Customer Reviews

No Intermissions: The Life of Agnes De Mille

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This biography offers little insight to what already exists, and doesn't convey the passion of De Mille's own writings [although they are quoted lavishly]. You would be much richer served to read her own memoirs:
"Dance to the Piper" [published 1952][early memoir: childhood in Hollywood, struggle to become a dancer]
"And Promenade Home" [published 1959] [early success, and wartime marriage]
"Speak to Me, Dance with Me" [published 1973] [more detail on the early career years, in London and in Hollywood]
"Where the Wings Grow" [published 1978] [about summers at Merriewold, the de Mille estate near the Delaware Water Gap]
"Reprieve: A Memoir" [published 1982] [about her stroke]

Agnes De Mille came from a driven and successful family: her maternal grandfather was the world renown economist, Henry George. Her father, William de Mille, was a Broadway playwright, and later Hollywood scenarist. Her uncle, Cecil B. De Mille, is known world over for his movie directing. She grew up in a milieu that expected achievement, and achieve she did: choreographer of the highest caliber, on Broadway [the groundbreaking "Oklahoma!", "Brigadoon", etc.] and in the ballet world [the groundbreaking "Rodeo", "Fall River Legend", "Three Virgins and a Devil"].

De Mille was passionate about dance. She was passionate about her beliefs [sometime see the video of her debate with a Hollywood columnist during the McCarthy era], passionate about everything. She was also an astute observer, a gifted writer, and self-critical.

You will find her books enthralling. Go to the source!