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The Girl Next Door--And How She Grew: An Autobiography
by
Jane Powell
One of MGM's most appealing and successful musical stars gives a revealing account of her life in the public limelight as "The Girl Next Door"--an intimate portrait of a child studio star. Her peers, including Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, and Debbie Reynolds, are brought to life.
Hardcover
,
253 pages
Published
December 31st 1988
by William Morrow & Company
(first published July 1988)
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Community Reviews
(showing
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An enjoyable read. Having been written in 1988 the book doesn't bring the reader up to the present day but it offers a clear eyed and honest view of a woman whose career was chosen for her. She is very honest about her faults, a pleaser to the point of damage to her well being and a crippling inability to be alone, and how she conquered them. A more in depth look at her film career would have been nice since that's a large part of her fame. She discusses frankly many things that touched her life
...more
Jane Powell is not the most recognized name in Hollywood history, but the petite actress has her place as a very pleasant singing star who enjoyed a brief career as a box office attraction. She left Hollywood at the beginning of the demise of the studio system and spent her later years with her family, doing summer stock, and performing on television.
This is a quick read, but not an entirely filling meal. Jane gives a lot of information about her feelings and the important moments in her life, b ...more
This is a quick read, but not an entirely filling meal. Jane gives a lot of information about her feelings and the important moments in her life, b ...more
Dec 30, 2008
Herb
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any classic movie lover & lovers of popular music
Recommended to Herb by:
Myself
An excellent account of the life of one of America's "Girl Next Door" film stars of the 1940's and 50's. Remember "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"? Worth reading.
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| Favorite Jane Powell movie? | 2 | 2 | Aug 22, 2012 10:02AM |
Suzanne Burce became Jane Powell when she hit the screen in 1944. She became a top singing star for MGM making splashy musicals usually concerning her teenage character falling in love and having conflicts with her parents. She also toured with live musical productions and appeared on television for years after her film career ended.
She has been married five times and has three children.
More about Jane Powell...
She has been married five times and has three children.
