Category: special event

Debbie Reynolds has co-written a memoir about her long Hollywood career. The book is called Make ’Em Laugh: Short-Term Memories Of Longtime Friends and it’s out November 10th on Amazon. Over the weekend, the Daily Mail had some excerpts from the memoir and if you like vintage Hollywood gossip plus a dash of vintage royal gossip, this may be the book for you. Debbie Reynolds once got goosed by the Duke of Edinburgh! And she knows how Richard Burton and Jean Simmons once had an affair behind Jean’s husband’s back. Some assorted stories:

The Prince Philip story: “The comedian Bob Hope was a friend of mine, so I was happy to take part in a special event to celebrate his 82nd birthday. Because he’d been born in England, this took place in London in 1985. And that’s when I got groped by the Queen’s husband…At the end of the show at the Lyric Theatre, Prince Philip came on-stage to honour Bob for his many achievements, and we all joined him for the curtain call. The Queen hadn’t come along that evening, which may explain what happened to me next. I chatted with Prince Philip a bit after the show and spoke to him again at the reception. He was very charming. He put one arm around my waist, then held my hand. Almost immediately, he was holding more than my hand. He caressed my backside. I had heard that he was famous for his ‘admiration’ of the ladies, but I didn’t expect him to be handling my booty. As handsome as Prince Philip is, I wasn’t sure if he was making a pass or just exercising some royal rights to squeeze the foreigners.”

Bobby Kennedy did the same thing: “Once, [the U.S. Attorney General] Robert Kennedy made a similar move on me while we were dancing — but his grope was less charming than the royal one.”

Shirley MacLaine was a sex goddess: “Shirley MacLaine was a sex goddess. All the boys who kissed the actress, on-screen and off, said she was the best. Her brother, Warren Beatty, also excelled in this department, having dated many of the world’s most beautiful women.”

Regrets: “A few years ago, a reporter asked me if I had any regrets. Aside from the obvious ones — my bad choices in husbands — I told him that I wished I’d had more sex.”

Vintage Hollywood gossip: “Jean Simmons once had a fling with Richard Burton while her husband, Stewart Granger, slept upstairs in their bedroom. MGM was abuzz with gossip about this, so everyone knew that Burton had climbed through the basement window to meet Jean.”