The Absolute Joy of Work: From Vermont to Broadway, Hollywood, and Damn Near 'Round the World

You may know his name, but you’ve certainly heard the gold record novelty song, “Aba Daba Honeymoon,” that he recorded with Debbie Reynolds; you’ve seen the 1950 MGM musicals Three Little Words and Summer Stock; you’ve laughed and loved Father of the Bride with Elizabeth Taylor, Two Weeks with Love, and Crazy For You.

Film, television, and stage actor. Magician. Songwriter. Novelist. Carleton Carpenter has been them all, as well as a bellhop, professional magician, circus clown, church organist, barroom piano player, carny pitchman, commercial spokesman, Navy Seabee, screenwriter, ASCAP composer and lyricist, cabaret singer, Vaudeville performer, and recording artist.

Discover the more than twenty New York stage productions, countless tours around the country, hundreds of TV and radio shows, gold records, and the many films in which he appeared. His resume reads like a Who’s Who of Hollywood, including his associations with Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Angela Lansbury, Bert Lahr, David Merrick, Ray Bolger, Mary Martin, Carol Channing, Jane Powell, and Janet Leigh. His life story reverberates with ecstasy and anxiety, yet through it all, the absolute joy of his work overcame all obstacles, and he achieved more in his life than most people could dream.

The autobiography of Carleton Carpenter. 20 chapters. Introduction by Debbie Reynolds. More than 60 rare photos tracing his more-than seventy-year career.

“A marvelously entertaining memoir from a uniquely talented artist in the theatre and movies.”-Angela Lansbury

“Carleton Carpenter has led many lives, before and after he duetted on ‘Aba Daba Honeymoon’. I’m so glad he has chosen to share those lives with us in this wonderful new book.”-Leonard Maltin

“At the movies, Carleton Carpenter was the boyish equivalent of an all-American Fourth of July picnic—wholesome, delightful, and utterly without pretense. The story of his life is equally likeable—candid, funny, and full of joy. For anyone who misses the golden days of Broadway and Hollywood, he shares his show business memories without artifice, phony sentimentality, or any of the usual axes to grind. This book puts a smile on your face and keeps it there.” -Rex Reed