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Sharon Rich

Sweethearts: The Timeless Love Affair -- On-Screen and Off -- Between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, updated 20th Anniversary Edition Paperback – April 20, 2014

by Sharon Rich (Author)

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New Updated 20^th Anniversary edition. #1 Bestseller! Sweethearts is the bestselling true story of one of Hollywood’s greatest cover-ups—the love affair between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Known as “America’s Singing Sweethearts” of the 1930s and ‘40s, they made eight box office hits together for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and became the most popular singing team in movie history. Rumor had it that they hated each other off-screen but the truth was that they were secretly engaged in the summer of 1935 while filming their famous "Mountie" movie, Rose-Marie. Interference by MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer triggered a series of tragic events that caused them to eventually marry others, self-destruct their film careers, health, and ultimately their lives. The 20th Anniversary Edition has been completely updated and features a wealth of startling new information, more photos and documentation, and previously anonymous sources coming forward to set the record straight. Reviews: “Offers considerable proof they may have been secret lovers for years.” – Robert Osborne “One of the finest books about Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Hollywood during the Golden Era. It is a bittersweet love story of a famous couple whose musical duets on the silver screen thrilled a generation of moviegoers. They were a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the knowledge, thanks to Miss Rich, that the actors were in love off the screen, gives their films a heartbeat. Included are love letters, notes from diaries, and observations of those who kept their secret. You will enjoy every word of Sweethearts and you will find a new meaning when viewing their musicals. Then you’ll read it a second time. – Jane Ellen Wayne, The Golden Guys of MGM “That rarity among star bios, an absorbingly written, exhaustively researched, and fully sourced work.” – Preview, AFI “The star-crossed love affair of the century. Sharon Rich paints a story of love so passionate, volatile and ultimately futile, even Shakespeare’s frustrated lovers pale by comparison. At least Romeo and Juliet solved matters in less than a week. The account is anything but sugar-coated. Ms. Rich’s book certainly contains much to raise the eyebrows. She names names and pulls no punches. Still, this is not a sensational expose; one comes away feeling sorry for the protagonists, and wishing that their story could have had a happier resolution. Further, Ms. Rich appears to have scrupulously documented each element of her narrative. Nelson’s own letters, and the frequent comments of Jeanette’s older sister, Blossom Rock, give credibility to an amazing story.” – Rob Ray, Past Times One of Hollywood’s least well-kept secrets. Rich affords a long, exciting, revealing look at two of the most important screen personalities of the 1930s. Vital reading to anyone interested in film history, Hollywood, or popular culture.” – Mike Tribby, Booklist “A surprisingly interesting look at two people so wrapped up in make-believe that they began taking it seriously.” – Harry Bowman, The Dallas Morning News "A bonanza for MacDonald/Eddy fans, a pan full of nuggets for aficionados of Hollywood and MGM.” – Kirkus Reviews “This book rings true. Fans will love it.” – John Smothers, Library Journal

Print length

612 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bell Harbour Press
Publication date

April 20, 2014
Dimensions

6.69 x 1.38 x 9.61 inches
ISBN-10

0990323005
ISBN-13

978-0990323006
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Jeanette MacDonald Autobiography: The Lost Manuscript by Sharon Rich Paperback $59.95
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Nelson Eddy: The Opera Years by Sharon Rich Paperback $29.95
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Product details

Publisher : Bell Harbour Press (April 20, 2014)
Language : English
Paperback : 612 pages
ISBN-10 : 0990323005
ISBN-13 : 978-0990323006
Item Weight : 2.62 pounds
Dimensions : 6.69 x 1.38 x 9.61 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #602,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #221 in Classical Musician Biographies
- #223 in Movie Industry
- #360 in Celebrity Photography

Customer Reviews:
136 ratings

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5 star		81%
4 star		9%
3 star		2%
2 star		3%
1 star		5%

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Richard Adkins

Non-objective, polarized, misogynistic and homophobic dual biography of delusional musical duo

