Dropped Names

Famous Men and Women As I Knew Them

By: Frank Langella

Narrated by: Frank Langella

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Rita Hayworth dancing by candlelight in a small Mexican village; Elizabeth Taylor devouring homemade pasta and tenderly wrapping him in her pashmina scarf; streaking for Sir Laurence Olivier in a drafty English castle; terrifying a dozing Jackie Onassis; carrying an unconscious Montgomery Clift to safety on a dark New York City street.

Captured forever in a unique memoir, Frank Langella's myriad encounters with some of the past century's most famous human beings are profoundly affecting, funny, wicked, sometimes shocking, and utterly irresistible. With sharp wit and a perceptive eye, Mr. Langella takes us with him into the private worlds and privileged lives of movie stars, presidents, royalty, literary lions, the social elite, and the greats of the Broadway stage.

What, for instance, was Jack Kennedy doing on that coffee table? Why did the Queen Mother need Mr. Langella's help? When was Paul Mellon going to pay him money owed? How did Brooke Astor lose her virginity? Why was Robert Mitchum singing Gilbert & Sullivan patter songs at top volume, and what did Marilyn Monroe say to him that helped change the course of his life? Through these shared experiences, we learn something, too, of Mr. Langella's personal journey from the age of 15 to the present.

Dropped Names is, like its subjects, riveting and unforgettable.

©2012 Frank Langella (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Critic reviews

"Engaging.... Not just Langella’s "famous people I have known," but a heartfelt love letter to the theater and to the days when stars were stars, not merely celebrities." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Rarely have I read a book about celebrities that is as insightful, candid, revealing, and as well-written as this one. Frank Langella’s memoir is not the usual author's ego trip, but rather his remembrances of the many accomplished men and women that he has come to know." (Gay Talese)

"A delightfully unabashed page-turner about people we wish we had known in the throes of work, love, and growing old." (A. R. Gurney, award-winning playwright)

Frank Langella is superb!

Frank Langella narrates this book beautifully. His voice is divine and his inflections make the reading interesting. Although I am a great deal younger than the author and have not heard of many of the names he drops, his stories are so entertaining that it doesn’t really matter. I enjoyed this book immensely and I recommend it.

Perfectly Frank

Would you listen to Dropped Names again? Why?

I already have, and shared it with friends who I knew would feel as I had. Hilarious, touching, pompous and deliciously written, this memoir touches on the lives of the rich and famous as few before have. Everyone from Jackie O to Elia Kazan gets the full treatment, and while none of the subjects are alive to confirm or dispel the stories, you have to applaud the author, who reads with alarming stillness and wit, for sharing them the way "he remembers them".

Who was your favorite character and why?

The chapter on Oliver Reed is the most fun, Marilyn Monroe the most unbelievable, Rita Hayworth, the saddest, Anthony Quinn the most revealing, Lee Strasberg the dishiest. The Cape Cod story of luncheon with the president and Mrs. Kennedy at the Mellons with Noel Coward and "Dellie" is alone worth the price.

What does Frank Langella bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His impersonations, vitriol, sarcasm, wit, and matter of fact presentation.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"You'd have to live it to believe it".

Any additional comments?

Ideal for anyone who has ever had a connection to the world of entertainment, for anyone who has ever been a fan or idolized a celebrity, for anyone who has seen a play or a movie.

Like listening to an old friend reminisce....

Where does Dropped Names rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's hard to rank them because they all have been different, but I have loved them all. I have recommended this book to my friends love the entertainment industry.

What did you like best about this story?

He seems to be quite honest about the good and bad in the people he has met, and most importantly is very honest about his own shortcomings and failures.

Which scene was your favorite?

My most memorable scenes were the ones with Jackie Kennedy, especially the ones where he immediately regretted his actions, and she as always was a lady.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I smiled through most of the book, really enjoyed his memories, observations & opinions.

Anybody Still Alive Out There?

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

There's nothing like listening to the author's own voice in going through his or her own book. However, in this case, the listener will have to put up with Langella's low, slow, almost somnolescent, funereal voice or intonations. It's just as well, as by far the majority of the people he speaks of are either well past cremated or rather nicely dug in their graves or slid into their niches long ago.

Would you be willing to try another book from Frank Langella? Why or why not?

No. Though generally pleasing to listen to, his voice is a bit too funereal or, more charitably, sleep inducing.

What three words best describe Frank Langella’s voice?

rich, somnolescent, funereal.

Could you see Dropped Names being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No. But wait. Maybe so. Langella would probably feel that he's good enough to play them all, but then would probably pass if another Kennedy asked him to dinner.

Any additional comments?

Content of book is entertaining enough to recommend. For example, who knew how incredibly boring Richard Burton could be, and so forth. But then, like so many long dead others that Langella name-drops and "dishes" along the way, they can't quite answer back, can they?

A take no prisoners memoir

Fascinating , gossipy, sometimes shocking snapshots of a life in the entertainment industry. An insiders view of some of the most famous and infamous. What a read and what a life Mr. Langella has lived.

Pleasantly surprised

I knew very little of the author but thoroughly enjoyed this book. Dropped names is an apt title as the number of well known people involved in Langella's life is staggering. Will listen to this again soon.

A glimpse into bits of Frank Langella's life.

What made the experience of listening to Dropped Names the most enjoyable?

Mr. Langella's voice was so delicious. And knowing that everything he spoke of was his own observations, for good or ill.

What other book might you compare Dropped Names to and why?

Not as deeply personal as David Niven's autobiographies, yet much, much, much more poetic.

Which scene was your favorite?

The description of his accidental "meeting" with Marilyn Monroe. The whole scene was almost painful in its beauty. It took my breath away. There were many more breathtaking pieces of writing, but this one in particular was solitary in its perfection.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I so loved the reading that I will be buying a hardcopy of the book. I want to revel in that beautiful prose.

Any additional comments?

If this book was truly written by Mr. Langella, he definitely had an alternate method to earn a living.

Frank! Where have you been all my life?!

If you care even a little bit about Old Hollywood, you need to read this luxuriously written book. If you want to hear the best narration ever committed to an audio file, please hear this. Hollywood's best kept secret, Frank Langella, has been there and done everything(one) and tells his stories with tactful abandon. My favorite story is his on-set dalliance with the beauty of mythological proportions, Rita Hayworth (at the time 20 years his senior). He shed light on her secret (even to her) struggle with Alzheimer's starting at age 53, for which she was chalked up as a crazy, paranoid alcoholic. Exceptional purchase.

Refreshingly Brutal. Enough Said.

Frank Langella's Name Dropping Memoir was Great!

Yes, I am perfectly aware that all the persons mentioned in his book are dead (except one, the very rich, and recently in the news, Bunny) thus giving him the freedom to express his very detailed and mostly unflattering opinions of many of his past friends and fellow thespians.
What can I say? I was completely HOOKED. Am I a little ashamed? Maybe. But, my fellow audio book listener, I dare you to buy this book and not become a fellow addict.
IT'S ON! :)

Fascinating

This is my favorite nonfiction audio book to date. It's witty, well written, and endlessly fascinating.