Discussion:
Howard Keel's Autobiography
(too old to reply)
M***@yahoo.com
2005-03-26 01:25:23 UTC
Permalink
Howard Keel's autobiography, co-written by his close friend Joyce
Spizer Foy, is set to be released in August 2005, by Barricade Books.
The manuscript was sold shortly before he was diagnosed with terminal
cancer, and it has been in the works for several years.

Included is a description of the book by the publisher:

"ONLY MAKE BELIEVE: My Life in Showbusiness

22 Mar 05
Author: Howard Keel with Joyce Spizer Foy
Description: Howard Keel (1919-2004) was a major star during the golden
age of Hollywood musicals, although he is perhaps best known for his
decade-long portrayal of Clayton Farlow on the hit television show,
Dallas.

He made his American film debut in 1950, as sharpshooter Frank Butler
in Annie Get Your Gun. Next came Showboat, and, in 1954, his best-known
film and personal favorite, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. His other
notable films included Fast Company, Calamity Jane, Kiss Me Kate,
Jupiter's Darling, and Kismet.

ONLY MAKE BELIEVE is the frank memoir of a huge film star and a
stand-up guy. Keel dishes on his experiences in Hollywood, his many
leading ladies-including Esther Williams, Kathryn Grayson, Ava
Gardner, and Doris Day-and his rocky personal life, which included
three marriages, several romances with Hollywood's leading ladies, and
a lengthy affair with Marilyn Monroe. His third marriage, to a young
flight attendant named Judy Magamoll, with whom he had four children,
lasted from 1968 until his death in November 2004.

Howard Keel struck stardom early in his life, but saw his career
virtually fade away after the big Hollywood musicals fell out of
fashion. He struggled through two divorces and a declining career to
become a bigger star than ever in his 60s, playing a character on a
wildly popular television soap opera.

This is his story, in his own words, published for the first time.

Joyce Spizer Foy is the author of seven books and teaches creative
writing."


--- Elise
b***@aol.com
2005-03-26 02:39:19 UTC
Permalink
Howard Keel and Marilyn Monroe?????

Holy Moses. I never heard that one before!
Spelvin
2005-03-26 04:44:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@aol.com
Howard Keel and Marilyn Monroe?????
Holy Moses. I never heard that one before!
Probably because the gal who wrote this book made it up.

Spelvin
b***@aol.com
2005-03-26 04:53:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@aol.com
Howard Keel and Marilyn Monroe?????
Holy Moses. I never heard that one before!
Probably because the gal who wrote this book made it up.

