| Jeanette MacDonald Autobiography: The Lost Manuscript | |
|---|---|
Jeanette MacDonald Autobiography first edition cover. |
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| Author(s) | Sharon Rich Jeanette MacDonald |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Autobiography |
| Publisher | Bell Harbour Press |
| Publication date | July 23, 2004 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 455 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 9780971199880 |
| OCLC Number | 61369536 |
Jeanette MacDonald Autobiography: The Lost Manuscript, Annotated by Sharon Rich
“Perhaps the most unbelievable note I ever received backstage was between the second and third act of [the opera] Romeo and Juliet. It read: ‘Please sing “The Indian Love Call” during the next intermission.’”
So writes Jeanette MacDonald in her previously unpublished autobiography. This book is the unpublished edition dating from summer 1960. Written in collaboration with movie magazine writer Fredda Dudley Balling, the typewritten manuscript has MacDonald’s hand-written comments and corrections on nearly every page. She crossed out certain sensitive passages and entire pages but the full manuscript is reproduced in its original form. The autobiography discusses MacDonald's career and her romances with her manager Bob Ritchie, film co-star Nelson Eddy and husband Gene Raymond.
An introductory chapter includes background data on Fredda Dudley Balling and her letters regarding their collaboration and the final book. MacDonald biographer Sharon Rich annotated the manuscript, adding biographical material, filmography, photos and a color picture gallery. The book was published in 2004 by Bell Harbour Press.