Shelley: Also Known as Shirley

by Shelley Winters

Book Overview

The electrifying and outspoken memoirs of an earthy and unusually intelligent actress. In a book as gutsy and spunky as the lady herself, Shelley Winters tells of the street-smart kid from Brooklyn... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688036384
• ISBN13: 9780688036386
• Release Date: January 1980
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 511 Pages

Customer Reviews

RIP

A bigger than life talent, Ms. Winters was a mammoth personality. This biography successfully chronicles her many tastes and serves up a piping hot tribute to her gargantuan film legacy. Ms. Winters suffered no fools and hated juvenile attempts at humor. For that, I will always remember her fondly.

An outstanding show-biz memoir

Shelley Winters was one of the most outstanding character actresses of her generation. She was also a human - being of tremendous warmth, ambition, and moxie. In this chronicle of her early years she tells the story of her professional and personal life with a great deal of zest and flavor. She will not get an A for personal modesty or keeping the strictures of traditional morality, but she does get an A as being a person of great insight and caring for others. The story of her first marriage and those early years I found moving and sad. A person who seemed to entertain in whatever she did-she provides here too a very entertaining piece of literature.

Who cares if it's true or not?

This book is one of the most entertaining autobiographies I have ever read. I have heard many reviews saying how this book is full of lies, etc, but I didn't care. One of the first things Ms. Winters writes in the book is that this was her life how SHE remembers it, and that it may not be all correct, but people remember things the way they want. Take this as truth or fiction; either way it is a great look at a young girl's rise to fame in 1940s and 50s Hollywood. It gave me insight into the post-war Hollywood machine, and what it was like to be an up-and-comer surrounded by these big-name stars. Ms. Winters' style is casual, as if she was writing it to each reader personally. If any of this interests you, definatly get your hands on a copy.

Everything you never wanted to know about Shelley....

It's everything you never wanted to know about Shelley's love life but were afraid she'd tell you anyway. And now she does, and it's most entertaining. Other people kiss and tell: Shelley....well, you do the math! She's a personable and energetic writer, and this book is a lot of fun to read. Some of her diatribes about Method acting seem dated if not outrageous now, considering her subsequent career, but even they are fun to read. Among Shelley's colleagues and contemporaries who have written better autobiographies, I'd recommend Maureen Stapleton, Colleen Dewhurst, Betty Comden, and above all, Lauren Bacall. But this is a delicious, if slightly guilty pleasure.

Shelley had quite a life

Quite an interesting autobiography, not like any ive ever read. I just picked it up at the thrift store, what the heck. It was only $.20. She was quite promiscuous, though i must say, coming from a different lifestly and point-of-view on things, she was very casual about her acqauntances. Maybe im just old-fashioned, but i thought most of it was repelling. But interesting life, nonetheless.