Spelvin


Yes, as Joe Franklin undoubtedly did when he insinuated likewise about
a one-night stand involving himself and MM (ditto Jayne Mansfield).
Steven Leifer
2005-03-26 23:21:38 UTC
Permalink
Not Joe Franklin. It was James Bacon.
Post by Spelvin
Post by b***@aol.com
Howard Keel and Marilyn Monroe?????
Holy Moses. I never heard that one before!
Probably because the gal who wrote this book made it up.
Spelvin
Yes, as Joe Franklin undoubtedly did when he insinuated likewise about
a one-night stand involving himself and MM (ditto Jayne Mansfield).
Bushwhacker
2005-03-26 23:53:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steven Leifer
Not Joe Franklin. It was James Bacon.
Post by Spelvin
Post by b***@aol.com
Howard Keel and Marilyn Monroe?????
Holy Moses. I never heard that one before!
Probably because the gal who wrote this book made it up.
Spelvin
Yes, as Joe Franklin undoubtedly did when he insinuated likewise about
a one-night stand involving himself and MM (ditto Jayne Mansfield).
I tend to think that guys who boast about one-nighters, especially with
women who can't refute the story, are telling you more about their lack
of sexual attraction than they realize. If they're so studly, wouldn't
they be worth at least two nights?
John W. Kennedy
2005-03-27 00:59:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bushwhacker
I tend to think that guys who boast about one-nighters, especially with
women who can't refute the story, are telling you more about their lack
of sexual attraction than they realize. If they're so studly, wouldn't
they be worth at least two nights?
I wonder. I remember when Monroe died, /Life/ (or maybe /Time/) quoted
her own remark to the effect that her special attraction was that men
wanted to stay with her "all night".
--
John W. Kennedy
"The bright critics assembled in this volume will doubtless show, in
their sophisticated and ingenious new ways, that, just as /Pooh/ is
suffused with humanism, our humanism itself, at this late date, has
become full of /Pooh./"
-- Frederick Crews. "Postmodern Pooh", Preface
godeep
2005-03-27 01:12:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by John W. Kennedy
Post by Bushwhacker
I tend to think that guys who boast about one-nighters, especially
with women who can't refute the story, are telling you more about
their lack of sexual attraction than they realize. If they're so
studly, wouldn't they be worth at least two nights?
I wonder. I remember when Monroe died, /Life/ (or maybe /Time/) quoted
her own remark to the effect that her special attraction was that men
wanted to stay with her "all night".
Apparently, she was horribly insecure, so the guy may well be telling
the truth. Plus, from what I can tell, having a one-nighter with MM
wasn't all that uncommon.
Steve Newport
2005-03-27 05:53:07 UTC
Permalink
Hal Schaefer, the original dance arranger for FORUM and orchestrator of
FOXY had an affair with Monroe while doing the vocal arrangements for
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. He talks about it on an E!
special. At any rate, I'm really looking forward to Keel's book.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-27 16:29:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
Hal Schaefer, the original dance arranger for FORUM and orchestrator
of FOXY had an affair with Monroe while doing the vocal arrangements
for THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS.
So, in other words, they call screwing her behind the scenery one time
"an affair?"

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-27 17:06:53 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
Hal Schaefer, the original dance arranger for FORUM and orchestrator of
FOXY had an affair with Monroe while doing the vocal arrangements for
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS.
One that continued-- after he became her vocal coach.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
b***@aol.com
2005-03-27 05:41:58 UTC
Permalink
"I suggested to a friend, the small publisher Rudolph Field, that
Marilyn and I write a book together...One night we were working late on
the manuscript. I was astonished to feel her hand on my knee. I
stammered a weak protest. The rest is a fog of Chinese food and Garry
Moore. She had a very severe biological need, a strong biological urge.
I would characterize her as straight-ahead, unemotional, business-like.
Not kinky. Neither dominant nor submissive--neuter. A man could get her
in the sack, and he would think he was the conquerer when actually
*she* made the conquest..."
Spelvin
2005-03-27 16:33:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@aol.com
"I suggested to a friend, the small publisher Rudolph Field, that
Marilyn and I write a book together...One night we were working late
on the manuscript. I was astonished to feel her hand on my knee. I
stammered a weak protest. The rest is a fog of Chinese food and Garry
Moore. She had a very severe biological need, a strong biological
urge. I would characterize her as straight-ahead, unemotional,
business-like. Not kinky. Neither dominant nor submissive--neuter. A
man could get her in the sack, and he would think he was the conquerer
when actually *she* made the conquest..."
Almost that exact story was told by one of the producers of "The Judy
Garland Show" about Judy Garland, right down to the hand on the knee and
the stammered weak protest.

It's one of those urban legends that get reassigned to different people.

There are thousands of show biz folk who claim, to this day, that they
were invited to "that party that night" at Sharon Tate's house in the
summer of 1969 and canceled at the last minute. The only problem is,
there was no party that night. She had some (very unlucky) house
guests, and that was it.

In other words -- I don't believe a single word said or written by show
biz type folk, who crave, even more than ordinary mortals, to be the
center of attention and important.

