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Judy Holliday, An Intimate Life Story
(The following overview was taken directly from the inside cover of the book jacket.)
"The wit, intelligence, and grace of Judy Holliday's acting mark her as one of the great comediennes of the Forties and Fifties. From her brilliant, Oscar-winning performance in Born Yesterday to her warm and sensitive portrait of Ella Peterson in The Bells Are Ringing, Holliday's style was one of subtlety and true originality.
In this intimate biography, Gary Carey traces the threads of a fascinating but tragically short life and career. What emerges is a portrait of a woman of deep uncertainties and profound ambivalence who found in herself the strength, the drive, and the courage to succeed.
Despite a number of professional setbacks, Holliday's career was remarkably successful: immediate praise for her part as one of the satiric Revuers (along with Adolph Green and Betty Comden); an Oscar for Born Yesterday; and critical acclaim for nearly every one of her stage and screen performances.
But Holliday never wanted to be an actress. Throughout her career she was haunted by insecurities about her physical appearance and her talent. She never felt comfortable with the gossip and glamour of Hollywood, yet she managed to hold her own against its impersonal, sometimes vicious, ways.
The daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Holliday grew up amid the intellectual and political ferment of the Twenties and Thirties. She remained politically conscious throughout her life and was interrogated and blacklisted as a Communist sympathizer during the Hollywood witch-hunts in the Fifties.
Holliday sought little more than a life of stability and quiet intelligence. And yet she was never able to fully extricate herself from a complicated web of relationships that included an overprotective mother, an early lesbian lover, and a number of unsuccessful alliances--a failed marriage to clarinetist David Oppenheim, liaisons with Nicholas Ray and Peter Lawford; a passionate interlude with Sydney Chaplin, her handsome leading man in The Bells Are Ringing; and a final, poignant affair with jazz musician Gerry Mulligan.
In 1965, at the age of forty-four, Holliday died of cancer. The strength and courage with which she faced her death--as she had many other difficulties in her life--had a quality of tragedy and triumph that seemed to be Holliday's hallmark."
"The wit, intelligence, and grace of Judy Holliday's acting mark her as one of the great comediennes of the Forties and Fifties. From her brilliant, Oscar-winning performance in Born Yesterday to her warm and sensitive portrait of Ella Peterson in The Bells Are Ringing, Holliday's style was one of subtlety and true originality.
In this intimate biography, Gary Carey traces the threads of a fascinating but tragically short life and career. What emerges is a portrait of a woman of deep uncertainties and profound ambivalence who found in herself the strength, the drive, and the courage to succeed.
Despite a number of professional setbacks, Holliday's career was remarkably successful: immediate praise for her part as one of the satiric Revuers (along with Adolph Green and Betty Comden); an Oscar for Born Yesterday; and critical acclaim for nearly every one of her stage and screen performances.
But Holliday never wanted to be an actress. Throughout her career she was haunted by insecurities about her physical appearance and her talent. She never felt comfortable with the gossip and glamour of Hollywood, yet she managed to hold her own against its impersonal, sometimes vicious, ways.
The daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Holliday grew up amid the intellectual and political ferment of the Twenties and Thirties. She remained politically conscious throughout her life and was interrogated and blacklisted as a Communist sympathizer during the Hollywood witch-hunts in the Fifties.
Holliday sought little more than a life of stability and quiet intelligence. And yet she was never able to fully extricate herself from a complicated web of relationships that included an overprotective mother, an early lesbian lover, and a number of unsuccessful alliances--a failed marriage to clarinetist David Oppenheim, liaisons with Nicholas Ray and Peter Lawford; a passionate interlude with Sydney Chaplin, her handsome leading man in The Bells Are Ringing; and a final, poignant affair with jazz musician Gerry Mulligan.
In 1965, at the age of forty-four, Holliday died of cancer. The strength and courage with which she faced her death--as she had many other difficulties in her life--had a quality of tragedy and triumph that seemed to be Holliday's hallmark."
271 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 21, 2022
I discovered Judy Holliday when I saw Born Yesterday on TMC. I was amazed that I had never heard of her before. But I searched for more films and have called in love with her. I searched for anything written about her and found this book. Such a tragic tale. She died way too young. She really reminds me of Lucille Ball. Such incredible comic timing! And so beautiful. I wish she could have lived longer.
February 2, 2024
I'm not a big reader of Hollywood/Theatre bios but this one is very good. Judy is largely forgotten, but she had a comedic genius that influenced a number of later actors. The ultimate dumb blonde on screen, Judy was actually very smart, kind, and, like a lot of stars, had deep-seated insecurities. The author really knows his stuff about Broadway, the contract system in Hollywood, and gets details exactly right about her tastes and personality (full disclosure: my cousin-in-law was her son's governess).
February 5, 2021
I have adored Judy Holliday ever since I delved into the realm of Old Hollywood, and this book just made me appreciate her talent even more. Judy truly was one of the greats and she deserves more recognition for her contribution to the stage and to cinema.
July 9, 2015
The brilliance in Judy Holliday's performances was a direct result of the intelligence with which she approached a role. She had a genius IQ and made a living playing dumb blonds. I loved and adored her films when I was growing up and I still do today, whenever I see one. Unfortunately, this book does her no justice. Even though it's subtitled 'An Intimate Life Story', it's anything but, appearing to be largely culled from newspaper articles of the time. Mr. Carey seemed to be filling pages. The tragic events that ended her short life (throat cancer and dying nearly penniless) would be a gut-punch in the hands of any writer, however, and there's no exception to that here.
April 14, 2013
Sad but wonderful. Great star who sadly didn't have enough time to reach her full potential.
March 26, 2016
Solid biography of a brilliant comedienne who left us too soon. Would perhaps have benefited from a more personal touch, but still a good resource.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews