"Surviving Cissy" Review B - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

PracTz · 09-24-2015, 02:03 PM

I decided to thumb through the new bio by Miss Garver and it was actually somewhat better than I expected. First she gave a good family background history [including paying tribute to both her grandmothers who found themselves widowed early with young children to support], then she told different stories of her early work including how a cameo in "Ten Commandments" led to a lifelong friendship with Charleton Heston.

Anyway, the part everyone here would like to read: Despite some early disasters and misunderstandings re hair and attire, she seemed to have overall positive experiences working on 'FA'. The loving, familial chemistry between herself and Mr. Keith was real on her part and she said that he was someone who told folks outright whether he liked them or not to their faces with no hesitation- and quite laid back re his approach to the acting. On the unavoidably sad note, she said that she was saddened by not surprised by his suicide considering how he knew his cancer was terminal and he'd just lost his youngest daughter to suicide weeks earlier.
As for Sebastian Cabot, he was very meticulous in his acting memorizing the script backwards and forwards and rehearsing so he knew exactly how to react. This somewhat put him in conflict with Mr. Keith but he,too, seemed a beloved family member to the younger cast mates [with Miss Garver going so far as to call him 'Sabby']. Alas, the schedule and personal appearances were quite grueling for him and he was not in the best of shape so it wasn't entirely a surprise of his death in his mid 50s from that stroke. Miss Garver said he had pride in being able to use a flawless RP accent and delivery despite having come from a Cockney background!

As for Anissa Jones, Miss Garver pulled no punches in saying she believed she had an overwhelming stage mother- yet she did have compassion for Mrs. Jones when the older woman asked her to hang out more with Anissa at the latter's 18th birthday party due to the bad crowd she was getting into. Miss Garver had a theatrical obligation that kept her from seeing Anissa again but she was rather shocked at the tragic death. Still, I doubt if Miss Garver could have said or done anything differently that could have prevented that tragedy.

In any case, Miss Garver cheerfully admitted to be several years older than her character when the show started- and the character only aging three years in five!

The rest of the book summarizes her later career as well as life with her husband and son.
As I said, it was better than I anticipated and it was fairly detailed for the retro sitcom genre so I give it a straight B.

AB · 09-24-2015, 02:51 PM

It does sound interesting, I'll see of our library has it and check it out.

biffbronson · 09-24-2015, 09:25 PM

Thanks for the review. As a lifelong fan of the Fedderson sitcoms Family Affair and My Three Sons, this book will be a must-read for me.

As for "The Ten Commandments," there can't be too many actors still with us who can claim to have been in the '50s film...!

gidgetgrape · 09-26-2015, 12:24 PM

I'm interested in this book too! Thanks for the review!

Edison · 10-17-2015, 10:42 PM

Before "The Ten Commandments", she doubled for Sally Jane Bruce in one of my favorites, "The Night of the Hunter". "It was a really fascinating introduction to filmmaking.", she said, in an interview in the L.A.Times.

Fanfrank81 · 05-15-2016, 12:45 AM

How about Johnny Whittaker 'Jody?'

09-24-2015, 02:03 PM	#1
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	"Surviving Cissy" Review B I decided to thumb through the new bio by Miss Garver and it was actually somewhat better than I expected. First she gave a good family background history [including paying tribute to both her grandmothers who found themselves widowed early with young children to support], then she told different stories of her early work including how a cameo in "Ten Commandments" led to a lifelong friendship with Charleton Heston. Anyway, the part everyone here would like to read: Despite some early disasters and misunderstandings re hair and attire, she seemed to have overall positive experiences working on 'FA'. The loving, familial chemistry between herself and Mr. Keith was real on her part and she said that he was someone who told folks outright whether he liked them or not to their faces with no hesitation- and quite laid back re his approach to the acting. On the unavoidably sad note, she said that she was saddened by not surprised by his suicide considering how he knew his cancer was terminal and he'd just lost his youngest daughter to suicide weeks earlier. As for Sebastian Cabot, he was very meticulous in his acting memorizing the script backwards and forwards and rehearsing so he knew exactly how to react. This somewhat put him in conflict with Mr. Keith but he,too, seemed a beloved family member to the younger cast mates [with Miss Garver going so far as to call him 'Sabby']. Alas, the schedule and personal appearances were quite grueling for him and he was not in the best of shape so it wasn't entirely a surprise of his death in his mid 50s from that stroke. Miss Garver said he had pride in being able to use a flawless RP accent and delivery despite having come from a Cockney background! As for Anissa Jones, Miss Garver pulled no punches in saying she believed she had an overwhelming stage mother- yet she did have compassion for Mrs. Jones when the older woman asked her to hang out more with Anissa at the latter's 18th birthday party due to the bad crowd she was getting into. Miss Garver had a theatrical obligation that kept her from seeing Anissa again but she was rather shocked at the tragic death. Still, I doubt if Miss Garver could have said or done anything differently that could have prevented that tragedy. In any case, Miss Garver cheerfully admitted to be several years older than her character when the show started- and the character only aging three years in five! The rest of the book summarizes her later career as well as life with her husband and son. As I said, it was better than I anticipated and it was fairly detailed for the retro sitcom genre so I give it a straight B.

09-24-2015, 09:25 PM	#3
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,492	Thanks for the review. As a lifelong fan of the Fedderson sitcoms Family Affair and My Three Sons, this book will be a must-read for me. As for "The Ten Commandments," there can't be too many actors still with us who can claim to have been in the '50s film...!
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09-24-2015, 02:51 PM	#2
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	It does sound interesting, I'll see of our library has it and check it out.

09-26-2015, 12:24 PM	#4
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	I'm interested in this book too! Thanks for the review!

10-17-2015, 10:42 PM	#5
Edison Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 01, 2006 Posts: 2,430	Before "The Ten Commandments", she doubled for Sally Jane Bruce in one of my favorites, "The Night of the Hunter". "It was a really fascinating introduction to filmmaking.", she said, in an interview in the L.A.Times.

05-15-2016, 12:45 AM	#6
Fanfrank81 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 24, 2015 Location: NYC Posts: 17	How about Johnny Whittaker 'Jody?'