In 1960, Carl Reiner shot the pilot for a comedy series titled "Head of the Family," starring Carl Reiner. The show was about a writer who lived with his family in New Rochelle, New York and commuted to his job in Manhattan, writing on a TV comedy show. "Head of the Family" aired once and the reaction was, in Carl's words, "fair to middling." So Carl had moved on, until Sheldon Leonard came along and convinced him that he could sell it to a network, and they would not fail this time because, "we'll get a better actor to play you." And thus, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was born.Besides giving all of us out in TV land, including countless aspiring young writers, our first view of how funny stuff happens (it's created by talented writers like Rob Petrie, Sally Rogers and Buddy Sorrell locked in a room with a typewriter, a piano and a couch), Carl, in the year 1960, also struck a blow for feminism by making one-third of the writers' room staff female."Why and When 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' Was Born" is a recounting of behind-the-scenes stories, many of which only Carl could know, about the casting, writing and shooting of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." It includes the real life happenings in the lives of Carl and his family and friends, which inspired many of the episodes, often proving that truth is exactly as strange as fiction - like the episode where Ritchie had to wear a pith helmet to school to ward off a bullying woodpecker, a remedy suggested in real life by the Game Warden to Carl's friends, Millie and Jerry Schoenbaum, when their son Eric was under similar woodpecker attack.

The first and only complete, fully authorized "biography" of one of TV's most beloved sitcoms, including the first complete viewer's guide to all 158 episodes, as well as special behind-the-scenes trivia and a full chapter concordance. 50 black and white photos.

A heartfelt memoir from one of Hollywood's greatest icons Dick Van Dyke, indisputably one of the greats of the golden age of television, is admired and beloved by audiences the world over for his beaming smile, his physical dexterity, his impeccable comic timing, his ridiculous stunts, and his unforgettable screen roles. His trailblazing television program, The Dick Van Dyke Show (produced by Carl Reiner, who has written the foreword to this memoir), was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960s and introduced another major television star, Mary Tyler Moore. But Dick Van Dyke was also an enormously engaging movie star whose films, including Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, have been discovered by a new generation of fans and are as beloved today as they were when they first appeared. A colorful, loving, richly detailed look at the decades of a multilayered life, My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business, will enthrall every generation of reader, from baby-boomers who recall when Rob Petrie became a household name, to all those still enchanted by Bert’s “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” This is a lively, heartwarming memoir of a performer who still thinks of himself as a “simple song-and-dance man,” but who is, in every sense of the word, a classic entertainer.

I Remember Me weaves an American tapestry of colorful tales, beginning with the timid musings of a young boy on the verge of becoming a man in the Jewish section of New Yorks Bronx neighborhood, and bringing us up to date with the mature insight of a man whose remarkable trajectory has sent him to the top of Hollywoods elite and sparked the careers of dozens of household-name entertainers. Along the way, Reiner treats his loyal readers to everything from the ordinary to the truly unforgettable: a family trip to a nude beach, French lessons with Mel Brooks, a chapter dedicated to Rinnie the dog who unfortunately mistakes a skunk for a cat, a surprise early-morning visit from the McCarthy era FBI, a heart wrenching story of loss describing the day of his wifes passing, and then in a revealing chapter of Reiners character, he describes the most theatrically triumphant day of his young career. Through his memoir, we meet the man behind the success in roles rarely seen before: son to Romanian immigrant Irving Reiner, husband to fellow Bronx native and renowned singer Estelle Reiner, father to the prolific filmmaker Rob Reiner, Dr. Annie Reiner psychoanalyst & gifted singer, and Lucas Reiner, a globally recognized fine artist. Written with the same combination of playful jest and modest humility that has garnered the love and respect of fans for generations, I Remember Me remembers the creative and inspiring journey of one of the most revered comedic icons of the past hundred years. Carl Reiner is at that wonderful point in life where he knows absolutely everything. Especially, how to tell a wonderful story. I just love being in his world and this book is the Grand Tour. Jerry Seinfeld Great stories from the great Carl Reiner. I liked Chapter 29 the best. Albert Brooks At a time when so much of comedy can be cruel and mean spirited... Carl Reiner is a perfect example of comedy and kindness mixed with just the right amount of biting wit to make for a really satisfying read. Jay Leno Crime and Punishment has always been my favorite book... Until Now! Mel Brooks

