About Face

The Life and Times of Dottie Ponedel: Make-up Artist to the Stars

By: Dorothy Ponedel, Meredith Ponedel, Danny Miller

Narrated by: Kathy Garver

Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Dottie Ponedel knows how to amuse with rouge. Her autobiography, the story of a pioneering woman makeup artist, whose career spanned the entire length of Hollywood's Golden Era from silent movies to the great films of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, puts a new foundation on the stars.

Sinners and saints without greasepaint make for memorable close-ups. Enjoy Dottie's confidential revelations about Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Joan Blondell, Paulette Goddard, Barbara Stanwyck, and others.

"No stranger is going to pat this puss," Mae West once declared. Mae, and Dottie's other clients, often demanded her services, but tomcats and contracts seldom blended. Dottie constantly fought all-male makeup departments at the studios to get the recognition she deserved. Amazing challenges facing a woman at the top of her craft play poignantly against her straight-talking, heartwarming, hilarious encounters with famous faces.

Dottie Ponedel. The designer with eye liner.

©2018 Dorothy Ponedel and Meredith Ponedel (P)2018 BearManor Media

Great for Judy Garland lovers

This book gave a different perspective on Judy Garland. Which I found very interesting. Would recommend to Old Hollywood fans.

awesome!

loved every second! ♥ exciting, funny, sad & excellently written & told! 💜😘💋! Great read!

wonderful

opens up an inside view of the lives of the stars in a realistic, human and loving way.

Mixed feelings

I was going to say that I had mixed feelings but overall I really really like this. It made me cry in the end. It’s portrayed Judy Garland and a very unique way. And they obviously knew her really really well.
you understand why she was the way she was because she never really had a childhood. So she was basically a child woman.

And of course, it was not all about Judy Garland.
Dottie had a long and amazing career until she developed MS. And she did so many different things.

I have never heard of her before and really wish I could’ve met her. I think that would’ve been a wonderful time to be alive and meet all the old movie stars and
Celebrities

Life with the Jet Set & in the Limelight in L.A.

I found this to be very interesting. it made me feel like I was an observer most of the time.
Lots of detail helped a lot. At times it seemed to be a bit slow, actually sort of bragging, but I'm glad I continued to listen and I understood it better.. She wasn't bragging. there are only so many ways to say stuff. Once I realized that, it was much better & I enjoyed it more. Thank you.

Very intimate Stories, love it.

I had not heard of Dottie before, but what a life she had. So many stories and her personal relationship with Judy Garland was so special. Loverd getting to know her and appreciate her place in Hollywood history.

Author really full of themselves

It was really irritating hearing how wonderful this person thought of their importance and place in her” friends” lives. But is was entertaining and interesting.

Interesting

I think I misunderstood this book when I made the purchase.
I had thought it was about the makeup artist and most likely discussing the tricks that the movie stars liked or used. This really is a memoir of the times spent with Judy Garland. I'd say Judy Garland is about 90% of this book.
That being said, it wasn't bad. Most of the stories were "feel good" and they make you smile or chuckle.
The performance of the narration can be a little annoying at times but overall wasn't bad either.

inside to the heart of a star

I was captivating to listen to this woman's journey through the Golden age of Hollywood. We trivialize these stars like they are real people. it was so wonderful to see them through the eyes of a true friend. The narration was wonderful and embodied the stories very well. Great listen.

Unprofessional, Unpleasant Narrator's Voice

Could not get past the author/narrator's unprofessional, unpleasant voice. She came across as coarse and unintelligent.