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2019

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As a child of the 50s, I was exposed to The MacDonald-Eddy films as they were broadcast on local TV. I was mesmerized by their performances, especially "Naughty Marietta". I made my mother, who was skilled at shorthand, take down the lyrics to "Sweet Mystery of Life" as that number was being performed on the small screen. I asked for, and got, "MacDonald-Eddy Duets in H-Fi" for my 10th birthday. Because of that, I was eager to read this biography, especially in the anniversary and updated version. Nothing in the book changes my view of their talents, but the lack of objectivity and the presentation of some topics was disappointing. The author describes Jeanette MacDonald as egotistical and completely willing to sleep with the boss (Louis B.Mayer) to get ahead, who says she "kind of likes" the several instances cited where Eddy rapes her, viewing them as the product of romantic fervor. She willingly takes physical abuse by gay husband Gene Raymond, and protests, but accepts, Nelson's beating of Raymond. Eddy fares no better, besides being a hot-tempered rapist, he also beat on his mother and was completely incapable of fidelity. Yet, the book celebrates their passionate lifelong back-and-forth, off-and-on-again relationship as a testament to their true love. Without documentation, the book outs Janet Gaynor as lesbian, cites a Raymond-Buddy Rogers affair (while on their honeymoons with MacDonald and Pickford, respectively) and erroneously cites gay scandals as the source of the ends of the careers of William Haines and Ramon Novarro. One of the author's "reliable sources" as a confidant of MacDonald, admits to sleeping with Raymond. The book elevates a rapist and villiies a homosexual at the same time. Friends and family of the duo are all portrayed as enablers, providing comfort, assistance, and locations for sex, all under the guise of loyalty. Ann Franklin Eddy just comes off as this side of Cruella DeVille and the references to fan club members for both stars spying on the objects of their affection and providing surveillance and then distributing their findings throughout their "clubs" is appalling. So to write this book to provide evidence of the star's "everlasting love" reads more like a textbook definition of a symbiotic relationship. In the end, all this book proves is that stars were as unable to distinguish between movies and real life as their fans were. The author didn't trust the readers to judge the facts and allow them to make the right estimation of the story. She even justified some of her dubious conclusions by telling us she could see the facts as displayed in the looks on the stars' faces in candid photos. So now I admire their work as artists, but find them pointless as people.

6 people found this helpful

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Judy Burns (Jacobson)

A promise kept

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2014

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You have checked this review because you want to know if one of the books or magazines put out by Sharon Rich are fact or fiction. Sharon has compiled biographical books on Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy separately and as the extraordinary MGM film star team they were from the 1930’s until the 1960’s, when first Jeanette and then Nelson died. The “MacEddy Today” magazines are a treasure trove of photos, stories and nostalgia told from interviewees who know the stars. Jeanette MacDonald wrote an autobiography that she never published. I found it at a book fair and gave it to Sharon, saying she should annotate it with all that she had learned about Jeanette. It’s a fascinating read of a star who is trying to protect a “nice” view of her life versus what was really going on. The manuscript only survived the trash bin because the transcriptionist kept it. Even Nelson’s opera years have been preserved because Sharon Rich cared enough to put out the book.
Sharon Rich is an extraordinary woman. I know. I've known her since first reading "Farewell to Dreams" and asking her to actually document the Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald story better before attempting to sell it to Hollywood. It was at this time that I began to insist that all of the interviews with some of Sharon's sources be videotaped or audiotaped so that the research could be preserved even after the interviewees died. Many of them have, sadly, passed on. But the tapes survive! In those days, a co-writer and I insisted that Sharon meticulously database the whereabouts of all the principals from the moment they met until their deaths, and she did just that. She poured through documents -- every kind of printed source (including the LA Times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department logs, English newspapers, fanzines, Variety, etc) until she could darn near tell you on an hourly basis where Nelson, Jeanette, Gene, Ann Eddy, L.B. Mayer, and others were. While compiling the database, Sharon also came into possession of letters, unpublished autobiographies, and people who are still alive who can swear to the veracity of the information in Sweethearts. I can personally swear to meeting many of the people who knew Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. I can tell you, I have met Gene Raymond, interviewed him over lunch and also watched him meet one of his former lovers and Jeanette's gay friends. I have talked to people who sat at Blossom Rock's feet and heard the story first hand. I am convinced, from these interviews, that Blossom was not only in her right mind but capable of telling the story (one way or another). Just because you cannot always speak doesn't mean you cannot write or communicate in other ways. This book is true, and the sources are available for researchers to access. It's a shame people like Turk do NOT make use of the invitation to do so. This is not only a terrific read, but it is the life work of a woman who made a promise to Blossom Rock to tell the truth about Jeanette. She has kept her promise.
Many years have gone by since “Sweethearts” was originally written for Donald Fine publishers, and many more interviews with people who knew Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and Gene Raymond have caused the original text to be updated. A story told to us by Sunny Griffin concerned Nelson going undercover during World War II. There was no other proof of that tale until the last couple of years, when others came forward to say Nelson did go to Cairo, killed a Nazi sympathizer, and went home wounded. In the years between the original edition and the revised, so much more of the story has been uncovered and corroborated. This is the story or a grand romance, adventure, and lives that were lived magnificently and tragically. I was a successful television writer in Hollywood for over a twenty-five years, and I know when a book is well written and worth a good read. You owe yourself a terrific read, and you will get it in “Sweethearts, revised”.

