My Mother Was Nuts

From tap-dancing under her mother's tutelage in the Bronx, to Laverne and Shirley's blockbuster TV run, and on to the big screen%E2%80%94both in front of and behind the cameras%E2%80%94 Marshall guides readers through it all in this down-to-earth memoir. Featuring a vibrant cast of characters and myriad candid anecdotes, Marshall credits her mother with giving her the confidence she needed to make it big: "She rehearsed us on subway platforms. People stared. She didn't care." It paid off%E2%80%94Marshall has had an illustrious career and exciting life, having worked with the likes of Robert DeNiro and Whitney Houston, motorcycled across Europe with Art Garfunkel, and enjoyed close friendships with Carrie Fisher and John Belushi; of her disbelief regarding the latter's tragic death by overdose at the age of 33 she writes, "John always said he was indestructible, and we believed him. He was John." There's as much practical, hard-won advice here as there is Hollywood gossip, and Marshall's boundless energy and no-nonsense attitude make for a fun read. Photos. (Sept.)