THE UNIMPORTANCE OF BEING OSCAR

by Oscar Levent ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1968

A hypochondriacal mummy powered by nuclear wit, a ""psychondriac,"" a medicine man with tonic, a handbook of wild one liners. The high priest of narcissistic neuroses is at it again with more Memoirs of an Amnesiac. Embittered: ""No one says Gesundheit to me anymore."" Embattled: ""My wife has an enormous advantage. Whenever we enter a room together, she automatically gets a wave of sympathy."" Introspective: ""Pretty soon I will be an interesting study in geriatrics growing old disgracefully."" But is there anyone Mr. Misfit did or does not know? There are literally hundreds of intimate anecdotes here covering the wide world of the sports in theatre, music, politics, from fellow pill freak Judy Garland fishing through his bathroom cabinet to Harold Arlen filling in for Diahann Carroll on the House of Flowers album, to the Humphrey Bogart family plan -- booze and brawls --to Charlie Chaplin offstage ""rather tedious,"" to Roosevelt confronting Churchill in the altogether -- ""We English have nothing to hide."" Levant has the jocose quip for every occasion and you should find celebrities timorously tripping through the pages in search of self. But stimulate or tranquilize, happiness is a pill like Oscar.

Pub Date: July 1, 1968

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1968

Categories: NONFICTION