33 people found this helpful

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Linda-Sue Bigler

One of the best books I ever read

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2019

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I have read this book through and gone back and read the parts that give background about the movies Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy made and what was going on in their lives then and also from their birth to when they died. I learned so much. This is such a well researched book that Sharon Rich wrote. I was a new fan when I first read it, Because of Sharon;s dedication now I know the truth that had been hidden for years about their love for one another and all they had to endure due to others who made their lives more painful than they needed to be. They each made decisions also added to their lives not ending as happily as most of their movies did. I am so thankful that many today can watch their movies on TV or buy their DVDs but also can read a book that contains letters both Jeanette and Nelson wrote and also many who were close to them were interviewed or shared letters too which makes this an excellent biography that needed to be written.

3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

A WELL RESEARCHED AND THOROUGHLY INTERESTING PRESENTATION OF THE LIVES AND LOVE AFFAIR OF TWO BELOVED SINGERS AND ICONS OF MUSIC

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2020

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I loved this book, highly romantic ,informative , and yet sadly tragic of star crossed lovers Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. They made wonderful films, had great voices, were adored
by so many, yet could not seem to get it together. So sad. An
engrossing detailed account of their careers and long love affair.
I highly recommend this book to music and movie fans.

L

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Ase Johannessen

but sad love story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 17, 2015

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I'm not old enough to remember Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, but have discovered their films and songs in recent years and wanted to know more about them. This book I found very difficult to put down. It's an incredible, but sad love story, so much suffering and they could never marry because of other people's interference in their lives and possibly also their own emotional instability. Yet they created so many beautiful songs, both together and individually. Thanks to modern technology we can still listen to them and watch their once very popular films. I'm glad Ms Rich wrote this book, she spent years gathering information and put an amazing amount of work into it, and you feel as if you get to know the two stars and the Hollywood scene of those days. It would be great if one day a film could be made of their story. The Kindle version has quite a few typos, but it's so interesting that I forgot to get annoyed with them. I recommend it for anyone who likes a good biography.

One person found this helpful

Brian Stent

Years of research obviously entered into by author in order ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2014

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Years of research obviously entered into by author in order to publish this 'tell all' account of the singing duo.
Well worth reading, but a pity it was rather shambolic in presentation

One person found this helpful

A. B.

Updated version of an already good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2015

Verified Purchase

A good read.

Jennifer Guthry

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2017

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Haven't finished it yet but really enjoying it

Evita Paz

For believers in true love....

Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book has stayed with me. My mother and her father loved Macdonald/Eddy. She and I watched their movies on late-night TV when I was a kid, and over the years we'd view them again and again. This book shows what was before our eyes the whole time but fell for the studio PR machine manipulated by a cruel monster: they were madly in love. It isn't a happy story: these two were star-crossed and married the wrong people. Love came and went; broke their hearts and health. Their story is ultimately tragic, but their love never died. It's a great read about two beautiful and talented people who were unable to control their destinies. It also reveals how the misogynist studio system got away with murder in its abuse of female stars. My mother would have been shocked, enthralled, saddened, uplifted. We would have put on their LP and had a good cry.

One person found this helpful

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