Customer Reviews

The Seesaw Girl and Me: A Memoir

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If you're a Bewitched fan, this book really isn't chock full of behind the scenes Bewitched stuff. Dick does tell us the story of the day he met Elizabeth Montgomery, and he makes a few references here and there to the last day on the show or something else about it, but its basically not about Bewitched.

Instead, this is a fantastic opportunity to literally be in the same room with Dick York and listen to him (and maybe even talk back sometimes) as he tells us all about some of the memorable things that happened in his life up until the point that the book was written. He was 56 then. He did this in 1985, and he died in 1992.

He dictated this book into a tape recorder and it has a wonderful feeling like he's talking to you like a friend would. He tells you many stories; some happy and some sad and some made up. He doesn't go on and on with a "whoa is me" attitude. He makes light of most of the hardships he's had. He manages to tell any of the sad stories without making us stop and cry each time.

I actually lost it when I read the part where he was having an imaginary conversation with a fireplug on the street about why he resumed smoking after being smoke free for over a year. I have cried many a tear about his senseless death to emphysema before, but to think he might still be with us today if he had remained quit all those years ago, is more than I could deal with.

Dick York was not just an actor. He was a deep thinking, caring, humanitarian. He was the kind of person this world is in dire need of having more of. He has the overflowing compassion of a Buddhist and an obvious understanding of the interconnectiveness of all life.

In his final few years, on oxygen, struggling to breathe, he used his little remaining time to help others. He helped feed the hungry and cloth the poor with nothing but a pad, pen and telephone. Using his celebrity, he managed to help a lot of people, even though he himself was poor. In fact, this book was done in an effort to pay one month's rent in 1985 when he didn't have it. His selflessness is an inspiration. And so I can't help but cry for him when I think of how he (and so many other good people) have died younger than necessary thanks to tobacco.

What shines through the most is how much he loves his wife and his children. This is a love story above all. In fact, if you're going to cry over anything, it might be his immense love for his wife and family rather than any tragedy he might have endured.

Unlike some autobiographies or biographies which go in direct order of a person's life history, this is nonlinear. Again, its really like sitting with an old friend and listening to his stories. If you read this with his voice in your head, you can really feel like you are just there with him as he jokes and makes light of himself and his life and shares intimate feelings and ideas.

As a bonus, there are some great pictures in the middle of the book. What a gorgeous man he is. His big, dark eyes really reflect the kindness and gentleness within.

This book can be read by somebody who's never even watched Bewitched or heard of him and you would come away feeling like you just got done spending an evening reminiscing with an old friend. Dick York is not one of those untouchable celebrities. He doesn't have Hollywood written all over him. He's just a regular guy who was an actor by profession.

This book is worth every penny and then some. I can't recommend it enough.

The style and content of this memoir are certainly unconventional. Think of Robin Williams on a stream-of-consciousness riff. Think of watching an actor playing all the roles in a one-man performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Think of meeting Dick York.

Some portions of this book are almost too painful to read (so skip them, if you have to). Some portions are hysterically funny. Some portions deserve to be performed on stage. Some portions simply defy characterization. I have my own favorite pages (Mike Wallace - who knew?) and my own least-favorite pages, too.

It was my privilege to read portions of this book in manuscript form, and then later as it was prepared for publication. The strongest impressions I have are these: the author's intent has been honored, and the author's integrity shines through.

Dick York had had a great career. He was on the radio as a teenager, then on Broadway, and he appeared in a number of films and television shows before he landed the role we all know him best for. York starred as Darrin Stevens--the "first Darrin"--in 156 episodes of the sitcom Bewitched, which first aired in 1964. But York's stint on the series ended abruptly one day in 1969 when he had a seizure on the set. He had in fact been suffering from chronic back pain during the show's entire run, the result of an injury he sustained while filming the 1959 western They Came to Cordura. The spry Darrin Stevens, who looked the picture of health, often had to be helped on and off the set.

The seizure effectively marked the end of York's show business career. While still in the hospital he resigned from the series. He subsequently became addicted to painkillers, ballooned to more than 300 pounds, and lost all but two of his teeth. Money was scarce enough that paying the rent was a hardship. But by the mid-1980s things were looking up. He'd overcome his addiction, lost 150 pounds, bought some false teeth, and gotten a few acting roles. Then, in the spring of 1986, he was diagnosed with emphysema. He died in 1992 at the age of 63.

