She invited us into her living room. The girls surrounded Lucy as she handed candy to each of them.
“Don’t forget to go next door,” she said.
Lucy waved good- bye as we started for Jack Benny’s house. The girls were all laughing and thanking her.
At Jack’s house we repeated the routine.
“Well, who have we got here?” Jack asked, holding his right elbow with his left hand, the palm of his right hand to his face— his famous pose.
I whispered in his ear, “It’s Debbie, and this is Sandy.”
He turned to a table next to the door, picked up a basket, and gestured the girls to step forward, saying, “I have a basket full of money here.”
The girls lined up— and he gave everybody dimes! A single dime apiece out of his money basket.
The troop continued up the street to Jimmy Stewart’s home, then across Roxbury to Agnes Moorehead’s. Everyone was so nice as two dozen kids showed up on their doorsteps.
Spencer Tracy was such a wonderful star. I’m sure he was thrilled to be buying cookies from MGM’s newest contract player. He won an Academy Award, but I had forty-seven merit badges.
To this day, I continue to support the Girl Scouts. When I performed in the 1970s, they paid half price to attend my concerts. I don’t sell cookies anymore, but I’m happy to lend my name to the organization. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed my years as a troop leader, Carrie tells me now that she hated it. We have very different tastes.
I miss those days when I would visit my friends’ homes on Roxbury Drive. Sandy and I are still close to this day.
FISH SHTICK
In June 1971 Sea World opened their new attraction in San Diego with a killer whale named Shamu. The huge black-and-white orca supposedly weighed forty- seven hundred pounds and ate more than two hundred pounds of fish a day; one extra visit to the sushi bar and she would have tipped five thousand. She was enormous.
And so was the playground the park had created for her— a 625,000- gallon performing tank measuring 120 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 24 feet deep, on seven additional acres of land Sea World had acquired just for this attraction. It held a million gallons of water. More than one hundred fifty trees had been planted, and another two and a quarter acres of lush green lawn with decorative ground cover bordered the water. It looked like a lagoon.
As if that weren’t enough, there was a wall of twenty-three wide Plexiglas panels on the audience side of the show tank, for underwater viewing of Shamu’s antics.
The opening event was a show called Shamu Goes Hollywood, with proceeds to benefit the Motion Picture Relief Fund. The owners of Sea World asked me to sponsor it, and I was happy to do so. Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones, Ricardo Montalban, Jean Simmons, and Jack Haley Jr. agreed to help publicize the festivities.
At one point, I was standing at the edge of the giant pool watching Shamu’s flips and jumps with her handlers when the killer whale sped toward me. Shamu rose out of the water with her jaws gaping wide. The handlers led me over to her, and asked me to put my head inside her mouth.
I’d been nervous before at openings but this one really scared me. I leaned forward until my wig was in her nose, praying that Shamu wouldn’t mistake me for a fish stick. One sniffle and I would have been Jonah of San Diego.
Shamu didn’t chomp me. But on the drive home from Sea World I still couldn’t shake the fresh orca smell. I had noticed that many of the restaurants at the park had a seafood theme. Was this the final fate of the fish who misbehaved?
The following April I read in the papers that Shamu had bitten the legs and hips of a female employee in a bikini, who was trying to ride her during the filming of a publicity promo. When the orca refused to release the woman, they had to pry Shamu’s jaws apart with a pole.
Shamu was a magnificent creature, but they retired her from performing after that. She’s lucky she didn’t end up as the Catch of the Day in one of their eateries. I counted myself lucky, too. I had survived my own close encounter with her jaws.
BERTHA THE ELEPHANT
When you played concert dates in Las Vegas in the 1970s, it was usually part of the deal to also appear in Reno. Just east of Reno is Sparks, Nevada, which also has casino hotels, so many of us played there, too, at the Nugget.
