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Laughter Is A Wonderful Thing
Autobiography of the massive-mouthed acrobat and comic actor whose antics delighted movie audiences from the 1920s through the 1950s.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2023
I have been a fan of Joe E Brown for over 60 years. Recently, TCM showed 24 hours of his movies which most I had never seen before because they were his first movies. After watching all his movies, I researched about his life and found his only biography, Laughter is a Wonderful Thing published in 1956.
Born Joseph Evans Brown on July 28, 1892 in Holgate, Ohio, he died on July 6, 1973 (aged 81) from complications from a heart attack in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Brown had the most interesting and exciting life of any Hollywood star biography I have ever read.
He began as an acrobat at age 9 traveling alone with different circus acts unsupervised by his parents. Sending to his parents his weekly dollar wages.
He was once a professional baseball player and his love of the sport allowed him access to collect sports memorabilia. “It began when I started collecting sports trophies 25 or 30 years ago. These were not cups and trophies that I won, nor even asked for, but a variety of keepsakes whose sentimental value to the giver made them doubly cherished by me. When I gave the collection to U.C.LA. in 1946, it was probably the finest privately-owned sports trophy collection in the world. The collection then included over 200 different items (counting all of more than 200 autographed baseballs as one item).”
He was a fan of horse racing and owned several successful horses along with some nags. “I never regretted the money my racing experience cost me. I never regretted any of the luxuries I had because I enjoyed them as few people could enjoy them. The memory of hard times and the days when I didn't have enough to eat was never very far from my mind. You have to have that contrast for pure enjoyment. Only the hungry man can enjoy a meal, only he who has been ill can fully enjoy good health. Anyone who spends the first 35 years of his life scrabbling for pennies and finds himself suddenly earning $300,000 a year could appreciate the difference.”
Brown was a brilliant actor and comedian. The laughter he generated for decades from his movies thankfully can still be enjoyed today. He knew what physical good he was doing when you cause your audiences to guffaw and roar with pleasure. “I value laughter a great deal and I firmly believe that laughter means a lot to the health of a man. Ten good laughs a day will add a day to a man's life. I don't mean just giggles or titters; I mean the good hearty guffaw, the belly laugh that exercises all the stomach and abdomen muscles."
Just watch one of his movies and I guarantee you at least 40 good laughs from it. Considering the millions who have watched his movies the last 100 years, you can imagine how great it felt to be giving such pleasure and joy to so many people.
Good read indeed
Born Joseph Evans Brown on July 28, 1892 in Holgate, Ohio, he died on July 6, 1973 (aged 81) from complications from a heart attack in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Brown had the most interesting and exciting life of any Hollywood star biography I have ever read.
He began as an acrobat at age 9 traveling alone with different circus acts unsupervised by his parents. Sending to his parents his weekly dollar wages.
He was once a professional baseball player and his love of the sport allowed him access to collect sports memorabilia. “It began when I started collecting sports trophies 25 or 30 years ago. These were not cups and trophies that I won, nor even asked for, but a variety of keepsakes whose sentimental value to the giver made them doubly cherished by me. When I gave the collection to U.C.LA. in 1946, it was probably the finest privately-owned sports trophy collection in the world. The collection then included over 200 different items (counting all of more than 200 autographed baseballs as one item).”
He was a fan of horse racing and owned several successful horses along with some nags. “I never regretted the money my racing experience cost me. I never regretted any of the luxuries I had because I enjoyed them as few people could enjoy them. The memory of hard times and the days when I didn't have enough to eat was never very far from my mind. You have to have that contrast for pure enjoyment. Only the hungry man can enjoy a meal, only he who has been ill can fully enjoy good health. Anyone who spends the first 35 years of his life scrabbling for pennies and finds himself suddenly earning $300,000 a year could appreciate the difference.”
Brown was a brilliant actor and comedian. The laughter he generated for decades from his movies thankfully can still be enjoyed today. He knew what physical good he was doing when you cause your audiences to guffaw and roar with pleasure. “I value laughter a great deal and I firmly believe that laughter means a lot to the health of a man. Ten good laughs a day will add a day to a man's life. I don't mean just giggles or titters; I mean the good hearty guffaw, the belly laugh that exercises all the stomach and abdomen muscles."
Just watch one of his movies and I guarantee you at least 40 good laughs from it. Considering the millions who have watched his movies the last 100 years, you can imagine how great it felt to be giving such pleasure and joy to so many people.
Good read indeed
April 24, 2020
Great memoir by the comedian Joe E Brown. It was fascinating learning about his early years as an acrobat with a traveling circus, and how he gradually transitioned into comedy while moving to vaudeville and eventually Broadway. I really felt like I got to know the guy.
The only disappointment to me is that he doesn’t cover his film career much after the late 20s. But everything else is so fun to read that I got over that.
The only disappointment to me is that he doesn’t cover his film career much after the late 20s. But everything else is so fun to read that I got over that.
March 12, 2020
Only interested in his film career
I was really only interested in his film career.The rest of the book was of little interest.So fairly average autobiog.
I was really only interested in his film career.The rest of the book was of little interest.So fairly average autobiog.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews