Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography
by Rob Lowe
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Actor Rob Lowe's memoir presents a wryly funny and surprisingly moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye.A teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood.
The show more Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics both on the set and in the actual White House. And in between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the eighties, leading to his quest for family and sobriety.
Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe's Stories I Only Tell My Friends delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last twenty-five years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable.
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A gracefully written account of a career and life at midpoint - proof that it's possible to overcome poor choices to build a solid and satisfying existence. I have the audiobook, which Lowe reads himself, and he's really good. If you're looking for kiss-and-tell, this isn't it; however, anyone who enjoys an account that not only says a lot about an industry in structural transition but also makes it possible to read between the lines as to who is benefiting from the new ways of doing business in Hollywood will find this book both interesting and worthwhile. It's certainly one of the best movie-star memoirs to come out in a long time.
This was probably one of my favorite autobiographies to date. Having Rob Lowe read his own life story, you get a feel for the emotion behind certain chapters in his life, which was such a bonus. The experiences he shared from his childhood, of his parent's divorce, being uprooted from Ohio, and his mother's mental ups and downs really do correlate to the addictions and issues he struggled through later in life. Interestingly enough, he had a constant, internal dream of the stable family with a wife and children he loved. Despite his good looks, his easy women, and his foray into addiction, Hollywood seems to be something that he has figured out and given a spot in his life, but not given the spotlight. That journey was really show more interesting to sit back and experience with him.
One of the things I found most interesting about this autobiography was Lowe's constant identification with his passions. Acting is obviously something that he is incredibly passionate about. He loves acting, and it shows in the way he talks about the movies and television shows he has been in. Rather than always playing the lead role, he learned that he had an aptitude for playing the supporting role in comedies. Now he is engaged in searching out great films that he can direct and be involved in producing. It's nice to see how passionate he is about acting and to hear about the craftsmen side of things.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends is a juicy read, filled with Hollywood tales and insider stories. Rob Lowe has seemed to rub shoulders with presidents, stars, and royalty alike and has the stories to back them. However, his end goal seemed to be more about finding happiness, which he has done with a wife that is his match in friendship and love, and with the jewels of his life, his sons. The passion he feels for his family and acting make his life story even more interesting. I enjoyed listening to this audio book and would definitely recommend giving it a try. The biography feels true to Lowe as a person and allows us a nice insider view. show less
One of the things I found most interesting about this autobiography was Lowe's constant identification with his passions. Acting is obviously something that he is incredibly passionate about. He loves acting, and it shows in the way he talks about the movies and television shows he has been in. Rather than always playing the lead role, he learned that he had an aptitude for playing the supporting role in comedies. Now he is engaged in searching out great films that he can direct and be involved in producing. It's nice to see how passionate he is about acting and to hear about the craftsmen side of things.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends is a juicy read, filled with Hollywood tales and insider stories. Rob Lowe has seemed to rub shoulders with presidents, stars, and royalty alike and has the stories to back them. However, his end goal seemed to be more about finding happiness, which he has done with a wife that is his match in friendship and love, and with the jewels of his life, his sons. The passion he feels for his family and acting make his life story even more interesting. I enjoyed listening to this audio book and would definitely recommend giving it a try. The biography feels true to Lowe as a person and allows us a nice insider view. show less
Edit: it seems that Lowe is coming out with a second memoir this April called Love Life.
I listened to this as an audio book. It's read by Rob Lowe. I always love reading memoirs when they are read by the author (Bossypants by Tina Fey is also a fave). Plus I am a tv and movie nerd, so memoirs about stars are my cup of tea. Hearing Rob read his memoir as I drove back and forth to work was like having someone in the passenger seat telling me stories.
And Lowe's stories are great. There are times when I thought there was a lot of name dropping, but then I realized it wasn't really, it's just that he has been a star surrounded by stars from a young age, and that just IS his life.
He recounts his move from Ohio to California with his mom show more and young brothers, becoming friends with the Sheen's who lived nearby, and not being accepted by the cool surfer kid crowd. His experience filming The Outsiders with then unknowns Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, and Emilio Estevez, made you feel as though you were listening in on a secret, or as though you also knew these actors too before they were famous. Pre-Brat Pack days.
I had no idea that Lowe briefly dated Princess Stephanie of Monaco, or that he was politically active. One story really sticks out for me - Lowe was asked by Jane Fonda to join a bus tour that would go around California, stopping to rally for Prop 65 (In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address their growing concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. That initiative became the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known by its original name of Proposition 65. -http://oehha.ca.gov/) Lowe talks about being in a Greyhound bus with a bunch of stars. Lowe and Michael J. Fox opened up the roof hatch of the bus and were goofing off. A police car made the bus pull over, and made everyone get out. One by one, stars piled out of the bus - Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, etc.(Lowe describes it as being 'like a celebrity clown car'). The way he describes the look on the starstruck police officer's face is pretty funny.
