I Love the Illusion: The Life And Career of Agnes Moorehead

I Love the Illusion: The Life And Career of Agnes Moorehead
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION RE: THIS BOOK

Bewitching Star

So much more than Endora

The other side of Endora

A Good Biography of an Elusive Subject

I Love the Illusion: The Life And Career of Agnes Moorehead
Charles Tranberg
Manufacturer: Bearmanor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593930291

Book Description

This book is based on more than three years of research and include more than 30 interviews conducted by the author with such friends and co-workers as Debbie Reynolds, Jane Wyman and Karl Malden. The author had access to more than 150 boxes of Agnes Moorehead papers which are stored at the Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison. He also had access to the Orson Welles papers held at the Lily Library in Bloomington, Indiana and the Paul Gregory (who produced Moorehead's acclaimed stage productions) Papers held at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. The author also quotes from private letters between Agnes Moorehead and her secretary over the course of two decades--letters which give Moorehead's biting critiques of the social morals of the 60's; her television series "Bewitched"; and other aspects of her private and professional lives. In addition the author provides the reader with a comprehensive listing of the many sources he used as well as a comprehensive listing of Moorehead stage, screen, radio and television appearances. This is the first comprehensive biography of one of the most acclaimed actresses of her time with never before revealed tidbits which will delight her many fans.

Customer Reviews:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION RE: THIS BOOK.......2007-08-10

Just a quick note to let you know that this edition of the book is out of print. The book proved to be very popular and the publisher has put out a second edition, which also can be found here on Amazon for ordering. The second edition of I LOVE THE ILLUSION: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF AGNES MOOREHEAD, 2ND EDITION, includes new material not in the first printing. You can find the new edition, listed at $24.95, here on Amazon! under BOOKS, LISTED AS I LOVE THE ILLUSION: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF AGNES MOOREHEAD, or under the author's name, CHARLES TRANBERG. As the author, I would like to THANK everybody who bought this first edition and I appreciate the reviews that were given it by readers.

Bewitching Star.......2007-03-10

An extremely interesting book on one of the worlds most underated actresses. Well researched and contains information not previously recorded. The lists of Miss Moorehead's radio, stage, film and television work is extensive. This book proves there is much more to Agnes than Endora.

So much more than Endora.......2006-11-02

I was delighted to discover this book because Agnes Morehead was successful in every acting venue of her time, but largely remembered today only for her delightful, but campy, Endora on Bewitched. Mr. Tranberg clearly made every effort to cover her long and varied career in depth and to give us as complete a portrait of this private lady as can be hoped for. He made good use of the papers she donated to a library when she died and interviewed people who knew her both professionally and personally. I did not find as many mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. as other reviewers have mentioned, most likely because I read a paperback edition which apparently was more tightly edited. Or maybe I'm just getting senile and missed them.
I did catch the fact that Mr. Tranberg referred, correctly, to the fact that Julie Andrews won the Oscar the year Ms. Morehead's good friend, Debbie Reynolds, was nominated for Molly Brown, but he incorrectly said that Julie won for The Sound of Music. Her winning performance was in Mary Poppins.
Considering the dreadful state of much of the writing about "celebrities" we are offered today, I can wholeheartedly recommend this fine attempt to help us understand and remember one of the greatest actresses of the 20th century.
As a special treat, find Ms. Morehead's "Sorry, Wrong Number" on a recording of classic radio performances. It still stands as one of the outstanding radio moments of all time.

The other side of Endora.......2006-08-19

I am currently half way through the book. The writer has done his homework and gives an in depth look at the career of this wonderful actress. Prior to reading this biography, I knew that Agnes Moorhead had a film career beginning with Citizen Kane; I did not know about her earlier years on the stage and radio.

A Good Biography of an Elusive Subject.......2006-08-15

What makes this book a standout are the extensive quotes included from people who knew Miss Moorehead well and for a lengthy period. Mr. Tranberg even managed to find a friend of her mother, who contributed some charming memories about Miss Moorehead's parents. Photographs are plentiful, and most I had never seen before. The number of sources is impressive, and the book is well organized, seamlessly interweaving biographical details with an assessment of her work. The editorial eerrors were jarring but not a major detraction.

Here and elsewhere I've read that Agnes Moorehead tried hard to keep her private life private. Previous treatments of Miss Moorehead have either dealt with her career almost exclusively ("Good Dames" and Lynn Kear's excellent chronicle of her work) or else have focused on select aspects of her personal life ("Agnes Moorehead: A Very Private Person" and "Hollywood Lesbians"). If the portrait still seems incomplete, it's not owing to Mr. Tranberg's thorough research but rather the difficulty of his subject: Most of Miss Moorehead's contemporaries are no longer available for interviews, contemporary interviews with Miss Moorehead are scarce, she seemed aloof to many of her colleagues, and in all likelihood Miss Moorehead left behind no diaries or personal letters. That considered, it's surprising that Mr. Tranberg was able to flesh out her personal life to the extent that he did.

