tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post8214885403633360688..comments2024-02-01T23:41:43.069-05:00Comments on Out of the Past: Cagney by CagneyRaquel Stecherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-85656663526475221562013-09-13T11:08:27.764-04:002013-09-13T11:08:27.764-04:00I hope there is footage somewhere of Cagney doing ...I hope there is footage somewhere of Cagney doing martial arts. I'd love to see that! Thanks Carley for your comment.Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-75359821922759249802013-09-13T11:06:56.256-04:002013-09-13T11:06:56.256-04:00Jennifer - Thank you! It was definitely a mixed ba...Jennifer - Thank you! It was definitely a mixed bag but worth the experience reading it. If I had the time, I think I would chase every memoir/autobiography immediately with a full biography if one were available. I think that would prove to be a fuller learning/reading experience.Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-66109401803586466632013-09-05T21:55:03.023-04:002013-09-05T21:55:03.023-04:00Marvelous, as always! And great job in general on ...Marvelous, as always! And great job in general on (And I *love* knowing that Cagney became a martial arts expert and thoughtful painter in his later years. That man.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02215160545738686561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-53434685722794480992013-09-03T16:03:36.772-04:002013-09-03T16:03:36.772-04:00It's always interesting what stars do and don&...It's always interesting what stars do and don't want to talk about in their memoirs. Most of us want to hear all about the making of the films, but the stars themselves often focus on other aspects of their lives (Errol Flynn does the same thing in his book - I was so frustrated not to learn more about the process of making his films!). This book sounds like an interesting read, even if it is a bit of a mixed bag. Thanks for taking the time to read it and tell us about it!Jennifer Garlenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05400915069469993143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-18353837831302808442013-09-03T10:09:09.004-04:002013-09-03T10:09:09.004-04:00Laura - Your review of the DeCarlo book helped me ...Laura - Your review of the DeCarlo book helped me with my review of Cagney. It made me think about why actors/actresses wrote these books. Thanks for that!Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-61118074986774241252013-09-03T10:08:13.443-04:002013-09-03T10:08:13.443-04:00Paulie - I think you would like Cagney's parag...Paulie - I think you would like Cagney's paragraph on how we like to build up heroes and tear them down. Sometimes it's nice to keep our favorite people up on a pedestal and not knock 'em down by learning to much about them. I'm just very curious so I can't seem to do that. I must read all the books about all the classic film stars! LOLRaquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-65548911154580020892013-09-03T10:06:04.647-04:002013-09-03T10:06:04.647-04:00Cliff - Thanks so much for the info on McCabe. I j...Cliff - Thanks so much for the info on McCabe. I just added his book to my wishlist. I figured Cagney had a ghostwriter of some sort even if he did like to do a little humorous writing on his own. I would love to see some of the stories fleshed out a bit more so I definitely want to read the McCabe book.Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-31807012455339137552013-09-03T10:03:35.792-04:002013-09-03T10:03:35.792-04:00Jessica! Thanks for stopping by. Thank you SO MUCH...Jessica! Thanks for stopping by. Thank you SO MUCH for that tip about his kids. I didn't have a clue until you mentioned it and went on a Googling frenzy. I'm starting to understand now why Cagney didn't mention them much in the book. Taking autobios with a grain of salt is a good idea. I did the same with the Orson Welles and Ava Gardner books I read recently. Not really autobios/memoirs but in their own voices and they were definitely performing for an audience.Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-32487678223701341582013-09-03T10:01:40.979-04:002013-09-03T10:01:40.979-04:00Lê - Hooray! You are so right. Autobios are defini...Lê - Hooray! You are so right. Autobios are definitely not tell-alls. The stars who write them definitely want to make sure they get their voice out there and have their chance at setting records straight. It's nice to balance out autobios with bios for sure. Oh yes, I haven't seen The Buster Keaton Story yet but I did hear it was very fictional.Raquel Stecherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02687110907002450794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-1400045348214606662013-09-02T14:24:46.374-04:002013-09-02T14:24:46.374-04:00Really enjoyed your review. I agree that although...Really enjoyed your review. I agree that although it was a good read, there was more I would have liked to hear about -- just as with the Yvonne DeCarlo book I just reviewed. You're right that they shape their books to fit what interests them or what they wish to put out there in public, which is normal but leaves some of us wanting more.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />LauraLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09626109831176745957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-68327272548889710502013-09-02T13:54:25.390-04:002013-09-02T13:54:25.390-04:00nice review Quele! i have never read a book about ...nice review Quele! i have never read a book about Cagney. not sure i ever will. sometimes our heroes are best left mythical i guess :D<br />that is odd he didnt talk about his wife much. Artman2112https://www.blogger.com/profile/03062864368596074661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-64452809962788259372013-09-02T11:31:24.792-04:002013-09-02T11:31:24.792-04:00Always fun to read about Cagney, enjoyed your writ...Always fun to read about Cagney, enjoyed your write-up. I don't have a copy of this, but definitely recommend John McCabe's late '90s Cagney bio titled simply Cagney. If memory serves McCabe actually co-wrote (or maybe it was he was ghostwriter) the earlier book you review here. From the snippets of this one that I've bumped into on Google Books I get the feeling that McCabe retold some of these stories with all the names replaced in his more traditional later biography. That newer book is still in print as a trade paperback too, so readily available and affordable.Cliff Alipertihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07791559437928473638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-67720721619139402782013-09-01T18:10:59.807-04:002013-09-01T18:10:59.807-04:00This sounds like an interesting book, but I would ...This sounds like an interesting book, but I would be disappointed too about the lack of talk about his family or wife. I recently read that he and one of his children didn't talk later in his life, and wanted to know why.<br />Aside from that, your review has made me want to find this book and read it. I never knew he had some disdain for his gangster films! <br />I would def. agree with actors having an agenda. Especially, towards the ends of their books. That's honestly why I take alot of autobios with a grain of salt :)<br />Great review! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6155853741712764167.post-51441608529782006492013-09-01T17:19:33.753-04:002013-09-01T17:19:33.753-04:00Cagney, hooray! And a hooray for your review, too....Cagney, hooray! And a hooray for your review, too.<br />I'm really considering asking biographies on classic stars on Christmas :)<br />Nice to know about this book, yet I really believe autobios may not have the tell-all thing some bios have. Well, each one has advantages and failures. This reminds me of the movie The Buster Keaton Story, that had Buster on the backstage but is highly fictional.<br />Kisses! Lêhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02419693749682458647noreply@blogger.com