Another story I found interesting was his discussion of the West Wing. JFK Jr watched the pilot episode and loved it so much that he wanted Rob Lowe to be on the cover of his magazine called George. JFK Jr's plane crashed just days before the photo shoot for the cover - http://www.amazon.com/George-Magazine-September-Janet-Reagans/dp/B0013D35V4.
I was a little disappointed that he didn't talk more about Parks and Recreation, but maybe these stories will show up in his new memoir.
TLDR: Read this if you like celebrity memoirs. show less
I listened to this as an audio book. It's read by Rob Lowe. I always love reading memoirs when they are read by the author (Bossypants by Tina Fey is also a fave). Plus I am a tv and movie nerd, so memoirs about stars are my cup of tea. Hearing Rob read his memoir as I drove back and forth to work was like having someone in the passenger seat telling me stories.
And Lowe's stories are great. There are times when I thought there was a lot of name dropping, but then I realized it wasn't really, it's just that he has been a star surrounded by stars from a young age, and that just IS his life.
He recounts his move from Ohio to California with his mom show more and young brothers, becoming friends with the Sheen's who lived nearby, and not being accepted by the cool surfer kid crowd. His experience filming The Outsiders with then unknowns Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, and Emilio Estevez, made you feel as though you were listening in on a secret, or as though you also knew these actors too before they were famous. Pre-Brat Pack days.
I had no idea that Lowe briefly dated Princess Stephanie of Monaco, or that he was politically active. One story really sticks out for me - Lowe was asked by Jane Fonda to join a bus tour that would go around California, stopping to rally for Prop 65 (In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address their growing concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals. That initiative became the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known by its original name of Proposition 65. -http://oehha.ca.gov/) Lowe talks about being in a Greyhound bus with a bunch of stars. Lowe and Michael J. Fox opened up the roof hatch of the bus and were goofing off. A police car made the bus pull over, and made everyone get out. One by one, stars piled out of the bus - Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, etc.(Lowe describes it as being 'like a celebrity clown car'). The way he describes the look on the starstruck police officer's face is pretty funny.
Another story I found interesting was his discussion of the West Wing. JFK Jr watched the pilot episode and loved it so much that he wanted Rob Lowe to be on the cover of his magazine called George. JFK Jr's plane crashed just days before the photo shoot for the cover - http://www.amazon.com/George-Magazine-September-Janet-Reagans/dp/B0013D35V4.
I was a little disappointed that he didn't talk more about Parks and Recreation, but maybe these stories will show up in his new memoir.
TLDR: Read this if you like celebrity memoirs. show less
My wife and I started listening to this audiobook a couple months back during a road trip to see our daughter's college graduation. While it was amusing enough to keep us occupied in the car, it was hard to build up much enthusiasm to sit and listen to the end once we got home, but we finally made some time at my urging in order to get this off my currently reading list.
I have mixed feelings about Rob Lowe, because he just oozes handsome jackass in his every move and word -- and this book really cements that initial impression. And yet I have seen a hell of a lot of his film and television work, including his current stint on 9-1-1: Lone Star and his hilarious turn as Chris Traeger on Parks and Recreation. (Alas, neither of those shows show more get much attention here as the anecdotes in this 2011 book wrap up with the end of his tenure on The West Wing.)
My wife is a huge fan of The Outsiders and really appreciated the extensive behind-the-scenes information Lowe shares about making the film. I found them interesting also, along with all the other stories he shares about his career and personal life.
I'll never like Rob Lowe as a person, I suppose, but I do admire his persistence through all the crap life has thrown at him as well as all the crap of his own making. show less
I have mixed feelings about Rob Lowe, because he just oozes handsome jackass in his every move and word -- and this book really cements that initial impression. And yet I have seen a hell of a lot of his film and television work, including his current stint on 9-1-1: Lone Star and his hilarious turn as Chris Traeger on Parks and Recreation. (Alas, neither of those shows show more get much attention here as the anecdotes in this 2011 book wrap up with the end of his tenure on The West Wing.)
My wife is a huge fan of The Outsiders and really appreciated the extensive behind-the-scenes information Lowe shares about making the film. I found them interesting also, along with all the other stories he shares about his career and personal life.
