One More Time

by Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett spent most of her childhood in a Depression-scarred Hollywood neighborhood, where she lived in a single-room apartment with her endearingly batty grandmother, Nanny, a hypochondriacal Christian Scientist with a buried past. The child of two alcoholic parents, Burnett presents a sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking from her sadly hopeful mother, who was hooked on Tinseltown fantasy, to the first signs of her own comic gift; from happy weekends spent with her father, to their last tragic meeting in a public sanatorium.

Featuring a new Afterword by the author, about teaming up with her daughter to bring this story to Broadway, One More Time is an intimate, touching, and astonishing narrative of a financially desperate but emotionally rich childhood on the wrong side of Hollywood’s tracks.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Humor, Book Club

359 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

CAROL BURNETT has been an actor on Broadway, on television, and in the movies. She has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The Mark Twain Prize for Humor and the Kennedy Center Honors, among other singular achievements of a woman comedian who was nothing less than a pioneer and a role model for today's stars.

-About the Author, In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox

Reviews

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love me some Carol Burnett.
I don't know why this wasn't on my shelves here, but I know I read it a long time ago because I remember:
1) She had a relative who was always threatening to have "hissy fits." (Granny, maybe?)
2) I was impressed by the length and detail of the letters between Carol and one of her relatives. (Maybe also Granny?)

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once a month I read to a group of residents at a nearby rehabilitation center. There are usually 6-8 women between the ages of 75 and early 90s. They gather in the library, on walkers or in wheelchairs, and always seem happy to find someone from the "outside" who will provide some entertainment and food for thought and discussion. Often someone will nod off, and I disregard it, but the other residents are likely to give them a verbal nudge to rejoin the group.

I have learned that readings about people in the entertainment world or politics are very popular with this group, and Carol Burnett's book was very well-received. The book is a collection of anecdotes Carol told to audiences at the end of her live show performances, when she would hold a question and answer session. My listeners loved hearing about Jimmy Stewart, Marlon Brando, and Carol's pets, all described with her self-deprecating humor. When the group responds to what I read with laughter and knowing looks, I leave feeling very rewarded.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never judge a book by it's cover. That's a good thing to keep in mind whenever you are selecting a book to read. I was wanting a light read after finishing a book that was very text heavy so I chose this book because it is about Carol Burnett, one of the greatest comediennes of all time; however this book was not a light read and full of laughs. On the contrary, it was very serious and sad. We find out the beginnings of Carol's life and how rough she had it growing up. In our wildest dreams watching her on stage would we ever think that this woman's life was so full of hurt and heartache. We always assume that Hollywood stars have it made and wish we were like them, we never stop to consider that they have paid their dues. I love finding out about people and how they became who they are so I will keep this on my shelf, but it sure was not what I was expecting. I caution you if you are going to read this one, keep a box or two of tissue handy.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

(365 pages actually)

3.5 stars

Memory is a tricky thing. It all has to do with our own point of view, which always puts us center stage.

Some of the same stories as from her second memoir and some new. A few that are included in the second memoir have more details and the 'new' (to me) ones were very enjoyable. And a handful of surprises in store sprinkled through the book.

It was a nice touch adding in the handwritten letters but I had to skip over a few because the hand-writing was lovely but hard on my eyes to read.

I had fun with this but sometimes I felt... not bored exactly but had that 'been there before' feeling. My fault probably for reading the second one first haha but in my defense I wasn't aware this book had existed till Carol was mentioning during my audiobook reading of her other one.

Even though it wasn't an audiobook, I could still 'feel' and 'hear' Carols's voice the whole way through. You can tell in parts she had a good time writing this book and reminiscing.

You can read her other book, This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection
Would highly recommend the audiobook if you can get your hands on it.

So I don't repeat myself too much haha, you can readMy review here of her other one.

Highly recommend both books, Carol's an amazing lady :).

