Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Helpful Score: 1
In âMy Lucky Life In and Out of Show Businessâ, author Dick Van Dyke manages to avoid the Hollywood âell-allâ kind of book that is all too common on the Entertainment section of your local bookstore or library. Wait, that's not 100% true. Mr. Van Dyke DOES dish a little dirt on one celebrity â himself.
He talks about his marriages â two as of this counting (and at his age, I would doubt a 3rd one is on the way â however, given that he is still active in his 90s, don't count him out!) He talks a lot about his early days, growing up, getting started in show business, and the like. Then comes some successes like the Broadway and movie versions of Bye-Bye Birdie, and a little show created by Carl Reiner that didn't have a name until they settled on âThe Dick Van Dyke Showâ. He talks about his alcoholism and a few other bad choices he made during life, as well. He also talks about his aborted stint on the Carol Burnett Show and reveals why he left mid-season.
I wish he had talked a little more about his time on Diagnosis: Murder, especially working with his son on that project. (He briefly touches on it.) He does mention a few of his show-business friends, but I wish he'd tossed in a few more tales of them â not dirt, but rather more of the funny and/or touching anecdotes that pop up occasionally in this text.
I chose to listen to this book on audio; having the author himself narrate it gave it a special touch.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounding up to 5 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
He talks about his marriages â two as of this counting (and at his age, I would doubt a 3rd one is on the way â however, given that he is still active in his 90s, don't count him out!) He talks a lot about his early days, growing up, getting started in show business, and the like. Then comes some successes like the Broadway and movie versions of Bye-Bye Birdie, and a little show created by Carl Reiner that didn't have a name until they settled on âThe Dick Van Dyke Showâ. He talks about his alcoholism and a few other bad choices he made during life, as well. He also talks about his aborted stint on the Carol Burnett Show and reveals why he left mid-season.
I wish he had talked a little more about his time on Diagnosis: Murder, especially working with his son on that project. (He briefly touches on it.) He does mention a few of his show-business friends, but I wish he'd tossed in a few more tales of them â not dirt, but rather more of the funny and/or touching anecdotes that pop up occasionally in this text.
I chose to listen to this book on audio; having the author himself narrate it gave it a special touch.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars, rounding up to 5 stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
