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Wife of the Life of the Party First Edition Edition

by
Lita Grey Chaplin (Author)
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Lita Grey Chaplin (Author),
Jeffrey Vance (Author)
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Jeffrey Vance (Author), Sydney Chaplin (Foreword)
2.7 out of 5 stars 7 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0810834323
ISBN-10: 0810834324
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Memoirs of the Rich & Famous
Lust & Wonder: A Memoir
Lust & Wonder: A Memoir
Lust & Wonder: A Memoir
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Product Details

  • Series: The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series (Book 61)
  • Hardcover: 360 pages
  • Publisher: Scarecrow Press; First Edition edition (March 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0810834324
  • ISBN-13: 978-0810834323
  • Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1 x 8.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,895,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 starsSad story, but still a bit one-sided, I'm afraid....
By Snorre Smari Mathiesen on February 8, 2006
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
A few years before her passing in 1995, Lita Grey, second ex-wife of master comedian Charles Chaplin, wrote her second "autobiography," WIFE OF LIFE OF THE PARTY, in cooperation with silent film enthusiast Jeffrey Vance. According to her son Sydney's foreword, the book was largely intended as a correction of her 1966-memoir MY LIFE WITH CHAPLIN, which apparently had included exaggerations, as Grey's then-editor had pointed out that a more sensationalistic approach would likely result in more sales. However, the first book seems to have actually turned many readers against Grey, as that account appeared too one-sided to be fully believable. With this second book, Grey reportedly wished to be more balanced.

It is a sad story. I must clarify that I am one of Chaplin's most devoted fans; his films have probably meant more to me than the work of any other artist, and needless to say they have had a strong personal impact on me. Despite this, I'll try to remain as neutral as possible here, and admit that I did feel sorry for Lita several times as I read this book. It is not hard to recognize that the work of Chaplin is the outcome of a very complex mind, and on a personal level, this complexity may not always have been beneficial to his surroundings. To be married to a creative genius cannot be an ideal situation for everybody, and it certainly wasn't for Lita. In retrospect, one could say they seemed almost "ridiculously" different as human beings to be a good match as husband and wife, and then there was the age difference as well.

Chaplin first acquainted his future-wife in 1920, while working on his first feature-length film THE KID. She was only 12 at the time, and received a role in the film after the suggestion of Chaplin's co-director.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsA Fascinating Life
By A Customer on October 7, 2000
Format: Hardcover
Here is a marvelous book detailing the fascinating and interesting life of LITA GREY CHAPLIN. She of course was the child bride of CHARLES CHAPLIN that mangaged to sue and win a substanial sum when divorcing him in 1927, causing one of the great Hollywood scandals of the 1920's. I enjoyed this book because it clears up all the distortions and inaccuracies of her first ghost-written memoir, "MY LIFE WITH CHAPLIN". In his introduction, author Jeffrey Vance clearly places LITA GREY'S importance in the history of CHARLIE CHAPLIN : She influenced three of CHAPLIN'S greatest films : THE KID, THE GOLD RUSH, and THE CIRCUS. Also included are the divorce documents and helpful notes and afterword. A must for CHAPLIN aficionados.
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2.0 out of 5 starsSadly not worth the effort
By Hans J. Wollstein on June 1, 2000
Format: Hardcover
Lita Grey Chaplin, the screen legend's second, teenaged, bride, published her memoirs of life with Chaplin back in 1966. That supposedly shocking "exposé" was apparently mainly the work of a ghost-writer who spiced it up to bolster sales. "Wife of the Life of the Party," on the other hand, is advertized as a much more balanced view of the lady's stormy, if brief, marriage to Chaplin. It may be; I haven't read the 1966 book. But Lita still presents herself as innocence incarnate and Charlie as an unfeeeling cad and a debaucher. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in between. The big question, however, remains: Does it matter anymore? Chaplin's work speaks for itself. Obviously, the writing of the book was a cartharsis for an elderly woman, who, sadly, passed away shortly before it was published. My two stars are for Miss Chaplin's interesting account of the making of THE KID and for co-author Jeffrey Vance's copious and informative notes and wrap-around.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
By Cathie Ganser on April 1, 2015
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
love it
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