When Carl made his first stage appearance at the age of six in "Six Who Pass While the Lentils Boil" at P.S. 92 in the Bronx, his mother Bessie told him " You were the best one." "Too Busy to Die" starts with that first reminiscence, then follows Carl's earliest forays into show business, in all of which Bessie continued to tell him that "You were the best one." Carl tells of how his career might have ended with that first performance at P.S. 92, had it not been for Franklin D. Roosevelt and Carl's brother Charlie, who showed him the newspaper ad announcing that the WPA was sponsoring free acting classes for aspiring actors. Carl takes us behind the scenes when he performed in summer stock and a touring Shakespeare repertory company. His career involved working with eccentric, sometimes outlandish, always colorful people and situations, and all this, while supporting his growing family. As Carl honed his dramatic skills he discovered, oft times through desperation or necessity, that his comedic skills could save the day, by merging both at every opportunity to great success.

New York Times Bestseller Audiences have long adored Mary Tyler Moore for her television persona as the quintessential girl-next-door, as well as for her strong performances on screen and stage. But what about the poignant doubts and inner strength that drove this versatile and courageous actress? After All is the candid, moving autobiography of the woman America fell in love with, and the icon she became. “Mesmerizing…Fans will love Moore’s behind-the-scenes reminiscences.” —San Francisco Chronicle Mary Tyler Moore was America's darling: actress, producer, star of the golden age of television. Her work on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show garnered multiple Emmys, followed by critical acclaim for her acting on Broadway and in film. Now, in her witty, candid, heartbreaking autobiography, Mary Tyler Moore tells all about the Dick Van Dyke nobody knows; Elvis, her sly, seductive co-star in Change of Habit; how Carl Reiner taught her to cry while being funny; Robert Redford's confession after casting her in Ordinary People; about then-First Lady Betty Ford's inebriated debut on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and years later, her phone call that saved Mary's life. After All is the exhilarating and moving story of this extraordinarily successful woman, a complex and creative star who hadn’t developed a legacy without much pain and reflection along the way. Mary spares nothing as she recounts her traumatic childhood, two failed marriages, her own alcoholism, the tragic death of her son, and her third, happy marriage to a cardiologist eighteen years her junior. Offering a firsthand overview of the television industry, and peppered with sharp anecdotes, the result is a remarkable narrative and a rare look at one the most enduring and admired stars of our time. Inspiring, poignant, and brutally frank, After All will touch every reader's heart and soul.

The behind-the-scenes story of the making of the classic television series offers insight into how the influential show reflected changing American perspectives and was a first situation comedy to employ numerous women as writers and producers.

A magical, heartwarming memoir from one of Hollywood’s most beloved actresses, best known for her iconic role on I Dream of Jeannie The landmark NBC hit television series I Dream of Jeannie has delighted generations of audiences and inspired untold numbers of teenage crushes on its beautiful blond star, Barbara Eden, for decades. Part pristine Hollywood princess and part classic bombshell, with innocence, strength, and comedic talent to spare, Barbara finally lets Jeannie out of her bottle to tell her whole story. Jeannie Out of the Bottle takes us behind the scenes of I Dream of Jeannie as well as Barbara’s dozens of other stage, movie, television, and live concert performances. We follow her from the hungry years when she was a struggling studio contract player at 20th Century Fox through difficult weeks trying to survive as a chorus girl at Ciro’s Sunset Strip supper club, from a stint as Johnny Carson’s sidekick on live TV to tangling on-screen and off with some of Hollywood’s most desirable leading men, including Elvis Presley, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, and Warren Beatty. From the ups and downs of her relationship with her Jeannie co-star Larry Hagman to a touching meeting with an exquisite and vulnerable Marilyn Monroe at the twilight of her career, readers join Barbara on a thrilling journey through her five decades in Hollywood. But Barbara’s story is also an intimate and honest memoir of personal tragedy: a stillborn child with her first husband, Michael Ansara; a verbally abusive, drug-addicted second husband; the loss of her beloved mother; and the accidental heroin-induced death of her adult son, just months before his wedding. With candor and poignancy, Barbara reflects on the challenges she has faced, as well as the joys she has experienced and how she has maintained her humor, optimism, and inimitable Jeannie magic throughout the roller-coaster ride of a truly memorable life. Illustrated with sixteen pages of photographs, including candid family pictures and rare publicity stills, Jeannie Out of the Bottle is a must-have for every fan, old and new.

Carl Reiner's favorite movies from 1915-1950