Only Make Believe: My Life in Show Business

As the co-author of Howard's book, Judy Keel and I want to thank all the reviewers--those who loved the book (we went into 3rd printing) and those who didn't. That's what tastes are all about. 1. We'd like to address the issues of correctness. When we received the galleys from the publisher, they had infused major errors on 85 pages. We corrected those and returned them to the publisher. We never saw the book again until it was in print. Don't shoot the authors! 2. If you don't believe we gave you enough information on certain topics, it's simply because Mr. Keel had the last right of refusal on every word written--and I honored that contract with him, even in death. 3. If you feel the book was not totally literary, please remember he had a high school degree, and I tried to write in his voice as he would speak without adding my PhD to it. I'm grateful to those who knew him to say they could hear his voice when reading the book. For me, that's high praise. 4. If he didn't address the topics you wanted to know more about, please remember it was his story. He had the right to share whatever he wanted with his fans. His great respect for many people in the book remained in his heart--not open to tabloid gush. He was a fine man, a wonderful friend, and I'm honored to have been chosen to write his story. Thank you. Joyce Spizer Foy

This is the amazing story of Harry Keel, who became Howard Keel and wowed us with his handsome looks and fabulous voice in such movies as "Annie Get Your Gun", "Showboat", "Kiss Me Kate", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", and "Jupiter's Darling". Born in Gillespie, Illinois, a town whose main feature was the railroad track down the middle of the main street, he had a "terrible childhood" (his words) that included seeing his father commit suicide in front of him when he was 11. At 17 he was too scared and too shy to ask the girl he liked to the prom. Yet just 7 years late, after the discovery that he had a concert-quality voice, he married Rosemary Cooper, a beautiful former film star. Two years later he wowed Oscar Hammerstein with his voice and, over-night, became a Broadway star. After success on Broadway, he opened as the star of "Oklahoma!" in the Drury Lane Theater in London to a packed house that demanded 14 encores (with the future Queen in attendance). This was a long way from Gillespie, Illinois, and he never stops being amazed. It's an extraordinary story. He tells it in the vernacular, as if he were relating his stories to friends after dinner. He provides a look behind the scenes and lets you in on the daily grind that was movie making. He tells it like it was, including his love for Kathryn Grayson and his long-time connection to Marilyn Monroe. He doesn't pull punches. There were lean years after the demise of the MGM musical. But at the lowest point of his life, he met and married Judy Magamoll, the love and light of his life. They had 34 happy years together. His 11 year stint on "Dallas" paid the bills and put him back in the limelight. Esther Williams, who starred in three musicals with him, says on the book jacket, "Howard's beautiful song will never be ended. It is in our memory, always, as is his beautiful, handsome self. His Hannibal was pure masculine strength. He was something special" His book is a great read. I couldn't put it down

Once I began to read the book, I wanted to finish it quickly, yet I did not want that time in my life to be so far past. Lyrics with feeling and meaning, voices that were a gift that cannot be taught or trained, and entertainers who while very human were heroes and heroines to their audiences. "Only Make Believe" is able to put these factors together in a way that leaves the reader nourished yet not satisfied, saddened at the passing years, but pleased to be able to remember a better time in the entertainment business. Congratulations to Howard, Judy and Joyce and my sincere condolences to the Keel children.

The autobiography of the late Howard Keel (1919-2004), Only Make Believe: My Life In Show Business was written with the assistance of creative writing instructor and former private investigator Joyce Spizer. Keel was a star during the golden age of Hollywood musicals, yet he is perhaps most renowned to younger generations for his decade-long role of Clayton Farlow on the wildly popular television show "Dallas". From his rough beginnings as the sun of a coal miner who committed suicide when Keel was a young boy, to his first "big break" courtesy of Oscar Hammerstein II when he was cast in the role of Billy Bigelow in the Broadway production of Carousel, to his American film debut and unsteady personal life, affairs with Hollywood's leading ladies, and three marriages. The true story, in his own words, of an actor who saw his rising star fall with the decline in popularity of musicals, only to make it rise again.

Many times when you have a long wait for an autobiography, the result simply doesn't live up to the anticipation. Not so with Only Make Believe, I'm happy to report. Howard Keel began his life as Harry Clifford Keel, the son of a Gillespie, Ill coal miner, on April 13, 1919. For anyone familiar with Mr. Keel's interviews, you will recognize his distinctive narration as he takes you though ups and downs of his life. And what a life it was. From an auditorium in Pasadena to Broadway and London's West End, the sound stages of MGM, the tent theaters of summer stock and the grassy meadows of Southfork Ranch, Mr. Keel's story will make you laugh, cry and keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish. There is simply not a dull moment in this book. There are wonderful stories about the people we've all grown up admiring and enjoying: Frank Sinatra, John Raitt, Mario Lanza, Anthony Quinn, John Wayne, Ben Hogan, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Barbara Bel Geddes, Prince Rainier and many, many others. But some of the best stories are of people you've never heard of, great characters both in and out of the show business world. There are also stories about the theater itself, where glamour and glitter step aside for hard work and sheer guts. The closeness and camaraderie of an excellent cast and the pain of leaving them; difficult directors and inconsiderate audiences; working hurt, sick and numb from Novocain; mediocre parts taken just to pay the bills. All of this and more is covered, and through it fluently winds the thread of Mr. Keel's personal life as it goes from trouble and pain to, at last, great happiness. I could spend hours telling you how and why I enjoyed this book. Having read dozens of memoirs in the past few years, I have no doubt that this book is the single best I've read. Simply put, it was a treat. I highly recommend it to not only fans of Mr. Keel, but to anyone who wants a taste of what real show business is without all the modern day Hollywood glamour and mega-bucks.