Book Review: Mitzi Gaynor: Her Life and Career

Popular entertainer Mitzi Gaynor died in 2024 after a long illustrious career in showbiz that made her a top star. Peter Shelley's new book from McFarland examines, as the subtitle indicates, her life and career. It is a thorough and fascinating study.

The first portion of the book discusses Mitzi's growing up with many details, including her ballet teacher predicting that Mitzi would some day be a big star in Hollywood. Her struggles in California and gradual getting paid acting jobs at the lowest level, her first performances in musicals (and the songs she sang), and her eventual signing with 20th Century Fox are all detailed here with a great amount of enlightening information.

This reviewer was especially interested in the information provided for Gaynor's first film, My Blue Heaven, which starred Dan Dailey and Betty Grable. The author recounts how Gaynor made a lot of rookie mistakes and how patient and kind both Dailey and Grable were as she learned how to act for the camera.

The book then takes us on a detailed journey through Mitzi Gaynor's career through several films. She acted opposite Frank Sinatra in The Joker is Wild, featuring one of Sinatra's finest performances. She appeared with Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor in Anything Goes. And, of course, the epic musical South Pacific is a classic of its kind.

Mitzi Gaynor did extensive television work, bringing her singing and dancing to new generations, remaining active on the small screen until the end of the 2010s.

Peter Shelley is one of the best showbiz biographers we have, penning many excellent books on top stars as diverse as Gene Hackman, Britney Murphy, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. His book on Mitzi Gaynor is among his finest work and is highly recommended for libraries, research centers, and fans.

Mitzi Gaynor: Her Life and Career can be puchased at this link: MITZI