| American Prince: A Memoir | 
 enlarge | Authors: Tony Curtis, Peter Golenbock
Publisher: Harmony
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $14.97
You Save: $10.98 (42%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 1326
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.4
ISBN: 0307408493
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43028092
EAN: 9780307408495
ASIN: 0307408493
Publication Date: October 14, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new item. Over 3.5 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Order with confidence. Code: B20081121221340T
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Product Description
“All my life I had one dream and that was to be in the movies.”
He was the Golden Boy of the Golden Age. A prince of the silver screen. Dashing and debonair, Tony Curtis arrived on the scene in a blaze of bright lights and celluloid. His good looks, smooth charm, and natural talent earned him fame, women, and adulation—Elvis copied his look and the Beatles put him on their Sgt. Pepper album cover. But the Hollywood life of his dreams brought both invincible highs and debilitating lows. Now, in his captivating, no-holds-barred autobiography, Tony Curtis shares the agony and ecstasy of a private life in the public eye.
No simple tell-all, American Prince chronicles Hollywood during its heyday. Curtis revisits his immense body of work—including the unforgettable classics Houdini, Spartacus, and Some Like It Hot—and regales readers with stories of his associations with Frank Sinatra, Laurence Olivier, director Billy Wilder, and film industry heavyweight Lew Wasserman, as well as paramours Natalie Wood and Marilyn Monroe, among others.
As forthright as he is enthralling, Tony Curtis offers intimate glimpses into his succession of failed marriages (and the one that has endured), his destructive drug addiction, and his passion as a painter. Written with humor and grace, American Prince is a testament to the power of living the life of one’s dreams.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Not the man I thought he was November 17, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I grew up loving Tony Curtis. I really respected him, however now that I've read his words, I have no respect for him at all. I have often heard that what goes around, comes around and since he wasn't much of a father to his children, maybe they will give him the same send off that he gave his mother. And I resented him talking about Janet Leigh, when she cannot defend herself. I resented that about him with a lot of people he talked about in this book. I can now see why he didn't get many good parts. He was too into himself.
Sandy
American Prince November 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book helped me to understand the ego driven Mr. Curtis. He was constantly building himself up and putting others down. I did not learn anything about who this talented actor really is. It's obvious he has not come to terms with his unfortunate childhood. I was disappointed that he did not share more experiences with the renown actors and actresses he worked with but instead either demeaned or dismissed them.
A very disappointing book.
 Tony in Hollywood November 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I always thought Tony Curtis to be one of the best looking guys in the movies. I loved him in the Vikings and Spartacus, Trapeze, The Rat Race, and The Sweet Smell of Success. However in the later 60s and 70s he appeared in a bunch of silly forgetable movies and never really had another good role. He never really explains why. He glosses over his drug problems which may be the reason for his best acting years being pre drug days. The book is enertaining but that is all. I suspect we will have to wait until Tony is gone and someone does a biography to get the story behind the story.
 Another Hollywood tell-all worth reading for its honesty November 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Bernie Schwartz was born in 1925. Throughout a rough childhood, he went to the movies to escape from everyday reality. After a stint in the navy, he moved to Hollywood and changed his name to Tony Curtis. He became a famous actor who played in titles such as "The Flintstones, Some Like It Hot," and "Spartacus." Later in life he found a passion for painting. He and his current wife, Jill, run a ranch for abandoned and abused horses.
This book was a blast to read! Not only does Tony give all the dirt on himself, he also tells some fabulous stories about his friends and co-workers. I love the stories about Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, James Dean, and Frank Sinatra. He really gives you a feel for not only who he is, but who all of these other icons are and were. He tells what really happened between him and several famous actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Suzanne Pleshette. There is also a section with beautiful pictures of Tony and others.
We also have access to his personal life. He goes in-depth about the mental issues that have plagued his family, including himself. Not only does he go into details about what his childhood was like, he tells us all about the death of his little brother, Julie and the birth of his second brother, Bobby. There is a good glimpse into a life of neglect and abuse. Later he goes on to tell us about all four of his marriages and his children.
Whether you're a fan of Tony Curtis, or you've never even heard of him, this is a great read. It tells the story of a man who climbs from nothing to the top where he finds the dreams he worked so hard for, but along the way he has to sacrifice his other dreams.
If you love actors from this era like I do, then this is a book for your keeper shelf.
Armchair Interviews agrees.
 Sometimes a Prince Sometimes a Toad November 2, 2008
This is a brutally honest look into of the life of Tony Curtis. To his unhappy childhood to struggling to becoming one of Hollywood golden men. I'm a huge fan and my fave movies are: Taras Bulbua and Spartacus. Also to being a notorious cheater and not being the best father. I enjoyed his memoirs of Marilyn Monroe as well his brother Jules. I really enjoyed this book. I think Tony Curtis fans will enjoyed as well.
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