a beautiful man. I loved this book because it doesn't linger in the negative rumors about his sexuality or judge his character and it has soo many pictures! As Audrey said there's nothing wrong with Cary Grant.