Michael Seth Starr covered television at the New York Post as a reporter, columnist, critic, and editor for over 28 years. He has written a filmography of Peter Sellers and biographies of Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, Raymond Burr, William Shatner, Redd Foxx, and Ringo Starr. He has made frequent appearances on television including The Today Show, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America, The Early Show, Larry King Live, Extra, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, and Tavis Smiley. He lives in New Jersey and his latest book is Nothin' Comes Easy: The Life of Rodney Dangerfield, and he recently talked about it with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
What was your inspiration for Nothin’ Comes Easy?
No one had written Rodney Dangerfield's life story in the twenty years since his passing, and I thought a comedian of his caliber (and fame) deserved his due. People are still talking about the genius of Rodney Dangerfield and he has a legion of fans devoted to his work.
How long did it take you to do the necessary research and then write Nothin' Comes Easy?
It took about two years to research and write the book.
What was the most interesting or surprising thing that you learned about Rodney Dangerfield and/or his work/career during your research?
I found it interesting that Rodney, who was then known as Jack Roy—a struggling comedian—left the comedy world for a decade, from about 1950 to 1960, and found a second career as an aluminum-siding and paint salesman running a profitable business in North Jersey. As readers will learn in the book, he ran afoul of the law due to his business dealings in the late 50s but came away virtually unscathed. He had a great third act when his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967, when he was forty-five, propelled his career to new heights.
Was there something interesting or unexpected you discovered about someone else?
It was interesting to learn about Rodney's father, Phil Cohen—aka vaudevillian Phil Roy—who teamed with his older brother Adolf for a comedic juggling act called Roy and Arthur. (Arthur worked in black-face, which was not unusual for that time.) They were fairly successful; there's a photo of Phil Roy posing with Charlie Chaplin when their paths crossed on the vaudeville circuit. Rodney once showed that photo to Johnny Carson (and America) during a visit to the Tonight Show.
Are there any stories or events that were lost in the process of writing the book that you wish had made it to the published version?
I tried to cross that bridge by integrating reminiscences and anecdotes from Rodney's friends and colleagues in a "Riffs on Rodney" section at the end of the book. I hope that helps to paint a more complete picture of him (warts and all).
Rodney Dangerfield died in 2004. Did you have the chance to meet or talk to him? Did you ever see him perform live?
Unfortunately, I never did have the chance to interview Rodney, and I never met him or saw him perform live in a concert setting—but I loved watching him on the Tonight Show and elsewhere. Rodney and Don Rickles were terrific late-night television guests—two of the best.
Do you have a favorite of Dangerfield's movies? Other performances?
I think Rodney's role in Caddyshack personifies his humor and his comic sensibility—which is remarkable since it was his first major movie role (discounting his appearance in the low-budget 1971 flick The Projectionist). He was also very good in a small role in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (I interviewed Stone for the book).
If you had the chance to ask or tell him something now, after completing your research and writing the book, what would it be?
I would tell Rodney that, in writing and researching the book, I was amazed at his joke-writing proficiency and the impact he had on his fellow comedians. I was also happy to see how much he fostered younger talent on the comedy circuit and the (dare I say) respect the younger comedians (Sam Kinison, Rita Rudner, Louie Anderson, Bob Saget, Dennis Blair, Pauly Shore, et al.) had for Rodney, who they considered their mentor.
You've published biographies on performers as varied as Raymond Burr, Redd Foxx, William Shatner, Ringo Starr, and now, Rodney Dangerfield. How do you select your subjects?
I try to select biographical subjects who have not had their lives extensively chronicled in book form (notwithstanding their own autobiographies). It's fun to dig into a subject's background and career, from an outsider's perspective, and mine nuggets of information that are not widely known. For instance, Rodney wrote jokes for Joey Bishop during Rodney's comedy comeback phase in the early 60s. Who knew?
What's currently on your nightstand?
7 Dirty Words: The Life and Crimes of George Carlin by James Sullivan.
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
I don't have a list, but I will say that I recently read two excellent biographies by Gerald Clarke (of Truman Capote and Judy Garland), so he stands out.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
I read all of The Hardy Boys mysteries (sometimes twice). I also read a lot of biographies of sports stars.
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
Portnoy’s Complaint (Philip Roth).
Is there a book you've faked reading?
Nope… Though I may have skimmed through some "classics" in college (I was an American Literature major and there was a lot of reading involved).
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
I can't think of any particular book off-hand, but I do think the cover image (especially for biographies) is very important to draw readers into the story. I hope that’s the case with Nothin' Comes Easy.
Is there a book that changed your life?
I can't say there has been a book that changed my life, but I love reading biographies (the list is long—sometimes I can't even remember if I've read a particular book since I've plowed through so many!)
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
Moon: The Life & Death of a Rock Legend, by Tony Fletcher. He did a terrific job chronicling the life of Keith Moon and putting his life (and contributions to rock music) in context.
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
I have watched so much television over the years—when I was the TV Editor of The New York Post and now (I'm retired)—that I can't choose one show that has impacted me more than another. I would say that Breaking Bad is one of my all-time favorites, which I know I will re-watch someday from beginning to end. I tend to be a fan of old black-and-white shows from the 50s and early 60s (on DVD or niche digital networks) among them: Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents (of late), Have Gun, Will Travel, The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, The Honeymooners, Dragnet, Highway Patrol etc. I should have been born a decade sooner!
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
I like to spend time with my wife, Gail, and our dog, Ringo. It would be cool to meet some of the people I've written about (Peter Sellers, Art Carney, Raymond Burr among them).
What is the question that you're always hoping you'll be asked, but never have been? What is your answer?
You've done a nice job covering all the bases. I can't think of anything I would like to add!
What are you working on now?
I am working on a biography of Bob Newhart, which will be published by Kensington.
