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Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood's Hidden Genius

Name: Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood's Hidden Genius
Brand: St. Martin's Press
SKU: 9781250279224
Price: 21.99 USD
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Contributors:

Carrie Courogen

Publisher:

St. Martin's Press

Binding:

Hardcover

Book Category:

Biography & Autobiography, Performing Arts

Book Subcategory:

Women, Film, Entertainment & Performing Arts

Book Topic:

Direction & Production

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The product is eligible for a complimentary return within 30 days from the date of purchase. Furthermore, individual items are shipped within 24 hours of receiving the order.

Rating and Reviews +

Specifications +

Release Date:

6/4/2024

ISBN 13:

9781250279224

Weight:

1.33 lbs

Size:

9.50 x 6.53 x 1.40 inches

Pages:

400

Mint Condition +

product description

Description

Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Awards, 2024

Miss May Does Not Exist, by Carrie Courogen is the riveting biography of comedian, director, actor and writer Elaine May, one of America's greatest comic geniuses. May began her career as one-half of the legendary comedy team known as Nichols and May, the duo that revolutionized the comedy sketch.

After performing their Broadway smash An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Elaine set out on her own. She toiled unsuccessfully on Broadway for a while, but then headed to Hollywood where she became the director of A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid, Mikey and Nicky, and the legendary Ishtar. She was hired as a script doctor on countless films like Heaven Can Wait, Reds, Tootsie, and The Birdcage. In 2019, she returned to Broadway where she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in The Waverly Gallery. Besides her considerable talent, May is well known for her reclusiveness. On one of the albums she made with Mike Nichols, her bio is this: "Miss May does not exist." Until now.

Carrie Courogen has uncovered the Elaine May who does exist. Conducting countless interviews, she has filled in the blanks May has forcibly kept blank for years, creating a fascinating portrait of the way women were mistreated and held back in Hollywood. Miss May Does Not Exist is a remarkable love story about a prickly genius who was never easy to work with, not always easy to love and frequently often punished for those things, despite revolutionizing the way we think about comedy, acting, and what a film or play can be.

About the Author
CARRIE COUROGEN is a writer, editor, and director. Her work has appeared, in print and video, in publications like Glamour, NPR, Paper Magazine, Pitchfork, Teen Vogue, Vanity Fair, Vice, and more. She lives in New York City.