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Carol Burnett. I grew up watching her on TV when I was little and she was just so funny. I happened to pick this book up and kept it on a shelf for months. Last night I was desperate and picked it up. I couldn't put it down! Much like the Betty White biography it is just a very interesting read. Just like she is talking to you. I never new much about her before. I always like it when you read about people who had such a tough upbringing and managed to pull them selves up by their boot straps and make some thing of themselves. Some of her book spoke to me. How she didn't know "HOW" something would happen but it would. I love that.

So glad I finally read it.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing on with my show business autobiographies theme for the month of May, Carol Burnett’s One More Time was definitely my favorite so far. Ms. Burnett has a wonderful literary voice, and an even more fascinating story to tell.

Similar to the Julie Andrews memoir, this book is about her early years. She grew up mostly in Hollywood, raised by her grandmother, with her single mother living in the same apartment complex, but down the hall. It sounded like they were living off welfare, and although her mother was beautiful and talented, she obviously made poor choices. Carol’s father was a alcoholic who loved his daughter, but was unable to care for her, much less himself. Her portrayals of her family were endearing, funny, and also realistic.

Seeing the adults around her seemed to make Carol Burnett determined not to follow in their footsteps. I enjoyed her stories of discovering that she had a talent for comedic acting and musical theater. I cheered her on when she decided to go to New York. I was thrilled when she got some big breaks, and I marveled at her tenacity.

The book ended in 1959, when she played Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress on Broadway. This memoir was so good, I definitely want to read more.

[Amber Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Carol Burnett is one of the funniest women of all time. I found this book on my parents' bookshelf years ago and thought it sounded interesting to learn a little more about her. After moving it with me to a couple of houses I finally opened the cover and started reading. After several chapters found I couldn't put it down. My only disappointment in reading the book written for her daughters was that she didn't talk much about their dad. I had to look up details myself to find that she had divorced right about the time she started writing the book. So I suppose it was something she wasn't ready to write about. Otherwise, I found her tale fascinating and I couldn't wait to read about how she finally made it big. Her story reinforces the fact that even people with less than desirable backgrounds can make something of their lives. We should never point the finger at any negative happenings in life as the reason we didn't succeed. We all have it in us to bring our own success.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Shayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never watched her show, and I didn't know the first thing about her career. In fact, my only real point of reference for Carol Burnett was her role as evil house mother Ms. Hannigan in the film version of "Annie." So this book was a pleasant surprise. In a sea of mediocre memoirs by mediocre celebrities, Ms. Burnett's sad and sweet story stands out with its honesty and accessibility. Her dysfunctional childhood is hosted by a cast of hilarious characters. I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to, and would recommend it as a must-read for Carol Burnett fans, and a read-if-you-find-it-in-a-used-bookstore for anyone else.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet read and made me happy. I know that it was only written in 1985, but I wish it had covered more of what Carol had done between getting the role of Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress and 1985, but I do get that this was meant to be a book about her starting out in Hollywood. I found that there was a loooot of detail in terms of her early childhood which was interesting, but sometimes seemed a bit long. Definitely a great read, though I liked her other book better, since it covered a different time in her life.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Carol Burnett. The female comedians of today the Amy's, Sara, or Tina don't do it for me. I just don't agree that you gotta be crude to be funny. I love witty humor. And although this book is a memoir, not funny and made me cry more than once I loved it. I only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is because I wanted it to be longer.

[Kaitlin Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read this and do a book report on it--in character as Carol--in eighth grade. I am certain it is the reason I still love reading memoirs. Carol is my queen forever.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this memoir many years ago and just finished reading again. I have always been a fan of Carol Burnett who recently turned 90. This book shares with readers her life growing up in Texas then Los Angeles. her life was not always an easy one. She was mostly raised by her "nanny" grandma. both of her parents were young when she was born and both were severe alcoholics. She grew up poor in a one room apartment. She found when she was young she could be funny by the time she went to UCLA she majored in theater. A generous man offered to loan her one thousand dollars to go to New York to get work as an actress. She shares her struggles in New York getting work then having no work for few years when she slowly became successful. all along being worried about her family back in California and eventually getting custody of her little sister who was 11 years younger than her.
She ends her book with a couple of chapters in the then present day in 1985. But most of this book is from birth to about 26 years old. a good memoir. I was glad to read again.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the story, (3 stars for the writing, It was a little disjo8inted at first, because it was random memories.) and 29 stars for Carole Burnett. I watched the Carole Burnett show as a kid and laughed many times. Ah - clean comedy, where art thou?

