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Some Enchanted Evenings

The Glittering Life and Times of Mary Martin

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
A fascinating new biography of Mary Martin, the girl whose heart belonged to daddy, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Janet Gaynor, and Peter Pan.Mary Martin was one of the greatest stars of her day. Growing up in Texas, she was married early to Benjamin Hagman and gave birth to her first child, Larry Hagman. She was divorced even more quickly. Martin left little Larry with her parents and took off for Hollywood. She didn't make a dent in the movie industry and was lured to New York where she found herself auditioning for Cole Porter and his new show Leave It to Me! After she sang the bawdy "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", she ended up on the cover of Life magazine. Six years later, she became the toast of Broadway when she starred in South Pacific. After that, she flew as Peter Pan, yodeled in The Sound of Music, took Hello, Dolly! on the road, and shared a four-poster with Robert Preston in I Do! I Do!Her personal life was just as interesting: in NYC, she met and married Richard Halliday, a closeted upper-class homosexual who adored her, Broadway, and interior decorating (though probably not in that order). They were a powerful twosome. There were rumors about Martin, too, being in a lesbian relationship with both Janet Gaynor and Jean Arthur. Peopled with legends like Ethel Merman, Ezio Pinza, Noël Coward, and a starry cast of thousands, David Kaufman's Some Enchanted Evenings is the delectable story of the one and only Mary Martin, a self-described chicken farmer from Texas who became Peter Pan and capture America's heart.
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 9, 2016
      Theater critic Kaufman (Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door) continues in his theatrical biography niche with arguably the most exhaustively researched treatise ever compiled regarding Broadway and Hollywood legend Mary Martin, best known for originating roles in South Pacific and The Sound of Music. Kaufman’s tome begins in Martin’s teens, as he struggles to find the truth of Martin’s marriage to Ben Hagman in conflicting accounts from Martin’s family, friends, and notoriously unreliable autobiography. The sense of uncertainty persists as Kaufman drops hints about Martin’s widely rumored romantic relationship with close friend and fellow actor Janet Gaynor, noting her early choices in queer-oriented reading materials and the duo’s latter-day intimate friendship. At times, Kaufman’s propensity for denseness and frequent asides into backstage networking make his prose too dry for any but the most scholarly of theatre buffs. Still, insights into the changing nature of Broadway over the course of Martin’s lengthy career make this an intriguing read for those interested in charting such histories, and Martin stands as an essential touchstone for those who came after.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This somewhat plodding biography uses detailed anecdotes to flesh out actress Mary Martin's enigmatic and capricious personality. Bernadette Dunne's narration is soft, understated, and controlled. Both Martin's marriages are examined at some length. Her marriage to the crass Ben Hagman produced son Larry Hagman, who played television's J.R. Ewing on "Dallas". Insights are provided for Martin's lack of great success in films and her very great success in both Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway vehicles. Her roles in the Broadway and television versions of the musical PETER PAN are mined for many behind-the-scenes insights. Dunne's narration reflects an entirely different period and style in American musical theater. Those who remember that time will enjoy returning; students of that era will be enlightened. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

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  • English

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