Book description
The son of famed director and screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All
About Eve [1950], Guys and Dolls [1955], Cleopatra [1963]) and the
nephew of Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz
was genuine Hollywood royalty. He grew up in Beverly Hills and New
York, spent summers on his dad's film sets, had his first drink with
Humphrey Bogart, dined with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, went
to the theater with Ava Gardner, and traveled the world writing for
Brando, Sinatra, and Connery. Although his family connections led him
to show business, Tom "Mank" Mankiewicz forged a career of
his own, becoming a renowned screenwriter, director, and producer of
acclaimed films and television shows. He wrote screenplays for three
James Bond films -- Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Live and Let Die
(1973), and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) -- and made his
directorial debut with the hit TV series Hart to Hart (1979--1984). My
Life as a Mankiewicz is a fascinating look at the life of an
individual whose creativity and work ethic established him as a member
of the Hollywood writing elite.
Mankiewicz details his journey through the inner world of the
television and film industries, beginning with his first job as
production assistant on The Comancheros (1961), starring John Wayne.
My Life as a Mankiewicz illuminates his professional development as a
writer and director, detailing his friendships and romantic
relationships with some of Hollywood's biggest stars as well as his
struggle with alcohol and drugs. With the assistance of Robert Crane,
Mankiewicz tells a story of personal achievement and offers an
insider's view of the glamorous world of Hollywood during the 1960s,
1970s, and 1980s.
""A primer on the industry from someone who experienced
it up close and personal throughout his whole life."--Yahoo!
Movies" --
Tom Mankiewicz (1942--2010) was a screenwriter, director, and
producer of motion pictures and television series, perhaps best known
for his work on the James Bond films, Superman (1978), Superman II
(1980), and the television series Hart to Hart (1979--1984).
Robert Crane is coauthor of Bruce Dern: Things I've Said, but
Probably Shouldn't Have -- An Unrepentant Memoir, Jack Nicholson: The
Early Years, and SCTV: Behind the Scenes as well as a contributor to
Hal Ashby: Interviews. He lives in Los Angeles.