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-27 17:26:10 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
I don't believe a single word said or written by show biz type folk
--------------------------------------
What about politicians? Newsgroup contributors? If Howard and Hal say
they boinked Marilyn: I believe them.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
fmomoon
2005-03-27 17:48:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
I don't believe a single word said or written by show biz type folk
--------------------------------------
What about politicians? Newsgroup contributors? If Howard and Hal say
they boinked Marilyn: I believe them.
If as many men who claim it, actually did it, no wonder she was always late
on the set. One would be amazed that she got anything done at all!
--
Moni
Steve Newport
2005-03-27 21:36:49 UTC
Permalink
***@comcast.net (fmomoon) <<<<If Howard and Hal say they
boinked Marilyn: I believe them.>>>
----------------------------------
no wonder she was always late on the set.
-----------------------------------
I don't think that was the reason with Larry Olivier.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-28 00:20:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
boinked Marilyn: I believe them.>>>
----------------------------------
no wonder she was always late on the set.
-----------------------------------
I don't think that was the reason with Larry Olivier.
Probably not -- Danny Kaye would have thrown a hissy fit.

Spelvin
Spelvin
2005-03-28 00:19:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
I don't believe a single word said or written by show biz type folk
--------------------------------------
What about politicians?
Politicians are the worst.
Post by Steve Newport
Newsgroup contributors?
Some of them are too HONEST, if anything.
Post by Steve Newport
If Howard and Hal say
they boinked Marilyn: I believe them.
Oh, I'd believe the boinking -- apparently she was the slut to end all
sluts. But they said "affairs." The Keel bio claims a LONGTIME affair,
no less. And I don't believe them.

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-28 04:30:44 UTC
Permalink
***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
Newsgroup contributors? Some of them are too HONEST, if anything.
-------------------------------------
One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-28 16:00:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
Newsgroup contributors? Some of them are too HONEST, if anything.
-------------------------------------
One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest --
I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.

I have a brutally honest cousin -- the kind that says, "You look
terrible today!" -- and no one likes her.

When people say things to me such as, "Be of good cheer, Jesus died for
you and on this glorious day we celebrate that he was risen," I tend
to reply, "Oh, that's a bunch of crap" -- which it IS -- but this
doesn't win me any popularity awards.

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-28 16:47:17 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest --
I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.
----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-29 00:00:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest
-- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.
----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the honest
(and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning and that
this Universe cares zero about us.

Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good things,
so how do you square that with your love of honesty?

Spelvin
John W. Kennedy
2005-03-29 01:51:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest
-- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.
----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the honest
(and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning and that
this Universe cares zero about us.
Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good things,
so how do you square that with your love of honesty?
Don't troll, darling. It doesn't suit you.
--
John W. Kennedy
"Information is light. Information, in itself, about anything, is light."
-- Tom Stoppard. "Night and Day"
Spelvin
2005-03-29 05:53:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by John W. Kennedy
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest
-- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.
----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the honest
(and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning and that
this Universe cares zero about us.
Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good
things, so how do you square that with your love of honesty?
Don't troll, darling. It doesn't suit you.
I haven't got the slightest idea of what you're talking about -- and
neither do you. So don't butt in on my conversations.

Spelvin
Stephen Farrow
2005-03-29 06:11:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spelvin
Post by John W. Kennedy
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being honest
-- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few friends.
----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the honest
(and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning and that
this Universe cares zero about us.
Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good
things, so how do you square that with your love of honesty?
Don't troll, darling. It doesn't suit you.
I haven't got the slightest idea of what you're talking about -- and
neither do you. So don't butt in on my conversations.
Speaking of not having the slightest idea... this is an open, unmoderated
newsgroup. By definition, this is *not* just "your" conversation.
--
Stephen

I don`t know what caffeine does for you, but I`m pretty sure without it your
head caves in.
Spelvin
2005-03-29 15:06:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by Stephen Farrow
Post by Spelvin
Post by John W. Kennedy
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being
honest -- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few
friends. ----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the
honest (and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning
and that this Universe cares zero about us.
Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good
things, so how do you square that with your love of honesty?
Don't troll, darling. It doesn't suit you.
I haven't got the slightest idea of what you're talking about -- and
neither do you. So don't butt in on my conversations.
Speaking of not having the slightest idea... this is an open,
unmoderated newsgroup. By definition, this is *not* just "your"
conversation.
Hey, I don't want you butting in on my conversations, either ...
especially you, seeing as how the amount of respect I have for your
opinions couldn't be detected by the Hubble space telescope.