I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead, 2nd edition

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I Love the Illusion, Ed. 2!
New and Improved

I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead, 2nd edition
Charles Tranberg
Manufacturer: BearManor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 159393095X

Book Description

Lovers of old-time radio hold a special place in their heart for Agnes Moorehead. She was one of the busiest and most definitive actresses of that medium. The bottom line is that Agnes Moorehead is one of the few actresses who succeeded in every realm of show business: stage, radio, film, and television. The respect of her peers can be summed up in these statistics: four Academy Award nominations, seven Emmy nominations - with one win - two Golden Globe nominations - with two wins - and the Best Actress award from the New York Film Critics. This impressive, 400+ page biography, complete with filmography and radiography, proves to readers and scholars alike that she was much more than the witch of Endor! *This is the 2nd edition of the bestselling book, with new material and cover!*

Customer Reviews:

I Love the Illusion, Ed. 2!.......2007-10-14

I am thrilled to see this definitive biography on Agnes Moorehead in print again. I enjoy having both editions since the covers are different. There is also new material in the back of the book. I especially liked Tranberg's lecture material being added to the book. This is a must-have collectible for fans of radio, TV, and any of Agnes's film projects.

New and Improved.......2007-09-21

For those who didn't think Tranberg could improve on the perfection of the first edition - guess again! There are even more tidbits of information contained in these pages, including an amazing epilogue by premiere Bewitched historian Herbie J. Pilato Bewitched Forever: 40th Anniversary Edition. A great addition to the collections of both those who have read/own the first one as well as those who haven't gotten around to buying one yet.

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Personal account of the career of one of the Confederacy's most controversial leaders and intractable defenders.

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A thrilling story right up to the end.......2001-01-27

The thing that amazed me the most about TWO YEARS ON THE ALABAMA was that I was unable to put it down. Each chapter gave me a curiosity and eagerness to find out what would happen next, even though I was acquainted with the general facts of the Alabama's depredations. Although Sinclair wrote this book some time after the Civil War the writing style shows no signs of being outdated and therefore the book is very easy to read. On the whole, it read almost like some adventure novel, like Jules Verne's 20,000 leagues under the sea. It is an absolute must for everyone interested in Civil War naval matters, and I think a lot non-Civil War enthusiasts will enjoy it as well.

I highly recommend this book to students of Naval History........1998-07-31

TWO YEARS ON THE ALABAMA is a contemporary account of the voyages and sailors of the CSS ALABAMA. It was written by Lt. Arthur Sinclair, the fifth officer of the ship. It provides a comprehensive account of the ships encountered and prizes taken by this vessel in the service of the Confederate States. I liked very much the personal details of the lives of the individual officers and men who crewed her. There are over 30 illustrations showing portraits of many of these men and this helped to put a human face on this account. It showed Captain Semmes to be a brilliant naval officer and not at all the pirate the northern press often portrayed him to be.He was an expert in international maritime law and followed it to the letter.On two occasions he released ships taken as prizes when he determined that they had been apprehended just inside the 3 mile limit. There was an excellent account of the battle with Kearsarge and the Alabama's sinking. I was pleasantly surprised to f! ind there was no attempt to rewrite history or refight battles or take the apologist's role by Sinclair. Just simple, factual accounting. I highly recommend this book to the historian with an interest in Civil War naval operations.

Two Years on the Alabama: A Firsthand Account of the Daring Exploits of the Infamous Confederate Raider

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Fascinating read

Two Years on the Alabama: A Firsthand Account of the Daring Exploits of the Infamous Confederate Raider
Arthur Sinclair
Manufacturer: Tantallon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Fascinating read.......2004-07-28

TWO YEARS is an extraordinary first-person account of some of the most exciting naval history in the civil war. Filled with drama and action, this book grips the reader from page one. Although it would have been helpful if the editors had included a glossary of slang from that era, the book is easily read and understood despite being an historical account.

