A Fortunate Life

So many people have ghost writers do this kind of thing for them but not Robert Vaughn. He is a Liberal Democrat and I am a life long Conservative Republican but I found this to be one wonderful read. When I was ten THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. was on the air and I was a fan of it and Mr. Vaughn. This is a wonderful telling of a life well spent. Though he and I may have different views on things, I have nothing but respect for Robert Vaughn and this is one incredible telling of a talented actor making his way through life. I read it in a single setting and it was both entertaining, and touching. Though Robert Vaughn and I are very different in political views -- though I do agree the war in Vietnam was a horrible waste of life ( including a cousin of mine who died there) and should never have never have been waged -- Bob, in the battlefield of ideas you were right and we were wrong. I will always be a big fan of his and will always have a deep and abiding respect for him.

Perhaps because he seems so intense and humorless onscreen, it's surprising how enormously appealing Robert Vaughn's memoir is. It's a very entertaining read, which offers studied ruminations on acting, Hamlet, politics and philosophy but is still unpretentious fun. What other 60's TV star was getting a PhD at the height of their fame while still delighting in the randy exploits TV stardom allowed? He doesn't have any illusions about his own talents and we don't get any griping about TV fame short-changing other opportunities, probably because he cares about things other than show business. His unheralded early opposition to the Vietnam War at the height of his fame was pretty remarkable. He was so well versed on the topic that he would debate William F. Buckley on TV for hours. All told, he comes off as a thoroughly admirable person. There are some problems with the editing here, though. Both Nancy Reagan and Zev Buffman are introduced twice. Also, John Sturges didn't direct Somebody Up There Likes Me (Robert Wise did) and the actor Simon Russell Beale is referred to as George Russell Meade (?!?)

If Louis Malle ever wanted to reshoot "My Dinner With Andre," his cinematic conversation in which one world-weary friend recounts numerous exploits while the other listens with rapt attention, he would have to look no further than Robert Vaughn. In that hushed, almost conspiratorial voice used to such great effect in "Bullitt" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," one can almost hear actor-author Vaughn take us into his confidence as he ushers us along the winding highway of his life. In an odd, parallel universe to his on-camera role as Napoleon Solo, Vaughn actually became witness to, or embroiled in, a series of offscreen global intrigues including: an extortion demand below a decaying drive-in in Venezuela; the sudden disappearance of a freedom fighter as Soviet tanks rolled into Prague; bodyguards in the Andes; and the disclosure by a New York socialite of a purported confession by one of the world's richest men that he bankrolled the assassination of one of America's most charismatic politicians. If that's not enough drama, Vaughn - one of the first actors in Hollywood to publicly oppose the Vietnam War - chronicles his academic absorption of that country's tribulations, culminating in a very respectable in-studio debate with William F. Buckley, Jr. He also recounts his glamorous and not-so-glamorous work on behalf of JFK, RFK and the late Allard Lowenstein, one of the gurus of mid-century liberal activism. Vaughn is an extremely literate and thoughtful individual who wore his anti-war passions on his sleeve, and his fervor for politics as an instrument for social good is on abundant display here. There are also the predictable - and welcome - bon mots related to the Hollywood social scene, including several laugh-out-loud reminiscences featuring Ben Gazarra, Oliver Reed and others. Drink, and women, clearly were not in short supply within Vaughn's constellation. Our actor-turned-author leaves several matters hanging at the end of this compelling read; for one, Vaughn's unexpected neurological experience with "reefer madness" and whether it may have served as a departure point for his Oscar-nominated performance in "The Young Philadelphians". However, despite a few small omissions, Vaughn's look back is a genuine page-turner.

Robert Vaughn has long been one of our most intelligent actors, and his autobiography is intelligent as well. While it is replete with a chronology of films/tv shows, it is also replete with insights into the world of acting. This consummate actor provides windows into the art of acting, whether stage, screen or television, without pretension. Seldom is an autobiography so educational, while still fulfilling its goal of telling a life story. Unlike other showbiz autobiographies, it merely skims the personal "tell-all" but rather, graciously and generously describes the "good fortune" he encountered on this personal journey. Without hitting you over the head, this book clearly distinguishes the differences between working actors and celebrities and the never-ending pursuit of excellence in his chosen field. Highly recommended.

Wonderful Book. Funny and interesting. Will keep you reading well past your bed time. I highly recommend.