Spelvin
Stephen Farrow
2005-03-29 15:49:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spelvin
Post by Stephen Farrow
Post by Spelvin
Post by John W. Kennedy
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
<<<One CAN be too thin, but not too honest.>>>
---------------------------
Everyone I know, including myself, who goes through life being
honest -- I may add, brutally honest -- ends up with very few
friends. ----------------------------
So-- stop short of brutally and you have more friends. It's simple.
Honesty is brutal, and few people like it. That's why mankind has
concocted so many religious fantasies for people to escape the
honest (and obvious) fact that we're in a Universe with no meaning
and that this Universe cares zero about us.
Now, as I recall, you think these religious fantasies are good
things, so how do you square that with your love of honesty?
Don't troll, darling. It doesn't suit you.
I haven't got the slightest idea of what you're talking about -- and
neither do you. So don't butt in on my conversations.
Speaking of not having the slightest idea... this is an open,
unmoderated newsgroup. By definition, this is *not* just "your"
conversation.
Hey, I don't want you butting in on my conversations, either ...
especially you, seeing as how the amount of respect I have for your
opinions couldn't be detected by the Hubble space telescope.
Again, this is not just your conversation. It's open to anybody. And I notice
that you still haven't managed to overcome your tired habit of responding to a
criticism with an insult instead of actually addressing the argument.
--
Stephen

I mean, you've seen one big hairy bringer of death, you've seen them all.
Steve Newport
2005-03-29 13:34:15 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
Honesty is brutal....we're in a Universe with no meaning....you think
these religious fantasies
----------------------------------
" A Hundred Million Miracles Are Happ'ning Ev'ry Day, And Those Who Say
They Don't Agree, Are Those Who Do Not Hear or See." While you're still
here, you need to make Peace with a number of things.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-29 15:10:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Steve Newport
Honesty is brutal....we're in a Universe with no meaning....you think
these religious fantasies
----------------------------------
" A Hundred Million Miracles Are Happ'ning Ev'ry Day, And Those Who
Say They Don't Agree, Are Those Who Do Not Hear or See." While you're
still here, you need to make Peace with a number of things.
Yes, but a hundred million really shitty things are happ'nng ev'ry day,
too ... I'm sure you're familiar with them.

The sad fact is that good stuff happens, bad stuff happens, in-between
stuff happens, there's no rhyme or reason to any of it, and the animals
you (correctly) love so much understand this, but we screwed-up humans
don't.

On a trivial note, in our lifetimes musical theatre went from an age of
gold to an age of crap ... would an intelligent, loving god have allowed
that? ;o)

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-29 23:45:49 UTC
Permalink
***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
<<<" A Hundred Million Miracles Are Happ'ning Ev'ry Day, And Those Who
Say They Don't Agree, Are Those Who Do Not Hear or See." While you're
still here, you need to make Peace with a number of things.>>>
---------------------------------
good stuff happens, bad stuff happens, in-between stuff happens, there's
no rhyme or reason
---------------------------------
SN: Oooo, I gotta go play Florence Henderson from SONG OF NORWAY.
----------------------------------
the animals you (correctly) love so much understand this, but we
screwed-up humans
----------------------------------
SN: Speaking of which: one such person will call you a "pro-pet wacko"
(LOL) if you keep talking like that. Splev, "It's Today!" Howard Keel
and Marilyn Monroe (and Larry and Danny) apparently knew that.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
b***@aol.com
2005-03-28 07:01:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spelvin
Post by Steve Newport
If Howard and Hal say
they boinked Marilyn: I believe them.
Oh, I'd believe the boinking -- apparently she was the slut to end all
sluts. But they said "affairs." The Keel bio claims a LONGTIME affair,
no less. And I don't believe them.
Spelvin
I have my doubts about Howard Keel even boinking Marilyn Monroe. I've
heard about "strange bedfellows", but I just wouldn't put those two
together in a million years.
Steve Newport
2005-03-28 13:38:23 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@aol.com
<<<The Keel bio claims a LONGTIME affair>>>
---------------------------
I've heard about "strange bedfellows", but I just wouldn't put those two
together in a million years.
---------------------------------
Too much of a leading man?. Too much of an actor? Too gentile? BFS.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
b***@aol.com
2005-03-30 21:01:13 UTC
Permalink
Too grounded. Too down-to-earth. Too anti-bullshit. Too MGM.

