The Nine Lives of Michael Todd: The Story of One of the World's Most Fabulous Showmen

427 Pages·2000·27.1 MB·English

by  Art Cohn

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NINE
LIVES

WICIAEL
TODD

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45 Operatwa tate 1235
36 Me Star Sor Garter 138
ay Fatle Mo, Lite World 130

18 Feder Joon Blondel’ 269
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20 Noble Experiment i

ax Gothorine Wart Grose 288
2a Wonderimd 194

23° The General 207
44 ToBeorNetToRe 28
25 Retrat rom Broaduny 299

28 Alast Around the World in Lighty Daye 234

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at Theyre Wie to Use Fig Up 330
33 udgment Doy 338
a4 Roller Gonster Aide 323
35 Enter Evelyn und TodAO 995
36 ‘TH Tell You About Mike Todd..." 348
a7 Hunwh Bet 374
98 Miss Livate Sohwurtzkeg} 383

Epilogue, by Marta Gohn agg

JLLUSTRATIONS
Between pages 298 and 239

Michoel Todd at the age of five, with is brother and sister,
‘Frank and Edith, and his mother, Sophra Goldbogen.

Chat Goldhogen, Michael Tadd father,
Midlwel Tedd (nge twelve) and friend,
‘Michael Todd at seventeen,
‘Michael Todd and Michael Tedd, Jr. (Los Angelas, 2981)-
AY Guy Nese Orleans (World's Fu, 4940
‘World's Fair, 2940.

‘Mayor Fiocello , La Guardia and Michael Yoda
MI World’ Fair Grounds, 2999.

Michael Tadd with Michael Tadd, Ji, 194a.

‘Michael Todd looks over the Tine of leg of the swimming
chorus oF A Night in Vol,

‘Michael Todd with Cantinilae md David Niven.
Michael Todd and Shitley MacLaine on logation.
Dizector Michael Audersov, Mickel Tod ana Frank Sinatra,
‘Michael ‘Todd, Blzubeth Taylor and Ferasndel,
Michael and Elizabeth Todd and daughter Elizabeth Francon,

* Conception +

1 have one test fr blography: Would the subject, regardless of
taxme, fare ar infemne- make a good novel? Mike Todd, yes. He
vould hive been couocived by Slakespanre, Corvuntes or
Duns,

Sceking th truth of Todd, often inspite of the facts, Pave
sanght the trath of aor time that created bi,

Before me ate my typewritan pages: Mike Tod's lughtar
ud tears, Uinnplas and extastenphes, loves and hates, dreams
and denouemeuts. Ya assaying them, a relleotion by Issac
‘Neerton eumes to mind:

“To not Imovr what I may appear to the warld, but to my-
self scam to hava hoea only like a hoy playing on the seashore,
and diverting himself now and then finding a smacther pebble
cor a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ozean of truth,
lay all undiscovered before me.

‘Mike Todd, a bold adventurer Nghtiog middle age as if he
a The Nine Lives of Michasl Todd

were golng to beat i, i 4 twenteth-cntury Rensissznes ma
is onivene sa dieam, his fe a search for something ouside
of himself. Tle is 2 citizen of the world no Tes than ws
‘Brasmus; he las been all his Hf, uncouscowsly unl the past
yerr, a votary of Don Qoisote and that “happy Age... be-
‘ause those fw fatal Words, Mine and Thine, were Distine=
tions unlnown tothe People of those fortunate times.”

“Todd has, unintentionally, frustrated every would-be biog-
xapher, The never lack: lek. Te it room each day without
Jowledge of te past. He bas no yesterdays, no renisoences
corsets. The man he was the day before or twenty yes be-
{ore is sconger to im acd no has no interest im aw i,
‘What is gone is done for; he must start cles at each moment

At eightoas ho was present of af; cco-a-your constr
tion conspany. A year ter be had w redit balance of $420,000.
-At twenty he was broke, unable to pay his ret, existing on his
wits dole ofa dellara day

He prodaced sitcen shows that graced $1,000.00, mong
the The Hot Mibado, Something for the Boys, Mosicen Hayy
‘id, Up in Cental Park, a Molize satire and Me lon
alng Hane in Brosdvay history. Wlon hc was thity.seven
‘he bad four plays running siaulianeously, netting him $20,200
a week. The folowing year he went into bunkrupley for
420563678, and, while in hock, lived on a thieyacre entate
at Teington-onthe Hudson, supped on caviar and champagne
4 “2y" and salsed pce than half a milion dollars to produce
to shes.

Currently, in Around the Word in Bighty Dey, he has the
fest motion pictte key to gross lundzod milion dolas,
and befitingy, faa single week of June, 2957, he bought hal
1 anllin dollars’ went of jewelry and printings,

“Dad his sm, Michael, Je, obscrved, ‘you going now like
you did when yom dist have it”

‘As his slow for mute than yeas, Thave seen iro rage
and ecstasy countess tanes.