Alabama board adopts ban on nepotism at two-year colleges.(around the nation): An article from: Community College Week

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Alabama board adopts ban on nepotism at two-year colleges.(around the nation): An article from: Community College Week
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Community College Week, published by Thomson Gale on February 12, 2007. The length of the article is 563 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Alabama board adopts ban on nepotism at two-year colleges.(around the nation)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Community College Week (Newspaper)
Date: February 12, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 13 Page: 11(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Alabama executive agrees to guilty plea in two-year college investigation.: An article from: Community College Week

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Alabama executive agrees to guilty plea in two-year college investigation.: An article from: Community College Week
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Community College Week, published by Thomson Gale on June 18, 2007. The length of the article is 639 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Alabama executive agrees to guilty plea in two-year college investigation.
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Community College Week (Newspaper)
Date: June 18, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 21 Page: 18(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Alabama two-year colleges--still the "good ol' boy" network.(point of view): An article from: Community College Week

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Alabama two-year colleges--still the "good ol' boy" network.(point of view): An article from: Community College Week
Robert J. Walker
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Community College Week, published by Thomson Gale on May 8, 2006. The length of the article is 1137 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Alabama two-year colleges--still the "good ol' boy" network.(point of view)
Author: Robert J. Walker
Publication: Community College Week (Newspaper)
Date: May 8, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 18 Issue: 20 Page: 4(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Banker convicted as part of probe into Alabama two-year colleges.: An article from: Community College Week

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Banker convicted as part of probe into Alabama two-year colleges.: An article from: Community College Week
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Community College Week, published by Thomson Gale on February 26, 2007. The length of the article is 735 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Banker convicted as part of probe into Alabama two-year colleges.
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Community College Week (Newspaper)
Date: February 26, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 14 Page: 15(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

An innovative method to fund new chemical instrumentation and increase laboratory safety with applications for state two and four year colleges and universities ... Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science

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An innovative method to fund new chemical instrumentation and increase laboratory safety with applications for state two and four year colleges and universities ... Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science
Steven E. Arnold , Miriam K. Findley , Christopher A.L. Mahaffy , Jill Rawlings , Randall E. Richardson , Randy D. Russell , and Nicholas C. Thomas
Manufacturer: Alabama Academy of Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science, published by Alabama Academy of Science on January 1, 2003. The length of the article is 3147 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An innovative method to fund new chemical instrumentation and increase laboratory safety with applications for state two and four year colleges and universities in Alabama.
Author: Steven E. Arnold
Publication: Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2003
Publisher: Alabama Academy of Science
Volume: 74 Issue: 1 Page: 29(8)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Interim head of Alabama's two-year college system resigns.(around the nation): An article from: Community College Week

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Interim head of Alabama's two-year college system resigns.(around the nation): An article from: Community College Week
Desiree Hunter
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Community College Week, published by Thomson Gale on March 26, 2007. The length of the article is 844 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Interim head of Alabama's two-year college system resigns.(around the nation)
Author: Desiree Hunter
Publication: Community College Week (Newspaper)
Date: March 26, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 19 Issue: 15-2 Page: 3(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The New Prince: Machiavelli Updated for the Twenty-First Century
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Do as I say, not as I do.

Good observations...less than desirable messenger

A Piece of Genius

Want to survive in workplace and get ahead?

The New Prince

The New Prince: Machiavelli Updated for the Twenty-First Century
Dick Morris
Manufacturer: Renaissance Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Amazon.com

It is beyond irony for Dick Morris, the man who has done as much as anyone in the 1990s to increase cynicism in the political process and encourage politicians to play to our worst fears and instincts, to turn around and say that politicians should be more idealistic because that's what people want. Yet that's the premise of The New Prince. Morris--who rose to national prominence by telling Bill Clinton what to say to appease Democratic liberals as he shifted party policy to the right--argues that the new pragmatism in politics is "to stay positive; to focus on the issues; to rise above party; and to lead through ideas.... Our candidates and office holders need to change their tactics, their focus, and their strategies--not in the interest of better government, but in order to succeed in their chosen line of work." Fewer people are voting, he says, but the ones who do are better informed, so message is more important than money now. Although he argued for early negative ads in the 1996 presidential campaign, Morris has seen the light, saying that "voters have moved beyond" negative ads. He also thinks Americans are sick of scandal, which is why the Republicans couldn't impeach Bill Clinton over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Arguing that politicians have to constantly take the public temperature to govern effectively--"Each day is election day in modern America"--Morris justifies the constant polling that he has used as a political tactic throughout his career. So what is leadership? Morris defines it as maintaining "sufficient forward momentum to control events and steer public policy without losing public support."

