"Rickles' Book" by Don Rickles

This is a very unusual autobiography, written by a very unusual man. Don Rickles is known the world over for his short and snappy comments, wait, make that insults. He has regaled audiences from The Elegante, on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn (I had my Bar Mitzvah there) to Las Vegas, Hollywood, London and all points in between.

To be honest, when I saw this book on the shelf, I was expecting a serious tome about Mr. Rickles humble beginnings. Instead I got a book that is quickly read, highly informing and very entertaining. He writes like he delivers his jokes, the longest chapter is about 3 or 4 pages. And he dishes out some great stories about the exploits of his friends, including such luminaries as Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Queen Elizabeth, Larry King; there are simply too many to name them all here.

In an amazing compilation of these short chapters, Mr. Rickles manages to give a coherent and chronological account of his life. His chapter about being in the Navy during World War Two is hilarious. He wanted to be in Special Services, entertaining the troops. His account of where he did wind up, and how he felt about it is laudable.

Tracing his life through the post war years and his fledgling show business career, he introduces the reader to the world of show business in the 1950's and 1960's. The contracts, the bookings, all the travel arrangments required before the age of computers, are all laid bare. And through all of the problems there is one constant, Mr. Rickles sense of humor.

His 40 year friendship with Bob Newhart is one of my favorite chapters. I have never been a big Bob Newhart fan, but how these two totally opposite of men became such close friends is a remarkable tale all of it's own. It is also a tribute to their wives and the power that women generally hold over their men.

Filled with many fun stories, for instance, did you know that Mr. Rickles sent a tape to the Moon with Gene Cernan aboard Apollo 17? Or, that he took a bullet in the leg during the filming of "Kelly's Heroes?" And if you liked the film "Casino", there is a chapter here for you as well. Mr. Rickles has appeared in every entertainment medium since TV. He has acted in films with Clark Gable, and has had guest appearances on every TV sitcom that you can name. I still remember him as the inept street salesman on the Andy Griffith Show. So does Andy Griffith.

A short book (237 pages) written by a man who is motivated by his friendships and a love of show business, this book is the perfect vehicle to relax with. It will inspire the reader to have a better day.

"Hollywood In A Suitcase" by Sammy Davis, Jr.

It has been 30 years since this book was written. Mr. Davis was 54 years old when he wrote it. It's fortunate for us that he did as he passed away in 1989 at the pre-mature age of 64. And with his passing we would have missed out on alot of great memories and stories of Hollywood during the 1950's and 60's.

Unlike his first book "Yes I Can", which was released in 1965 (My Mom had it and I read it then as well as in my 20's) this one is not "ghostwritten" and doesn't seem to even have a co-editor. It is a book shot "straight from the hips." There are a few errors here and there concerning dates, but they are forgiveable.

Mainly the book is a collection of Mr. Davis' memories of his friends and the people who really helped him overcome barriers, both racial and later physical, as he struggled to make the transition from Vaudeville to Hollywood. Readers of "Yes I Can" will already be familiar with his early years as part of the Will Mastin Trio, of which he became a member at age 3. This is a man with show business truly in his blood. That first book also covered his service in Alabama during World War Two as well as the tragic car accident which cost him an eye.

This book is not a memoir, it is a collection of stories. Some of the best involve his friendships with Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, John Wayne and of course, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. He has an uncanny ability to "spill the beans" concerning some of these legends without being offensive or even intrusive about it. Perhaps it is the honesty with which he reviews his own life that makes it work without seeming to be a "kiss and tell" type book.

His freindships with Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Judy Garland and others are equally fascinating as they were all during a time when racial tensions were high. There were times when this caused danger for Mr. Davis as well as his freinds.

The most enjoyable part of this book for me was the insight into Bogart and how his freindship helped open doors for Mr. Davis in Hollywood. And the introduction of Sammy Davis to Frank Sinatra is interesting in and of itself. The whole book is written without pretense and in a very personal way, like a freind telling you stories. It seems as if this man never lost his humility, and yet he was able to dominate an entertainment arena that was, for the most part, "whites only." What a contrast!

For fans of Sammy Davis, Jr. and Hollywood in general, this book is a quick read and an unusual look at some of the legends that Mr. Davis was privleged to have worked alongside. An ideal read for a rainy day.

Milton Berle- An Autobiography with Haskel Frankel

I remember Milton Berle from TV. He was hipper than Sullivan and was a part of the act, not just the emcee. His career began at age 5 and spanned 7 decades!

This book takes you on a ride that begins with his Mom entering Milton in a contest for a silver colored cup- and leads you through the Golden Age of Vaudeville to the early days of Radio and Screen. The book is fast paced and informative. You learn all kinds of things about how it was done in a world void of modern gimmicks.

The Berles were Germans and actually the name is Berlinger- he never changed it legally- as a matter of fact the whole family used Berle after Milton became famous. But officially it always remained Berlinger.

His father was a seemingly ineffectual person, but Miltons kindness comes from him. His tenacity and stick to it qualities come from his Mom, a woman known affectionatley as "Queenie." She was an imperious woman and is largely responsible for Milton Berles sucess.

The train trips across America in the 1920's, his first encounter with sex via a burlesque dancer and his increasing pre-occupation with sex make this an enjoyable read.His encounters with Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and a host of others will keep you reading.

His affair with an actress he will not identify will fascinate you. He gets her pregnant- offers to marry her out of real love- only to be turned down. She is engaged to a prominent Hollywood producer and marries him instead. Though the Producer is impotent she convinces him that this is thier child and they marry.The marraige launches her career. This event is so traumatic that he opens the book with an account of it- over 40 years later.

The cast of characters is colorful. That they are all real people you know of- is a big plus and gives you that "peek behind the curtain" feeling.

His early days on TV will fascinate you with the differences in the Industry today. Doing live TV was a demanding and exacting task. You either sank or swam. Milton Berle swam with the best of them.