This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life

This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life
By Gavin MacLeod, with Mark Dagostino


From booksneeze.com:
This Is Your Captain Speaking My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life
By Gavin MacLeod, with Mark Dagostino
Published by Thomas Nelson
The remarkable life, career, and faith journey of the star of The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
For 16 years, millions of Americans welcomed Gavin MacLeod into their living rooms every Saturday night. This veteran of stage and screen transformed himself from a seasoned character actor into the leading, lovable father-figure of The Love Boat at the height of TV’s boom years.

For more than 30 years, Gavin MacLeod has served as the global ambassador for Princess Cruises. Speaking to thousands of travelers each year, and signing hundreds of autographs at every port, he stands poised to celebrate his amazing journey with a look back at the golden era of American television.

The consummate storyteller, Gavin shares his fondest memories of meeting and working with countless stars, such as Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Merman, Ella Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, Milton Berle, and Fred Astaire.

From his humble theatrical beginnings in upstate New York, to Radio City Music Hall and on to Hollywood, Gavin MacLeod was on the fast track to success. However, a few hard life lessons—like dealing with a divorce—taught Gavin that the key to happiness was only through a deep faith in God, and he feels his work for Christ is more important than any award. Three years later his remarriage proved that a great struggle can culminate in a happy ending.



Leona's review:

This Is Your Captain Speaking drew my attention as a travel professional who specializes in cruises. I have seen Gavin MacLeod at some cruise conferences when he represented Princess Cruise Lines. I even had my picture taken with him and yes, he did have that big smile.
This is an autobiography of a man that "made it after all".
I learned a lot about the man we watched on the Mary Tyler Moore and The Love Boat. I now need to watch for him in his movies.
This is also a book about how God has affected the life of Gavin MacLeod and what and why. Many life experiences led this man to become closer to God and Jesus. He seems to have made friends with many people of many different opinions. Lots of sad times and some hard lessons of life he had to learn. One of the most touching moments was when he lost his good friend Ted Knight, whom we came to know as Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Show.
I have taken just a touch of what is in each chapter. There are so many names I cannot name all of them and so many movies and TV shows he was in; with and without his hair. Brings back so many memories.
The pictures in the book are wonderful and help make the story.
On the first pages of the book: Praise for This is Your Captain Speaking are comments by Marion Ross, Dr. Jack W, Hayford, Nancy Sinatra, Julie Benson, Mike Huckabee, Pat Boone, Kathie Lee Gifford, Florence Henderson and John Tinker.

I am giving This is Your Captain Speaking, My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life a 4 star rating. I received a complimentary copy from booksneeze.com to read and review. The opinions are my own.
Published by W Publishing Group, an Imprint of Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The dedication page reads "This book is dedicated to the Captain of my life, who came that I might have life and have it more abundantly."


Preface: One Door Closes
Fired by Hal March (page xiv)

Chapters:
Chapter 1: Pleasantville.
A chapter about his young life. Born with the name Allan George See in Mount Kisco, New York. (page 2)
Chapter 2: Life Goes On
Death of his father. (page 13) Professor in college by name of Beatrice MacLeod. (page 20)
Chapter 3: The big Apple
Buys his first hairpiece. (page 28)
Chapter 4: Broadway, Baby!
Loved A Hatful of rain with Ben Gazzara, Anthony Franciosa and Shelly Winter is 1956. (page 39)
Chapter 5: Hurray for Hollywood
First steady TV gig at Desilu Productions. (page 50)
Chapter 6: The Elevator Goes Up
Sees Adolphe Menjou and Herbert Marshall at the unemployment office. (page 55)
Chapter 7: Connections
Meets Gregory Peck who had been a men's underwear model for the Sears and Roebuck catalog. (page 62)
Chapter 8: Glorified
McHale's Navy show. (page 70)
Chapter 9: Half-Full
Gavin MacLeod's fall from a horse. (page 87)
Chapter 10: You're Gonna Make It After All
Mary Tyler Show. (page 94)
Chapter 11: Love Is All Around
Problems with marriage to Rootie. (page 106)
Chapter 12: Chuckles
Murray in the Mary Tyler Show. (page 112)
Chapter 13: Learning to Quit
Drinking is a big problem. (page 121)
Chapter 14: The Fame Game
Buys home for mother. (page 127)
Chapter 15: Climb Aboard
The Love Boat. (page 132)
Chapter 16: Shipmates
Love Boat Follies with Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Ann Miller, Della Reese, Van Johnson and Cab Calloway. (page 144)
Chapter 17: My Crew
" I was so blessed to spend all those years with that brilliant cast. We really became an extended family to one another..." (page 157)
Chapter 18: Seeing Stars
Ronald Reagan. (page 163)
Chapter 19: Man Overboard
Divorce from Patti. (page 182)
Chapter 20: The Life Boat
Prayed to Jesus and called Patti. (page 189)
Chapter 21: Moving On
Patti and Gavin remarry. (page 199)
Chapter 22: Back in Port
A life focused on family and God. (page 212). Beginning with Princess Cruises. (page 212)
Chapter 23: The Sea's Highs
Princess's ships. (page 224) Gavin has bypass on Good Friday (page 224)
Chapter 24: New Callings
Trinity Broadcasting Network. (page 232)
Chapter 25: Not So Gracefully
"Getting older is no picnic, let me tell you" (page 239)
Chapter 26: Enjoying the Blessings
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry movie. (page 245)

Acknowledgements
"This book would not have been possible without the support of a whole bunch of incredibly talented people.." (page 255)
Photo Credits
There is a list of the photos on pages 259 and 260.
About the Authors
Gavin MacLeod and Mark Dagostino

Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com