The Kid Stays in the Picture: A Notorious Life – A Bestselling Hollywood Memoir and Gold Standard of American Cinema Storytelling

This is a book that you don’t want to put down or have it end! If you liked watching “The Offer” about the making of “The Godfather” you will love reading about Robert Evans.

Thoroughly enjoyed the pace of his storytelling and how real he got. Definitely earned the awards his autobiography got. Robert Evans tells the story only he could. Can't wait to listen to him read the audiobook!

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes history, cinema, and history of cinema. Bob Evans is definitely one hell of an interesting dude.

Robert Evans, I had heard about him via the gossip rags all related to one woman or another, nothing positive, mind you. It wasn't until Liz Smith spoke so knowingly of his auto biography that it rang any real interest. The book is twenty years old, and doesn't really ring any bells but it does read well.He takes us from his birth and young days of a supportive and loving family. He wanted to go to an entertainment high school, but had to settle for a school near the bad side of town to show he could do anything and win. He started as a two bit actor, model, salesman of certain things, meeting the high and the low. The low, including the mobsters are glossed over, but the feel is that they were a lot more involved. His time as an actor in Hollywood sounds like he was the biggest star known, but, of course, not. Maybe some of the drugs inhaled over the years went to the brain. At any point, it sounds like he made it with every actress known to man, and, maybe so.He names names, his wife, Ali MacGraw, who left him for another man, Phyllis George, another wife who left him, fourteen women in all, all now rich, he attributes to him. Politicos were many, even Henry Kissinger, who interrupted an important political event to be by his side. What did he gave on these guys? It is said he was to be part of Heidi Fleiss's trial for prostitution. It is an interesting portion of the book, but, I think represents exactly his above board ego. He is a great writer, but did he write this all himself?He was a big man behind the scenes in Hollywood, without him, 'The Godfather' and 'Chinatown' would not have been made. A few stories from those films, but not enough to keep us interested. He gave away a little, but not much, which makes me wonder, if what he has is so big that he could not stay in thus town if revealed. What does come out, is the over powering ego, not to my liking, but, then, this is his book.Recommended For The History. prisrob 01-27-14

This book was clearly written by Joe Ezsterhas for Robert Evans ... It reads very similar to Ezsterhas' own memoir Hollywood Animal which was written years later.It is a very interesting and self excoriating account from Bob Evans' own mouth about how he became one of Hollywood's most influential players ... Ever.Having known many people who worked with Bob Evans during his time at the top of the Hollywood food chain, this book humanizes him and shows a softer side than you will hear from those who were actually in the trenches which Evans commanded. To say that Evans lived a life of decadence is the mildest of understatements. While the book dishes the dirt ... Some of it reads as though a Public Relations firm put it together to soften the edges of one of the most hedonistic 'carnal-vores' ever to roam The Hollywood Hills.For fans of 1960s-1970s film, this tells a lot of the stories behind such pictures as Love Story, The Godfather, Chinatown, etc. It does a good job of showing just how many problems a producer has to deal with and includes a bevy of characters such as Dustin Hoffman, Francis Ford Coppola, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Sidney Korshak and a ton of executives who were once the kings of Hollywood and household names bigger than Coke or Pepsi but now mean nothing to those who weren't there at the time.Evans may not be as relevant as he was to the scene but the man was responsible for saving Paramount, making some of the best known movies in history and (by his own accounts) bedding some of Tinseltown's top starlets.This is a page turner. While Evans does tend to self depricate ... I am sure there are other sides to every story. The thing that most surprised me about the book is that while Evans is a shamess self promoter and horn blower, the book doesn't seem to brag as much as I thought it would. Instead it tells the tale of Hollywood excess and the often clichéd, 'Be careful what you wish for as you might actually get it' line.I can't say that I'd ever want to be married to or related to Bob Evans after reading the book ... But I wouldn't mind him advising my career if even half of the producing stories he tells are accurate.This is a great read and I'd recommend it toanyone who even has a remote interest in the inner workings of Hollywood.

It's a mind blowing whirlwind of sharp, outrageous, and brash recollections of a Hollywood life that is hard to believe. Robert Evans came from tough-as-nails stock with a strong survivor's instinct that catapulted him to one of the most renown producers of all time. His ups and downs are chronicled in great detail which makes for a tasty and never boring bio. Fraught with tension and daring, ridicule and praise, it is from beginning to end a great story of failure and triumph. His transparency and frankness is refreshing and rewarding. It is an absolute blast!

Mr. Evans wrote a terrific book that allows for many peeks behind the scenes of Hollywood through the 50s into the 90s.Truly amazing the people he interacted through his life.A great read!

An extremely informative book about a fascinating period in cinema history. Note that it should also be read with Easy Riders, Raging Bulls for another perspective. As Evans says himself, there's your version, someone else's version and then there's the truth. And I get the feeling that his version of the truth might not be too accurate sometimes:)

A really brilliant book. You won't want to put it down. What a life Robert Evans led and he retells it here in great style. Brilliant stories, fascinating behind the scenes insight. Also left me thinking what a great guy Jack Nicholson is, we could all do with a friend like him. Couldn't recommend this more, if you've not read it and have any remote interest in movies, or indeed simply biographies, buy this book

Thought this would be an intriguing insight to a golden age of filmmaking from a true insider, instead he comes over as a sleazy kiss 'n' tell merchant who's borrowed his dialogue from a bad b-movie.Such a shame as there are nuggets hidden all through this book but Evans can't get his head out his crotch long enough to deliver what could've been the Godfather of all memoirs

An interesting and read and an eye opener to the goings on in film land. I am not a film buff and do not go regularly so had not heard of Robert Evans. I selected it following review in the weekend Telegraph and it lived up to expectation.

I got this for my partner for Christmas, as he'd really enjoyed Easy Riders, Raging Bulls some months earlier. He read it in two days and even cross referenced it with Easy Riders...to get different points of view. This is one he'll keep!