Hollywood Through My Eyes The Lives & Loves of a Golden Age Siren

 Author's Summary

HOLLYWOOD THROUGH MY EYES is the intimate portrait of "America's Singing Sweetheart": Monica Lewis. It chronicles a young girl's rise from Depression-era Chicago, through the glamour and grit of New York City's nightclub scene and live broadcasting (including the very first Ed Sullivan Show), and finally to the privileged environs of Beverly Hills as the wife of top MCA/Universal executive and producer Jennings Lang.

Follow Monica as she gets her first job with Benny Goodman, sings on the radio with Frank Sinatra, tours war-torn Korea with Danny Kaye, goes out on the town with Ronald Reagan, clowns with Red Skelton at MGM, and opens her Beverly Hills mansion to an impressive list of Who's Who including Senator Ted Kennedy, Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Ava Gardner, Steven Spielberg, and the Beatles.

MWSA Review

Winter 2011 Reading List

A picture driven, encyclopedic collection of Hollywood stars met and personal relationships made while the author sings and acts within America’s vintage entertainment industry.  Monica Lewis works the 1940’s nightclubs, hosts radio programs, contracts to record, acts out movie and TV roles, serves the troops in Korea with Danny Kaye, and leads a philanthropic lifestyle in Beverly Hills. Name them and Monica knew them – Ed Sullivan, Kirk Douglas, Ronald Reagan, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Bob Hope - to name just a few!  The Beatles perform on the temporary stage in the backyard and crash for the night in the living room, Paul Newman regularly plays tennis at the mansion, and friends Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis attend the author’s 1953 opening performance at the Plaza Hotel’s Persian Room in the Big Apple. The reader will enjoy the upbeat writing style and tributes to family.  If you only have a passing interest in Hollywood, this book will hook you on every page.  I highly recommend Hollywood Through My Eyes for those who would enjoy a superbly organized, guided tour down Hollywood’s historical path.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (November 2011)