A Most Remarkable Fella : Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life: A Portrait by His Daughter

Rating:
Summary: A good book on an unpleasant man
Review: Frank Loesser, who wrote "Guys and Dolls," "Where's Charley," "Greenwillow" and the newly produced musical of twentieth Century Mexico, "Senor Discretion Himself," had two intriguing wives and a life filled with smart business decisions and personal unhappiness. His daughter, Susan, has written an affectionate memoir of her old man which opens up the tarp in a pretty bizarre pup-tent. Loesser's blue language is startling, and his temper and amour-propre make me dislike him intensely. Other glimpses of his personality depend, I suppose, on how much the reader can swallow. Here's that's always subjective. His sketches and doodles are cute, but not worth reprinting here as though they were fine art. The descriptions of her father's hand-made furniture have more mystery to them, one wonders what kind of person would make such strange contraptions. However, he couldn't have been that bad if his daughter, apparently the salt of the earth, and his widow, the cabaret songstress Jo Sullivan, give vivid testimonial to his time on earth. A remarkable fella indeed, even if a kind of creep.

Rating:
Summary: A good book on an unpleasant man
Review: Frank Loesser, who wrote "Guys and Dolls," "Where's Charley," "Greenwillow" and the newly produced musical of twentieth Century Mexico, "Senor Discretion Himself," had two intriguing wives and a life filled with smart business decisions and personal unhappiness. His daughter, Susan, has written an affectionate memoir of her old man which opens up the tarp in a pretty bizarre pup-tent. Loesser's blue language is startling, and his temper and amour-propre make me dislike him intensely. Other glimpses of his personality depend, I suppose, on how much the reader can swallow. Here's that's always subjective. His sketches and doodles are cute, but not worth reprinting here as though they were fine art. The descriptions of her father's hand-made furniture have more mystery to them, one wonders what kind of person would make such strange contraptions. However, he couldn't have been that bad if his daughter, apparently the salt of the earth, and his widow, the cabaret songstress Jo Sullivan, give vivid testimonial to his time on earth. A remarkable fella indeed, even if a kind of creep.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Biography
Review: I highly recommend this well written, thoughtful, highly personal biography by Frank Loesser's daughter. If at all possible it is a good idea, I feel, to be playing through the "Frank Loesser Songbook" on your piano during the period you are reading this biography, as the combination of playing Frank Loesser's music on the piano in conjunction with reading his daughter's explanations of how the music came to be, is powerful to say the least. I had not realized until I read this book how important Frank Loesser is to Broadway. I now understand that Loesser is up there with Rogers/Hammerstein and Sondheim. Frank Loesser was larger than life. In my opinion we all owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter for writing a book about him that will live on to be the definitive, and only, book about this important man's amazing, interesting life.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Biography
Review: I highly recommend this well written, thoughtful, highly personal biography by Frank Loesser's daughter. If at all possible it is a good idea, I feel, to be playing through the "Frank Loesser Songbook" on your piano during the period you are reading this biography, as the combination of playing Frank Loesser's music on the piano in conjunction with reading his daughter's explanations of how the music came to be, is powerful to say the least. I had not realized until I read this book how important Frank Loesser is to Broadway. I now understand that Loesser is up there with Rogers/Hammerstein and Sondheim. Frank Loesser was larger than life. In my opinion we all owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter for writing a book about him that will live on to be the definitive, and only, book about this important man's amazing, interesting life.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Biography
Review: I highly recommend this well written, thoughtful, highly personal biography by Frank Loesser's daughter. If at all possible it is a good idea, I feel, to be playing through the "Frank Loesser Songbook" on your piano during the period you are reading this biography, as the combination of playing Frank Loesser's music on the piano in conjunction with reading his daughter's explanations of how the music came to be, is powerful to say the least. I had not realized until I read this book how important Frank Loesser is to Broadway. I now understand that Loesser is up there with Rogers/Hammerstein and Sondheim. Frank Loesser was larger than life. In my opinion we all owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter for writing a book about him that will live on to be the definitive, and only, book about this important man's amazing, interesting life.

Rating:
Summary: The man behind the songs
Review: Susan Loesser's biography of her father, Frank, does what it set out to do: Tell us about the man behind the songs. Unfortunately, that man wasn't as appealing as his music. I was disappointed to find out how Mr. Loesser treated his family and those he worked with. It seems that those who are most talented are often prima donnas personally, and Frank Loesser certainly fit that mold. HIs violent temper, condescending attitudes toward those who didn't meet his standards, and complete failure as a father comprised the dark side of Mr. Loesser. And that sailor's tongue! Hats off to the author for not glossing over these facts. She's frank (no pun intended) in expressing her disappointment with certain traits of her father.

However, there was a very bright side to Frank Loesser, and the book focuses primarily on this side of his life. His astounding command of the language in his lyrics and his entertaining personal letters highlight the brilliant talents that made him the household name he is.

Of particular note are the details surrounding his vision of such shows as Guys and Dolls, and his various friendships (with people such as John Steinbeck) and his conflicts (his disagreements with Frank Sinatra were entertaining to read). It's also fun to hear the fascinating personal anecdotes shared by Susan Loesser.

Early on, I found myself bored with the details of the Loesser family, but soon warmed up to the book, enjoying it greatly. Frank gave us some wonderful lyrics and music, and despite his personal shortcomings, his story is, as the title says, remarkable.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful view of Frank Loesser and Broadway's Magic Era
Review: This book shines from the Broadway History bookshelf. What appears as a modest portrait of Frank Loesser by his daughter, turns out to be a delightful history of Broadway. The beautifully researched stories of his productions are priceless. The lyrics, which lavishly illustrate Loesser's wonderful use of the language, are perfectly scattered throughout. The stories of the man himself, the era in which he worked, and the people who were part of his creative world, reveal the complexities and changing scene of Broadway production. Driven and demanding, he alienated Sinatra and slapped a leading lady; yet he meticulously crafted legendary shows like Guys and Dolls, and Most Happy Fella. Susan Loesser brings great warmth, an enormous amount of research and, obviously, a first-person sensibility to the story of this brilliant, funny, difficult, irascible, demanding, creative, and driven man. Frank Loesser told his casts "Loud is Better". This book is not loud, but it is wonderful.