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The Times We Had : Life with William Randolph Hearst Mass Market Paperback – March 12, 1977

by Marion Davies (Author), Orson Welles (Foreword)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 220 ratings
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The was the unofficial empress of Hollywood and she spent a lifetime as the mistress of one of America's richest men. Gathered from tapes recroded a decade before Marion Davie's death, read, in her own words, the story of a fantastic and glittering life, as never told before.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ballantine Books
  4. Publication date
    March 12, 1977
  5. Dimensions
    4.17 x 0.85 x 6.76 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780345327390
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0345327390
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

THE book chronicling the high times in San Simeon. Don't even THINK about going to visit the amazing Hearst Castle before reading this one! It made MY trip (and my companions) much richer.
-Mark Bloomfield, Ballantine Sales

From the Inside Flap

unofficial empress of Hollywood and she spent a lifetime as the mistress of one of America's richest men. Gathered from tapes recroded a decade before Marion Davie's death, read, in her own words, the story of a fantastic and glittering life, as never told before.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 034532739X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (March 12, 1977)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780345327390
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0345327390
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.17 x 0.85 x 6.76 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 220 ratings

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Marion Davies

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
220 global ratings
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5 Stars
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I always go to Amazon for my hard-to-find books. This one arrived in great shape. There were no torn or folded pages nor yellowing. I'm happy with my purchase.
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Top reviews from the United States

Russell C
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Informative of so many stars and VIP's from the era
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2023
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Not as much elaboration as I would have loved, but still a very entertaing and informative look into Hearst Caste, Wyntoon, and so much more
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David Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars A joyous book
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016
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I came to this book after intensive study of the Movie Citizen Kane that involved not just watching the movie at least three times but reading a considerable amount of ancillary material. As many know the main character in Citizen Kane was patterned, to some degree, after William Randolph Hearst and the castle in the movie, Xanadu, had significant resemblance to the Hearst Castle San Simeon. Many people equate the character of Kane's second wife with the real person Marion Davies and the movie paints a very unflattering picture of that character. After reading "The times we had" it is clear that Marion Davies does not resemble Susan Kane and Xanadu is not San Simeon. What a relief!! The Marion Davies that comes through in her remanences is alive and joyous and San Simeon is a place of gaiety, parties and joy. The book was fun to read. The descriptions are vivid. Davies is a big "name dropper" but it seems as if she had contact with many of the major figures of her era including entertainers, politicians and business people. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it and have even bought several of her movies as a consequence of reading this book.
15 people found this helpful
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W. Brandt
5.0 out of 5 stars An Intimate Glimpse at Hollywood and famous personalities
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2009
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I read this book years ago and because of my ongoing interest in WR Hearst and Marion Davies read it again. Marion made some recordings shortly after her long time (30+years) lover W.R. Hearst died in 1951. She then did nothing with them and died in 1961. Two editors in 1975 took these tapes, edited them and the book appeared in 1975. This book is a time capsule of her years with Hearst and the people she met from Carole Lombard to a young Jack Kennedy.

What to know what Charles Limbergh was like personally? G. B. Shaw? What really happened the night Thomas Ince died?

Marion has come back to this world and invites you to sit with her while she tells you how it all was...

Want to know what Orson Wells thought of the comparison of her and Citizen Kane? It is in his forward...