I'll never like Rob Lowe as a person, I suppose, but I do admire his persistence through all the crap life has thrown at him as well as all the crap of his own making. show less
File under: "Not Just a Pretty Face." Rob Lowe is actually a pretty good writer, and his autobiography was quite an engaging and entertaining read for this former 1980s teenager. There are a few too many carefully plotted, breathless reveals of famous names here, but there's a lot of heart and insight too. Well done.
Lowe can be so funny (for example, in the second Austin Powers movie, on Parks and Recreation, and now on the Hulu series The Grinder) that I expected him to be equipped with a little more irony and perspective than the average Hollywood actor. But he isn't. He's merely a decent man who went through the crazy cycle of huge fame bestowed too young and came out the other side with his soul intact—an accomplishment not to be sneered at. His memoir is a quick read. I felt compassion for him at times, while at others I was disappointed at his naïveté. (He believes that because he and his friends shared drinks, women, and their own company with a "balding and skinny" profile writer from New York magazine, the journalist was morally show more obligated to write a puff piece.) And it's telling to me that while he shows ample regret at the toll his lifestyle of excess took on himself, he can't think of any hurt he might have caused anyone else during those years.
But this sounds too harsh. The '80s are long gone, and along with them, some of the star power that Rob Lowe abused. I believe in his talent, his sincerity, and his devotion to his family, and what else can we expect from someone who's walked in his shoes? show less
But this sounds too harsh. The '80s are long gone, and along with them, some of the star power that Rob Lowe abused. I believe in his talent, his sincerity, and his devotion to his family, and what else can we expect from someone who's walked in his shoes? show less
If someone made up this life as a story, no one would like it -- it would be too contrived. How can so many amazing things happen to a guy so likeable?
Living down the road from the Sheens; meeting Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, and others; dating Princess Stephanie of Monacco (and discovering she had a crush on him, too!); witnessing some amazing Hollywood projects; travelling on the 9/11 test flight; working with the Who's Who of Hollywood; loving acting and being able to break into the business to full stardom; recovering from alcoholism; and a whole lot more: its unbelievable.
Lowe tells his stories with humility, realism, and wit. He does not hide from his darker events, but he does not sensationalize them, show more either (in fact, he sometimes assumes you already heard about them and gives very limited information). Woven throughout his stories are some very astute observations about show business and life.
It's an enjoyable read or listen (he does well with many of the voices of his colleagues), and helpful for people who want to be actors.
My favourite jokes: Michael J. Fox's rib about the cop who raved about Back to the Future because "St. Elmo's Fire was probably sold out"
and Robert Wagner's quip made in the company of Cary Grant, Prince Rainer, and others, that Rob had "banged all of their daughters."
You have to read it. show less
Living down the road from the Sheens; meeting Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, and others; dating Princess Stephanie of Monacco (and discovering she had a crush on him, too!); witnessing some amazing Hollywood projects; travelling on the 9/11 test flight; working with the Who's Who of Hollywood; loving acting and being able to break into the business to full stardom; recovering from alcoholism; and a whole lot more: its unbelievable.
Lowe tells his stories with humility, realism, and wit. He does not hide from his darker events, but he does not sensationalize them, show more either (in fact, he sometimes assumes you already heard about them and gives very limited information). Woven throughout his stories are some very astute observations about show business and life.
It's an enjoyable read or listen (he does well with many of the voices of his colleagues), and helpful for people who want to be actors.
My favourite jokes: Michael J. Fox's rib about the cop who raved about Back to the Future because "St. Elmo's Fire was probably sold out"
and Robert Wagner's quip made in the company of Cary Grant, Prince Rainer, and others, that Rob had "banged all of their daughters."
