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There Are Worse Things I Could Do
A HILARIOUS, WISE, REVEALING ROMP THROUGH FIVE DECADES OF HOLLYWOOD!
“Wow!!! Adrienne, like Mame, has LIVED!!!! And like Candide, she emerges unscathed, as dear as she was when she began. But what a wild ride!!!” —Bette Midler
Originally published in 2006, this L.A. Times bestseller by Tony-nominated actress, iconic “scream queen”, and vampyre thriller author Adrienne Barbeau is many a touching coming-of-age journal, an inspiring actor’s handbook on how to survive in the biz, and a witty Hollywood memoir—chronicling five decades of stage, screen, and romance.
There’s only one Adrienne Barbeau, as singular and irreplaceable as Marilyn, Meryl, or Hepburn—and as down-to-earth as any soccer mom (which she is). Only one Swamp Thing girlfriend, only one Ruthie the snake charmer, only one original Rizzo. No other voice in Hollywood can you imagine as Creepshow’s Billie growling, “Get out of the way, Henry, or I swear to God you’ll be wearing your balls for earrings.”
Twelve-year-old Barbeau entrusted her journal with a she must become an actress. She set out with single-minded determination, succeeding on the strengths of an unsurpassed work ethic and discipline, unshakable commitment to the truth of her characters, a soul-stirring voice, a preternaturally perfect beauty, and her bawdy sense of humor—all on full display here!
Barbeau hilariously details her early years as a naif in New York, securing her first apartment with “One of the girls was an alcoholic…. The other had male friends who left money on the dresser on the nights I’d come home to find myself locked out of the bedroom.” Then getting her first job, as a “My boss … is a ‘big man’ in New York—although not a member of the Mafia, they are good friends.” And, memorably, starring on Broadway in Grease. She warmly remembers her two hit television series (Maude and Carnivale), and spins tales of her many television and feature films (The Fog, Escape from New York, Cannonball Run, Swamp Thing, Back to School, Creepshow).
But unlike most showbiz biographies, Barbeau’s story doesn’t stop—or even slow down—at fifty, which finds our heroine newly in love, wandering the halls of the maternity ward a new mother (the only new mother on the floor with an AARP card), becoming a published author (of vampire thrillers!), and taking up trapeze-performance at seventy.
Always behind the scenes of Adrienne’s rise to iconic “scream queen” is the introspective girl, facing her fears to develop her concert singing career, searching for self-knowledge, the right guy, and happiness as a wife and mother with a very busy career—and always pushing the boundaries.
WHO WILL LIKE Fans of Hollywood memoirs, young artists seeking the secrets to success, every starstruck male who was older than thirteen when Maude’s daughter Carol popped into our living rooms, every woman who could use a touch of the encouraging warmth of a friend, anybody who needs a rip-roaring good laugh— or fifty.
“This book will make you laugh, cry, and just root for the skinny little girl with glasses and bushy hair who became a beautiful woman, mother, wife and a darned good actress.” —Electric Review
“Wow!!! Adrienne, like Mame, has LIVED!!!! And like Candide, she emerges unscathed, as dear as she was when she began. But what a wild ride!!!” —Bette Midler
Originally published in 2006, this L.A. Times bestseller by Tony-nominated actress, iconic “scream queen”, and vampyre thriller author Adrienne Barbeau is many a touching coming-of-age journal, an inspiring actor’s handbook on how to survive in the biz, and a witty Hollywood memoir—chronicling five decades of stage, screen, and romance.
There’s only one Adrienne Barbeau, as singular and irreplaceable as Marilyn, Meryl, or Hepburn—and as down-to-earth as any soccer mom (which she is). Only one Swamp Thing girlfriend, only one Ruthie the snake charmer, only one original Rizzo. No other voice in Hollywood can you imagine as Creepshow’s Billie growling, “Get out of the way, Henry, or I swear to God you’ll be wearing your balls for earrings.”
Twelve-year-old Barbeau entrusted her journal with a she must become an actress. She set out with single-minded determination, succeeding on the strengths of an unsurpassed work ethic and discipline, unshakable commitment to the truth of her characters, a soul-stirring voice, a preternaturally perfect beauty, and her bawdy sense of humor—all on full display here!
Barbeau hilariously details her early years as a naif in New York, securing her first apartment with “One of the girls was an alcoholic…. The other had male friends who left money on the dresser on the nights I’d come home to find myself locked out of the bedroom.” Then getting her first job, as a “My boss … is a ‘big man’ in New York—although not a member of the Mafia, they are good friends.” And, memorably, starring on Broadway in Grease. She warmly remembers her two hit television series (Maude and Carnivale), and spins tales of her many television and feature films (The Fog, Escape from New York, Cannonball Run, Swamp Thing, Back to School, Creepshow).
But unlike most showbiz biographies, Barbeau’s story doesn’t stop—or even slow down—at fifty, which finds our heroine newly in love, wandering the halls of the maternity ward a new mother (the only new mother on the floor with an AARP card), becoming a published author (of vampire thrillers!), and taking up trapeze-performance at seventy.
Always behind the scenes of Adrienne’s rise to iconic “scream queen” is the introspective girl, facing her fears to develop her concert singing career, searching for self-knowledge, the right guy, and happiness as a wife and mother with a very busy career—and always pushing the boundaries.
WHO WILL LIKE Fans of Hollywood memoirs, young artists seeking the secrets to success, every starstruck male who was older than thirteen when Maude’s daughter Carol popped into our living rooms, every woman who could use a touch of the encouraging warmth of a friend, anybody who needs a rip-roaring good laugh— or fifty.
“This book will make you laugh, cry, and just root for the skinny little girl with glasses and bushy hair who became a beautiful woman, mother, wife and a darned good actress.” —Electric Review
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
578 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Adrienne Barbeau
35 books72 followersAll my life I’ve been a performer – an actress, a singer, a dancer, even a talk show host – but never in the wildest dreams of my first 50 years did I ever imagine I would write something that other people would read. I still can’t quite get over it.
Adrienne began her career entertaining our servicemen throughout Southeast Asia. She made her Broadway debut as Tevye’s daughter, Hodel, in Fiddler on the Roof. A Tony nomination and a Theatre World Award for her creation of Rizzo in Grease led to the role of Bea Arthur’s daughter, Carol, in the hit series Maude.
