Monday, June 4, 2012

Best in Hollywood?

I just heard yesterday a story that turns out to date from over a decade ago (which I suppose just goes to show I need to get out more).  But I think it is just delightful.  More evidence -- as if more were needed -- that reality is always more complex and more interesting than it looks on the surface.

You can find the story many places on the Internet, among them here, here, and here.  I can hardly do better than to quote it, so here it is:
It got nowhere near the press coverage that I Love You, Ronnie did, but Patricia Seaton Lawford's memoir of her late husband Peter contains a revealing passage on Mrs. Reagan as single gal Nancy Davis—and on her do's and don'ts of dating. Published in 1988, The Peter Lawford Story: Life With the Kennedys, Monroe and the Rat Pack chronicles the life of the low-magnitude movie star, Kennedy in-law and sometime Rat Packer. Among his many acquaintances was young Nancy Davis. Just how well they were acquainted Patricia didn't know until after Reagan was elected president. The Widow Lawford recalls, "Peter was watching the news right after Reagan was elected. He went over to the set, laughing and calling Mrs. Reagan a vulgar name. I was shocked and wanted to know what was bothering him. He laughed again and said that when she was single, Nancy Davis was known for giving the best head in Hollywood. Then Peter told of driving to the Phoenix area with Nancy and Bob Walker [whom Lawford claims was her lover at the time]. Nancy would visit her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Loyal Davis, while Peter and Walker picked up girls at Arizona State University in Tempe, a Phoenix suburb. He claimed that she entertained them orally on those trips, apparently playing with whichever man was not driving at the moment. I have no idea if Peter was telling the truth, though I have to assume he was because Peter was not one to gossip."
One minor note: I hope it can go without saying that I don't mean this as a political post of any kind.  I fully believe that many (or most) people's lives are more interesting than they look from the outside, and that this is true (in particular) clear across the political spectrum including those I agree with and disagree with equally.  It just so happens this particular story is the one I heard yesterday.  The fact that I re-post it here should not make it possible to guess whether Miss Davis's future husband falls into my 'agree" bucket or my "disagree" bucket....   

2 comments:

hoodie said...

No wonder Ronnie was always looking so distracted

Hosea Tanatu said...

:-)

Gosh, I guess if you're gonna be distracted by something, best make it something fun ....