Sue CameronHollywood Secrets and Scandals

Where have I seen this sort of title before? Constantly! And then it's all about Hollywood stars long dead who got themselves into all kinds of trouble (e.g., William Desmond Taylor, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, etc.) And even if the stars are living, the scandals written about come from an outsider totally unacquainted personally with any of these people. Because I love reading about these familiar tales over and over again, I'm happy to chance reading yet another book on familiar Hollywood scandals, past and present. What a surprise THIS book is! The title should have been "Diary of a Hollywood Reporter" or "All About My Movie Star Friends" of which Sue Cameron has MANY. She didn't just have lunch with them. In most cases, she was many of these star's BEST friends and closest confidantes FOREVER and physically present as these stars went through severe personal crises! And she would be with some of these people for days on end! How did she manage to arrange her schedule to accompany these actresses in particular where her contact with them was often as travelling companion and she surely had other ongoing responsibilities? Quite a juggling act! Sue Cameron used her skills as a reporter to put people at ease and win over their trust immediately. She exhibited a truly caring and friendly personality which people caught on to the minute she walked into the room.This isn't all. Sue Cameron's anecdotes are truly unusual, not the kind of thing you find in other Hollywood books. Two stood out immediately. Sue went to a women's prison to do a presentation for the inmates there. After her talk was over, the warden asked if she would be willing to meet with three women in a "solitary situation." As it turned out, the women he was referring to were three killers from the Manson family: Lesile Van Houten (who Sue made friends with), Patricia Krenwinkle and Susan Atkins.The descriptions of these women were a study in contrast, short but extremely fascinating.Another unusual anecdote was her visit as a child to the "Ozzie and Harriet" set at a time all of the cast and crew were absent. She stole a couple of Coca Cola bottle caps as souvenirs from a drawer on the set of the fake kitchen. Clearly, she was free to wander around without supervision. She points out this would never be allowed today.Sue's descriptions of these stars at their most vulnerable, revealing their truly honest and private selves was extremely touching and insightful.I highly recommend HOLLYWOOD SECRETS AND SCANDALS, but I would vote for some other title. The book should stand out with a title more reflective of it's truly unique content!

Interesting personal insights to numerous famous people, and the reader is inclined to believe all the sagas are true. There is, however, a LOT of credit given to and taken by the author--- a bit self serving at many points.

Every once in a while I’ll come across a book that keeps me up all night turning pages. With Sue Cameron’s book I’ve gotten an average two hours sleep the past two nights. Not your usual 2nd hand tell all this is an original first person account full of new surprises. Cleverly formatted so the reader can pick and choose the chapters of most interest made it like picking through a delicious box of chocolates. An enjoyable read. ~Bill Long-Woeck

Really not many people she discusses in this book. Several things already public knowledge. She does like brag about her many accomplishments often. The book is okay I guess if you don't know anything about the few celebrities she discusses.

This was quite an exciting ride from a writer I know from my early days living in LA. I had never met people like Sue Cameron until I moved to Southern California from the East Coast after growing up in the South. Once I was there, it seemed almost normal to encounter Hollywood types and those who covered them, like Sue. She lived a writer's dream as one who covered major A-listers and became close, personal friends with the ones introduced in this book. She writes as she speaks, which is the kind of writing I like. Don't miss her 2018 YT interview with Larry King Now. You'll get her sense of humor that shines here. What can I say? Perry Como! I never knew that story. The Phoebe Snow chapter, along with Joan Rivers, left me in tears, although there were others. Jimi Hendrix just needs a nap made me laugh.Sue can capture an era in a few sentences: Sue and Cass, convertible purple Cadillac, July heat, with "Monday, Monday" playing on the radio. Who wouldn't have wanted to be in that car?! Most people will never have one experience like that and she's had thousands of such touchpoints. I have a feeling there is a follow-up to this book because this woman knows how to tell great stories of the celebrities who became her dear friends.

If there is such a thing as gobbling a book up I feel I did that with this book. Until the chapter on Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher this was a breezy easygoing book to read. Sue Cameron knew many of these people in depth and for many years and she brought them to life on the page. I especially liked the chapters on the Nelson Family., Lucie Arnaz and Joan Rivers. It was a real trip down memory lane and I can't wait for her next book.

Bought this book because of the VERONICA LAKE segment, but was hoping it would be more in depth.

Being a movie, television, and celebrity freak, I could not stop reading once I started this fabulous book! There is so much packed into this book, I may have to read it again. I loved every page of this book. No, every sentence of this book! There are so many things I did not know, and I thought I knew all of the Hollywood trivia. Whew!! This book was an education, to be sure! Loved it!!!!!

Loved this book. Couldn’t put it down. Sue must have enough tales left to furnish another book?