Beaverhausen Book Nook: Debbie Reynolds' Make 'Em Laugh

Debbie Reynolds is a very bright, funny lady, which is evident when you read her latest memoir, Make 'Em Laugh. Memoirs have been very popular over the last couple of years and this one's bound to be a big seller.

Ms Reynolds' new book is rich with gossipy tidbits. Like how Milton Berle hired Scotty Bowers (author of his own gossipy Hollywood memoir, Full Service http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/02/fill-it-up.html) to serve food at his party with his well-endowed manly parts displayed on the tray along with the food. (Lee Roy Reams confided a similar story to me earlier this year.) Or how Desi Arnaz was a big womanizer. "He was a charmer when he was sober, but when he drank it was all over." Bob Hope was yet another famous Hollywood cad according to Debbie.

Everyone who's anyone in Film Land is in this book. Ms Reynolds compares Faye Dunaway to her nemesis Shelley Winters as having a Method actress look in her eyes "even when there's no acting to be done." As for Ms Winters, Reynolds describes her as a rich skinflint and talks about how Winters one-upped her at a What's the Matter with Helen? promotional stage event.

Reynolds is a friend of the LGBT community and has starred as Liberace's mother in Behind the Candelabra, Kevin Kline's mom in In and Out, and has guested as Deborah Messing's mother on Will and Grace in a recurring role. She has previously published an autobiography in 1988 and, in 2013, a previous memoir, Unsinkable.

Make 'Em Laugh, co-written by Dorian Hannaway, is chockfull of entertaining details and descriptions about the stars, told at a rapid pace by a motion picture icon and insider. Intimate information of her marriage to Eddie Fisher, his relationship with Liz Taylor, their daughter Carrie, and husband Harry Carl (who left her bankrupt) are all laid bare. Photos from the star's scrapbooks are included. Gossip enthusiasts are assured a good time reading Make 'Em Laugh. And, yes, it has an index.

Highly recommended. Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and bookstores everywhere.

Video Beaverhausen: What's the Matter with Helen?

Goody goody, and hooray and hallelujah!

1971's What's the Matter with Helen? was written by Henry Farrell, who previously scripted What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.

Again, Mr Farrell created a star vehicle for aging stars. Debbie Reynolds looked glamorous and could still tap dance with the best of them. Call this "Screaming in the Rain" if you'd like.

The story is about the mothers of two convicted killers who bond during that horrible ordeal and decide to move to L.A. The film is set in the 1930s. In Hollywood, the odd couple set up a tap dance studio together for aspiring Shirley Temple types. Debbie teaches, Shelley accompanies on piano.

It is rumored Debbie, a co-producer of this film, thought Shelley was unpleasant to work with and overly competitive. Shelley said, of Debbie, "Thank God they didn't give me a real knife!" This only added to the tension between them on-screen.

When Shelley does crazy, she goes full throttle and over-the-top, as you all know. What's the Matter with Helen? is a camp, Grand Guignol, hagtastic classic, and the friction between the two leads only adds to the tension in the film.

Dennis Weaver is Debbie's boyfriend and Agnes Moorehead gives a wonderfully unforgettable co-starring performance. Handsomely filmed in Technicolor, nicely edited, sturdy direction by Curtis Harrington. Highly recommended.

Dance to Dominique by The Singing Nun

The holidays are near, so it's time for a little camp religiosity. And what could make our hearts sing out more than the 1964 smash radio hit, "Dominique," by The Singing Nun (Belgium's sister Jeanine Deckers)? Now, Jeanine had a lot of issues with the Catholic church. Plus, she was a lesbian. Sadly, in 1985, she and her long-time companion committed suicide with an overdose of barbiturates and alcohol. She was 51.

Here's the hot dance version of her song as it was remixed in the '90s:

And Debbie Reynolds' cover (in English, of course) from the totally artificial, Hollywood movie version of The Singing Nun, though Debbie's voice is a pleasure to listen to:


Happy holidays, sisters!