Tony Curtis: The Autobiography (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Barry Paris (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Self-serving and related in the argot of a former street kid, this story traces the metamorphosis of Bernie Schwartz, battler against anti-Semitic gangs, into Tony Curtis, screen personality. Leaving his Lower East Side Manhattan neighborhood in 1949 at the age of 23, he arrived in Hollywood with a contract that ultimately led to stardom. Writing with Paris ( Louise Brooks ), the actor dwells equally on his talents and supposedly irresistible appeal to women. To support the latter contention, Curtis lists his many lovers and four wives: first Janet Leigh, mother of two; the second and third wives, who bore two more offspring each; and his recent bride, a young law-school graduate. If Curtis's vanity didn't interfere, one could more readily sympathize with the man as a survivor of a mean childhood and the drug addiction from which he is recovering. Unfortunately, he blames most of his troubles on others, beginning with his parents. Such attacks and small thanks to benefactors ill become the hero of The Defiant Ones , Spartacus , Some Like it Hot and other films. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This is Tony Curtis's story in his own words, and it is a corker. His depiction of a boyhood as a poor New York City street kid, son of Hungarian immigrants, is moving as well as philosophical and is a recurring theme throughout his life and remarkably diverse career. Curtis offers a candid look at many of his films--from Criss Cross to The Vikings to Some Like It Hot. Anecdotes about famous players abound, reading read like a Who's Who of Hollywood. Curtis is pointedly open about his personal life--four marriages, six children, two tragic brothers, drug addiction, sex, art career, friendships, and more. In addition, coauthor Paris intersperses occasional "boxed" comments, quotes, and wonderful photos throughout the text. This is a literate, first-class "star" autobiography, frank and absorbing but not for the prudish. For large entertainment collections.
- Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, N.J.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688097596
• ISBN-13: 978-0688097592
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #420,776 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent read, even if you're not a fan, August 25, 1999

By	Mrs M Goody (Bilston, West Midlands Great Britain) - See all my reviews

This book is perfect if you want to read about TC, other famous people, the movies, or a young boy who went through a lot and grew up to be famous and go through some rough times again. TC tells us about his childhood, his teenage years, his brothers, his women, his kids, his films, he makes us laugh and he makes us cry. He is an amaizing guy. This autobiography, with the help of BP, is a brilliant read. It's not just for people who were around in the sixties either. I'm 16 and have read this book twice. I recomend this book to anyone that is a fan like me, or anyone who likes to read a good book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional biography offers an extremely honest insight ., March 8, 1999

By A Customer

Explicit account from the man himself Tony Curtis of his vastly changing life style from his early days on the poor streets of the Bronx New York, to the high life as a young Hollywood star. One of the most well known celebrities that came from the later part of the Hollywood star stable, his biography is unusual in its style as it integrates the voices of Tony's friends and family along side Tony's own narrative, painting a very explicit and vastly interesting life. It pulls no punches and tells it as it is , and is a must read for all his fans. Including information On the Persuaders starring Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. ITC action adventure programme first broadcast in 1971

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Blunt, Honest, September 2, 2001

By A Customer

I have enjoyed reading this book. I find Tony's blunt honesty amusing. I will be reading along and suddenly laugh out loud over something he has said just because it is so plain-spokenly blunt. Of course I would hate for that bluntness to be used against me.

Curtis is kind towards his first wife Janet Leigh. Maybe that is because she has been kind towards him. It seems that he doesn't have much to do with his other ex-wives. At the time this book was published he was married to a girl named Lisa.

Curtis also was/is very sensitive about his being Jewish and how he was picked on as a kid, and as an adult (the stuffed, taped tail-pipe in Germany-read the book to find out what that is about).

Curtis was always a very good-looking man and he knew it, and he's honest about knowing it. His idol was Cary Grant. He wanted to make movies with Marilyn Monroe and Mae West so he could say he and Grant were the only actors to make movies with both. Curtis' tale about filming "Sextette" with Mae West is hilarious.

I love his honesty, but there is alot of anger in him. Too bad he couldn't get therapy to work that out. It probably contributed to the break-down of his marriages, and his drug habits in the past. You have to give him credit for surviving though.

I have to say that his performance in "Sex and the Single Girl" is one of my very favorites. He and Natalie Wood had such a strong on-screen chemistry.