| Description |
609 pages, xii pages : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Note |
Includes index. |
| Contents |
1. She'd rather sing lullabies ; (by Earl Wilson) -- 2. Night when all the music died ; (Daddy: "Tell 'er she's lucky she's married to a guy like Joe.") -- 3. Growing up Franconero ; ("Even the Gotti kids could learn a thing or six from me!") ; The ghastly era of the old squeezebox ; Mein Yiddishe Welt ; The dead end kids -- 4. School days ; (Connie: "I better get my own gang real soon.") ; The powerful impact of dedicated teachers -- 5. Stage fathers are the freakin' worst ; (Was this man too incredible for words, or what?) ; The Ted Mack Amateur Hour ; Three telling letters Daddy wrote to the Ted Mack staff -- 6. World's most hated men ; My attack on the clergy ; Atlantic City, the Steel Pier and me -- 7. Dear diary ; ("George Hanz - first among men") -- 8. Ape man ; (Connie: "You don't wanna get in the ring with me, Buster!") -- 9. A tear in her voice ; (Daddy: "Hey, Connie, how come you can't do that?") -- 10. Some might big lessons ; ("Daddy, what is the Mafia - I mean, really?") -- 11. Daddy's little girl ; ("It's all who you know, girlie!") ; The Arthur Godfrey Show ; Meeting all the boxers and the bad men, too -- 12. Startime Kids ; (Why I was the only regular who made it big) -- 13. Good ol' Belleville High ; ("Moments to remember") ; Daddy: "The prom's out, sister, and that's that!" -- 14. Demo days ; (That Connie Francis sound) -- 15. An offer he hadda refuse ; (Daddy: "Sorry, boys, but we'll make it on our own with no bosses.") ; My father, the visionary ; Some sage advice from Daddy -- 16. Jukeboxes, Elvis and the Mob ; (Connie: "Elvis is the king, you know.") ; An epic idea goes bust ; A tragic irony -- 17. Hail hail rock 'n' roll -- 18. One of my two second mothers ; (My precious Aunt Rose in heaven and her "unsolved" murder) -- 19. My first real love - the true love story of Bobby Darin and me ; (Star-crossed lovers) -- 20. Connie: "A blind date with Frankie who again? I told you I'm dating that boy, Pete, from Corona." -- 21. Who's sorry now ; (Dick Clark: "She's headed straight for the #1 spot!") ; Dick Clark, my mentor, my savior, my very dear friend ; Blinnie's and me -- 22. Charlotte and Lou ; (My treasured second family) -- 23. Story of Neil Sedaka, Howie Greenfield and me -- 24. My intro to the world of haute couture ; (Connie: "$400.00! That's extortionate!") -- 25. Frankie, my darlin' -- 26. First of the superstardom years -- 27. Golden era of the great fan magazines ; The Connie Francis national look-a-like contests -- 28. Dorothy Kilgallen - she really delved into things ; Dick Clark / Connie Francis: "The hottest rumor of the year" -- 29. "An all Italian album - you must be kiddin' Daddy, right!" ; Mein Yiddishe Momme -- 30. Daddy and Melody Mike ; ("My daughter? She don't listen to nobody no more.") -- 31. God bless America and you, too, Irving Berlin -- 32. Daddy: "Perry Como's no show business kook" ; Mama - the song that changed my world -- 33. Language is a girl's best friend ; (Everybody's somebody's fool) ; Germany and our mutual fascination -- 34. Where the boys are (1960-1961) ; (Daddy: "Did you read this piece of garbage?") ; Where the boys are - 1985 ; Where the boys are - 2010 -- 35. No Oscar for boys -- 36. Nashville - my home away from home -- 37. Connie at the Copa ; (The true story of the feud between Big Julie Podell and me) -- 38. This is your life ; (Another milestone, another heartache) -- 39. Darin at the Copa ; (Connie: "So how's married life treating you, BD?") -- 40. Blame it on my youth, Francis Albert ; (Daddy: "I don't care who the hell he is!") -- 41. Oi (Way) Marie - my two Maries ; ("Maria: this job may be a major change for me") ; My Aunt Marie and me -- 42. Follow the boys - do I have to? ; My dream home ; Some like it not and my fabulous masquerade parties -- 43. Viva Las Vegas ; (The swinging '60s and me) ; He's a nice guy, that Rickles ; "Nice to meet you too, Frank" (Some opening line, huh?) ; The Sinatra I knew (That special side) ; Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, Charlie Mafia and me ; Over the rainbow (with Garland) ; How you gonna keep 'em down? (Uncle Ray: "Cut the shit, Princess") ; Las Vegas, the mob and a little girl from Jersey (My hidden netherworld) -- 44. Godfather and me ; (And still, there was humor) -- 45. "A rrrreally big shoo ... " ; (The Sullivan years 1958-1970) ; (Our special relationship) -- 46. I'm glad I waited for you ; (The honeymoon from hell). |
| Summary |
"The Connie Francis Story is an American story. Born into a blue-collar Italian family at the end of the Great Depression, she went on to unimaginable heights of success. Along this extraordinary journey of her life she experienced the highest of peaks and the deepest of valleys#x97;the stuff of both dreams and nightmares. Through her eyes, readers have a front row seat to many of the greatest public and private moments in American history and popular culture. Visiting American Bandstand, The Copacabana, Las Vegas and The Ed Sullivan Show, all at their respective heights, readers will experience the unparalleled achievements in her glorious career. Conquering wildly-enthusiastic audiences throughout the world, Connie's international celebrity is one unrivaled by any recording artist to this very day. She is, in fact, the best-selling female artist in history, recording in 12 different languages. She shares with unusual candor and rare insight the juxtaposition that existed in her personal life."--Provided by publisher. |
| Subject |
Francis, Connie.
|
|
Singers -- United States -- Biography.
|
| Genre/Form |
Autobiographies.
|
| Added Title |
Real story |
| ISBN |
9780999238912 (hardcover) |
|
0999238914 (hardcover) |
|
9780999238905 (softcover) |
|
0999238906 (softcover) |
|
