Product Description
Sophie Tucker appeared in only seven American stage musicals and appeared only twice on Broadway but, then, it was difficult to cast her in a show. A buxom and ebullient performer, she—and her audiences—quickly found that playing herself was most effective.

This is a biography of a vaudeville and cabaret performer who saw herself as one of the first liberated women and one of the last "red hot mamas." It tells the story of her birth as her mother traveled to Boston from Russia, her childhood in Boston, and her first public performance at Poli’s Vaudeville Theatre at the age of 13. It also tells the story of her troubled marriage to Louis Tuck and the birth of their son, her meeting with Willie Howard, a vaudeville veteran who encouraged her to go to New York and pursue a stage career, her discovery by Flo Ziegfeld (of the Ziegfeld Follies), and her rise to headliner status under the guidance of her agent William Morris. She was best known for appearing on stage with just a piano player, and openly discussing her life and Jewish upbringing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Miss Her When She's Gone
Fields, the author, takes us into some rarefies show bix realms in his lavishly illustrated volume.I appreciate his industry in compiling this record, but he seems totally uncritical of Tucker, and paradoxically this makes me distrust his judgment.Was she always perfect, always on?The interesting part comes towards the end of the book when she sinks her money into an ill-fated 1963 Broadway musical version of her life (with music by talk show host and prolific composer Steve Allen), starring someone else as herself, and when the show flops, Fields reports, she is devastated, apparently seeing this as a rejection of herself by the show business she had served with such devotion for so many years.

Fields has otherwise dug up a lot of rare material.Among the most enjoyable items was reading the lyric of Irving Berlin's 1950s salute to her called "Song For Sophie."I don't believe I have ever heard this song and i wonder if it is recorded anywhere.The lyric is one of Berlin's best and captures his bewildered fascination with the show business behemoth who, like himself, was never afraid to show off his Jewish heritage and to building considerable comedy out of the contrast between their humble roots and their exalted present circumstances.

Tucker's movies are good ones, but I've only seen a few, and maybe others have her in larger parts, though I imagine she was hard to cast in the glamorous MGM of the 1930s.Wish someone would release tthe British 1934 vaudeville backstager they had the foresight to call GAY LOVE--that sounds like a pip.Until then, we can catch some of her act on DVD and in the US films THOROUGHBREDS DON'T CRY and BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938.

The Last of the Red Hot Biographies
I learned a great deal in this easy-to-read, well-written biography, and not just about sophie Tucker but about the world of entertainment during much of the twentieth century.

Armond Fields' book is a must read for lovers of Sophie, theatre, vaudeville, cabaret, or just plain histiory.

This book is not the success that Sophie Tucker was.
I looked forward to reading Armand Fields' book about Sophie Tucker. This is only the fourth book about the late "Queen of Show Business". There is indeed much new material not included in the other books and that makes this one worthwhile. However, this book is filled with errors. One photograph of Sophie Tucker and her grown son Bert is captioned as Sophie and her husband Frank Westphal. Also an ad from the Florentine Gardens circa 1947 is captioned as from the 1930s despite her 40s coiffure and shoulder pads.

Mr. Fields seems not to have bothered to watch her films. He calls her role in "Broadway Melody of 1938" a cameo. A role with three songs and five wardrobe changes is hardly a cameo. Sophie does sing two songs in "Sensations of 1945" but not the titles listed by Mr. Fields. He also claims that her scene was cut out of "The Joker Is Wild". She appears in every print of this film that I have ever seen.

Shelton Brooks, writer of Sophie Tucker's anthem "Some Of TheseDays" has his name spelled as "Sheldon" Brooks. Also, songwriter Jack Yellen's name appears as "Yellin" despite the reproduction in the book of a piece of sheet music with the correct spelling.
The author also states that Tucker recorded every song on which her picture appears on the cover. If only that were true! There are many such errors in this biography.

To pay (money) for a paperback, you really should have an accurate book as well as more pictures for your money. Sophie Tucker still has not had the treatment she desereves.

About Time Soph Got a Good Bio
One of the most colorful and important performers of her time--and "her time" stretched from 1906 to 1966! Fields is a seasoned biographer and has done his homework; this is a thoroughly balanced and well-researched book, a must for students of theater and fans of Soph.

