Nostalgia: Stars of Yesteryear by Jack Hawn
[A] pleasant anthology of celebrities, positive to fulfill any reader’s need to reconnect and reminisce concerning the previous.
There’s little doubt that 94-year-old journalist and writer Jack Hawn has a sentimental longing and wistful affection for the previous, usually for intervals and locations with pleased private associations.
It’s known as nostalgia. And in a distinguished profession by which there was a lot (his editor on the Los Angeles Occasions dubbed him the Nostalgia Editor), Hawn has pieced collectively many reminiscences of instances passed by, and it’s the essence of his third e-book, Nostalgia: Stars of Yesteryear.
“My submitting cupboard is stuffed with options about superstars of yesteryear revealed lengthy earlier than this period of tattoos, bizarre hairdos and the common acceptance of the adjectives ‘cool’ and ‘superior,’” says Hawn. Most of the tales come from his expertise as a sports activities copy editor and later an leisure part editor on the Occasions.
Paperwork a Profitable Journalism Profession
Fittingly, the greater than 50 particular person characteristic articles cowl sports activities stars and leisure trade giants of his days, spanning many years, typically within the twilight of their careers: Muhammad Ali, Leon Spinks, Joe Namath, Les Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., the Andrews Sisters, The McGuire Sisters, Minnie Pearl, Helen Reddy, Rosemarie Clooney, Peggy Lee, Rudy Vallee and plenty of extra.
The tales supply new insights and take distinctive angles which may transcend their topics’ skilled personas. For instance, the article on the legendary Andrews Sisters focuses on Phyllis’s love affair with Mafia boss Sam Giancana. Phyllis, because it seems, refused to imagine that Giancana’s orders typically resulted in our bodies floating horizontally someplace. “I simply knew that I favored the person,” she would say.
Or Hawn’s story on Joe Namath didn’t dwell on his exploits on the gridiron however moderately his fleeting appearing profession. It appears opportunistic producers tried to capitalize on his identify moderately than his skills – with predictable outcomes.
Hawn tracks the later phases of Perry Como’s profitable singing profession, utilizing nostalgia to maintain himself related. However Como is now not within the limelight. Como borrows a phrase from George Burns: “After I rise up within the morning, I look within the paper and if my identify isn’t within the obituary column, I shave.”
Brings Readers to a Not-But-Forgotten Previous
Readers will discover Hawn to be a fascinating storyteller, sharing his recollections of fading stars in a approach that brings again bittersweet reminiscences of yesteryear.
He even tells a narrative of his personal expertise pitching a Twilight Zone-like TV present which, paradoxically, is rejected as a result of legacy and success of The Twilight Zone itself.
That was it for Hawn, however fortunately he has put collectively this pleasant anthology of celebrities, positive to fulfill any reader’s need to reconnect and reminisce concerning the previous.
About Jack Hawn:
Born in 1930 in Kearney, NE, Jack Hawn grew up in Southern California. On the College of California at Santa Barbara, a pre-law main, Jack’s curriculum included bowling with younger women, junior varsity soccer on a group of misfits, and an English class that centered on Hamlet. When Jack’s girlfriend was whisked off by Joe School in a shiny new convertible, he walked into a military recruiting workplace…and signed up for 3 years.
In civilian life, he labored as a copyboy at a Hollywood newspaper, was paid $5 to overview performs and nightclub acts, and a 12 months later crammed a sports activities desk emptiness. Employed by the Los Angeles Occasions in 1970 as a sports activities copy editor, Jack grew to become a boxing columnist and later transferred to the leisure part. He additionally earned further revenue as a tv dramatist and wrote TV and radio scripts for sportscasters. Go to https://authorjackhawn.com.
Publish Date: 4/10/2024
Style: Historic, Nonfiction
Creator: Jack Hawn
Web page Rely: 238 pages
Writer: Writers Branding LLC
ISBN: 9781639459339