One of the greatest performers to ever grace the Nugget stage was Bertha the Elephant, who was the hotel’s main attraction from 1962 until she died in the late 1990s. She had her own act in the Circus Room with her baby, Tina, and she would briefly share the stage with me or Liberace or Tony Bennet—whoever was the headliner that week. Bertha was truly a Nevada favorite; she and Tina also appeared every year in Carson City at their Nevada Day parade.
She had her own elevator in the backstage area. I played that club for years before they let me go on that elevator with her. Bertha’s handlers would take her outside to do her business. She let loose on command when they tapped her on the leg. She was better trained than some performers I know of.
But once in a while she would make a mistake, and when that happened you really thought Niagara Falls had moved to Sparks, Nevada. The whole audience would be underwater. We’d run out with mops to mop up, and then I had to go on with my act. My beautiful costumes all turned a little yellow from elephant pee.
When we humans played the Nugget, we had to work seven nights a week, with an extra ten minutes on Monday night. Somebody once asked the entertainment office why we had to do a longer show on Mondays.
“That’s Bertha’s day off,” we were told.
Mondays off while everyone else made up for her act? That pachyderm had a better contract than we did!
Bertha was the most cherished entertainer in Sparks, Nevada. She even had her own elevator to get to the stage.
Superstar Bertha giving my mother, Maxene, a lift.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I WISH TO DEDICATE THIS book to my children, Carrie and Todd Fisher. Without their encouragement and loving support, along with my faith in God, I never would have managed to survive many of these heartbreaking moments in my life.
When I was offered the opportunity to do this book, I thought, Who could I ask to help me write this? Who would be funny, sincere, and honest? Who is a clever writer who also knows me? So I asked my good friend Dori Hannaway. I believe she’s written a wonderful and funny book. I’m so thrilled she said yes. I send her my deepest thanks and appreciation for her work and friendship.
Donald Light, Jen Powers, and Margie Duncan—you have my gratitude. No one could have better friends. Thank you for all you do every day, not just when I’m writing a book.
Dan Strone, my literary agent at Trident Media—you have no equal. Thank you for all your hard work and insight at every stage of this journey.
Thank you, Rick Hersh, for introducing me to the amazing Mr. Strone.
Debbie and Dorian thank:
Kseniya Zaslavskaya of Trident Media, who helped make this project go as smoothly as possible.
To our fantastic editor at William Morrow, Jennifer Brehl, thanks for all your guidance and support.
Thanks also to the rest of the team at William Morrow: Susan Amster, Cindy Buck, Elissa Cohen, Lauren Cook, Michele Corallo, Karen Dziekonski, Cathy Felgar, Lynn Grady, Brian Grogan, Doug Jones, Tavia Kowalchuk, Emily Krump, Shelby Meizlik, Rachel Meyers, Michael Morrison, Mary Ann Petyak, Sharyn Rosenblum, Mary Schuck, Beth Silfin, Liate Stehlik, Mary Beth Thomas, and Nyamekye Waliyaya.
Thanks to Lorie Pagnozzi for her beautiful book design.
Special thanks to everyone who helped us by sharing their recollections: Theresa Dowling, Esq.; David Rudich, Esq.; Rip Taylor; Fred Pierson; the late Hank Moonjean; John Bowab; Margie Duncan; Ruta Lee; Donald Light; Sandy Avchen; Phyllis Berkett; Nancy and Joe Kanter; Bootie Bell Chewning; Anne Russell; Bonnie Basso; and David Crabtree.
At the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, than
ks to Randy Habercamp, May Haduong, and Lawreen Loeser.
And thanks to the Academy’s staff at the Margaret Herrick Library, especially Faye Thompson, Matt Severson, Stacey Behlmer, and Jenny Romero.
For their help with reading the manuscript and giving us their most welcome corrections and changes, thanks to Michael Miller, Donald Light, Jen Powers, Cary Fetman, Nikki Smith, Tom Wilson, Carol Hannaway, Ken Sweigart, John Snell, Dr. Joanne Steuer, John Hazelton, and Leonard Maltin.
