EVERY OTHER INCH A LADY

by Beatrice Lillie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 24, 1972

For those who through the years continue to worship Miss Lillie, this is somewhat of a disappointment. John Philips ""aided"" and James Brough (via Keenan Wynn's and Hedda Hopper's confessions) ""wrote with,"" and one cannot repress the feeling that the comedienne, once having told what she wished to tell, glided off while her collaborators packed praise and general apocrypha into autobiographical casing and stamped it ""B.L."" True Lillie, however, seems to emerge with a soupcon sampling of early history. ""So they sprinkled it with stardust and it became Irish Toronto"" is a promising Lilliput-downian beginning to her account of the Lillies of Canada, and Mumsie (""she could sing, sing, sing"") who led her two daughters on a rocky theatrical circuit -- Muriel playing the piano and Beatrice the ""serio-comic."" It was in England (through Charbot of the Revues) that Beatrice shed the serio and in the '20's came fame, a series of revues, marriage to Lord Peel, and those marvelous parties. The story is told (with the exception of a very brief mention of the tragedy of her son's death), with legends familiar to the cult: the rake's progress with Tallulah, the dismissal of Mrs. Armour by Lady Peel, etc., etc. The remark about Miss Lillie's destiny determined by drunken fairies beaning her with golden hammers appears in two versions. Followers make take heart, however, from the inclusion of some peak lyrics (""Maud, we're rotten to the core""); some memories of great stage business and majestic throwaways (Never darken my Dior again); and the promised photographs. But all those raves of long ago triumphs merely gild the living Lillie. Pit-tee!

Pub Date: March 24, 1972

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1972

Categories: NONFICTION