Since then she has become a best selling author, a recording artist, and the star of numerous features, films for television, concert performances, musicals and plays.
Her films include The Fog, Escape From New York, Creepshow, Swamp Thing, Back to School, and Cannonball Run, the award winning “zombie film” Alice Jacobs is Dead and Oscar's Best Film winner, Argo.
With a Golden Globe nomination and over 450 screen performances to her credit, she starred as Ruthie, the Snake Dancer, on HBO’s series, Carnivale. Her recent appearances include Son’s of Anarchy, Dexter, and Revenge.
Off camera, Adrienne is the voice of Catwoman in Batman, The Animated Series, and she can be heard in a myriad of video games: God of War and Halo 4 among them.
Adrienne is the author of three books: the best-selling memoir There Are Worse Things I Could Do; Vampyres of Hollywood; and the most recent Love Bites.
In March of 1997, Adrienne gave birth to identical twin boys, William and Walker Van Zandt, m age 51, “the only woman on the maternity ward who was a member of AARP”. She lives in Los Angeles, but travels to Japan whenever she can to visit her older son, Cody Carpenter.
Adrienne began her career entertaining our servicemen throughout Southeast Asia. She made her Broadway debut as Tevye’s daughter, Hodel, in Fiddler on the Roof. A Tony nomination and a Theatre World Award for her creation of Rizzo in Grease led to the role of Bea Arthur’s daughter, Carol, in the hit series Maude.
Since then she has become a best selling author, a recording artist, and the star of numerous features, films for television, concert performances, musicals and plays.
Her films include The Fog, Escape From New York, Creepshow, Swamp Thing, Back to School, and Cannonball Run, the award winning “zombie film” Alice Jacobs is Dead and Oscar's Best Film winner, Argo.
With a Golden Globe nomination and over 450 screen performances to her credit, she starred as Ruthie, the Snake Dancer, on HBO’s series, Carnivale. Her recent appearances include Son’s of Anarchy, Dexter, and Revenge.
Off camera, Adrienne is the voice of Catwoman in Batman, The Animated Series, and she can be heard in a myriad of video games: God of War and Halo 4 among them.
Adrienne is the author of three books: the best-selling memoir There Are Worse Things I Could Do; Vampyres of Hollywood; and the most recent Love Bites.
In March of 1997, Adrienne gave birth to identical twin boys, William and Walker Van Zandt, m age 51, “the only woman on the maternity ward who was a member of AARP”. She lives in Los Angeles, but travels to Japan whenever she can to visit her older son, Cody Carpenter.
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October 25, 2018
There Are Worse Things I Could Do by Adrienne Barbeau
Written by young Adrienne Barbeau January 5, 1960: Excerpt from ninth grade term paper entitled To Be or Not to Be: Acting as a Vocation. “Corny as this may sound, I’ve wanted to act ever since as far back as I can remember. I’ve had to act to get attention, and I’ve never thought of myself as anything else. For that matter, neither has anyone else.
I also realize that there is very little chance of my ever making the big time. But for my own personal reasons I wish to continue down the path to stardom for, if nothing else, just the experience.”
I spent quite a bit of time on a good review of this book and I’ve got a few people already awaiting it. So of course when it was nearly ready, our new kitten dodged across my keyboard and deleted all but the opening quote somehow. I’m still not sure how she managed that. It took a few minutes for the horror to sink in. Finally, I gave up and started rewriting the whole thing. So, here it is, once again.
The only thing I remember this actress from is the TV series Maude, which ran from 1972-1978, in which she played the part of Maude’s (Beatrice Arthur) divorced daughter, Carol. I was curious to know more about her, so I picked up this memoir to satisfy that curiosity. She started writing journals from fifth grade on, so she had lots to draw from, and there is plenty of humor.
I learned that she went to college and started out the hard way doing theater and taking singing and acting classes while trying to support herself in New York. I know she got rather popular after she started getting recognized on the street once she was appearing on Maude for a while, but not in anything that caught my teenage attention. She had previously acted in stage plays, TV shows, and films, but it was things like the original play Grease in the part of Rizzo, and Fiddler on the Roof playing a couple of different parts through the years. She played in the movie Swamp Thing and developed a reputation as a scream queen. She was married to director John Carpenter for a time, with whom she had a son and he directed her in The Fog and later on in Escape From New York. I’m now tempted to check out some of her movies, I know I’ve seen Escape before, so it certainly needs a rewatch.
She shared about her family and friends, and also about her love relationships along the way. There was quite an interesting little fling with Burt Reynolds, who recently passed away. She was always busy, always working hard towards her goals and had a very eclectic career, doing everything from nude theater, acting with rats, to dancing with a snake. Later on, she was known for having twin boys at age 51, which was pretty amazing at the time especially. She did quite a bit of singing too, releasing an album and is now the author of 3 novels in addition to this work. This memoir was a really decent read that many would enjoy if they are into memoirs or the entertainment business.
Originally published in 2006 and updated in 2017, I purchased this ebook on Kindle. Published by BooksBnimble
Full review on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
Written by young Adrienne Barbeau January 5, 1960: Excerpt from ninth grade term paper entitled To Be or Not to Be: Acting as a Vocation. “Corny as this may sound, I’ve wanted to act ever since as far back as I can remember. I’ve had to act to get attention, and I’ve never thought of myself as anything else. For that matter, neither has anyone else.
I also realize that there is very little chance of my ever making the big time. But for my own personal reasons I wish to continue down the path to stardom for, if nothing else, just the experience.”
I spent quite a bit of time on a good review of this book and I’ve got a few people already awaiting it. So of course when it was nearly ready, our new kitten dodged across my keyboard and deleted all but the opening quote somehow. I’m still not sure how she managed that. It took a few minutes for the horror to sink in. Finally, I gave up and started rewriting the whole thing. So, here it is, once again.
The only thing I remember this actress from is the TV series Maude, which ran from 1972-1978, in which she played the part of Maude’s (Beatrice Arthur) divorced daughter, Carol. I was curious to know more about her, so I picked up this memoir to satisfy that curiosity. She started writing journals from fifth grade on, so she had lots to draw from, and there is plenty of humor.
