Agnes Nixon's autobiography

[vetsoapfan]

 

The book left me with great admiration for Nixon as a person. I love biographies and autobiographies anyway, so even though I was disappointed with the relatively brief amount of time spent on the behind-the-soap-scenes material, the personal stuff was absorbing.

 

 

I wanted both: soap opera information and Nixon's personal history, so I did feel that I got my money's worth in general. But as I mentioned in an earlier post, the book could have easily added another 50 pages at least to fill out the later years of Nixon's life and (particularly) her career.

 

 

She does not even mention it. Nor does she mention anything about Brian Frons and how she was forced out of her own shows. The entire era of when the ABC serials fell into the toilet and were butchered by incompetent PTB is simply skipped over. At the end of the book, she briefly mentions that the soaps HAD been destroyed, and that she HAD been forced out, but nothing whatsoever about the how and the why. No specifics.

 

She also brings up a shocking story about what the executives at SEARCH FOR TOMORROW did to her. After detailing the unfortunate initial events, she goes back to writing about her personal life, without ever letting the reader know the outcome of the SFT drama. It left me very frustrated, considering there is absolutely no way for anyone to find out further details now, 66 years later.

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[amybrickwallace]

Thanks for all of the clarifications. As talented a writer as she was, it wouldn't have hurt to hire a fact-checker.

[Gray Bunny]

Hmm... on the fence now whether I should get it or not. I love autobiographies by soap stars, but the behind-the-scenes dish is always the most interesting. I just finished reading Michael Zaslow's "Not That Man Anymore." It was mostly about his battle with being diagnosed with ALS and his wife's perspective of much of the events. But there were definite snippets of GL and OLTL mentions. I'd probably enjoy a little bit more about GL (they were non-specific regarding executive names, but anyone can figure out it was Paul Rauch), but his story itself was fascinating.  On the other hand, Bill & Susan Seaforth-Hayes' "Like Sands Through The Hourglass" was more of the cherry-picker reading. After their initial courtship and coming together, their personal story basically involves all the different random people they've encountered over the years through their travels. After awhile, I no longer cared about meeting some chick in Bumblefuk who had a great cherry pie recipe or some such stuff. The behind-the-scenes stuff was good though. 

 

There should always be a good balance between personal life and behind-the-scenes recollections, because that's mostly what people are here for. I enjoyed reading the autobiographies of Jeanne Cooper, Bill Bell, and Ken Corday (his was another cherry-picker book). 

[vetsoapfan]

 

Good grief, I did not even know Zaslow had published a book. What did he say about Paul Rauch? Anything remotely decent about that much-loathed producer?

 

I agree that most readers would want a good, solid chunk of these books to provide us with behind-the-scenes details and anecdotes. Details about the authors' personal lives can also be fascinating, but readers want to hear about the soap business too.

 

Ellen Holly's and Mary Stuart's autobiographies had a good balance.

[amybrickwallace]

We have a copy of Michael Zaslow's book in our home, but it's been a long time since I read it. We also bought the book because the proceeds went to his charitable foundation for ALS - my grandfather also died of that horrible disease.

[SFK]

I saw Eric Braedan's autobiography in B&N the other day but didn't see Mrs. Nixon's.  I still haven't read Eight Years in Another World or that OLTL collection of personal narratives, which I'd like to get around to doing.

[amybrickwallace]

I checked Harding Lemay's book out of the library years ago and it was an interesting read. I really enjoyed Llanview in the Afternoon. I'm hoping the author can talk to more OLTL people and make an expanded, updated version!!

[vetsoapfan]

 

These are two of the best ones to read, IMHO.

 

Also very interesting are Ellen Holly's book (although she comes across as slightly unhinged at times) and Mary Stuart's.

[amybrickwallace]

Kim Zimmer's book is one of the best in terms of behind the scenes stories (both good and bad) and personal life. She is very candid about her battles with Ellen Wheeler, the problems with the production model, and her own problems with the final years of GL that led her to drink (and get arrested for DUI).

[Gray Bunny]

 

Oh yes that's a good one. I can't believe it slipped my mind. She did not hold back or try to sugarcoat her own actions. A definite good read. 

[Khan]

KZ made EW look even more incompetent as an EP than she did already.  I loved it.

[Soapsuds]

Do tell!

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[amybrickwallace]

 

Yet, Kim did give credit where credit was due. When the GL cast and crew flew down to New Orleans after Katrina to help with the recovery/rebuilding effort, KZ noted that Ellen was a tireless worker. She said that the conversations they had there were the best that they ever had. Kim also mentioned that there were times that she also went too far in her arguments with Ellen.

[Khan]

 

I'm talking specifically about one conversation (or confrontation) KZ had with EW in the latter's office, which ended with Wheeler, crying (as usual, because that's all she knew how to do as an actress AND as a producer), and storming after Zimmer down the hall.  Soooo childish.

[Gray Bunny]

 

It's a great read. It was published in 2005. It's a combination of Michael's recollections & journaling during 1996-1998, along with his wife Susan's recollections, filling in the gaps and giving her viewpoint. They quoted MADD's "wizened old man," though didn't name her directly. Plus, they mentioned the new EP's (Rauch) long history on previous soaps of having tension with some actors as well as personal relationships... 

 

It was sad to read the part where many GL castmembers attended an ALS event (Zimmer, ver Dorn, Kiefer, Hammer, Budig, etc. etc.) and saw Zas for the first time in over a year. Although they didn't say anything, their shocked expressions showed they were not aware of how badly he had deteriorated. 

 

Another sad note: Of that family unit (Michael, Susan & daughters Marika and Helena), only one is still alive. Susan died in 2006 of cancer, and daughter Helena died in 2005. 

 

 

I liked the part where the whole GL cast watched the "new" business model in February 2008 with the Peapack filming in full effect and the new opening theme debut. Afterwards, nearly everyone left the viewing room grumbling about how awful quality it was. That hurt Wheeler's feelings extremely. I mean, shoot... they're actors, but even the best can only suppress disgust to a certain degree.