Kovacsland: Biography Of Ernie Kovacs (Paperback)

~ Diana Rico (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This straightforward portrait of Kovacs (1919-1962), creator of such mid-'50s TV characters as Percy Dovetonsils and the Nairobi Trio, details his first wife's kidnapping of his children, his compulsive gambling and his abundant generosity. According to PW , "Rico falters . . . in her attempt to describe what it was about Kovacs's weekly shows that so delighted viewers." Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Author Rico is obviously a big fan of Ernie Kovacs's style of comedy--wacky, improvisational, even bizarre--which explored the potential of the newly developing television of the 1950s. This detailed biography of the ill-fated comedian shows him to be a workaholic who drove himself endlessly in search of a laugh, a gambler and spendthrift who was a creative genius. His personal life, including a two-year search for his kidnapped daughters and his marriage to Edie Adams, is skimmed over in favor of endless descriptions of comic sketches and quotes from a multitude of friends. His last few years, making movies in Hollywood, took a toll on both his marriage and his creativity, but he needed the money in order to pay the fortune he owed in back taxes. Of most interest is his early career in radio and live television, but the book seems padded and repetitive.
- Marcia L. Perry, Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (October 31, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156472503
• ISBN-13: 978-0156472500
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #452,815 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth finding-or reprinting!, June 25, 2000

By	PonyExpress (United States) - See all my reviews

There have been three biographies of Ernie Kovacs in the last 25 years(well, one of the three is really Edie Adams' memoir); Diana Rico's is the best, and likely to remain so for some time-I wish I had written it myself! Ernie Kovacs was a fascinating, mercurial man with an eclectic and very strong appeal, and Rico manages to capture his personality, talent and tremendous charm without ever tipping over(as so many "star" biographies do)into bathos or hero-worship. Fair-minded, and with accuracy reflecting a lot of primary interviews and careful research, it's also just a plainly well-written, entertaining read. If you've a special interest in Kovacs, or are simply curious about who he was, and what the days of the roaring 50's rat-pack was like, this is a book to seek out.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ernie Kovacs was a genius., July 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Kovacsland: A Biography of Ernie Kovacs (Hardcover)

I know, we're reviewing the book and not the man, but it's pretty hard not to enjoy anything dealing with such a brilliant comedian as Ernie Kovacs. Even if it were just a dry accounting of facts, it would be interesting, because he was. However, it is very well-written and engaging. I don't know why Edie Adams refused to be interviewed for this book, because it certainly appears to be a loving tribute to her late husband. Her contributions are about the only thing that could improve this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An easy read about a complicated talent, September 19, 2005

By	Mark A. Banash (Bedford, NH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

People use words like "off-beat" and "wacky" when it comes to Ernie Kovacs, but in truth the man had a real sense of humor. By this I mean he understood humor, could almost break it down to the atomic level in his head, and assemble wonderfully funny and original pieces from those atoms. Those of us who love humor love Ernie because he would create new forms of it instead of the trite and hackneyed ones that surround us to this day in bad sitcoms, awful sketch comedy shows, and terrible stand-up. Only when you look at Ernie's stuff do you recognize the stagnant brine most Americans call TV comedy and how ubiquitous it is.

This bio would be best if there was more from Ernie himself on his process, but since tragedy has made that impossible Ms. Rico has stitched together an impressive Persian rug of a tale using those who knew him and worked with him. She also provides exhaustive background on the goings-on in his life to give an excellent sense of perspective and accomplishment. You learn more about Ernie the man than about how he was able to come up with all of that great stuff.

Reading this book is like Ernie's life - funny, detailed, warm, intelligent, human, and over way too soon.