Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
by John Lahr
On This Page
Description
John Lahr's stunning and complex biography of his father, the legendary actor and comedian Bert Lahr Notes on a Cowardly Lion is John Lahr's masterwork: an all-encompassing biography of his father, the comedian and performer Bert Lahr. Best known as the Cowardly Lion in MGM's classic The Wizard of Oz, Lahr was a consummate artist whose career spanned burlesque, vaudeville, Broadway, and Hollywood. While he could be equally raucous and polished in public, Lahr was painfully insecure and show more self-absorbed in private, keeping his family at arm's length as he quietly battled his inner demons. Told with an impressive objectivity and keen understanding of the construction--and destruction--of the performer, Notes on a Cowardly Lion is more than one man's quest to understand his father; it is an extraordinary examination of a life in American show business. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Normally I don't read biographies, especially show business biographies. That isn't to say I never read them, just not in the usual pattern of things. However, Bert Lahr has always held a special place in my heart, so I bought this one on a whim one day while browsing through a used book store. I'm so very glad I did.
Notes on a Cowardly Lion may be the best show biz biography I've ever read. John Lahr knew his father's strengths and weaknesses intimately, and portrays them honestly, without blinking, without flinching. A wonderful, moving, funny and sad story. With pictures and script excerpts from Bert Lahr's 60+ year career.
Notes on a Cowardly Lion may be the best show biz biography I've ever read. John Lahr knew his father's strengths and weaknesses intimately, and portrays them honestly, without blinking, without flinching. A wonderful, moving, funny and sad story. With pictures and script excerpts from Bert Lahr's 60+ year career.
This a very compelling biography. While this book, written by his son, is intimate and affectionate, John Lahr still succeeds in building all the frank details of his fathe'rs life into a exemplar of theatrical history and and a profound psychological study of a performer. He doesn't pull any punches, but I found his portrayal of Bert Lahr more sympathetic, rather than less so, because I felt I could see him as a whole person.
Superb.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Mustich's 1000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life Changing List
1,001 works; 20 members
Author Information
30+ Works 1,589 Members
John Lahr is a National Book Critics Circle Award Winner and Book Award Finalist. He is the author of eighteen books and was the senior drama critic of The New Yorker for over two decades. He lives in London.
Awards and Honors
Notable Lists
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
- Original title
- Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
- Original publication date
- 1969
- People/Characters
- Bert Lahr; John Lahr
- Important places
- Oz; Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA; Culver City, California, USA; MGM Studios (Culver City, California, USA); Los Angeles, California, USA
- Dedication
- For Anthea, who gave a new life to this book and to me
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 791.0924 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Public performances History, geographic treatment, biography Biography
- LCC
- PN2287 .L15 .L3 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Dramatic representation. The theater Special regions or countries
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 175
- Popularity
- 187,801
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (4.36)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 9
