So Far, So Funny

The late Hal Kanter was a multiple Emmy Award–winning writer, director and producer of such feature films and television series as Loving You, The Rose Tattoo and Julia. A three term governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he scripted 39 Academy Awards shows. He lived in Encino, California.

• Table of ContentsPreview      1. Hal Did a Lot for Our Family      2. The Advantage of Being on the Bottom      3. The Happy Hour of Eternity      4. Do Ducks Waddle?      5. I Do All of My Work Sitting Down      6. Romance Into Marriage      7. Spice to My Conversation      8. Whether It Happened or Not      9. Everybody Knows It’s Raining      10. Why Aren’t I Wet?      11. His Dentist Was a Proctologist      12. Only a Pig      13. An Honest Living      14. ’Til I Say It Is      15. A Virtue I Do Not Possess      16. An Apology      17. My One Goal      18. “Shit,” He Said Brie?y      19. Even Inanimate Objects      20. Hollywood’s Lesson      21. No Small Parts      22. Some People Are So Sensitive      23. I’m O.K.      24. No Good Can Come of It      25. What a Lamp Post Thinks of Dogs      26. By Words Alone      27. If Writers Were Good Businessmen      28. A Clean Sheet of Paper      29. If Lincoln Were Alive Today      30. But Why Should I Depress You?      31. Always a Beginner      32. Ten Percent of Everything      33. No Reason to Regret It      34. I’d Rather Have Cocoa      35. I Forgot to Write It Down      36. Three People Have a Baby      37. If You See My Producer      38. On Schedule      39. Without Music      40. The Show Goes On      41. Still Frisky      42. The Gift of Laughter      43. Expressing Ourselves      44. When My Comedy Succeeds      45. What Critics Say      46. Hamlet’s Experiences      47. Feed Gravel to His Oxen      48. The Big Show      49. You’re Going to Love Melbourne      50. If You Live Long Enough      Index

“the career of Hal Kanter is a fascinating one, and it is recounted here with truth and with humor...truly amazing...a wealth of detail”—Classic Images; “hugely entertaining...a must-read”—Past Times; “if you know anyone in need of a laugh, this book will do the trick”—Beverly Hills Courier; “Kanter recalls his life and career as a writer in his must-read book”—Daily Variety; “an engaging book, wise, sharply observed, deliciously droll, wonderfully anecdotal”—SPERDVAC Radiogram; “a rare and evocative autobiography”—DGA Magazine; “a marvel of warm, witty reminiscence. It is an engaging book, wise, sharply observed, deliciously droll, wonderfully anecdotal”—The San Diego Union–Tribune; “a joy to read”—The Berkshire Eagle; “if you love old time radio and like to laugh, this book’s for you”—The Illustrated Press.