Michael Musto

Michael Musto, columnist for The Village Voice and Out, author of Downtown and Manhattan on the Rocks (both out of print), and frequent commentator for E!, selects his favorite books on show business.

All About “All About Eve” by Sam Staggs (St. Martin’s Press, $19.96). The best book ever about the best movie ever. A fascinating glimpse behind this legendary Bette Davis film’s woolly wit, swiveling hips, and tossed cigarettes. Fasten your seat belts.

The Studio by John Gregory Dunne (Bantam Books, $11.20). In the late ’60s, Twentieth Century Fox almost destroyed the movie musical—and itself—with two colossal bombs, Star! and Dr. Dolittle. Dunne was there and remembers every lousy memo and dumbheaded decision—brilliantly.

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Not Since Carrie by Ken Mandelbaum (St. Martin’s Press, $13.56). A clearheaded, compelling journey through Broadway’s biggest floperettas—from Ankles Aweigh to Zenda—and what made them horrible. The misbegotten musical version of Carrie is rightfully held up (down?) as the most fascinating of the worst of the rottenest.

You Can’t Do That on Broadway! by Philip Rose (Limelight Editions, $20). Rose produced A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking 1959 play about the black struggle, against all odds. Today it’s a classic, and this inspiring behind-the-scenes remembrance deserves similar status.

My Story by Marilyn Monroe (Cooper Square Press, $18.36). Ditzy blond Marilyn hereby reveals herself to be a smart, sensitive cookie who knew exactly what buttons she was pushing. You want to hug her and make the big, bad world go away.

We’re Going to Make You a Star by Sally Quinn (Simon and Schuster, out of print). In the ’70s, Washington Post reporter Quinn was plucked to co-host The CBS Morning News and nothing good came out of it except for this shrewdly written tell-all. It saucily skewers TV as an empty, disposable medium (which I still want to be on).