The Fat Lady Sang

I greatly enjoyed Robert Evans' first biography, "The Kid Stays In The Picture" published in the early 90s; the title refers to Evans having been cast in the screen adaptation of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises in 1957 as a Spanish matador and love interest for Lady Brett, portrayed by Ava Gardner. The cast, including Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn thought that Evans' acting was a joke , however, Darryl Zanuck, head of production at 20th Century Fox, came to Madrid and announced through a loudspeaker that "the kid stays in the picture". Evans, after an undistinguished acting career, became the head of production at Paramount, anointed by Charles Bludhorn, and he oversaw the filming of Coppola's The Godfather [ he butted heads with the director over the construction of the film] Rosemary's Baby[ he fought for Polanski as director and Mia Farrow as star; her refusal to leave the film cost Farrow her marriage to Frank Sinatra]; Love Story [ he ultimately married its star Ali MacGraw ], True Grit, and The Odd Couple. Thereafter, he became an independent producer of such critical and commercial successes as Chinatown and Marathon Man. This sequel deals with the rebirth of his career following the phenomenal success of the first book and the well received documentary produced by Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair, and to a great extent with his miraculous recovery from a series of debilitating strokes suffered in 1998. He documents his convalescence from the strokes which initially caused a paralysis of his arm and leg and impaired his speech and gait. He defied his renowned doctors, who projected a dramatically limited existence, and he made a full functional recovery. He also recounts a whirlwind courtship and very brief marriage to the stunning and much younger Dynasty actress Catherine Oxenberg, which is fascinating and hilarious. He relates adventures with Alain Delon, the French acting icon, with his close friends Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty and his ongoing pursuit of beautiful women, past and present. There is a particularly moving passage involving his receipt of a prestigious life achievement award named after David O. Selznick, which is presented to Evans by Dustin Hoffman, with whom the producer worked in Marathon Man; Hoffman does a dead on impression of Evans which is visible in "The Kid" documentary and in the You Tube presentation. The speech, memorialized in its entirety, is hysterical, poignant and perceptively sums up the career of this fascinating man who loves life, lives in a magnificent home, and loves the process of making movies. Highly recommended to all who enjoyed the first book and who are interested in a life affirming biography of a film icon.

Wonderful follow up to "The Kid Stays in the Picture." and to really appreciate the book to start with that.No it's not great literature but the uniqueness of its authors' voice and story are so compelling, I have to give it five stars.Undoubtedly Mr Evans had some help writing this but I really like that it's in HIS voice -- the same syntax and rhythm you'll hear in his narration of his wonderful documentary. Kind of a ''rat - a - tat'' rat pack esque cadence.Mr Evans is of a disappearing breed who knew old Hollywood the ''golden era'', and also were active in more contemporary times. There are very few of them, that knew the way deals really went down, was well acquainted, if not to say adept in, (with help from powerful friends) the down and dirty wheeler dealing, yet he presided over some of the best movies of the late twentieth century.By his telling, luck, great looks, knowing ''connected'' people and street smarts put him in the right place at the right time, that found him improbably head of a studio with very little substantial experience. I suspect there was a little more to it than that but it's still an incredible story.Like virtually all autobiographies it tends to be self serving, but at least his warts, stumbles, and missteps are told with some frankness and humor. The most compelling part to me is that he is one of a dying breed, the old Hollywood mogul, with just a whiff of the thugland clinging to him, yet sleekly cool and cynical in that raptor esque "Hollywood'' style, while remaining irressistably self deprecating and funny.He writes about his losses wryly, and seems not to care so much about failing fortunes, as much as losing his place in the ''game.''

Self serving and gossipy. In other words, what you should expect. That's who he was.

More from Evans about life on the edge. A fun way to decompress at bedtime

Great follow up to The Kid Stays in the Picture. I get Robert Evans. Yes, he's pompous. But he also led a fascinating life that many of us would like to lead: beautiful woman, fascinating business running a studio at a young age and then being a successful producer but of course he then screws it up with a bizarre cocaine/insinuated murder scandal, most of which doesn't concern him other than the cocaine. Hey, it's Hollywood. Get in line.But the comeback with the first book and documentary are more than a down on his luck guy could ask for. Evans then has a serious stroke and this book just rambles with different stories, most of which are quite fascinating. What I really enjoy doing is when he describes fascinating beautiful people of the late 50s/60s look them up on the internet and confirm their life story or interaction with him. Most of the women mentioned are stunningly beautiful in an over made-up 60s kind of way. In this book I become fascinated by Ribrioso. It's a person but it's also what they call a large pepper shaker in Paris. You look it up.Interesting time, interesting life, interesting person and a pretty quick read. Works for me and possibly you too.

I bought this strictly for the gossip and to understand what a wealthy hollywood producer's life is like.He talks about Princess Grace and makes a comparison with Princess Diana. The shoe fits. I'm sure he is right about Princess Grace's marriage to Ranier. A cautionary tale for non royal young girls marrying royals, better marry for the right reasons or suffer the consequences. Neither woman was happy but loved her kids, trapping Grace is a graceless marriege. Grace should have taken Hitchock's offer, divorced Ranier, and married someone she would have been happier with. At least Diana had the courage to leave but not Grace.Interesting to hear his banter about Nicholson, Sinatra, Jack Kennedy etc.For the women, just ignore his sexual crowing for what it is. Evans is an egomaniac, kind of goes with the territory.

If you want to read Robert Evans on his remarkable life, pick up The Kid Stays In The Picture. If you've read The Kid Stays In The Picture, move on, nothing to see here. Do not, under any circumstances, waste your hard earned money on The Fat Lady Sang. It's a blatant cash in, where Evans so struggled to fill the pages he has to resort to quoting at length from reviews. The pages on his three strokes are interesting, and I suppose there is a decent anecdote or two, but honestly, this book should never have been written. All the juicy stuff is in The Kid Stays In The Picture. Whatever you think of Evans, as movie producer or man, stay away from The Fat Lady Sang.

A number of years ago I read “The Kid Stays in the Picture” and thought it was a brilliant read. There were many, many stories about the movie stars with whom Robert Evans worked both as an actor and later as a producer. As well as his life story which really does read like a fairy tale. It reminded me of David Niven’s autobiographies. I loved Evans wit, self deprecation and sheer enjoyment for his life and chosen career. “The Fat Lady Sang” begins with his illness - he had three strokes and his battle to regain his health. It is a story of hope and the meaning of friendship. There are not as many tales of movie stars but the ones he has included are very interesting. It again details how Hollywood works.

Fascinating life of shallowness, glamour, tough deals, public humiliation, yet amazingly good reliable friends where you would think there would only be dross, a love of family, a strong lengthy bond with those who serve him, and enchanted descriptions of an exquisite house and spiritual garden, I am sure would be hard to find in the "bling" and" bring on the new fad" attitude of "new money" . Should be compulsory reading for anyone who has suffered a stroke. Growing up I had contempt for this man's personal life gleaned from newspaper reports of cocaine use and the split with Ali ,but I understand all after reading this memoir and what a raconteur he would be at your dinner table.

Nothing wrong with the seller, it’s just poor book that makes Evans sound like a creep - fascinating story, as with his first book, but told throughout in a thoroughly off-putting voice, to me anyway.

Terrific autobiography! Bob Evans does it again. What an interesting life.