In August of 1985, with rent coming due and having no way to pay it, York settled on the implausible scheme of raising the money by writing his autobiography. In nine days. Actually, he didn't "write" anything. On August 20th--between 3:30 and 6:00 in the morning, he tells us--York began dictating his memoir into a tape recorder. Finishing the book of course took him longer than nine days: his final chapter was dictated on September 6th.

The product of York's feverish burst of creativity is an unusual book. York tell the story of his life in a series of vignettes--growing up in the Chicago slums, falling in love with his wife, overcoming his addiction. There are stories about his parents and grandmother, his children, about his Huckleberry Finnish cousin, who did something I wouldn't have thought possible while walking with York one summer. He writes about Gene Kelly and Gary Cooper and Van Johnson:

"But at this point Van's an actor and has been an actor for a long time and dances very little, except in his heart, where he lives.

"We're in the lobby of this hotel and it is my birthday, only I'm in Holland and they're at home. The people who Van loves and who love him, they're at home and he's in Holland. We're sitting in the lobby and I'm reading him the letter I've received from Kim, age four-and-a-half years old. It says, 'Dear Daddy. From out of my pocket I send you all the love I have. And you know what important things I keep in my pocket. Love, Kimmy. Kisses kisses kisses.' Joey adds, 'She wrote this all by herself. I love you, darling.'

"Van Johnson is crying in a hotel lobby with his friend Dick York. They are both about nine years old."

There is very little about acting or show business. There is a great deal about his wife, Joey, the star around whom his life orbited.

York was an excellent storyteller. These vignettes are moving, sometimes surprising, and very well-written. Wrapped around them are some strange bits--conversations between York and his wife written in dialogue form, York chatting with his alternate self, imaginary audience members commenting on his work. It doesn't all make sense, but most of it does.

In addition to its individual parts being well-composed, York has managed to bind the narrative into a cohesive whole with threads that drift in and out of his reminiscences. Considering York's method of composition, this is remarkable: the book in no way reads like something that was dashed off. It is thoughtfully constructed, honest, rich. (It is unclear how much editing the book underwent after the first draft was dictated, but the implication is that there wasn't much done to the text.)

Dick York did not have an easy life. He lived in poverty for a good part of it, both as a child and in his post-Bewitched years. He lived with chronic back pain for decades. He died too young. Knowing this, one understands, upon entering the book, that York's story will be a tragedy. Except....

Except that York had parents who walked from the South Side of Chicago to the North Side in the winter of 1936 to bring him oranges in the hospital. He had a house brimming with children and a wife whom he never stopped adoring. He had friends who came through when it mattered. And he believed--despite all evidence to the contrary--that the world is the sort of place where miracles happen when you need them.

So I think that maybe Dick York was among the happiest of men.

If one watches "Bewitched" carefully it becomes obvious that the responsibility of making the series believable fell upon the capable shoulders of its male lead, Dick York. It was a responsibility that York took to heart and his performances as "the first Darrin" show that in every rerun. After watching any of York's performances in TV or movies it would not be out of character to describe him as one of our greatest actors. His career was, unfortunately, cut short by a devastating back injury. The Seesaw Girl and Me details the how's and why's of York's departure from Bewitched. However, the real story of his life was not a joyful 1960's sitcom. But, whose is? York's book is a magical memoir filled with pathos and the memories that were the measure of the man. At the heart of the book rests a deep and abiding love story. Perhaps most amazing is that the book does not focus on the negative. There are no gossip-filled stories of old Hollywood, no sad revelations of a lost career, and no bitter tales of disappointment. The book is filled with characters, both real and imaginary, that walk the reader through life-lessons that impress upon the very soul. What is most amazing is that through it all, York's spirit never lost a sense of hope. In the end, perhaps that's all that matters; hope. And love. York had both in abundance. Maybe that's what the world needs most right now - and why The Seesaw Girl and Me only now found publication. It is needed. Read the book and you just might discover something about your own soul as well.

Dick York's "The Seesaw Girl and Me" is one of the most original and inspiring books I've read in ages. If you think this will be your run of the mill Hollywood autobiography you have another thing coming. Dick's writing is as original as the man himself. He doesn't simply tell his story--he lives it again on each page. For the reader it is not like you're reading Dick's words it is as if Dick himself is there with you. The book is quirky, warm, funny, sad, touching, depressing, and uplifting. In short it is the true story of a real flesh and blood human being. Dick has no axes to grind and like the man himself he sees good rather than bad. There are many terrific stories to tell and profiles to read of people like Elizabeth Montgomery, Gene Kelly, Spencer Tracy, Paul Muni, Fredric March, Kim Stanley among many others. But above all this is a love story and by Dick's side all along the way is the "Seesaw Girl" the extrordinary Mrs. York, Joey. When I'm down or having a bad day I often pull my copy off of my bookcase and open it up to a particular favorite passage and get caught up in the exuberance and love that Dick shares with each of us. I highly recommend this book.

I've waited for this book for the past decade. Ever since Film Fax magazine published an excerpt from the book, I'd hoped to finally read Dick York's story--in his own words. This book is a glimpse into Dick's soul, not the typical rehashing of every part he ever played and every actor he ever worked with. His love for his wife is most readily apparent--even from the title. True gentleman like him don't come along every day--and readers will soon learn how lucky his wife was to share the bumpy road with such a passionate man. Her foreward in the book let's the reader know that she appreciated every moment they had together--from the time she was 12 and he was 15. The world could do with a lot more real world love stories like theirs. But this isn't all flowers and candy, what some may consider "incoherent" passages in the book, I consider a triumph in Dick's spirit even when his body was failing him. Through these characters, we see Dick's humor. Through his bought with pain killer addiction and how he kicked it, we see his strength. He's frank about his mental health after leaving Bewitched, and that may leave some reader's feeling uncomfortable. But look beyond those times of desperation, and you see a man who took lemons and made lemonade--when he was no longer able to act, he went back to his roots on radio and used his voice to appeal for aid for the homeless. Seeing some TV ahows on his life after Bewitched, one may feel that Dick York died penniless and alone. This book proves otherwise. Anyone who has every felt down and out and is on their way back should read this book.

I loved the experience of reading this funny, original, and intense book. It made me feel alive. There were surprising insights and emotional discoveries in every chapter. I admire and respect Dick York for being so honest. It's obvious he had a huge heart. The four themes of this book are basic to being human: love, loss, survival, and hope. If any of those themes interest you, I say read this book and live life in Dick York's shoes for a while. You'll be enriched and inspired.

An irreverent first-hand account of the life and times of a uniquely gifted man. As a fan of Bewitched, I was glad to see this book available in print. It makes a great addition to any classic TV fan's collection. My only wish is that it had included more behind-the-scenes info on the Bewitched set, but he can hardly be faulted for not focusing on one small aspect of a long and varied career.

What struck me most about this book was Dick York's candor. The unflinching way he lays his life bare is most refreshing. Clearly, he was as open and honest with himself, as he was with others. In a strange sort of way, this book taught me almost as much about myself, as it did about him.

Most actors writing their own books are not nearly as revealing as Dick York is in "The Seesaw Girl and Me". He doesn't shy away from his turmoils--some brought on by himself. But he doesn't shy away from life either. He comes across as a good, kind and loving man--yes a bit frenetic--but overall a man who sees beauty in all especially his seesaw girl and life partner Joan York. I loved reading their story.

I think Allison's review has captured the off-center magic that permeates this book, and in its own way, Dick's remarkable life.

The first time I saw the striking cover was while my graphic designer, Laurie Burke of Subtext, was putting the finishing touches together. Later, when I read the book, I marvelled at how Laurie's asymmetrical imagery paralleled the bewitching asymmetry of Dick's memoir - as brilliantly captured by Allison.

Dick was a fine human being, flaws and all, and a man who was not afraid to take a long, hard look at himself and his life, good and bad. Through it all, his sense of how lucky he was to have spent his life with the enchanting Seesaw Girl is both touching and refreshing.

As for it being too challenging a read, I grew up on William Burroughs, so this is a walk in the park.

I hope the resurgence of interest in Things Bewitched due to the excellent Nicole Kidman/Will Ferrell movie, will boost the sales of this wonderful book and this unique insight into the man who immortalized Sam's mortal husband. We miss them both.