All I can say about this book is WOW.
21 people found this helpful
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sandi r
5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure Received!
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2013
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I was so taken with this book from the moment I opened the package, I knew what I ordered but I had no idea it would be so equisite! Marion Davies writing is absolutely devine, she was delightfully entertaining and stunningly beautiful. No wonder Mr. Hearst was so devoted to her! This is a book that just keeps giving; I read it cover to cover but I haven't put it away on the bookshelf because I keep revisiting the photos. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
One person found this helpful
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Bernadette K.
3.0 out of 5 stars and was fortunate enough to amass a great collection of jewelry and ...
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2016
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While I had never heard of Marion Davies, as an actress or consort, prior to visiting Hearst's Castle last May, I believe she was a very kind and benevolent person who funded many peoples' way in life and the building of the children's care center that eventually became a part of UCLA Medical Center. She was a shrewd investor in her own right, and was fortunate enough to amass a great collection of jewelry and art through WRH's guidance and knowledge.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice to read HER point of view
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2021
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Lots has been written about WRH. Her book is a simple telling from the other (inside) side. About the days of San Simeon, the many celebrities, why they couldn’t marry. A story about an era long past.
One person found this helpful
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ccsmom
1.0 out of 5 stars unsatisfactory
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014
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I bought this book and was looking forward to the pictures. The print was so small it was hard to read. Adding to that, in many places the print was so light that I could hardly read it. When I complained to Amazon, at least they refunded my money. But this book was very unsatisfactory. I got so bored with the story that I quit even reading the book. Hard to believe a book about many movie stars could be boring but this one managed.
4 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars What a world she lived in!
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2013
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I enjoyed the book by Marion Davies. Because my mother and I are planning a trip to her re-furbished house in Los Angeles, I thought I'd catch up on what it must have been like for Ms. Davies and try to also imagine what those days were like, at least for the wealthy! It's an old book and I'm looking forward to seeing the actual house so that I can take my own photos. It must have been so incredibly exciting and fun for all those that visited Marion's home. I admire her for her being a kind woman, who didn't seem to posess the snobbery some of the rich showed. She was also very giving of money to charities; bravo. A good read!!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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MissMara
5.0 out of 5 stars Mum loves it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
Not read it myself but mother was very happy with it
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glauco
5.0 out of 5 stars COME SE LA SPASSAVANO I VIP NELLA HOLLYWOOD DEGLI ANNI D'ORO
Reviewed in Italy on March 26, 2012
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Marion Davies,poco apprezzata e ormai da molti lustri dimenticata come attrice,sopravvive in qualità di concubina del magnate dell'editoria W R Hearst,al cui fianco rimase fino alla morte di lui.In questo libro ci regala uno sfavillante ritratto della vita dei divi del cinema,di politici e delle teste coronate,delle loro feste faraoniche,gli amori mordi e fuggi e tante varie curiosità.Nonostante il libro sia stato pubblicato anni or sono,conserva un sapore attuale ed è godibilissimo
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s_watanabe
5.0 out of 5 stars 女優マリオン・デイヴィス自伝
Reviewed in Japan on May 26, 2011
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新聞王、ウィリアム・R・ハースト(1863-1951)の愛人として、彼の死まで生活を共にした女優、マリオン・デイヴィスの非公式自伝。ハーストの死後、自身の生涯をテープに吹き込んだ内容を本にまとめたもので、彼女の死後(1961年没)出版された。ハリウッド・スターなどの珍しい写真が豊富で、まえがきに、オーソン・ウェルズが文章を寄せているのも興味深い。

ジーグフェルド・フォリーズの踊子から、映画女優として活躍したキャリア、豪奢な邸宅でのハーストとの生活、著名人たちとの交流…などをデイヴィスが率直に語っている。もちろん、ハーストとの詳細な私生活ぶりや「オネイダ号事件」などについては、通り一遍のことしか語っておらず、このあたりのことは、文字通り、墓まで持って行ったのだろう。また、あくまで彼女の記憶だけに頼っているので、客観性という部分では、そのまま信じるわけにもいかないのも確か。しかし、そういった点に目をつぶれば、デイヴィスの飾り気のない、ユーモア溢れた口語体で、一気に読ませてくれる好書だ。自伝であると同時に、彼女が生きた1920年代〜1930年代のハリウッド映画史、風俗史にもなっている。

ハーストのおかげで名を成した才能のない女優―というのが、一般的なデイヴィス像だと思うが、そういった世間のイメージをあっさり受け入れ(「才能がない」とか「頭がカラッポのブロンド」などと自嘲している)、ユーモアに包んでしまうのが、デイヴィスの軽やかさ。機知に富み、実に頭の回転の速い女性だったということがわかる。例えば、口が悪いことで有名なバーナード・ショーが、訪米した際の以下のやりとりだけでも、彼女の聡明さがわかる。

デイヴィス「私、先生の『アンドロクネスとライオン』を読みました」

ショー「君に知性があったとは知らなかったな」

デイヴィス「本を読む知性はあるのですが、内容を理解する知性は持ち合
　　　　　　わせませんの」

加えて、彼女は、やさしい。イングリッド・バーグマンが、ロベルト・ロッセリーニとの不倫に走った際の、デイヴィスの援護射撃(バーグマンとの面識はなかった)は、ハーストの愛人として、世間から白い目で見られていた彼女ならでは行動だったに違いない。

オーソン・ウェルズが述べているように、デイヴィスは、ユーモアと才能に溢れ、他人を思いやる心を持った人物だったのだ。本書は、世間の評価とは全く正反対の彼女の実体を知ることが出来るということで価値がある。
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I had hoped for
Reviewed in Canada on February 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was hoping that this book would be a biography containing more information about her early and later years rather than just her time with Hearst. The way how she got screwed over by the Hearst family after W.R.'s death was totally absent. Most of the movies she made were either skimmed over or ignored. All of the stories about vacationing and partying with celebrities and royalty make her out to be more of a poor little rich girl than the talented actress and generous loyal person that she was.
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Russel M Mulvihill
5.0 out of 5 stars Marion Davies , the times she had.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
excellent book about a forgotten star of the silent and early sound picture business. I could not put this book down, what a personality. The girlfriend of the most powerful press baron in America and a very important movie star. What a fascinating life.
5 people found this helpful
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