And for what I would like to believe about him, too much of a husband
and father.
Steve Newport
2005-03-31 13:05:39 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@aol.com
too much of a husband
--------------------------------
He was married three times. Maybe Marilyn M. was a fill-in.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-31 15:47:53 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@aol.com
too much of a husband
--------------------------------
He was married three times. Maybe Marilyn M. was a fill-in.
Did you know that when Marilyn Monroe was married to Arthur Miller, her
name became that of one of the greatest stars in musical theatre
history?

Of course you knew that.

I read the other Marilyn slept around a lot, too.

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-03-31 16:24:12 UTC
Permalink
***@nospam.net (Spelvin)
I read the other Marilyn (Miller) slept around a lot, too.
-----------------------------
While she was in SUNNY and down on one knee? What about Marilyn Maxwell?



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
b***@aol.com
2005-03-31 17:16:49 UTC
Permalink
Not bloody likely. His first marriage ended in October, 1948; his
second one began in January, 1949 (the year he came to Hollywood) and
ended in 1970 (eight years after Marilyn's demise).
Steve Newport
2005-03-31 18:48:45 UTC
Permalink
***@aol.com
His first marriage ended in October, 1948; his second one began in
January, 1949 (the year he came to Hollywood) and ended in 1970 (eight
years after Marilyn's demise).
-----------------------------------
So, if he did hook up with Monroe, it must have been extra-marital.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spelvin
2005-03-26 04:43:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by M***@yahoo.com
three marriages, several romances with Hollywood's leading ladies, and
a lengthy affair with Marilyn Monroe.
Yeah... didn't we all.

How lengthy could it have been? Every movie star and politician of his
age said they had an affair with Marilyn Monroe. How many affairs did
she jam into a 36-year life?

It's like all the actresses of that generation who said they were
secretly married to Howard Hughes. He must have had several hundred
secret wives stashed away.

Spelvin
Steve Newport
2005-04-01 17:58:28 UTC
Permalink
***@yahoo.com
Howard Keel's autobiography, co-written by his close friend Joyce Spizer
Foy, is set to be released in August 2005, by Barricade Books. The
manuscript was sold shortly before he was diagnosed with terminal
cancer, and it has been in the works for several years. ONLY MAKE
BELIEVE is the frank memoir of a huge film star and a stand-up guy. Keel
dishes on his experiences in Hollywood, his many leading
ladies-including Esther Williams
---------------------------------
As I recall she had nice things to say about him in her book.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Spizer
2005-08-15 12:50:01 UTC
Permalink
I'm Howard's official biographer and thank you for your many comments. I
have been friends of Howard and Judys for many years. He approved every
word of his manuscript before it went to press. I made up nothing. I even
have wonderful stories that didn't make the book because of page
constraints...signed Joyce Spizer
Steve Newport
2005-08-15 18:11:45 UTC
Permalink
From: ***@nospam.aol.com (Spizer)
I'm Howard's official biographer and thank you for your many comments. I
have been friends of Howard and Judys for many years. He approved every
word of his manuscript before it went to press. I made up nothing. I
even have wonderful stories that didn't make the book because of page
constraints...signed Joyce Spizer
------------------------------------------
I got to see Howard on stage in two separate productions of SOUTH
PACIFIC, ON A CLEAR DAY, PLAZA SUITE, THE FANTASTICKS, THE UNSINKABLE
MOLLY BROWN, and CAROUSEL-- which he also directed.



http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

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