Many people helped with the wonderful photographs: Julie Heath, Kim Paine, Leif Adams, Jeff Briggs, and Stan Taffel at the Warner Brothers Photo Archive; Ron Mandelbaum and Howard Mandelbaum at Photofest; Peter Kersten at Getty Images; Elisa Marquez at AP Photos; and Cindy Braun at the Paley Center for Media.
Thanks to Peter L. Skolnik, Esq.; Andy Howick; and Michael Orland for their help.
Special thanks to Tom Wilson. You are picture perfect! Your insight and knowledge were invaluable.
Thanks to John Sala, who is one degree of separation from everyone in Hollywood.
We thank Carol Hannaway for her beautiful cover design, her tireless work restoring Debbie’s photographs, and her invaluable help with the photo insert.
Last but never least, we thank Patrick Merla for his keen editing and unrelenting support from the first page to the final pass. Patrick’s skills and tenacity with every detail have helped make this book what it is. We couldn’t have done it without him.
THE FILMS OF DEBBIE REYNOLDS
June Bride (Warner Brothers)
Released October 29, 1948
Starring Bette Davis and Robert Montgomery
Directed by Bretaigne Windust
Produced by Henry Blanke
Written by Ranald MacDougall
The Daughter of Rosie O’Grady (Warner Brothers)
Released April 29, 1950
Starring June Haver and Gordon MacRae
Directed by David Butler
Written by Jack Rose and Melville Shavelson
Three Little Words (MGM)
Released July 12, 1950
Starring Fred Astaire and Red Skelton
Produced by Jack Cummings
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Written by George Wells
Two Weeks With Love (MGM)
Released November 10, 1950
Starring Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern, Ann Harding, and Debbie Reynolds
Produced by Jack Cummings
Directed by Roy Rowland
Written by John Larkin and Dorothy Kingsley
Mr. Imperium (MGM)
Released March 2, 1951
Starring Lana Turner, Ezio Pinza, and Marjorie Main
Produced by Edwin H. Knopf
Directed by Don Hartman
Written by Edwin H. Knopf and Don Hartman
Singin’ in the Rain (MGM)
Released March 27, 1952
Starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Jean Hagen, and Debbie Reynolds
Produced by Arthur Freed
Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen
Written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Skirts Ahoy! (MGM)
Released May 28, 1952
Starring Esther Williams, Joan Evans, Vivian Blaine, and Barry Sullivan
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Directed by Sidney Lanfield
Written by Isobel Lennart
I Love Melvin (MGM)
Released March 20, 1953
Starring Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds
Produced by Don Weis
Directed by George Wells
Written by George Wells, Ruth Brooks Flippen, and László Vadnay
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (MGM)
Released August 14, 1953
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Van, Barbara Ruick, and Bob Fosse
Produced by Arthur M. Loew Jr.