Carole is one of those resilient and hardworking people. Talented too! Kudos to her for having the courage to follow her dream, despite her difficult childhood.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea Carol Burnett grew up in such poverty and with such trauma. And though her story perpetuates the myth of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" and the "self-made (wo)man," It's easy to see how her hard work and inventive personality catapulted her to a place where her comedic talent could shine.

[Melissa Hedges- Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent memoir by Carol Burnett, full of tears, hardship, as well as laughs. Also included are some rare photos, letters and funny stories in between the difficult dysfunctional family moments.
Her voice comes across as down-to-earth as she was on her television show. Highly recommend.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very interested in this memoir after reading her other memoir. Maybe I just enjoyed that one more that I didn’t rank this higher. Still it was fascinating learning about her life before she became famous.

[Jen Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Carol and have from a very young age. While reading this book I went down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos from Carol's early comedic performances and interviews. This book was another "couldn't put it down". An absolute destiny it was for her to be an entertainer.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This woman ebdured and overcame a lot to become who she was - a very funny woman. I loved this memoir. Learning to love people for who they are not who you want them to be.

[LyndaIn Oregon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carol Burnett’s television show was a huge hit from 1967 through 1978. And like millions of Americans, I watched it regularly, enjoying the inspired insanity of the skits, laughing until I cried at the classic spoofs of “Gone With the Wind”, “Star Trek”, “As the World Turns”, and other satire-worthy targets.

But there was one regular feature of the show’s later run, that I was never comfortable with – the “Mama’s Family” routines. The underlying spirit of the segments always seemed to me to be mean-spirited. There was generally an argument, hurtful words were hurled, and Carol Burnett’s character ended up humiliated and in tears. I never understood where that rage was coming from.

Burnett doesn’t admit it, but she reveals the roots of that anger in her 1986 memoir “One More Time”. Written as a letter to her then young adult children, the book relates Burnett’s childhood and the early years of her career.

Reared by her grandmother because her mother’s and father’s alcoholism prevented them from being effective parents, Burnett spent most of her childhood in a one-room apartment, scraping by on welfare and rejecting the occasional advances of the mother she felt had abandoned her. Burnett’s mother and grandmother spent 30 years tearing at each other, often both in alcohol-fueled rages. The echoes of that horribly destructive relationship, which none of them could resolve or escape, play out painfully in the “Mama’s Family” vignettes.

Astonishingly, Burnett neither casts blame on her dysfunctional family nor takes on a pity-poor-me tone when recalling the events. They happened; she acknowledges them; she moves on.

There are happy memories here, too. Burnett recalls hanging out with neighborhood kids, finding herself in musical comedy, and receiving an amazing gift which allowed her to relocate to New York, where her career ultimately took off.

This is not a kiss-and-tell book, or a behind the scenes exposé of the often cutthroat business of television. It’s just an entertaining read that throws some light on one woman’s path to adulthood, and reflects her desire to light the path for her daughters.

