Rita Hayworth dancing by candlelight in a small Mexican village; Elizabeth Taylor devouring homemade pasta and tenderly wrapping him in her pashmina scarf; streaking for Sir Laurence Olivier in a drafty English castle; terrifying a dozing Jackie Onassis; carrying an unconscious Montgomery Clift to safety on a dark New York City street.
Captured forever in a unique memoir, Frank Langella's myriad encounters with some of the past century's most famous human beings are profoundly affecting, funny, wicked, sometimes shocking, and utterly irresistible. With sharp wit and a perceptive eye, Mr. Langella takes us with him into the private worlds and privileged lives of movie stars, presidents, royalty, literary lions, the social elite, and the greats of the Broadway stage.
What, for instance, was Jack Kennedy doing on that coffee table? Why did the Queen Mother need Mr. Langella's help? When was Paul Mellon going to pay him money owed? How did Brooke Astor lose her virginity? Why was Robert Mitchum singing Gilbert & Sullivan patter songs at top volume, and what did Marilyn Monroe say to him that helped change the course of his life?
Through these shared experiences, we learn something, too, of Mr. Langella's personal journey from the age of fifteen to the present day.
Dropped Names is, like its subjects, riveting and unforgettable.
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"Frank Langella's interesting take on a memoir - reflecting on the rich and famous he's encountered and known over the past 50 years or so - Dropped Names is a delightful read, dishy, a little scandalous here and there, and entirely engaging. The anecdotes are each very well written - one learns as much about Langella as the particular celebrity he's writing about. The stories range from LOL (Colleen Dewhurst, Charlton Heston, Elsa Lanchester) to poignant (Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Rita Hayworth) to pitiful (Bette Davis, Richard Burton). A wonderful read to dip into over the course of a few evenings - you feel like you're sitting down to cocktails with a wonderful storyteller who's not afraid to name names. Highly recommended."
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Greg (4 out of 5 stars)