You have to read it. show less
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Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe was born on March 17, 1964 in Charlottesville, Virginia. He attended Santa Monica High School, the same high school as fellow actors Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, and Chris Penn. One of Lowe's earliest roles came in the 1983 TV movie Thursday's Child, for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination for show more "Best Actor in a TV Movie/Miniseries. His breakthrough came in 1983, when he and Emilio Estevez were cast in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders, which remains one of his most famous roles. Lowe played the role of Sodapop Curtis, the brother of the main character Ponyboy Curtis. Lowe and Estevez reunited in St. Elmo's Fire, making them the two more prominent actors from the group known as the Brat Pack. Lowe is also known for playing Sam Seaborn in the television series The West Wing from 1999 to 2003. His performance in the show garnered Lowe an Emmy and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor in a Drama Series. In 2005, he starred as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee in a London West End production of Sorkin's play A Few Good Men, the first time the two had worked together since The West Wing. Despite his two canceled TV series and flops like View From the Top and the made-for-TV movie Perfect Strangers during his post West Wing run, Lowe found success in the TV miniseries genre. In 2004 he marked his return to this genre; he had appeared in 1994's The Stand, based on Stephen King's book of the same name. In 2004, Lowe starred in the TNT remake of the Stephen King miniseries Salem's Lot which was the highest rated cable program of that summer and the highest ratings TNT original programming had at the time. In 2005, Lowe starred in the miniseries Beach Girls on the Lifetime network, based on the Luanne Rice novel of the same name. The series premiere received the highest ratings for a movie premiere in Lifetime history. In that same year, Lowe filmed his critically acclaimed role as super movie agent in the 2006 independent film Thank You for Smoking. In 2006, it was announced that Lowe would join the cast of Brothers & Sisters for a guest run of several episodes. In January 2007, ABC announced that Lowe would be staying on Brothers and Sisters as a "special guest star" for the rest of season 1 after Lowe's initial appearance on the show in November 2006 brought the best ratings and demographic showing for the show since its premiere. Soon after ABC announced an early season 2 renewal for Brother & Sisters in March 2007, Lowe announced he would be returning for the show's second season. He continued to appear in the series until the end of the 2009/2010 season. Rob Lowe authored the book Stories I Only Tell My Best Friends: An Autobiography whcih made the 2011 Publisher's Weekly Best Seller List. He followed that with more stories in his book Love Life in 2014. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography
- Original publication date
- 2011
- People/Characters
- Rob Lowe; Emilio Estevez; Charlie Sheen; Martin Sheen; Tom Cruise; Francis Ford Coppola (show all 86); Patrick Swayze; Melissa Gilbert; Charles Davis "Chuck" Lowe (father of Rob Lowe); Barbara Lowe (né | e Barbara Hepler); Chad Lowe (brother of Rob Lowe); Justin Lowe (brother of Rob Lowe); Micah Dyer (half-brother of Rob Lowe); Kay Lowe (stepmother of Rob Lowe); Bill Dyer (stepfather of Rob Lowe); John F. Kennedy, Jr.; Liza Minnelli; Jack Haley, Jr.; Telly Savalas; Sheryl Berkoff (wife of Rob Lowe); Chris Penn; Sean Penn; Stephen Wilson (doctor, stepfather of Rob Lowe); Bernie Brillstein; John Belushi; Holly Robinson; Dolores Robinson (mother of Holly Robinson); LeVar Burton; Dean Cain; Eileen Brennan; Janet Jackson; Ron Howard; Cary Grant; Jennifer Grant (daughter of Cary Grant); Matt Dillon; C. Thomas Howell; Andrew McCarthy; Ralph Macchio; Diane Lane; S. E. Hinton; John Cusack; Daryl Hannah; Jodie Foster; Nastassja Kinski; Dino de Laurentiis; Tony Richardson (director); Andy Warhol; Roman Polanski; Bill Murray; Demi Moore; Judd Nelson; Joel Schumacher; Paul Newman; Jane Fonda; Jim Belushi; Edward Zwick; Michael J. Fox; Peter Fonda; Tom Hayden; Christopher Walken; Princess Stephanie of Monaco; Prince Rainier of Monaco; Peter Bogdanovich; Frank Sinatra; Dick Wolff; Michael Dukakis; Lloyd Bentsen; Lucille Ball; Snow White; Aaron Spelling; Ponyboy Curtis; Sodapop "Soda" Curtis; Darrel "Darry" Curtis; Dallas "Dally" Winston; Michael Myers; Dana Carvey; Chris Farley; James Cameron; Aaron Sorkin; Lorne Michaels; Chevy Chase; Corrie; Tony; Peter; Sarah Jessica Parker; Glenn Souham
- Important places
- Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA; Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; Dayton, Ohio, USA; Malibu, California, USA; New York, New York, USA; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA (show all 7); Fiji
- Dedication
- For my family: Sheryl, Matthew, and Johnowen. In memory of my mother, Barbara.
- First words
- I had always had an affinity for him, an admiration for his easy grace, his natural charisma, despite the fact that for the better part of a decade my then girlfriend kept a picture of him running shirtless through Central Pa... (show all)rk on her refrigerator door.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And I'm glad.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 791.4302 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Public performances Motion pictures, radio, television, podcasting Motion pictures Standard subdivisions
- LCC
- PN2287 .L664 .A3 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Dramatic representation. The theater Special regions or countries
- BISAC
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- 1,389
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- 17,070
- Reviews
- 116
- Rating
- (3.78)
- Languages
- English, Norwegian (Bokmål)
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 14
- ASINs
- 15