Name-Dropping:: My Life in Hollywood Among Celebrities Who Won't Remember Me!

by Doug Smart

My Life in Hollywood Among Celebrities Who Won’t Remember Me! A behind-the-scenes memoir of Emmy-winning director/writer Doug Smart’s personal experiences working with some of the biggest names in television, film and music. Some of the names Doug “drops” in the book are those of TV pioneers Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Lawrence Welk and Danny Thomas. Some are sitcom icons such as Jerry Seinfeld, Betty White, Bob Newhart and Henry Winkler. Others, such as Olivia Newton-John, Garth Brooks and Cher are superstars in the music industry. While still others are internationally-known movie stars such as sex symbol Mae West, and Oscar-winners George Clooney and James Earl Jones. Not surprisingly, many have their names on the sidewalk along Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame.” My Life in Hollywood Among Celebrities Who Won’t Remember Me! not only gives the reader a true insider’s look at life on the set of a TV sitcom, it’s also “laugh out loud” funny! My Life in Hollywood Among Celebrities Who Won’t Remember Me! does not offer gossip or 3rd-party observations. Rather it is a collection of stories in which the author was an active participant in the events as they took place. Most of the stories are hilarious. Some are downright embarrassing. A couple are heartbreaking. And all are true.

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Heather Siani · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Empty Nest, the Golden Girls, and all their spin-offs, I absolutely adored and enjoyed reading every bit of this memoir. The experiences and stories that Doug shared in this book was super fun to read, and literally had me either laughing, gasping outloud, or shouting “WOW! That really HAPPENED?!” He had opportunities people would only dream of, being able to meet and work with so many big names in history and the industry. I especially loved reading about his interactions with Danny Thomas. My mom’s family was very close with Danny and his family so his story was very close to my heart. This memoir also reminded me that no matter what industry you work in, there’s some pretty tough, challenging, and even downright unfair situations that you have to make the best and most of, and put in your creative thinking cap. And it is all that much worth it if you LOVE what you do. Doug pursued his passion in his career and did whatever it took. It also gave me a clearer understanding on exactly what was involved in directing. As I watch shows like the Golden Girls and Empty Nest, I’ll now be thinking of some of these “back” stories that were so very cherished by Doug. I think I would recommend this read to literally anyone. I absolutely enjoyed this.

[Megan Gallahair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, written by my grandfather, is such a sweet and warm retelling of his time spent working in Hollywood. He recounts all the famous people he got to work with, iconic TV shows he got to be apart of, and all the meaningful relationships he made along the way. This book gives an inside look behind the scenes of some of TV’s most recognizable shows and what it was like working with the cast and what really goes into making some of America’s funniest comedies. Thoroughly enjoyed this book!