I learned that she went to college and started out the hard way doing theater and taking singing and acting classes while trying to support herself in New York. I know she got rather popular after she started getting recognized on the street once she was appearing on Maude for a while, but not in anything that caught my teenage attention. She had previously acted in stage plays, TV shows, and films, but it was things like the original play Grease in the part of Rizzo, and Fiddler on the Roof playing a couple of different parts through the years. She played in the movie Swamp Thing and developed a reputation as a scream queen. She was married to director John Carpenter for a time, with whom she had a son and he directed her in The Fog and later on in Escape From New York. I’m now tempted to check out some of her movies, I know I’ve seen Escape before, so it certainly needs a rewatch.
She shared about her family and friends, and also about her love relationships along the way. There was quite an interesting little fling with Burt Reynolds, who recently passed away. She was always busy, always working hard towards her goals and had a very eclectic career, doing everything from nude theater, acting with rats, to dancing with a snake. Later on, she was known for having twin boys at age 51, which was pretty amazing at the time especially. She did quite a bit of singing too, releasing an album and is now the author of 3 novels in addition to this work. This memoir was a really decent read that many would enjoy if they are into memoirs or the entertainment business.
Originally published in 2006 and updated in 2017, I purchased this ebook on Kindle. Published by BooksBnimble
Full review on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2022
I have been a fan since the 80's, when I saw The Fog (that voice) and Escape from New York (that cleavage). No disrespect. She is clearly more than those things. She was a singer and burlesque personality unafraid of nudity, big-time sex symbol. I received the book for free in exchange for an honest review and so I read the memoir and found her writing style refreshingly unique. It was vibrant and self-deprecating, witty, amusing, and entertaining. She was never 'Hollywood' although she demonstrated reverence for old Hollywood elite without counting herself in that class. She focused more on her search for romance despite communicating her rise to fame on Broadway. She bore John Carpenter's son, but somehow there was a clear distance between the actress and director. Fascinating read. I want to read her fiction, too.
July 9, 2021
The value of Armenian toughness in a brutal industry.
I've had this book on my Kindle for months, but somehow the cover picture (featuring the author with a pouty expression and her famous bosom lavishly displayed) made me think it would be the usual silly celebrity "as-told-to" nonsense.) I also found the title puzzling, not recognizing it as a song. Now I could kick myself for waiting. It's one of the best autobiographies I've ever read and the lady herself is intelligent, hilarious, and down-to-earth. Everything about her is natural - her name, her breasts, and (now) her wrinkles.
She's quick to point out that she came along before surgeons started installing balloon-sized bosoms on wanna-be actresses and models. Hers are the original, factory-installed equipment, but particularly noticeable because of her thin, petite body. She's clearly never seen herself as a sex goddess, but others did. She just wanted to sing, dance, and act.
She attributes her success to the toughness bred in her by her mother's Armenian parents. The survivors of a horrific Turkish genocide, the harsh life of California farming seemed like paradise to them and they were grateful for every opportunity. The work was endless, but they always made time for family, friends, food, and dancing. Her father walked out and her mother was bitter, but her grandparents made sure she felt secure and loved.
She got her start in local theater and moved to New York to become a Broadway actress. She played in "Fiddler on the Roof" with the then-unknown Bette Midler, served as a waitress and dancer in mafia-owned restaurants, and had an affair with a man she thought was the writer Philip Roth. Then she went back to California and was hired as Bea Arthur's daughter Carol in the hit sit-com "Maude."
She's been married twice and raised three sons, including twins born when she was fifty-one years old. Who could NOT love a woman who proudly boasts, "I was the only AARP member giving birth that day"? She's acted in horror movies, action movies, plays, sit-coms, television dramas, and made-for-TV movies. I stopped watching television years ago and never watched movies. I'm sure I'd be bored stiff by most of the shows she's appeared in , but her stories of the behind-the-scenes action are hilarious and fascinating.
Along the way, she met a lot of people, some of them famous. There are no real surprises. Bea Arthur was intelligent, professional, and generous. Dean Martin couldn't memorize lines or follow directions, but his likable personality crawled through the camera and enchanted the audience. Roger Moore was the quintessential English gentleman. Sammy Davis, Jr. was constantly scared that his white colleagues would reject him. Burt Reynolds was a self-absorbed, egotistical jerk with a genius for conning women.
What makes this book an outstanding celebrity bio is that the author cares as much about the "nobodies" as she does about her famous friends. Better yet, she pays her reader the compliment of assuming that we, too, are interested in "regular" people. Her stories of her family and friends are loving and skillfully told.
She holds nothing back, discussing her insecurities, her failed relationships, and the financial stress of a career where the money isn't guaranteed and almost never comes in regularly. Except for the first years, she never went hungry, but she was never rich, either. Her children always came first, but (like most mothers) she had to work to support them.
I can see now why this book was such a best-seller, even though she's not the biggest star in the entertainment world. I can also see how she's gone on to write novels and screenplays. She kept diaries all her life because she's a born story-teller and they were her first audience. Now she has a much wider audience and she deserves it. If you love good memoirs, this is one you should NOT miss.
I've had this book on my Kindle for months, but somehow the cover picture (featuring the author with a pouty expression and her famous bosom lavishly displayed) made me think it would be the usual silly celebrity "as-told-to" nonsense.) I also found the title puzzling, not recognizing it as a song. Now I could kick myself for waiting. It's one of the best autobiographies I've ever read and the lady herself is intelligent, hilarious, and down-to-earth. Everything about her is natural - her name, her breasts, and (now) her wrinkles.
She's quick to point out that she came along before surgeons started installing balloon-sized bosoms on wanna-be actresses and models. Hers are the original, factory-installed equipment, but particularly noticeable because of her thin, petite body. She's clearly never seen herself as a sex goddess, but others did. She just wanted to sing, dance, and act.
She attributes her success to the toughness bred in her by her mother's Armenian parents. The survivors of a horrific Turkish genocide, the harsh life of California farming seemed like paradise to them and they were grateful for every opportunity. The work was endless, but they always made time for family, friends, food, and dancing. Her father walked out and her mother was bitter, but her grandparents made sure she felt secure and loved.
She got her start in local theater and moved to New York to become a Broadway actress. She played in "Fiddler on the Roof" with the then-unknown Bette Midler, served as a waitress and dancer in mafia-owned restaurants, and had an affair with a man she thought was the writer Philip Roth. Then she went back to California and was hired as Bea Arthur's daughter Carol in the hit sit-com "Maude."
She's been married twice and raised three sons, including twins born when she was fifty-one years old. Who could NOT love a woman who proudly boasts, "I was the only AARP member giving birth that day"? She's acted in horror movies, action movies, plays, sit-coms, television dramas, and made-for-TV movies. I stopped watching television years ago and never watched movies. I'm sure I'd be bored stiff by most of the shows she's appeared in , but her stories of the behind-the-scenes action are hilarious and fascinating.
Along the way, she met a lot of people, some of them famous. There are no real surprises. Bea Arthur was intelligent, professional, and generous. Dean Martin couldn't memorize lines or follow directions, but his likable personality crawled through the camera and enchanted the audience. Roger Moore was the quintessential English gentleman. Sammy Davis, Jr. was constantly scared that his white colleagues would reject him. Burt Reynolds was a self-absorbed, egotistical jerk with a genius for conning women.
What makes this book an outstanding celebrity bio is that the author cares as much about the "nobodies" as she does about her famous friends. Better yet, she pays her reader the compliment of assuming that we, too, are interested in "regular" people. Her stories of her family and friends are loving and skillfully told.
She holds nothing back, discussing her insecurities, her failed relationships, and the financial stress of a career where the money isn't guaranteed and almost never comes in regularly. Except for the first years, she never went hungry, but she was never rich, either. Her children always came first, but (like most mothers) she had to work to support them.
I can see now why this book was such a best-seller, even though she's not the biggest star in the entertainment world. I can also see how she's gone on to write novels and screenplays. She kept diaries all her life because she's a born story-teller and they were her first audience. Now she has a much wider audience and she deserves it. If you love good memoirs, this is one you should NOT miss.
December 7, 2012
I have liked Adrienne Barbeau since I was a kid. And a couple years ago when one of my editors sent me a book she wrote about Hollywood Vampyres, I found out she was a hoot. I liked the first of her two humorous/vampire/mystery/gossip mash-ups. She really created her own sub-sub genre. I'm not a big biography reader (though I recently loved the Elisabeth Sladen bio, I admit) but I added this to my list & my Honey got it for me for my birthday.
Turns out she's a hoot when she talks about herself too. I know Trent got tired of me passing on stories from the book. I quite literally laughed and cried. This is the biography of a working actress (kind of like the Elisabeth Sladen...hmm maybe I've found MY sub sub genre of biographies). From her days of struggling off then on Broadway (I had to check out the original soundtrack to "Grease" in which she originated the role of Rizzo {my favorite character in the show} just to check out her rendition of the song from whence the title of this book comes) through "Maude" (I'm too young to remember the show) and on to Hollywood and "The Fog" and "Swamp Thing" and so much else.
I even laughed and cried reading the Thank Yous. Sheesh. During my read (which I had to interrupt for several review titles) I got to see her in "Argo" (hysterical scene & character name!) and "Revenge" and then last night at work, I find out we have several scripts in our play collection from "Maude" (I love me a good co-inky-dink). Now I have to find time (and copies of) "The Convent" and "The Burial of Rats" just because of the hysterical stories she told about the filming there-of.
This is totally worth your time if you are a Hollywood biography fan. And if you are an Adrienne Barbeau fan & don't have it, turn in your card! Let's hope she writes again!
Turns out she's a hoot when she talks about herself too. I know Trent got tired of me passing on stories from the book. I quite literally laughed and cried. This is the biography of a working actress (kind of like the Elisabeth Sladen...hmm maybe I've found MY sub sub genre of biographies). From her days of struggling off then on Broadway (I had to check out the original soundtrack to "Grease" in which she originated the role of Rizzo {my favorite character in the show} just to check out her rendition of the song from whence the title of this book comes) through "Maude" (I'm too young to remember the show) and on to Hollywood and "The Fog" and "Swamp Thing" and so much else.
I even laughed and cried reading the Thank Yous. Sheesh. During my read (which I had to interrupt for several review titles) I got to see her in "Argo" (hysterical scene & character name!) and "Revenge" and then last night at work, I find out we have several scripts in our play collection from "Maude" (I love me a good co-inky-dink). Now I have to find time (and copies of) "The Convent" and "The Burial of Rats" just because of the hysterical stories she told about the filming there-of.
This is totally worth your time if you are a Hollywood biography fan. And if you are an Adrienne Barbeau fan & don't have it, turn in your card! Let's hope she writes again!
March 16, 2018
I had never thought of Adrienne Barbeau as an author but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I do not usually bother to read Hollywood memoirs but this book is simply written and was a quick read for me. I enjoyed reading about her life and her inner struggles to become the best version of herself as she shared insights into what she thinks of others in the acting scene.
She comes across as very unassuming and a hard working actress. Having twins at 51...all I can say is YIKES!!
She comes across as very unassuming and a hard working actress. Having twins at 51...all I can say is YIKES!!
July 22, 2019
I'm kind of a sucker for show-biz memoirs. We all tend to believe that celebrity's lives are so much more fascinating and glamorous than our own.
What we inevitably discover, as we read these books, is that people are people. Adrienne Barbeau's memoir is yet another example. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley, Barbeau wanted to sing, dance and act ... but knew there would be struggles. She packed herself, and her regional experience, up and went to New York with no more idea of how to "make it" than of how to fly to the moon.
The book is entertaining, honest, and yes ... downright humorous. Barbeau tells her story as though she was chatting over a meal. She's forthright about her relationships, her acting challenges (all careers have ups and downs), and more.
I found the book light and charming, a perfect antidote to the waves of bad news that seem to be all over the place at this time.
What we inevitably discover, as we read these books, is that people are people. Adrienne Barbeau's memoir is yet another example. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley, Barbeau wanted to sing, dance and act ... but knew there would be struggles. She packed herself, and her regional experience, up and went to New York with no more idea of how to "make it" than of how to fly to the moon.
The book is entertaining, honest, and yes ... downright humorous. Barbeau tells her story as though she was chatting over a meal. She's forthright about her relationships, her acting challenges (all careers have ups and downs), and more.
I found the book light and charming, a perfect antidote to the waves of bad news that seem to be all over the place at this time.
July 1, 2023
So-so. Ms Barbeau didn't come across in this book as either a happy or particularly likeable person. Sad to read of Hollywood stars and their heavy reliance on therapists, psychics, and otherworldly experiences. Not lots of time spent in the book on her two highest grossing projects, Cannonball Run and Swamp Thing. It was interesting and a testament to Ms Barbeau's determination and grit to read of her early struggles in finding roles on Broadway in the late 60s and early 70s - this was the best part of the book in my opinion.
December 27, 2022
Adrienne Barbeau is about 15 years older than me. Growing up, I remember her from daytime tv game shows and being drawn to her sense of humor. Not a fan of horror flicks, and only saw a few episodes of Maude. I can imagine her in the role of Rizzo.
Interesting peeks into behind-the-scenes of Hollywood in the seventies and eighties, with some of the tongue-in-cheek humor scattered throughout that I remember her for.
Interesting peeks into behind-the-scenes of Hollywood in the seventies and eighties, with some of the tongue-in-cheek humor scattered throughout that I remember her for.
March 16, 2020
Great book
Fun read. I always enjoy reading Hollywood biographies and this did not disappoint. Looking forward to reading her non-fiction series next.
Fun read. I always enjoy reading Hollywood biographies and this did not disappoint. Looking forward to reading her non-fiction series next.
April 17, 2018
Inspiring. Empowering. Funny.
Adrienne Barbeau shares her life with us. She talks about her career covering her Broadway performances, her early days as a go to cancer and waitress in various nightclubs, her television role on Maude, and she even takes us through her journey becoming a heroine in action and horror movies despite only ever watching one horror movie herself. She shares her insecurities, her life as she goes through different types of therapy, her personal relationships, her business relationships, and motherhood.
I thoroughly and honestly enjoyed reading this book straight through. Adrienne shared her entire life, the good the bad the ugly and even the mundane. She talked about being on Broadway, about working on a TV series with veteran actors and actresses, and about the horror movies she did and why she chose them. She wrote about her marriages, her children, how she juggled an acting career and motherhood. She shares much personal growth. While she didn't realize it at the time, she is smart, strong, talented, and wise and has been since as early as 9 th grade when she wrote a paper about choosing acting as a vocation. She tells it like it is and proves that just because you are a famous star, acting isn't always glamorous, pretty, or easy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with Adrienne Barbeau, has self-confidence issues, or thinks things have to happen according to some imaginary schedule. You won't regret reading this! Oh and I forgot to mention Adrienne managed to have all this success without falling victim to being sexually harassed to get jobs, without drugs, and without alcohol. Kudos to her!!!!
Adrienne Barbeau shares her life with us. She talks about her career covering her Broadway performances, her early days as a go to cancer and waitress in various nightclubs, her television role on Maude, and she even takes us through her journey becoming a heroine in action and horror movies despite only ever watching one horror movie herself. She shares her insecurities, her life as she goes through different types of therapy, her personal relationships, her business relationships, and motherhood.
I thoroughly and honestly enjoyed reading this book straight through. Adrienne shared her entire life, the good the bad the ugly and even the mundane. She talked about being on Broadway, about working on a TV series with veteran actors and actresses, and about the horror movies she did and why she chose them. She wrote about her marriages, her children, how she juggled an acting career and motherhood. She shares much personal growth. While she didn't realize it at the time, she is smart, strong, talented, and wise and has been since as early as 9 th grade when she wrote a paper about choosing acting as a vocation. She tells it like it is and proves that just because you are a famous star, acting isn't always glamorous, pretty, or easy. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with Adrienne Barbeau, has self-confidence issues, or thinks things have to happen according to some imaginary schedule. You won't regret reading this! Oh and I forgot to mention Adrienne managed to have all this success without falling victim to being sexually harassed to get jobs, without drugs, and without alcohol. Kudos to her!!!!
January 23, 2018
This book is sort of a guilty pleasure, just like many of ms barbeau's movies are. The world and i first were introduced to her when she played Maude's wise ass daughter in the tv series Maude. Following that, she made a career in horror movies, some by her then husband John Carpenter. She also worked for Roger Corman and Wes Craven and many other lesser known (for good reason) directors. The stories she tells are only interesting if you're interested in her. Though other celebrities fill the book, they only appear in passing. We learn nothing of them. I confess to loving the scream queen part of her career, so it kept me reading. Unfortunately, my opinion of her was weakened by the reading. I always thought she was a self-confident, independent, strong woman. It turns out she's an insecure wreck whose life is a series of therapy, new age philosophy, more therapy, bad relationships, more therapy. You get the idea. I wish her well. I love her movies. I should have passed on this book.
December 1, 2023
Somewhat good career overview that contains a number of behind-the-scenes details but gets bogged down by lengthy and unnecessarily detailed sections on marriage and childbirth, as well as her pro-abortion stance while clearly believing life starts at conception when it comes to her own children.
There are interesting sections to the book and Barbeau has done a number of projects that are worth reading about. I hadn't realized her early Broadway work, including Fiddler on the Roof and one of the original cast members of Grease. She also covers some of her TV jobs but there's not much about Maude or some of the other television appearances she made. Instead there are a couple of detailed chapters about her movies. And way too much about her family, husbands, and affairs.
She has a breezy writing style and seems constantly upbeat mixed with anxious and being somewhat clueless. She's proud to be a hippie California girl that brags about her many sexual conquests before she ends up marrying an uptight New England elitist and settles down with children. And despite keeping notebooks from childhood (which completely ignore most of her major career moments), it's difficult to verify the validity of her facts: at one point she claims co-star Fred Grandy "went on to become a congressman in the Ohio House of Representatives." Huh? He was an Iowa representative to the U.S. Congress, something she could have easily looked up online.
Most confusing is her using the book as a political mouthpiece. She distorts Norman Lear's formation of People for the America Way by saying it was "an organization devoted to protecting democracy, diversity, and liberty in our country." Tell that to the millions of conservatives and Republicans that Lear has spent millions of dollars to squash and silence through his political action group. So much for true diversity and freedom of speech.
Barbeau fits her Maude character by defending abortion after an early-career friend had a botched back alley pregnancy-killing procedure. Instead of learning from this that people shouldn't be carrying on illicit affairs or should be using birth control, she blames the government at the time for not protecting irresponsible men and women by making abortion legal.
Then decades later when it comes to having her own twins at the age of 51, she must use an egg donor, where four eggs were fertilized with her husband's sperm. Barbeau writes that after they were transferred into her uterus, "I laid on the couch in our living room and talked to those little buggers, doing my best to convince one of them to stick around and grow." So she suddenly believes that instead of them being just masses of tissue these are actually valuable future beings? It's always ironic to hear people who are so pro-abortion suddenly freak out when they have trouble conceiving and then treat the child growing within them as a real baby. There aren't many worse things you can do than to claim a fetus is a viable living human being and at the same time defend the right of a woman to murder it.
There are interesting sections to the book and Barbeau has done a number of projects that are worth reading about. I hadn't realized her early Broadway work, including Fiddler on the Roof and one of the original cast members of Grease. She also covers some of her TV jobs but there's not much about Maude or some of the other television appearances she made. Instead there are a couple of detailed chapters about her movies. And way too much about her family, husbands, and affairs.
She has a breezy writing style and seems constantly upbeat mixed with anxious and being somewhat clueless. She's proud to be a hippie California girl that brags about her many sexual conquests before she ends up marrying an uptight New England elitist and settles down with children. And despite keeping notebooks from childhood (which completely ignore most of her major career moments), it's difficult to verify the validity of her facts: at one point she claims co-star Fred Grandy "went on to become a congressman in the Ohio House of Representatives." Huh? He was an Iowa representative to the U.S. Congress, something she could have easily looked up online.
Most confusing is her using the book as a political mouthpiece. She distorts Norman Lear's formation of People for the America Way by saying it was "an organization devoted to protecting democracy, diversity, and liberty in our country." Tell that to the millions of conservatives and Republicans that Lear has spent millions of dollars to squash and silence through his political action group. So much for true diversity and freedom of speech.
Barbeau fits her Maude character by defending abortion after an early-career friend had a botched back alley pregnancy-killing procedure. Instead of learning from this that people shouldn't be carrying on illicit affairs or should be using birth control, she blames the government at the time for not protecting irresponsible men and women by making abortion legal.
Then decades later when it comes to having her own twins at the age of 51, she must use an egg donor, where four eggs were fertilized with her husband's sperm. Barbeau writes that after they were transferred into her uterus, "I laid on the couch in our living room and talked to those little buggers, doing my best to convince one of them to stick around and grow." So she suddenly believes that instead of them being just masses of tissue these are actually valuable future beings? It's always ironic to hear people who are so pro-abortion suddenly freak out when they have trouble conceiving and then treat the child growing within them as a real baby. There aren't many worse things you can do than to claim a fetus is a viable living human being and at the same time defend the right of a woman to murder it.
July 31, 2019
Prior to reading Barbeau’s entertaining book, my only real knowledge of her lengthy career in movies, television, theatre, dance and music was the role of Maggie in John Carpenter’s cult classic, Escape From New York. In that film she played a strong, purposeful woman with brains, brawn and beauty, and was one of my personal highlights from the excellent supporting cast that made it such a great film for near-future action/sci-fi fans. In all the many years since first watching EFNY (a firm favourite) I’d never seen her on screen again, nor read anything about other roles or searched for details about her life.
I’ve now discovered that she certainly has more than enough material to write a captivating autobiography, and this book covers it all: family, friendships and romantic relationships; her broad career (with highlighted roles and notable experiences from stage, screen and elsewhere); fears and insecurities, and the subsequent psychics and therapists; childbirth and health issues; and plenty of everyday work and life situations full of intimate details, personal observations and amusing anecdotes.
Barbeau’s writing is smart, breezy and often highly humorous, resulting in a real page-turner, especially due to the numerous short chapters and shifts in focus from one issue to another. There’s some great stories in here, from childhood memories and early struggles in creating a career, to working for The Mob, having a relationship with Burt Reynolds, and describing how she dealt with rats, snakes and freezing temperatures when filming.
There are certainly worse show business books out there to read, and I’ll be seeking out more of her work on film and television now that I know her full story. This is an impressive memoir with style, substance, and plenty of fun – well worth a read.
I’ve now discovered that she certainly has more than enough material to write a captivating autobiography, and this book covers it all: family, friendships and romantic relationships; her broad career (with highlighted roles and notable experiences from stage, screen and elsewhere); fears and insecurities, and the subsequent psychics and therapists; childbirth and health issues; and plenty of everyday work and life situations full of intimate details, personal observations and amusing anecdotes.
Barbeau’s writing is smart, breezy and often highly humorous, resulting in a real page-turner, especially due to the numerous short chapters and shifts in focus from one issue to another. There’s some great stories in here, from childhood memories and early struggles in creating a career, to working for The Mob, having a relationship with Burt Reynolds, and describing how she dealt with rats, snakes and freezing temperatures when filming.
There are certainly worse show business books out there to read, and I’ll be seeking out more of her work on film and television now that I know her full story. This is an impressive memoir with style, substance, and plenty of fun – well worth a read.
December 15, 2019
I loved the show "Maude." Maude and her daughter, Carol, played by Adrienne, were inspirations to me as a young girl. They were strong feminists. Why then did they frequently have Carol “dance” on the show in which she jiggled every part of her body? It contradicted the message of the show, which I even recognized as a young girl. Mixed messages. Despite that, I still loved it. I always wondered why Adrienne, as talented as she was, chose the path of scantily clad scream queen. Apparently, it was for love. I also wonder why the photo on the cover was chosen. It diminishes her life story. This is about a little girl with dreams of becoming an actress who grows into a voluptuous woman, but it’s not all about her looks. Or at least it shouldn’t be. Maybe the cover sells books. It actually made me hesitate reading it. Again, despite the cover, I enjoyed Adrienne’s story. I didn’t realize she was a singer and originated the role of Rizzo in "Grease" on Broadway (the title of the book comes from the song) or played Hodel in "Fiddler on the Roof." I would’ve liked more depth into her relationships with other cast members, but most of this is glossed over. Adrienne is a talented actress who chose to star in B movies after a hit sitcom. This isn’t your typical Hollywood memoir.
January 13, 2022
For a cavalier and candid adventure through a young actress's progress into the world of NYC and Hollywood, Barbeau creates an enjoyable book. She confesses right from the beginning that much of her writing doesn't illustrate work as much as personal life, but the work segments are extremely hilarious. Whether it's her early career as a musical theater ingenue and go-go dancer, her 70s fame and entry into John Carpenter's horror movies, to the mishaps and unhealthy encounters on low-budget movies, the details are the best. One movie misadventure involving squibs and freezing temperatures is all-too-vivid to anybody who's worked on low-budget movies. Besides the "relationshipy" chapters, it's equally stirring to read Barbeau's painful insecurities re: the ugly world of casting. These moments portray the familiar (and hideous) gauntlet actor's undergo better than most other books depicting the business. Lots of great humor and some of it is directed at the author's incredible body--this a prominent part of growing up for all male teens in the 1980s. A great quote: "I loved every minute on the set, even the painful, shitty ones."
February 7, 2019
Kiss and tell, scream and tell memoir
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It's matter of fact and not judgmental for the most part. The author describes this writing style late in the book, a lovely moment.
The book meanders chronologically though her theatre work, screen work, and romances. An example shown here:
"He was an actor. Trying to be. I met him when he spilled red wine all over my dress at a party and insisted on driving me home to change. We started dating. Months passed and he moved more and more of his things into my apartment. I was his “favorite go-to-bed-with person,” he said. When I mentioned how much money I was spending on groceries for the two of us, he told me to cut down on my eating. When I told him I was falling in love with him, he told me my sinuses were infected."
I'm not into most sitcoms or horror flicks, so I wasn't sure who the actress writing this is - I'm glad I picked it up and would read more of her work.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It's matter of fact and not judgmental for the most part. The author describes this writing style late in the book, a lovely moment.
The book meanders chronologically though her theatre work, screen work, and romances. An example shown here:
"He was an actor. Trying to be. I met him when he spilled red wine all over my dress at a party and insisted on driving me home to change. We started dating. Months passed and he moved more and more of his things into my apartment. I was his “favorite go-to-bed-with person,” he said. When I mentioned how much money I was spending on groceries for the two of us, he told me to cut down on my eating. When I told him I was falling in love with him, he told me my sinuses were infected."
I'm not into most sitcoms or horror flicks, so I wasn't sure who the actress writing this is - I'm glad I picked it up and would read more of her work.
September 12, 2023
could not stop reading…Brava Adrienne
Long admirer of Adrienne’s work. She has created so many iconic, strong female roles, she is such a beautiful talent.
I know in some reviews they mentioned they wanted to read more about the shows she was in (that could be another fascinating book) but this book is about Adrienne, which I loved. I also come from an ethnic, large family so I enjoyed reading about her family, their struggles their triumphs. The journey she is on with finding who she is in this world was inspirational, that is to me what made this book a wonderful read. I do not know Adrienne but from her writing I get a very down to earth and hard working soccer mom, who just happens to be famous. Her tenacity is infectious and her determination is so empowering. Thank you, Adrienne for sharing your story, so many people will take strength and courage from your writing.
Long admirer of Adrienne’s work. She has created so many iconic, strong female roles, she is such a beautiful talent.
I know in some reviews they mentioned they wanted to read more about the shows she was in (that could be another fascinating book) but this book is about Adrienne, which I loved. I also come from an ethnic, large family so I enjoyed reading about her family, their struggles their triumphs. The journey she is on with finding who she is in this world was inspirational, that is to me what made this book a wonderful read. I do not know Adrienne but from her writing I get a very down to earth and hard working soccer mom, who just happens to be famous. Her tenacity is infectious and her determination is so empowering. Thank you, Adrienne for sharing your story, so many people will take strength and courage from your writing.
October 6, 2019
After reading Lonnie Burr’s book The Accidental Mouseketeer, it was refreshing to read a memoir in which the author, another actor, showed some humility. Adrienne Barbeau is an accomplished performer, best known as Maude’s daughter on the show by the same name.
Barbeau seems to focus much of her attention, perhaps appropriately, on the horrors of movie making. Some of it can be humorous but it went a bit long.
Barbeau is candid about her personal and professional life. Again, contrasting Barbeau and Burr, she wrote of taking her son to see the musical MAMMA MIA. She reported they hated it and left it at that. Burr would have criticized actors, singing and dancing, etc. by the way, I liked Mamma Mia.
For ebooks there is a nice update taking the reader to 2017.
Four stars
Barbeau seems to focus much of her attention, perhaps appropriately, on the horrors of movie making. Some of it can be humorous but it went a bit long.
Barbeau is candid about her personal and professional life. Again, contrasting Barbeau and Burr, she wrote of taking her son to see the musical MAMMA MIA. She reported they hated it and left it at that. Burr would have criticized actors, singing and dancing, etc. by the way, I liked Mamma Mia.
For ebooks there is a nice update taking the reader to 2017.
Four stars
June 6, 2025
I always have admired Adrienne Barbeau. It goes beyond her lovely figure and naturally curly hair (getting mental a lot growing up that a beautiful actress also had natural curly hair like I did) to the fact she’s very talented and charming in a way that few actresses possess. To my delight she’s also from the Bay Area like I am! The South Bay so that was a fun unexpected treasure of the book. She takes us all the way through going from ugly duckling to Swan and an absolutely driven musical theater performer who ends up in New York as one of the original Go-Go dancers. Working for the usual shady characters that you would’ve encountered in the nightclub world and struggling to find herself romantically as she stays in love with an unavailable, gay male mentor.
September 24, 2018
On the one hand, the authors starts out by stressing that her diaries and journals barely contained any details of her career; mostly she recorded her thoughts and feelings about what went on in her life. So reading to trace her career through the book is something that is clearly contraindicated. And yet I found myself drawn to it.
There's a sense that she's at home with herself. She's not a "star" telling you about Hollywood life. She's a woman who has loved, lost, loved. Who has been a performer for more than her adult life. And who is just simply likeable.
That's probably why I was hooked and finished it in short order. Enjoyable in an unexpected way.
There's a sense that she's at home with herself. She's not a "star" telling you about Hollywood life. She's a woman who has loved, lost, loved. Who has been a performer for more than her adult life. And who is just simply likeable.
That's probably why I was hooked and finished it in short order. Enjoyable in an unexpected way.
