Center Door Fancy

by Joan Blondell

Center Door Fancy is the story of Nora Marten, a young girl from a vaudevillian family. Her father Johnny is the hero of the group; he is willing to sacrifice anything for his family's benefit. Her mother Cecilia might not be entirely faithful to her husband, but she never lets her personal interests get in the way of her children's happiness. Nora is optimistic but yearns for the stability that she believes is normal. This is her story, from early childhood through adulthood and three marriages.

Joan Blondell's novel is notorious for being a thinly veiled autobiography. It opens winsomely and seems very much like an idealistic story about growing up. As it progresses, however, it seems that the memories become more vivid and therefore less embellished. Most of the names have been changed, but the true identities are painfully obvious. Blondell is Nora, David is first husband George Barnes, Jim is Dick Powell, Teresa is Marion Davies, Amy is June Allyson, and Jeff is Mike Todd. Knowing their identities makes the reading all the more interesting. Most notably is the split between Blondell and Powell. Anyone who has read Allyson's side of the story will be interested to hear Blondell's which is drastically different. This book will also provide some insight into Blondell's actions which makes her more endearing.

Whether it is read as a work of fiction or as an autobiography, Center Door Fancy is a quick read. It is filled with sentiment, heartbreak, and insight into the world of vaudeville and old Hollywood.

Genres: Fiction, Film, Historical Fiction, Media Tie In

312 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Heather Babcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a peanut shell, Centre Door Fancy is kind of like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn meets Gypsy Rose Lee. I’m completely obsessed with Pre-Code movies so I was surprised to find myself much more engaged with the first two halves of Blondell’s novel, which focus on her protagonist Nora’s childhood in Vaudeville, than I was on the the third part of the book, which takes place in 1930’s Hollywood. While the chapters detailing “Nora’s” childhood are rich in detail, the novel loses steam by the time she “makes it” as a movie star. Perhaps Blondell didn’t really want to write about her film career and was pressured to do so by the publishers; part three feels rushed but also heavy with sadness, as though belonging to a different novel altogether. That being said, the first two parts of Centre Door Fancy are filled with joy and poignancy, as well as a love for family and an excitement for Vaudeville that truly jumps off the page. A delightful read, particularly during a pandemic.

[Nancy Cook-senn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as a novel, this is the story of her own life from her hectic vaudeville childhood to being the family’s teenage breadwinner on the “legit” New York stage through her turbulent marriages to noted cinematographer George Barnes, self-centered and penny-pinching crooner Dick Powell and producer Mike Todd. The title comes from the ornate opening on the vaudeville stage set where she made her first appearance at age 3.

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Center Door Fancy is the story of Nora Marten, a young girl from a vaudevillian family. Her father Johnny is the hero of the group; he is willing to sacrifice anything for his family's benefit. Her mother Cecilia might not be entirely faithful to her husband, but she never lets her personal interests get in the way of her children's happiness. Nora is optimistic but yearns for the stability that she believes is normal. This is her story, from early childhood through adulthood and three marriages.

Joan Blondell's novel is notorious for being a thinly veiled autobiography. It opens winsomely and seems very much like an idealistic story about growing up. As it progresses, however, it seems that the memories become more vivid and therefore less embellished. Most of the names have been changed, but the true identities are painfully obvious. Blondell is Nora, David is first husband George Barnes, Jim is Dick Powell, Teresa is Marion Davies, Amy is June Allyson, and Jeff is Mike Todd. Knowing their identities makes the reading all the more interesting. Most notably is the split between Blondell and Powell. Anyone who has read Allyson's side of the story will be interested to hear Blondell's which is drastically different. This book will also provide some insight into Blondell's actions which makes her more endearing.

Whether it is read as a work of fiction or as an autobiography, Center Door Fancy is a quick read. It is filled with sentiment, heartbreak, and insight into the world of vaudeville and old Hollywood.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The highs & lows of Blondell’s life are fascinating, though she’s clearly not a prose stylist so much as an avoider of legal repercussions. But I knew what I was getting into on that front. I only wish more pages were spent on her career than on the day-to-day of her marriages. The last few chapters feel like she was typing them while the publishers were standing behind her tapping their feet & looking at their watches. The first half of the book, though - the good-natured yet wildly dysfunctional vaudeville childhood - is worth the rest.

(Though honestly who doesn’t love a good June Allyson burn?)

[Anne Libera · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very very thinly veiled autobiography masquerading as a novel but for all of that, it's the novelistic emotion that hits you over and over. The first 2/3 about Blondell's growing up in vaudeville and her family are clearly the heart of the novel but the last third hits hard as her genuine power as a person comes into conflict with the misogyny and financial dynamics of the world that she lived in.

[Johnny Yoshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a girl from a down-on-their-luck traveling family of performers who rises to fame. Her childhood and teen years take up pretty much half of the book or more, but I found them to the be the most compelling parts of the book. It sure was a hard-knock life in those days.

I could be biased because I love Joan, but this book was definitely a good time to read through.

[Cindy Sa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard-to-put-down book for me. Enthralled from the beginning.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrative pacing is off, the book is a bit lopsided -- lots of time spent on childhood and starting a career, then it sort of tapers off and we get two marriages in the space of four pages!

I am dying to know who "May Gould" is -- she's the Dick Powell's character's girlfriend, before he gets serious about Joan. She's described as having "too-white, capped teeth" and clipping coupons for hours to save a dime, keeping cellophane on her lamp shades at her house despite living their more than 10 years.... Who is she supposed to be??

Poor June Allyson -- she comes across as a lunatic, home-wrecker weirdo!

[Silk]

fun to read, strange abrupt ending

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something chilling about reading Joan Blondell's thoughts. Something chilling and rather lovely, too.