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Rob Baker's Reviews > The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family
The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family
by
by
Awesome from start to finish, this book works on so many levels:
As individual memoirs for each of the brothers, Ron and Clint, detailing their personal and career ups and downs; as a family portrait, a testament to their love and respect for each other and their parents; and as a Hollywood behind-the-scenes “tell-all” (though there’s not much scandal) about their work on their classics and their duds.
So interesting to read about their experiences acting in “The Andy Griffith Show”, “Gentle Ben”, “The Music Man”, “Star Trek”, “American Graffiti”, “Happy Days”, and myriad other shows, as well as Ron’s gradual transformation into an Oscar-winning director (especially fun is the story of the making of his first feature film, “Grand Theft Auto”).
They both write with clarity, wisdom, honesty, and self-effacing humor. A joy to read!
As individual memoirs for each of the brothers, Ron and Clint, detailing their personal and career ups and downs; as a family portrait, a testament to their love and respect for each other and their parents; and as a Hollywood behind-the-scenes “tell-all” (though there’s not much scandal) about their work on their classics and their duds.
So interesting to read about their experiences acting in “The Andy Griffith Show”, “Gentle Ben”, “The Music Man”, “Star Trek”, “American Graffiti”, “Happy Days”, and myriad other shows, as well as Ron’s gradual transformation into an Oscar-winning director (especially fun is the story of the making of his first feature film, “Grand Theft Auto”).
They both write with clarity, wisdom, honesty, and self-effacing humor. A joy to read!
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Reading Progress
January 14, 2024
– Shelved
January 14, 2024
– Shelved as:
to-read
February 3, 2024
–
Started Reading
February 6, 2024
–
6.87%
"So refreshing to read about a Hollywood family that seems healthy and loving, and where victimhood is not the main focus of the adult children's lives."
page
27
February 7, 2024
–
14.76%
"Into the "Andy Griffith" years. By the time he was five, Ron Howard had already been in many movies and TV shows (including a classic "Twilight Zone") and had acted with the likes of Yul Brynner, Burt Lahr, Mel Blanc, and many other Hollywood legends."
page
58
February 8, 2024
–
21.63%
"The "Mayberry" years.
Lots of interesting tidbits about the actors and relationships behind the scenes., e.g., who knew that Hal Smith, who played Otis, the town drunk, was also performed cartoon voices for "Huckleberry Hound", "The Flintstones", and, "Quick Draw McGraw", as well as being the spokesman for the International House of Pancakes."
page
85
Lots of interesting tidbits about the actors and relationships behind the scenes., e.g., who knew that Hal Smith, who played Otis, the town drunk, was also performed cartoon voices for "Huckleberry Hound", "The Flintstones", and, "Quick Draw McGraw", as well as being the spokesman for the International House of Pancakes."
February 9, 2024
–
27.48%
"Ron Howard was in "The Music Man" and sang about the "Wells Fargo Wagon", today's version of the Amazon Van ;) His father explained to him what the Wagon was by comparing it to the mail-order catalogs of yore:
'When I was a boy, there was no Sears store, you had to send away for things you wanted.'... He reminisced about how he and his parents circled the items they wanted and..ordered these items by mail" (90)."
page
108
'When I was a boy, there was no Sears store, you had to send away for things you wanted.'... He reminisced about how he and his parents circled the items they wanted and..ordered these items by mail" (90)."
February 10, 2024
–
35.11%
""My time in front of the camera is what gave me the confidence to get through the social trials of my childhood years. In Mayberry, as Opie, I was at ease. It was away from the stages that I had to prove my value and self-worth.The tenuous, competitive, often merciless world of show business was a safer space for me than the familiar hallways and playgrounds that the rest of my generation was inhabiting" (114)"
page
138
February 11, 2024
–
40.97%
"I wasn't familiar with Ron's brother, Clint, who co-wrote this book, though it turns out I've seen him, at least in some of his childhood performances. He starred in the series "Gentle Ben" with Dennis Weaver and had a memorable role in an early "Star Trek" episode, in addition to a bunch of other one-offs or minor roles."
page
161
February 13, 2024
–
53.69%
""To some degree, the industry is set up to fail and destabilize child actors. They're in demand when they're prepubescent and cute, but less so as they enter adolescence. Just as these kids are entering the most vulnerable years of their childhoods--self-award, awkward, and hormonal--their livelihood and sense of identity are pulled out from under them" (186-187)."
page
211
February 14, 2024
–
70.48%
"Interesting stories about the making of "American Graffiti"; now onto the "Happy Days" years..."
page
277
February 17, 2024
–
83.46%
"The first Ron feature film Ron Howard directed (and co-wrote), "Grand Theft Auto", started as a title and a concept given to him by Roger Corman:
"If you could come up with a car-crash comedy called 'Grand Theft Auto'...I'd probably make that picture. Provided you also star in it" (326)."
page
328
"If you could come up with a car-crash comedy called 'Grand Theft Auto'...I'd probably make that picture. Provided you also star in it" (326)."
February 17, 2024
– Shelved as:
nonfiction
February 17, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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Diane
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Feb 19, 2024 07:35AM
It's nice to hear about a celebrity memoir with all these positives Ron. I'll bet it was fascinating.
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Sorry it took me so long to respond, Diane. It was indeed very refreshing to read such an optimistic and loving, but also honestly reflective, memoir!
