Laughing Till It Hurts: The Complete Life and Career of Carol Burnett

by J. Randy Taraborrelli

Beginning where Burnett's autobiography left off, this volume delves into the eleven year history of "The Carol Burnett Show" and discusses Burnett's two marriages, her film roles, and her friendships and associations with other show biz celebrities

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

432 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1988

About the author

J. Randy Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia. He also appears on television as an entertainment news reporter on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning. Taraborrelli resides in Los Angeles, California.

Taraborrelli, who has written eighteen books (including updated and expanded editions), has had fourteen of them appear on the New York Times best seller list, the most recent of which was 2014's The Hiltons - The True Story of an American Dynasty. His first best seller was Call Her Miss Ross in 1989. His 2009 biography of Marilyn Monroe - The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe - made a re-appearance on the e-books best-seller list at number two in the summer of 2012.

In November of 2012, it was announced that Reelz cable channel had optioned Taraborrelli's New York Times best-selling book, After Camelot, as a miniseries. It will be his second television miniseries, the first airing on NBC in 2000 and based on his book, Jackie, Ethel, Joan.

Through his newly formed J. Randy Taraborrelli Productions, Taraborrelli is currently developing and producing a number of television projects.

Reviews

[B. Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know more about Carol Burnett's life, this is the book for you.
This book was wrote 1988 so there is still a lot more to Carol's life that is not in this book.
As I got back into watching The Carol Burnett Show, I wanted to know more about Carols personal life and this book did not disappoint.
J. Randy Taraborrelli writes some amazing biographies. He puts his journalism to great use and fills every book with many details. His books have me googling every mention of an episode, video, movie, and person. Once you start, you cant stop!

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the availability of information on Carol Burnett's early life. Reading about her living in one room in a boarding house with her grandmother inspired admiration for her long haul to fame. It was to her grandmother that she was saying "I love you" by pulling her ear at end of each show.

[David Sheward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found on my Kindle. From 1988. I have been watching Carol's shows in syndication and on Amazon and I have read two of her memoirs: This Time Together and In Such Good Company. This book covers much of the material missing from those books. Professional and well-paced. Taraborelli has written many bios and it shows. But it's been over 30 years since this was written and much has happened to Carol since--she returned to Broadway as star and playwright, her daughter Carrie passed away, she made yet two more stabs at a regular TV show. Another bio is due.