Standing Naked in the Wings: Anecdotes from Canadian Actors [Hardcover]

Lynda Mason Green (Author), Tedde Moore (Author), Lynda Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

This collection brings together first-hand stories from Canada's acting community. Funny, shocking, embarrassing and poignant, these are the stories actors tell each other, providing an intimate glimpse into the world behind the camera and beyond the footlights. Arranged thematically, it starts with a chapter that focuses on early acting experiences ranging from William Shatner's first stage appearance and the evolution of Martin Short's "Ed Grimley" character, to Wayne and Schuster's initial meeting with Ed Sullivan. Other chapters look at mentors, directors and producers, working with kids and animals, missed cues and lines, touring, audiences, fans, pranks and escapades and live radio and TV performances. The next chapter contains anecdotes starring names like Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Sir John Gielgud and Julie Andrews. Included are many stories from the Stratford Festival: Scott Wentworth cracking up during "Richard III", an actor on stage catching fire during a production of "Othello", and William Hutt's dying in an unconventional manner when Christopher Plummer's Hamlet could not get his sword out of his scabard.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lynda Mason Green has made a successful living as an actor in Canada for 20 years, best known for her work in series such as "War of the Worlds" and "Night Heat", as well as movies and mini-series, including "Amerika", "If You Could Hear What I See", "Improper Channels", and "North of Chang Mai". In the past few years, she has been writing, directing, and producing corporate video under the auspices of her own company LMG Productions. The daughter of author and producer Mavor Moore, and granddaughter of Dora Mavor Moore (after whom "the Dora" theatre award was named), Tedde Moore has been part of the theatre/television/film/radio scene in Canada since 1947. Most recently she has appeared in "The Road to Avonlea" and the film "My Summer Story". She has also worked as Story Editor or Creative Consultant for three feature films and has been an associate producer for the Nothing Sacred Corporation.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, Canada; First Edition edition (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195411951
• ISBN-13: 978-0195411959
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,090,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Actors Shine While Naked on Stage, November 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Standing Naked in the Wings: Anecdotes from Canadian Actors (Hardcover)

Although I was reading a book, I felt like a fly on the wall of a cocktail party attended by Canadian actors. I buzzed around the room eavesdropping on groups of actors telling hilarious, intimate stories of life on the stage and before the cameras.

Standing Naked in the Wings is a book of actors' anecdotes written by 250 contributing actors including Jenifer Dale, Al Waxman, Dave Broadfoot, Gordon Pinsent, Sarah Polley, Frank Shuster, Michael Ironside, Martin Short, Lynne Griffin, Gordon Clapp, Christopher Plummer, Sonja Smits.

Editors Lynda Mason Green and Tedde Moore have woven the 450 contributions into 17 chapters covering themes such as auditions, mentors, kids and animals, missed cues and other mistakes, bodily functions, tours, early days, and the moving "Family Album". This chapter includes the letter Nicholas Pennell, a veteran of 23 seasons at the Stratford Festival, delivered to the Shakespearean company two days before his death.

The book's title is taken from a story in which Bruce Greenwood describes how he was literally standing naked in the wings while performing in Bent at the Arts Club in Vancouver. The Comedy of errors that transpired "bears an uncanny similarity to nightmares I've had," Greenwood writes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun behind-the-scenes look at actors in theatre, TV & film, December 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Standing Naked in the Wings: Anecdotes from Canadian Actors (Hardcover)

What a fun book! It's like being the fly on the wall, listening to your favorite actors telling stories, on themselves, their friends and contemporaries. It captures many great (and not so great) moments in Canadian film, TV and theatre. They share their joys, fears, embarrassing moments, poignant memories and a wonderful sense of history. I had read some of the tales online over the last year or so, and the finished product is truly a treat. The only thing, in my opinion, that would make it better, is to have more of the contemporary actors we're seeing on TV, but perhaps there's a sequel there. :)