First published 2009
Cloris Leachman opens her story in Des Moines, Iowa, where she first watched Katharine Hepburn perform on stage. She traces her path from that moment of inspiration through Broadway auditions with Rogers and Hammerstein to landing the lead in South Pacific. Leachman describes her training at the Actor's Studio and her breakthrough television role as Phyllis on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which she secured by jumping onto producer James Brooks's lap. She chronicles her film career, including her Oscar-winning performance in The Last Picture Show and her comedic roles in Mel Brooks films like Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety. The actress reveals personal stories about working with Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, and other Hollywood figures. She discusses the challenge of balancing motherhood with her career and her difficulty separating from the characters she portrays. Leachman examines her later television work on shows like Malcolm in the Middle and reflects on her reputation for unpredictable behavior on set. The book captures her struggle to maintain creative energy while managing celebrity status and family responsibilities.
Genres: 20th-century, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: celebrity, memoir
Setting: Des Moines, Iowa
Period: Broadway
281 pages · Hardcover · Kensington Pub Corp