A Fascinating look at the original 'Red Hot Mama'
Armond Fields has produced another in his series of fascinating portraits of show business icons from an almost forgotten era. Sophie Tucker is a rich subject, indeed and Armond depicts her humor and gumption with great authority. This guy is both a wonderful historian and cultural detective, finding out the truth about leading figures in the formative years of the American entertainment business. I particularly like how he gets beneath the myth-making thatSophie Tucker spun, to discover the full-bodied, hot-blooded human being beneath the blarney. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Valuable firsthand account of Who's last two seasons
If the cover of Sophie Aldred having dealt the Black Dalek with her aluminum bat doesn't convince Who fans that she's the toughest companion since Leela of the Tom Baker era, nothing will.Sophie is well-placed to tell her experiences in Doctor Who, as she was the series' last companion.She came in the wake of a tough transition in Doctor Who's history--following the dismissal of Colin Baker and the installing of Sylvester McCoy, Sophie was chosen to succeed Bonnie Langford as the new companion.

Mike Tucker, her collaborator of this work, was the visual effects designer during Doctor Who's dying days.He too provides his point of view and remembrances with equal aplomb.
In each of her nine stories (Dragonfire, Remembrance Of The Daleks, The Happiness Patrol, Silver Nemesis, The Greatest Show In The Galaxy, Battlefield, Ghost Light, The Curse Of Fenric, and Survival) she provides vivid commentary and detail from her diary of her experiences.There's lots of behind the scenes photographs in B&W and colour, early design sketches, listings of the cast and production team, director, story number, number of episodes and date broadcast--it's pretty comprehensive.

And yes, the famous incident of her while shooting Battlefield is included.Basically, she was in a water-filled tank and was to be pulled up.Sylvester McCoy noticed the glass bulging and then... CRACK!Sylvester shouted for the crew to lift her out, which they did, before anything happened to her.She also tells about this in the More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS video.

Considering how she was one of the few ex-alumni of Who to come out in the More Than... video, it shows how much she loved the show.She was very heartbroken when Sylvester McCoy told her that there wasn't going to be a 27th season, and that too is included in the book.

At the end of the book are photos and text of some of her post-Who efforts, including More Than A Messiah, an episode of the Stranger, the short-lived Colin Baker series, and Shakedown, a Who-spin off that not only featured the return of the troll-like Sontarans but paired her with Carole Ann Ford, Dr. Who's first ever companion.Then there's an interview where she tells what her favourite story was, plus her favourite Doctor.I have to commend her on her answer--she has good taste.

This is a splendid companion-piece after watching any of the 7th-Doctor/Ace stories.If you can find this book--get it.Break through hoardes of Daleks to get this treasure.

So you want to know about the end of an Era?
Sophie Aldred was the last companion for the longed lived Doctor Who program.She and special effects wizard Mike Tucker give their thoughts on the last three seasons of the show.The book is filled with pictures fromthe show and behind the scenes.It also contains quotes from variouspeople including Sylvester McCoy, AKA the Seventh (and final of the series)Doctor. It really is a good read, whether you like Sophie or just likeDoctor Who in general.It also contains mainly behind the scenes antics,even the infamous tank scene, where Sylvester became an actual hero.

This really is a perfect companion book to go in any collection.

The 'Ace' SophieAldred gives her view on Doctor Who
This book has it all; full colour pictures, many from the private collections of Sophie and SFX creator Mike Tucker, the technical working of the show, and witty, genuine commentary from Sophie herself. By reading this book you get a real understanding of how episodes in the Ace era wereproduced, what the cast and crew thought of them, and what they got up toon set. Sophie is full of information, and you'll want go back and watchall your videos again and go "Ah! i know how they did that!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sophia Tucker afrer all thses years is still an entertainer
Kept me rreading and enjoying many a nights ..her life was not oneof example but interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
1945 - Privtae Edition - Hardcover - w/ Dust Jacket - Some of These Days - The Autobiography of Sophie Tucker - RARE - Signed by Tucker, Inscribed & Dated 11/29/ 1958 - Remarkably good condition - VG Condition - Collectible ... Read more