Book Description

This is a true story of television star Gardner McKay of the 1960s era. Gardner was born in New York City on June 10, 1932 and died on November 21, 2001. At the time of his death he was writing his own memoir and had become a famous author in his own right. Beverly wrote her memoir back in the 1960s and this is her journal. The story starts in Venice, Florida on November 23, 2001 and then drifts back to the 1960s when Beverly is a teenager. She has fond memories of that time when she was very much in awe of the star of Adventures in Paradise. The series was produced by 20th Century Fox. The star of the show received over 1000 fan letters a week at the studio. It was very unusual at that time, as he was unknown in show business until then. His dog Pussycat also became a star, as he was written about in numerous movie magazines. Also many starlets were associated with the star that remained a bachelor until the 1980s. When the Adventures in Paradise series ended, Gardner starred in a movie The Pleasure Seekers with Ann Margaret, Carol Lynley, Tony Franciosa, Pamela Tiffin, Andre Lawrence, Gene Tierney and Brian Keith. After that he went on to do summer stock in playhouses throughout the country. He starred in The Mousetrap, Bells Are Ringing, The Fantasticks, Any Wednesday, Funny Girl, and My Three Angels and perhaps more. Beverly, the author, was able to see him perform in four plays in the Midwest. These plays were The Mousetrap, The Fantasticks, Any Wednesday (that even starred Loretta Swit) and Funny Girl. She kept a journal at that time (her teenage years) and did not open it until recently to write this book. The story was started some 40 years ago. She writes with much emotion and tenderness about her celebrity idol, Mr. Gardner McKay. She is not alone in her feelings. He was a very talented and powerful figure. He was tall, 6ft. 5and built like a Greek god. Life Magazine said that he would launch a million sighs. Gardner was very intense with a very romantic voice that could melt just about anyone. Her adventures begin May 9, 1965, Mothers Day at the Drury Lane Theatre in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Ashley Dickens a portrait artist for this book wrote, This is a lovely tribute to Gardner.a young girls memory of meeting her hero for the first time. The readers will share in the emotions as she sat in the theater; filled with anticipation; watching, and waiting for him to appear on the stagehow she felt as she actually got to speak with him and receive his autographthe thrill of actually bestowing him with a precious gift of herself, a gentle kiss placed lovingly upon his cheekand him, understanding and appreciating a fans caring, saying Thank you! It is a touching story, and I am sure that many, many young ladies of our generation will understand her feelings and enjoy reading it. It will bring back a lot of fond memories of the late 1950s and 1960s. This book contains rare photographs of Gardner McKay, many never published before.