[Debra Pawlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that the legendary Carol Burnett has turned 90, I decided to dust off an old book that's been on my shelf for a very long time--One More Time written by Burnett in the 1980s for her three daughters. This is a memoir of her early years and her break into show biz. Burnett had anything but a normal upbringing. Born to alcoholic parents who were unable to really care for her, she grew up under the wing of her maternal grandmother. Nanny was probably the single, most influential person in her life and that is not saying a whole lot. They had a small apartment and lived pretty much in squalor. As a young child, Burnett understandably had a lot of anxiety separation from her Nanny as she was the one constant in her life. School was torture because she feared her grandmother would die before she got back home. It took years for her to overcome her insecurities, but she eventually did and was able to look back on her younger years with affection and kindness. That shows she is someone with a very big heart--able to forgive and not hold anything against her family. Kudos to Burnett for that. She also saved her little sister from living that rough life and always took care of family. Her book is written with warmth and humor and honesty. Give it a read. You might be surprised.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I shed a few tears reading this book. I have always been a huge fan of Carol Burnett, I never missed her comedy show on CBS on Saturday night when I was a kid. I now have a new appreciation for her. Reading this book made me realize what a wonderful person she really is too and that we need more compassionate and loving people like her in this world. It made my heart sad that there aren't. I personally need to do better. We all do. Her story is truly a rag to riches tale - but her comedic and can do spirit made her overcome it all. She was devoted to her family, who had serious issues and problems, and her story made me reflect on my own raising by a single mother during the 60's and appreciate the hardship that had to be endured during that time. It is pure nostalgia and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Tears and laughter. I couldn't put it down.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been a big fan of Carol Burnett. I got this from the library and thought it would be a light, funny read. I was surprised by how sad it was. She was mainly raised by her grandmother in a tiny run down apartment in California. Both her Mom and Dad were alcoholics and a lot of the book details her dysfunctional upbringing. That said, I even have more respect for her. She worked hard for everything she has and was able to be successful in life, never using her upbringing as an excuse. I was also surprised at how moral she was. It couldn’t have been easy living in New York and Hollywood. Maybe she saw how drugs and alcohol affected her family. It is a good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes memoirs. She has several books out and more recent ones. This one was published in the 80’s. Still a good read.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Burnett … a wonderful and generous person. I loved getting the opportunity to see a glimpse of her life. From her earliest memories to the conclusion of her writing in 1986, this was a fantastic and riveting journey. One More Time proves that show business is hard work, that not every celebrity has it easy, that sacrifices and hard decisions have to be made, and that persistence pays off. It is a rare opportunity for such a down to earth person to make it big and then to share such a personal recount of their lives with the world. I feel honored to have been able to read such a touching book. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate all of the old photos included in the book as well? Such a great opportunity to put names to faces and memories to visuals!

While reading, I discovered that Burnett writes in a very unique fashion. She writes as her memories come to her (as one normally would in a letter-type format). It takes a minute to settle in to the idea that a story about one event very likely will trigger a side story memory in another time and place. Not only did I get used to reading in this unique format, but I came to quite enjoy it. Being able to read a book in a format that gives such direct translation to the authors mind/thoughts is wonderful.

If I had to give a critique, it would be that I wish a transcript of all the letters were included in the book. I absolutely adored the inclusion of such personal artifacts, but as someone who struggles to read others’ handwriting, it would have been nice to have a typed transcript as well.

This book was so good that I never wanted it to end. I never wanted the stories, the memories, the events to stop unfolding. I do wish that a more detailed recount of her adult life had been included, but, I also realize that the purpose of the book was to serve as a memoir to her own children for the part of her life that they had not been around to experience. The fact that I got to read such in depth retelling of her life is a gift that I will forever cherish.

Carol Burnett is a treasure to the world and her story deserves to be read by more people! I would definitely read this again and I will be recommending it to others.

[Janene · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom recommended this to me a long time ago, I'm getting to a lot of the books that have been on my to-read shelf for years! This is Carol Burnett's autobiography, written in stream-of-conscience form, a letter of sorts to her children about her upbringing and their family history. I think this must have been a really important project for her to take on, because her childhood was riddled with a lot of uncertainty and pain, mostly in the form of parental alcoholism. Her parents were no longer together, and when they were around, they were certainly not available. Carol was mostly "raised" by her eccentric and hoarding grandmother, Nanny, a woman who loved her family fiercely, but also came with her own set of issues. When Carol's mother became pregnant out of wedlock, she decided to keep the child and try to raise the child. So in the midst of her own coming-of-age, Carol took on a lot of responsibility for her half-sister as well. Needless to say, there was A LOT for Carol to "unpack" as an adult.

