NAME - DROPPING: The Life and Lies of Alan King [Hardcover]

Alan King (Author), Chris Chase (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 1996

Irwin Alan Kniberg recounts some of the high points of his life and career, from Borscht Belt to Palace Theater, and tells stories about famous and not-so-famous friends, including Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Billy Crystal, and the Kennedys. 40,000 first printing. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though King has filled many shoes during his 50 years in show business-including those of a boxer, a Broadway producer and an actor-he's worn out the most leather as a stand-up comic. How appropriate it is, then, that in his entertaining memoir he eschews "heavy drama" and "tell-all" confessions for a head-spinning volley of anecdotes and asides. Some of them are touching, as when he tells of arranging for David Dubinsky to call King's elderly father, who "revered" the union leader. Most are humorous, often hilarious, like the one about his tomato sauce cook-off challenge to Frank Sinatra, which ended up being judged by Louie the Light, Willie the Nose and Morey the Mouth. The parade of celebrities here seems endless-Marlon Brando, Harry Truman, Dean Martin (portrayed both in his youth and as a tragic old man), John Wayne, Judy Garland, Robert and Ted Kennedy, Jack Benny and on and on. Born Irwin Alan Kniberg to Russian immigrants in 1927, King honed his storytelling craft on the street corners of his boyhood Brooklyn neighborhood. It was time well spent; this autobiography is a delight. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Consisting of one long Alan King stand-up routine filled with all his stories and schtick, this memoir will delight those who like King's comedy. Those looking for the usual revealing celebrity autobiography will be disappointed, however. King says upfront, "This is not going to be a tell-all book. My few dark secrets I'm taking to my grave." He does offer up a fairly candid chronological reporting of his life from his humble beginnings as Irwin Alan Kniberg, son of Russian immigrants. He traces his successes from the early ones on the Borscht Belt to his film roles (Memories of Me, Casino) to his Broadway production stints (Lion in Winter, Dinner at Eight). King tells great name-dropping Hollywood stories, some old, some new, and there's warmth here, especially as he talks about his 49-year marriage. Still, there is nothing exceptional in these pages. There could be demand if King hits the talk show circuit, but only comprehensive collections need consider the book otherwise.?Rosellen Brewer, Monterey Bay Area Cooperative Lib. System, Cal.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; First Edition edition (June 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684803844
• ISBN-13: 978-0684803845
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,687,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!, March 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Name Dropping (Paperback)

I was stuck in the airport waiting for a flight. I picked up King's book and was hysterical laughing outloud!! It kept me entertained throughout!!! I highly recommend it. It's entertaining, cleverly written, and fast moving!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alan who?, October 21, 2009

By 

A. Edward Azad (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Name Dropping (Paperback)

The first time I'd ever even heard of Alan King (aka the rich guy who gets killed in Rush Hour 2) was when my family rented the movie Sunshine State, in which plays a hyperbolic golfer.

A few months afterward, I came across this book. For a Catskill comic who fought and clawed his way out of a shabby Brooklyn apartment and made it big, he's awfully nice. A lifelong democrat, King Still has some nice words for the conservative bigshots of his time. One might assume King's description of comedian Joe E. Lewis applies to King himself: "If you'd mentioned Hitler to him, he'd say, "So he made a few mistakes." The one person King can NOT tolerate is his nemesis, Al Jolson, who once dared to sit through the former's performance with his back turned.

Compared to today, the dirt Alan King dishes is pretty tame, and he knows it. The chapters of this book are divided according to the many hats he has worn, whether they be struggling comic, sports nut, Vegas lounge lizard, Kennedy groupie, Broadway producer, actor, and aggravating husband to Jeanette (who also gets a turn at the wheel toward the end, when Alan hands over the narrative to her).

In a reflection of our cynical age, modern comedy is based around on schadenfreude, bathroom humor, and abusing the weak. Those things are completely alien to King's world; groups like the Friars Club -- a fraternity of hard-drinking, idiosyncratic stand-up comics -- mocked other showbiz figures, but even then the humor was paternal, reverent even. (Then again, considering the friends Frank Sinatra had, it was probably wise not to belittle him). If you have an interest in salty veterans of swing era, or comedians in the vein of Bob Hope, I would definitely pick this up.

5.0 out of 5 stars Once You Pick It Up- You Won"t Put It Down!!!!!, February 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Name Dropping (Paperback)

Alan King has had such an interesting life which he shares with his readers! The book is a Winner!