"CLASSIC IMAGES" BOOK REVIEW
The charming Beverly Washburn, one of the most talented child actresses ever, has some significant credits, notably The Juggler (1953), Old Yeller (1957), a 1957 Wagon Train episode with Lou Costello and the 1967 “The Deadly Years” on Star Trek. You will have a great time reading her autobiography, Reel Tears: The Beverly Washburn Story, Take Two (BearManor Meda, $32, softcover; $39.95, hardcover), with Donald Vaughan (also ghostwriter of Hollywood Inside & Out: The Kenny Miller Story, go to https://donaldvaughan.com/index.html).
Her behind-the-scenes anecdotes are related by a person with a sweet disposition, a rare commodity coming from someone who started acting at six years old. And she is still acting! No self-pity here. This can be attributed to the values her family instilled in her. She’s had numerous tragedies in her life, but she’s gotten through them with a positive attitude. This may sound a bit bland, but it is not; Beverly’s approach to life is refreshing considering how other child stars act and how they always point the finger to their parents and/or other authority figures (not to say it’s never wrong to blame them). It’s nice to read a light, positive book now and again. Her honesty, sincerity and modesty are sweet. There’s sadness in her story, but admirably Beverly is a trouper, both in front of and off camera. She talks about such stars as Jack Benny, Loretta Young (she had a recurring role on Miss Young’s TV show), Kevin McCarthy, Lou Costello, Kevin Corcoran, Anne Baxter, Paul Peterson, Alan Ladd, George Reeves, Ward Bond, Lon Chaney, Jr., Dorothy McGuire, Clayton Moore, Troy Donahue, Lauren Chapin, Tommy Kirk, and Jimmy Stewart. Tony Dow wrote the foreword. I enjoyed reading her reminiscences of working in movies and on television, especially The Killer That Stalked New York (1950), Superman and the Mole-Men (1951), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), Shane (1953), The Lone Ranger TV series and 1956 movie, Old Yeller (1957), and Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (1967). She has interesting stories to tell, writing in an engaging style that will keep you occupied for several hours, at least, reading this. The photos are pretty amazing. One of the reasons this is a second edition has to do with the inclusion of “rare newly discovered photos from the Beverly Washburn private collection”—so says the cover. And there are TONS of them, plus letters she received from famous people. On screen, she excelled at crying on cue, and you will shed a few real tears of your own at some of the stuff that she has endured. Beverly comes across as a nice lady with a good sense of humor (and a good sense of self) who would be a wonderful person to know personally.
-- Laura Wagner, Reviewer (Book Points)