So, maybe you're asking ....who cares? At first I didn't. I was just reading it to read it. And now, having finished...? I can't say that I loved this book but still I was swept up in it and enjoyed the stories, the remembrances, the resolutions. I learned some interesting things about this talented woman and some insights into why acting may have become her thing. (Her reality was not what you would call a very safe space.) Carol would have likely never made it to New York where her career blossomed, had it not been for an anonymous donor "Mr. C" who saw her potential and lent her $1000, without any guarantee (save Carol's word) that he'd be repaid in five years. (He was.) There is quite a bit about her journey to fame, but above all this is a book about her family.

For me, relationships are everything, so I really did feel a lot, especially at the end of the book, about how gracefully Carol articulates her journey to make peace with her past and carve out a new, and probably happier, pathway for her people moving forward.

[Elvis2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book twice, many years ago, and considered it one of the best celebrity memoirs I'd ever read. No more. I recently picked it up again hoping to get the same inspiration that I'd gotten before. This time I read it with different eyes.

Carol dedicated the book to her three daughters. She wanted to let them know where they came from. Decades and decades have turned the dedication into something very sad. Of the three girls, one died tragically young, one appears to have a successful life, and one has severe addiction problems. Carol has put her in rehab ad nauseam and even became the daughter's son's guardian.

We quickly get to her outrageously dysfunctional family. There are two alcoholic parents. The mother essentially ignores raising Carol even though she lives down the hall. The mother has a baby with a married boyfriend while still apparently married to Carol's drunken father. The father draws Carol into his alcoholic problems, talking about his limited sobriety to her instead of handling his life. The grandmother that Carol lives with in a dirty little room is a nutty hypochondriac. Carol shows co-dependence at an early age, constantly afraid something is going to happen to Nanny and trying to keep the ship upright. Shame on these selfish adults. I got to page 124 and gave up. Carol's eventual triumph over all of this is not worth my slogging through insanity any more. I have too many other books to read.

I watched her show only a couple of times, never caring for the silly and slapstick humor. However, I think her dramatic performances in "Friendly Fire" and "Beatrice, Life of the Party" were nothing less than brilliant. If you can find these movies, watch them and see the depths of her talent.

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book for about $1.75 at our local Salvation Army. It's a pretty quick, high energy read just like you would expect from Carol Burnett. I can't say she had a wonderful life, but that she did live life wonderfully...full of spunk and personality. Published in 1985, she was 52 years old when she wrote her memoir. It spans the first 27 years of her life when she had finally landed a steady role on The Garry Moore Show.

I found it interesting to see how God divinely worked things out in her life inspite of her upbringing by her grandmother, who provided any ounce of stability at all, and her two alcoholic parents who ran off to Hollywood to find fame and fortune. The stories of her childhood were absolutely adorable and will have you laughing. You will admire her courage and struggles in finally making it as an actress in New York. There was never a dull moment. I really enjoyed this read and could hardly put the book down. I read it in two days. I could have read it in one, but I did have to eat and shower and say hello to my husband periodically.

[Angela Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting from her earliest memory Carol recounts her life growing up with her grandmother, Nanny and her mama. This story is told in amazing detail. I found it fascinating and tragic. Her life in show business is shaped by her family. She doesn't really know what she wants to do in life until she makes it to UCLA her first year. And she SEES herself there before she has the money to go. All along her early career as its blooming, she KNOWS how something will be before it happens. This book is about her childhood and the stability Nanny gave her in a family that brought her sadness and turmoil.

[Sarah Kurtz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something really magical about being able to connect with a famous figure in a new light. For me, it’s always been easy to presume that famous people “fall” into riches & success.

It wasn’t that way with Carol Burnett, as explained in this Memoir. Reading about her life from childhood to the starting line of success made her seem more ‘human’ to me, making me appreciate her as a person that much more.

The heartache she endured, the fun childhood memories she shared, the family that we’re born with and my gosh if they don’t drive us crazy but we still love them — that’s all inside this gem of a book!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burnett's memoir takes the form of a letter to her daughter. She focuses on her childhood and early struggles - the memoir stops in 1959, when she is cast in Once Upon a Mattress, becoming an "overnight success" after 10 years in the business. Her portraits of her difficult childhood raised by her domineering grandmother and alcoholic mother are imbued with humor and understanding - your realize these experiences are what made her a great comedian.