A conversation with Alan Shayne and Norman Sunshine, whose memoir, Double Life: A Love Story from Broadway to Hollywood, was just published by Magnus Books.

As two gay men, why did you decide to write the story of your joined lives and diverse careers?

Alan: We had read an article in Time magazine about young gays who didn’t see the possibility of a lasting relationship, and who were amazed when they heard that two men had been together for 20 years. That stuck in my head, and when Norman and I announced at a dinner party that we’d been together for 50 years, there was a collective gasp; people couldn’t believe it. Afterwards, a younger man came up to us and said that we were an inspiration to him and his partner. We were startled at that and began to feel that perhaps we had the responsibility to tell about our life in order to show young people that two men could have a happy, productive, loving life together that could last a lifetime. We decided to tell it as truthfully as possible and to leave nothing out about our personal life and, of course, our careers, which had a great deal to do with our longevity as a couple.

Norman: The term “two gay men,” so loaded with stereotypical inference, is simply not what I feel we represent and yet we are that. We’re two men who happen to love each other, who happen to have had great successes in our careers and who continue to be as creative and productive as physically possible. So I joined Alan—after some persuasion on his part—in writing this honest, hopefully interesting and sometimes amusing book to perhaps dispel myths and maybe even inspire other men who may be doubtful about same sex relationships, to believe it can be pretty damned good.

Who do you see as the book's audience and what do you hope readers will take away from your story?

Alan: We hoped our book would be read by everyone: gay people who we knew would identify with us but also heterosexuals as well. Since it is a love story, anyone who’s experienced love and the vicissitudes of trying to make a relationship work, we hoped, would want to read the book. Actually some of our best reactions have come from women who’ve been married for many years and share much of what we’ve gone through. We hoped those who read the book would be more informed as to what gay people are really like rather than keep their images that the media uses to pander to clichés.

Norman: The audience, of course, should be gay men and lesbians, plus families of children who’ve expressed their identities as gay. But more importantly I’d like anyone of any sexual orientation in a long-term relationship to be able to identify with us; to know that we have gone through the same dilemmas that two people who have committed themselves to each other must address.

How have you viewed the evolution of the gay community and what's your take on the marriage equality bill?

Alan: We were never an active part of the gay community, though we have many gay friends. In our early years, there was no gay community and we were immersed in our work and just trying to make a living. Now that we’re older, we very much hope to help in any way we can to promote equality. We got married in Nantucket in 2004 because we believed any gay marriage was a sign to the world that our numbers were growing and that we must be given equality.

Norman: Each state that legalizes same sex marriage is joining the fragile foundation, which hopefully will build to the universal freedom and equality that gays deserve. But more importantly I’d like anyone of any sexual orientation in a long-term relationship to be able to identify with us—to know that we’ve gone through the same dilemmas that two people who’ve committed themselves to each other must address.

You’ve made so many celebrated friends and business associates. Who’s been the most fascinating?

Alan: I think Katharine Hepburn. She was one of the world’s most famous and successful people and yet she lived simply, with no airs or pretensions. She knew exactly who she was and didn’t let anyone get away with anything. She wanted to be treated well but not as a celebrity. She only wanted the respect due to a mature and talented artist. She had indefatigable energy and a constant desire to move on. She never stopped thinking about projects, even in her older age. She was a true Yankee who adored life but wasn’t the least bit afraid of death. She had great character and was a total original—fearless, determined and fun. A monument.

Norman: We do have friends in politics, like former ambassador William Vanden Heuval, plus people in journalism, like James Greenfield, formally with the New York Times. They of course are liberal in their beliefs and fascinating in terms of their sense of fairness and overview of current affairs. Our friend Joan Rivers is so warm and generous and always full of enthusiasm; it’s more than great fun to be with her. Mike Nichols comes in and out of our lives infrequently, but when he does he’s a great friend, profoundly good to and for us.

How would you like to be remembered?

Alan: I hope that our book can move heterosexuals enough to realize that we’re all people who love and work (as Mike Nichols says in the book’s foreword), and that we are similar if not the same. If our book can change a few attitudes and move our equality even a step closer, then I’d like to be remembered for that—and for my love for Norman.

Norman: I’d like to be remembered as a talented fellow who created a few good paintings, who was fortunate enough to meet and live his life with his soul-mate, and maybe through this book opened up some eyes and added to the conversation about equality.