Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women as I Knew Them

Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women as I Knew Them, by Frank Langella
 
Frank Langella has written a totally engaging and delightful memoir of his interesting and productive career as a working actor for the approximately past 50 years. Dividing this book into chapters named for the various actors, politicians and other memorable characters he has known in his life, he writes concisely and vividly about these famous folks. For example, while working as a young actor in a summer theater on Cape Cod, he ends up at a luncheon with President Kennedy, his wife and Noel Coward among others. Though this happened many years ago, his writing makes this event, as well as the others he describes in subsequent chapters, so fresh and fun to read. Some other notables he socialized with are Yul Brynner and Rex Harrison. Both appear to be have been driven by huge egos and were very difficult men. Jacqueline Kennedy appears and then reappears in his life. Langella shows great skill as a writer as these diverse and very often immensely interesting folks come alive in his book. Dropped Names is highly recommended.
-Roy