Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story (Paperback)

~ Jim Manago (Author), Ted Key (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Hazel theme music plays to an applauding audience as sixty-four year old Shirley Booth steps up to the stage for her second Emmy Award. As the character Hazel, her superb comedic and dramatic skills resulted from arduous years of perfecting her minimalist approach to acting. More than fifty years earlier, Shirley first stepped onto the stage against the wishes of her father. How could Shirley Booth achieve so much success as an actress, winning every major acting award possible without formal dramatic training? Jim Manago chronicles Shirley Booth's many years of radio broadcasting, playing in stock theater roles, starring in successful and abortive Broadway shows, to finally reach and go beyond her award winning Broadway performance in Come Back, Little Sheba. "Love is the Reason for it All...." takes the reader through her entire career. This new biography of Shirley Booth examines the critical reception to Shirley's performances, utilizes interviews with her friends and associates, and most notably provides Shirley's own words to reveal her distinct philosophy of life. This is Shirley Booth's inspiring story of absolute determination to succeed despite any and all troubles....

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: BearManor Media (April 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593931468
• ISBN-13: 978-1593931469
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #832,002 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-done book on Shirley Booth, June 6, 2008

By	Clair A. Schulz - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jim Manago's biography of Shirley Booth is well-done. He uses many quotations from people who knew her (and quotes by Shirley herself) to support his assertions. The citations from reviews showed the author did his research. There is a nice selection of photographs showing Booth at various stages of her life. By giving us a complete picture of Shirley Booth's life, Jim Manago has done a valuable service by reminding readers that Shirley was a versatile performer, notable for her work on television, the stage, motion pictures, and radio.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Canyon News' Tommy Lightfoot Garrett Loved This Author's Book!, July 23, 2008

By	Jason Crawford "Jason Crawford" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Written By: Tommy Garrett, Editor in Chief For Canyon Newspaper in Beverly Hills California and for San Francisco News in San Francisco.

"Love Is The Reason For It All: The Shirley Booth Story" captured my attention this week while I was spending a few hours catching up on my reading. It was written by biographer and historian Jim Manago, who had previously written the very funny story on Gale Gordon. Manago manages to tell a story in the most honest but engaging manner. He is a fan of the people he writes about, and it shows.



Published by mega publisher Bear Manor, the book is well put together and the cover design is eye catching and showcases some of the scenes and stills from the career of the great star. This book is inspiring but most of all, it is honest. It tells of Shirley's dedication and burning desire to become a star, remain a star and compete in the toughest field second only to politics. Booth may have played an airhead in some roles, but it proves she was far from one in real life.

She's best described as a character actress, equally adept at playing smart-mouthed characters such as the cashier on radio in "Duffy's Tavern" or on TV as maid Hazel, or in films like "Come Back, Little Sheba," which she made in 1952. For those that only know her through her sitcom, it might be hard to believe she was a seasoned theatrical veteran, having appeared on Broadway from 1925-1970. She was highly regarded on stage and ranks as one of the premier talents of the 20th century theatre.

The three-time Tony winner is not demeaned or ridiculed in this very authentic and respectful biography. Recently some biographers seem to show disdain for their subject instead of admiration. But although Manago admires Booth, he's able to separate his affection and go in depth into her life story and does so with ease. The book is chronologically correct and he's an amazing fact checker.

The author describes how Booth was divorced from Ed Gardner in the 1940s; the marriage was a rocky one as Gardner was a drinker and habitual womanizer. She remarried in 1943 to William H. Baker, a kind investment banker. The union was a happy but relatively short one. She was in rehearsals for "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" when he died suddenly of a heart ailment. She had no children from either marriage.

The actress performed most famously in her debut with a young Humphrey Bogart in 1925. But the story doesn't start or end there. This book really covers the life and career of one of Hollywood's forgotten icons. Julie Harris is best quoted in this tome. "We were neighbors and best friends for a long time. She was funny, bright and a lovely person. I loved her very much." Miss Harris's theme is born out throughout this book. Despite the tough and aggressive nature of her business, you come across wanting to like and feeling like you know Shirley Booth in a way only Jim Manago could deliver.

This is a must read for historians and should be required reading for anyone interested in entering the field of acting via the Broadway stage.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent job on this biography!, August 20, 2008

By	S. Somma (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really enjoyed this book. I had never known much about Shirley Booth, other than her playing the role of Hazel. She was really quite an individual and Jim Manago did an excellent job on this biography. He gave the details of her accomplishments (theatrical experiences, awards, etc.), numerous quotes from her, and reviews and comments from others. I especially enjoyed the quotes from Shirley Booth because I was able to get a good feeling about her character through her own words. I applaud Jim for keeping it legit and not throwing in the trash and gossip that most biographies have. I can also appreciate the research and work that went into this endeavor - and he didn't have Shirley to consult with! Good book.