December 14, 2019
Adrienne Barbeau is known as the “Scream Queen” in a career that spans decades. She’s performed off broadway, on Broadway, in tv series, video games, musical acts, and all kinds of movies, you name it, but is best known for both her role in the series Maude and her work in horror movies (mostly the campy horror genre—“Swamp Thing,” “The Fog,” “Creepshow,” and others.
I recognized the name, but the type of horror genre she mostly does is not exactly my cup of tea when it comes to movies, at least when I watch movies. I found her story fascinating, funny at times, and for someone who has had such a successful career, sometimes quite sad.
I recognized the name, but the type of horror genre she mostly does is not exactly my cup of tea when it comes to movies, at least when I watch movies. I found her story fascinating, funny at times, and for someone who has had such a successful career, sometimes quite sad.
July 10, 2020
Autobiography of Actress, Singer, Author, Wife, Mother, and occasional activist Adrienne Barbeau. If you don't recognize the name, she has 152 entries on imdb.com, and numerous Broadway and off-broadway credits.
The book recounts her accomplishments, her self-doubts (even self-loathing at times), her therapy, her search for romance, and like many successful people, the unlooked-moment that turned tragedy into success. It's definitely a first-person narrative, and her breezy tone makes it possible to imagine that she is speaking directly to you.
If you are a woman with self-esteem issues (and who doesn't have self-esteem issues nowadays), I beg you to find a copy and read it.
The book recounts her accomplishments, her self-doubts (even self-loathing at times), her therapy, her search for romance, and like many successful people, the unlooked-moment that turned tragedy into success. It's definitely a first-person narrative, and her breezy tone makes it possible to imagine that she is speaking directly to you.
If you are a woman with self-esteem issues (and who doesn't have self-esteem issues nowadays), I beg you to find a copy and read it.
December 29, 2025
So Burt Reynolds was absolutely closeted! …Could’ve had [an excited-and-awaiting] Adrienne Barbeau all to himself, but instead maroons her in a hotel room, preferring the company of protégé Casey Hendershot, allegedly writing Barbeau a love-lost letter for four hours (and depositing it on her windshield sometime before sunrise)??
June 3, 2021
Adrienne Barbeau is a Truly Fascinating Person
This was a very enjoyable book which I learned a great deal about Adrienne Barbeau’s Professional and Personal Lives. Before I read this book, I only knew that she had played Maude’s daughter in the TV Series Maude and that she was the heroine in the movie, Swamp Thing. She has lead a very full and exciting personal life along with her professional pursuits. I picked this book because it was a Kindle Unlimited Selection but after reading a little I realized that it was an intriguing story about an amazing woman.
This was a very enjoyable book which I learned a great deal about Adrienne Barbeau’s Professional and Personal Lives. Before I read this book, I only knew that she had played Maude’s daughter in the TV Series Maude and that she was the heroine in the movie, Swamp Thing. She has lead a very full and exciting personal life along with her professional pursuits. I picked this book because it was a Kindle Unlimited Selection but after reading a little I realized that it was an intriguing story about an amazing woman.
August 29, 2021
Adrienne Barbeau
I enjoyed reading this memoir. Of course I know of Adrienne but nothing of her life or background. Also the chapters about what actually happens on various sets were hilarious. I found it a little hard to follow when she jumped back to a time she had already written about to start a new storyline. However, I soon realized what she was doing and then continued to enjoy myself. Her writing is easy to read, many characters not developed except as they related to her. I highly recommend this book.
I enjoyed reading this memoir. Of course I know of Adrienne but nothing of her life or background. Also the chapters about what actually happens on various sets were hilarious. I found it a little hard to follow when she jumped back to a time she had already written about to start a new storyline. However, I soon realized what she was doing and then continued to enjoy myself. Her writing is easy to read, many characters not developed except as they related to her. I highly recommend this book.
August 5, 2017
I always like Adrienne Barbeau and after reading her autobiography I can see why. She seems to be just a real nice person. She constantly tries to be a better person and she has a knack for really enjoying life. The book focuses mostly on her life as viewed through the various projects she has acted or sung in. This seems limiting but actually succeeds as she connects it to her relationships with others. I don't think there is really any "dirt" here, just an enjoyable read.
April 3, 2023
As celebrity memoirs go, Adrienne really delivers a balance of personal and career, of introspection and very fun storytelling. She's a Hollywood survivor not by accident. She wrote about her emotional growth, hard knocks and most supportive relationships. The added brilliance is a tribute to her young self who began journaling her own ambition, pep talks and mission as a grade-schooler. Adrienne has kept a journal her entire life and literally, has kept them. That's very cool.
September 16, 2017
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MOVIES !
I enjoyed the " Behind the camera's viewpoint from a
Seasoned actress . "
There is little doubt in Adrienne's mind that her " Claim to fame " is her generous breast which she mentions often
Throughout the book, therefore I think it would be appropriate for her to include a photo of her unclothed famous Boobs.
I enjoyed the " Behind the camera's viewpoint from a
Seasoned actress . "
There is little doubt in Adrienne's mind that her " Claim to fame " is her generous breast which she mentions often
Throughout the book, therefore I think it would be appropriate for her to include a photo of her unclothed famous Boobs.
September 14, 2018
Laughed out loud
If there is a funnier chapter anywhere...in any book...than Marrying Billy, I want to read it. For now, this is a hilarious Hollywood autobiography of someone you want as your best friend to trade stories with. Once you read it, don't put it too far away. You'll want to look up some of these stories again soon. Thank you Adrienne.
If there is a funnier chapter anywhere...in any book...than Marrying Billy, I want to read it. For now, this is a hilarious Hollywood autobiography of someone you want as your best friend to trade stories with. Once you read it, don't put it too far away. You'll want to look up some of these stories again soon. Thank you Adrienne.
September 15, 2018
Well written and enjoyable.
I enjoyed this book written by Adrienne Barbeau. I have always been a fan of hers and she has always seemed to be a down to earth person. This book confirms she has a wonderful sense of humor and is well grounded as well. I recommend this book and am interested in reading her other books.
I enjoyed this book written by Adrienne Barbeau. I have always been a fan of hers and she has always seemed to be a down to earth person. This book confirms she has a wonderful sense of humor and is well grounded as well. I recommend this book and am interested in reading her other books.
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