My Anecdotal Life: A Memoir
by Carl Reiner
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Description
More than once, friends of Carl Reiner said, "You ought to write those things down." And at the age of eighty, Carl finally did. In this funny and engaging memoir, Reiner recounts his show business life in short comic takes. After answering an ad for free acting classes, he forsook a budding vocation as a machinist for an acting career. Reiner recalls the highlights of the succeeding decades: his first sweaty audition - impersonating a dog impersonating movie stars, his forays into the show more theater, his work on Your Show of Shows and The Dick Van Dyke Show during TV's golden days, and his long friendship and collaboration with Mel Brooks, which gave birth to the Two Thousand Year Old Man. Ann Bancroft, Johnny Carson, Sid Caesar, Cary Grant, Jean Renoir, Mickey Rooney, Dinah Shore, Mary Tyler Moore - the list goes on and on - also appear in what Reiner calls the "literary variety show" that captures the highs and lows of his extraordinary life. Through it all, Reiner displays the wit and warmth that made him one of the most beloved figures in the entertainment business. Read by Reiner himself, this charming memoir will delight anyone who wants a behind-the-scenes look at five decades of Hollywood and television history. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This was a simple, fun read by a very creative, very funny man. It was really just a series of essays rather than a memoir or autobiography.
Loved it.
Always knew Carl was hilarious on various shows/series, but it turns out he's brilliant in print too.
Always knew Carl was hilarious on various shows/series, but it turns out he's brilliant in print too.
Ratings
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Author Information
89+ Works 1,919 Members
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2003
- People/Characters
- Carl Reiner
- Epigraph
- Inviting people to laugh with you while you are laughing at yourself is a good thing to do. You may be the fool but you're the fool in charge.----Carl Reiner, My anecdotal life.
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Biography & Memoir, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 791.45 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Movies, TV, Video Motion pictures, radio, television, podcasting Television
- LCC
- PN2287 .R43 .A3 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Dramatic representation. The theater Special regions or countries
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 127
- Popularity
- 256,877
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.65)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 5
