cover image Great Hollywood Wit

Great Hollywood Wit

Gene Shalit. St. Martin's Press, $19.95 (192pp) ISBN 978-0-312-28272-1

Shalit, the longtime Today Show film critic with the unmistakable moustache, here serves up a goulash of Tinseltown's best witticisms. Many are familiar, like Groucho Marx's ""I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception,"" or Mae West's ""Too much of a good thing can be wonderful."" Others are less celebrated but still amusing, such as Woody Allen's ""I do not believe in an afterlife, although I am bringing a change of underwear."" Especially dishy are Shalit's tales about old-school Hollywood power brokers, including Jack Warner and Sam Goldwyn, who had a Yogi Berra-esque way with words. Shalit divides the book loosely by theme-e.g., the chapter entitled ""Shooting Stars"" shares quotes from celebrities about other celebrities, and in ""Booray For Hollywood,"" the stars share their thoughts on Tinseltown. Readers may not find belly laughs in here, but with such a storehouse of famous quips, it's hard for Shalit to miss.