I'LL BE DAMNED: HOW MY YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE LED ME TO AMERICA'S # 1 DAYTIME DRAMA

I'LL BE DAMNED: HOW MY YOUNG AND RESTLESS LIFE LED ME TO AMERICA'S # 1 DAYTIME DRAMA. Eric Braeden with Lindsay Harrison. New York: William Morrow; 2017. 

Years ago when I saw a movie called Colossus: The Forbin Project I thought to myself that the star, Eric Braeden, didn't really have that all-important big-screen presence. So it's perfectly understandable that Braeden -- born Hans Gudegast in Germany -- would have his greatest success on the small screen, playing the rather fascinating character of Victor Newman (and playing it quite well) on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless for decades. Braeden discusses his childhood at length, not shying away from his German background. He grew up to deplore anti-Semitism and prejudice of any kind (he is silent about LGBT issues, however). I'll Be Damned covers Braeden's recurring role on The Rat Pack, his frequent guest-starring roles, his long-term marriage to the love of his life, his love of sports, and his son -- and of course his experiences, good and bad, on Y&R. (It's hard to believe that he ever would have been seriously considered for the role of 007, however.) Reading the book, one suspects that Braden can be just as autocratic off-screen as he is onscreen as Victor Newman. Braeden is now 82-years-old and still going strong! Good for him!

Verdict: A good read about a very interesting fellow. ***. 

IN A DOOR, INTO A FIGHT, OUT A DOOR, INTO A CHASE

IN A DOOR, INTO A FIGHT, OUT A DOOR, INTO A CHASE: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door. William Witney. McFarland; 1996.

This generally pleasant if unspectacular memoir of director William Witney looks back at the early days of filmmaking and also covers his output for Republic Pictures in the forties. Witney directed or co-directed such classic cliffhangers as Dick Tracy, Zorro's Fighting Legion, The Adventures of Captain Marvel, Drums of Fu Manchu, Spy Smasher, and many, many others. He hit upon the idea of having the stunt men choreograph their fights instead of simply swinging at each other with no forethought, resulting in much more exciting fight sequences. Witney describes what it was like working on the serials, the fast pace, getting around a low budget, assorted mishaps and near-accidents, and his opinion -- generally favorable but not always -- of some of the actors who starred in these cliffhangers. The book ends when the U.S. entered WW2, so there is no discussion of later projects Witney worked on, such as The Bonnie Parker Story, which in my opinion was better than the more famous Bonnie and Clyde. 

Verdict: Worth a read if a bit disappointing. **3/4.