Essentially, The New Prince is a handbook for politicians who want to get themselves elected, whether it be to the school board or the presidency, and on that level it works. But as a sage commentary on the state of politics at the end of the 20th century... heaven help us. --Linda Killian

Book Description

Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince has been one of the most widely read and quoted book about politics during the past five centuries. But in the democracies of the information age, new ideas are needed to make government prosper through the next century. Now, Dick Morris, who contributed significantly to President Clinton's reelection in 1996 and, during the previous two decades, helped many public officials (Democrats and Republicans alike) gain office, takes a hard look at our times and writes a how-to book for office-seekers, special-interest groups, and students of politics. In The New Prince, Morris advises candidates to adopt idealism as a strategy-not because of misguided altruism, but because it works. He tells politicians, advocacy groups, business leaders, and citizens how to promote their causes and get their jobs done effectively. And he offers insights into the character of the most remarkable political figures of our time and outlines what he believes will be the political agenda for the next century.

Customer Reviews:

Do as I say, not as I do........2004-03-26

This is an interesting read. Morris describes how the new political system works. Since he and his best bud Bill Clinton upset the political formula in the nineties, this was something to behold.
This book is chock full of good advice. I can repeat them here: have a message, focus that message to the voters, forget about the undecided-they don't vote anyway, stay positive, when the election turns dirty, focus on your opponents misrepresentations, etc. I don't think Morris actually followed this advice, but hey, what do you expect from a politician.
I think this is sage advice. The messenger was bad. Americans don't like dirty campaigns. They want the message of what a person stands for. This is a book about how a good campaign should be run. For those considering running for an elective office, this is a very good read. It is Politics 101. I just wish the author was different.

Good observations...less than desirable messenger.......2001-12-06

For many liberal Democrats like myself, Mr. Morris's plan to take the Democratic party rightward was a mixed blessing.

On one hand, it cracked the Republican stranglehold on suburbia that hardened during the Reagan-Bush years and insulated Clinton from appearing too soft--charges that had plauged both George McGovern and Walter Mondale during their respective candidacies. On the other hand, it appropriated some of the very same imagery and concepts that people such as myself found repugnant such as overly simplistic notions of faith and family.

Morris's observations come from a man who was in the trenches of what many people said was impossible past the 1960's--a two term Democratic adminstration that managed to retain the support of more solidly left groups on civil rights, reproductive issues and idenity politics while reaching out and embracing fiscal conservatives and moderates who would other wise believe that every democrat is uniformally of the "Tax and Spend" and "godless" variety.

Indeed, there is a certain irony that a man who encouraged the Democratic party to downplay some of it's most distingushing principles on social policy wound up himself subject to some virtrolic character examinations following public disclosure of a political affair of his own. Although the resulting fallout did not profoundly impact his boss's success, it did damage Morris's own ability to effect political change and realignment.

What had seemed creepy and moralizing before now appeared to be laughably hypocritical and ironically self-serving.

A Piece of Genius.......2001-10-28

Mr. Morris' book is inspiring. I read the original Prince by Machiavelli, but it was inconclusive and difficult to apply to today's democratic standards (although there are some things that will never change). This book can be applied in all stations and situations of life, for all of these are relative.
I believe that this is, truly, a guide to people--not just politics. It is a worthwhile read.

Want to survive in workplace and get ahead?.......2001-08-31

I read this book and applied the concepts to overcome a seemingly impossible situation. Result, I got one of the highest ratings in my department. My department is also one of the best and the toughest to succeed in. I like this book because it is well organized and you do not have to read it cover to cover. You simply review the section you need advice on. I wish Morris would write a book about staying in the top ranks after you succeed.

The New Prince.......2000-10-26

This is one of the easiest-to-read, most comprehensible political books I have ever read. Dick Morris made his basic ideas about a subject some call "dull" become important to the reader. "The New Prince" provided me with a deeper understanding of politics, giving me new insights into the subject. I have not yet read "The Prince" by Machiavelli, but nonetheless this book appears to have ideas that will prove meaningful in the years to come. Dick Morris gives more credit to voters than most people in the political arena do. He realizes that voters no longer make decisions based on single issues. He recognizes that people today are much more informed than citizens of past administrations. In America, people no longer want to elect a senator, let him do his job, and six years later evaluate his work in another election. They want involvement all the time. The author shows us how these changes in the desires of citizens change how a politician should make decisions. This books expresses great new political ideas in user-friendly vocabulary through an almost conversational tone with understandable, sound examples.

The New Prince: Machiavelli Updated for the Twenty-First Century

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The New Prince: Machiavelli Updated for the Twenty-First Century
Dick Morris
Manufacturer: Renaissance Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1DJHU

Customer Reviews:

This is the best book I found on Canaries........1997-12-01

I found this is one of the best books put out on the subject of canaries. It is difficult to understand why it was taken out of print. As a Song Canary Breeder I have recomended this book to all who are thinking of breeding any Canaries.

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