Directed by Don Weis
Written by Max Shulman
Give a Girl a Break (MGM)
Released December 3, 1953
Starring Marge Champion, Gower Champion, Debbie Reynolds, Helen Wood, and Bob Fosse
Produced by Jack Cummings
Directed by Stanley Donen
Written by Vera Caspary, Frances Goodrich, and Albert Hackett
Susan Slept Here (RKO)
Released July 14, 1954
Starring Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds, and Anne Francis
Produced by Harriet Parsons
Directed by Frank Tashlin
Written by Steve Fisher (play) and Alex Gottlieb (play and screenplay)
Athena (MGM)
Released November 4, 1954
Starring Jane Powell, Edmund Purdom, Debbie Reynolds, Vic Damone, and Louis Calhern
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Written by William Ludwig and Leonard Spigelgass
Hit the Deck (MGM)
Released March 4, 1955
Starring Jane Powell, Tony Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Walter Pidgeon, Vic Damone, Gene Raymond, and Ann Miller
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Directed by Roy Rowland
Written by Sonya Levien and William Ludwig
The Tender Trap (MGM)
Released November 4, 1955
Starring Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, David Wayne, and Celeste Holm
Produced by Lawrence Weingarten
Directed by Charles Walters
Written by Julius J. Epstein (screenplay) and Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith (play)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (MGM)
Released March 9, 1956
Starring Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse, Agnes Moorehead, and Lili Darvas
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Directed by Roy Rowland
Written by Isobel Lennart
The Catered Affair (MGM)
Released June 14, 1956
Starring Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Fitzgerald, and Rod Taylor
Produced by Sam Zimbalist
Directed by Richard Brooks
Written by Gore Vidal (screenplay) and Paddy Chayefsky (teleplay)
Bundle of Joy (RKO)
Released December 12, 1956
Starring Eddie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, and Adolphe Menjou
Produced by Edmund Grainger
Directed by Norman Taurog
Written by Robert Carson, Norman Krasna, Arthur Sheekman, and Felix Jackson
Tammy and the Bachelor (Universal)
Released June 14, 1957
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Leslie Nielsen, and Walter Brennan
Produced by Ross Hunter
Directed by Joseph Pevney
Written by Oscar Brodney
This Happy Feeling (Universal)
Released June 18, 1958
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Curt Jurgens, and John Saxon
Produced by Ross Hunter
Directed by Blake Edwards
Written by Blake Edwards
The Mating Game (MGM)
Released April 29, 1959
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Tony Randall, and Paul Douglas
Produced by Phillip Barry Jr.
Directed by George Marshall
Written by H. E. Bates (novel) and William Roberts
It Started With a Kiss (MGM)
Released August 19, 1959
Starring Glenn Ford, Debbie Reynolds, and Eva Gabor
Produced by Aaron Rosenberg
Directed by George Marshall
Written by Charles Lederer (screenplay) and Valentine Davies (story)
Say One for Me (20th Century Fox)
Released June 19, 1959
Starring Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, and Robert Wagner
Produced by Frank Tashlin
Directed by Frank Tashlin
Written by Robert O’Brien
The Gazebo (MGM)
Released December 18, 1959
Starring Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds
Directed by George Marshall
Written by George Wells (screenplay), Alec Coppel (play and story), and Myra Coppel (story)
The Rat Race (Paramount)
Released July 10, 1960
Starring Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds, Jack Oakie, and Don Rickles
Produced by William Perlberg and George Seaton
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Written by Garson Kanin
Pepe (Columbia)
Released December 21, 1960
Starring Cantinflas, Dan Dailey, and Shirley Jones
Produced by George Sidney
Directed by George Sidney
Written by Leslie Bush-Fekete, Claude Binyon, and Dorothy Kingsley
The Pleasure of His Company (Paramount)
Released June 1, 1961
Starring Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, Lilli Palmer, and Tab Hunter
Produced by William Perlberg
Directed by George Seaton
Written by Samuel A. Taylor (screenplay and play) and Cornelia Otis Skinner (play)
The Second Time Around (20th Century Fox)
Released December 22, 1961
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Steve Forrest, Thelma Ritter, and Andy Griffith
Produced by Jack Cummings
Directed by Vincent Sherman
Written by Oscar Saul and Clair Huffaker (screenplay), and Richard Emery Roberts (novel)
How the West Was Won (MGM)
Released February 20, 1963
Starring Carroll Baker, Gregory Peck, Lee J. Cobb, George Peppard, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Widmark, Walter Brennan, and Harry Morgan
Produced by Bernard Smith
Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, and George Marshall
Written by James R. Webb
My Six Loves (Paramount)
Released April 3, 1963
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, and David Janssen
Produced by Gant Gaither
Directed by Gower Champion
Written by Peter V. K. Funk (novel), Joseph Calvelli, John Fante, and William Wood
Mary, Mary (Warner Brothers)
Released October 24, 1963
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Barry Nelson, and Diane McBain
Produced by Mervyn LeRoy
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
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