BOOK REVIEW

Just read an autobiography by polio survivor and actor, John Mahon.  It’s titled, A Life of Make Believe: From Paralysis to Hollywood. 

John Mahon

This is not a fluffy piece of writing. It is direct, curt and even discourteous at times. In it Mahon describes, incident by incident, his rowdy, turbulent, often agitated journey to become an actor–in spite of being marked by an arm that was obviously paralyzed by polio. For aspiring movie stars, achieving fame, fortune and a sense of professional security is far from easy now, and it was even tougher in recent decades. The 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s especially reeked with harsh disability discrimination. And in dealing with his physical imperfection in a body-beautiful business, John became a fighter–a good looking bad boy–who often barreled and bashed his way through life–chasing his heartfelt dream–to be an actor with a successful and fulfilling career on stage.

In spite of numerous disorderly encounters while working toward his vision of becoming a successful entertainer, John Mahon never, never gave up.  He got shot down, rejected, and swindled, but he got right back up and kept on fighting.

His endurance reminded me in some ways of Winston Churchill, who fought World War II, persevered, and eventually won the peace. Churchill had so much to teach the world about the value of continuous effort and the courage to keep going.

He may not know it yet, but I believe John’s story runs parallel to each of our own life-with-polio stories. Our individual goals may have been different, but we each had to work so persistently and diligently to prove ourselves–to excel with a disability in a non-disabled culture. To survive, many, probably all, of us worked every day at minimizing a socially-obvious disability with braces or crutches; or at passing for normal, hiding an impairment, like a weak hand, that, if discovered, would reveal our “malformations.”  I did it too. Whew. Makes me exhausted just thinking about it.

That was not easy.

At all.

Because as a reader, I vicariously trudged through John’s hellish-battles and hardships (fist-fights, doors bashed in, getting “canned”) with him in the first chapters, I was genuinely relieved to finally immerse in his later life moments of  peace and soul-nurturing insights. I believe that age, experience, real love, and conscious efforts at deep introspection have awarded John with a hard-won personal treasure–his momentary and penetrating glimmers of God.

Thanks for sharing the following moments, John…

After a breakdown, John’s good friend, Jack, takes him in. John writes with gratitude about his peaceful Pacific coast moments…

Jack had rented an apartment on the second floor of a home located in the north end of Malibu, on a palisade overlooking the Pacific, with a panoramic view of the ocean and coastline. We all know the ocean has boundaries, yet, from that bluff, it appeared to travel into forever…that sight in Malibu was magic. In the evening I would listen to the sound of waves coming to rest. Sometimes they would roll in gently; other times they crashed onto the sand below. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for those many evenings viewing the most gorgeous sunsets and starlit skies imaginable.

A few years later, he describes how he was “touched by an angel”…

I once flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, where the series Touched By An Angel was being shot. When I walked into the makeup trailer, Della Reese was sitting having her makeup done. I remember her saying to me, “God bless you today,” as she rested her hand on my shoulder. I swear a feeling of peace and harmony overtook me…Meeting  and working with such an unquestionably incomparable spiritual individual was a gift.

Laying out syntax that is not only brisk, but downright brusque, the author also describes a redeeming moment when he finally begins to find meaning in his disability…

Any number of times I had wondered why I was the one decked by polio. In 1979, walking on that sound stage, I may have discovered the reason. Infantile paralysis gave me an opportunity to help others; it only took twenty-nine years for me to discover it. My involvement with the Media Access Office[teaching the trade to young actors with a disability] made it clearer than ever that I had been living in two worlds: the gimp world, and the “normal world.”

John Mahon today

John’s book, A Life of Make Believe: From Paralysis to Hollywood, is filled with unique stories and snippets about the many famous movie stars he encountered as an actor–some he liked and respected; some he didn’t. From his seasoned actor’s perspective, he discusses his not-too-positive impression of reality TV today. From a polio survivor’s perspective he comments on the American with Disabilities Act. And from a father’s point of view he describes the ongoing devotion he holds for his children.

Mahon’s autobiography is also in a constant state of revision, John tells me. But I guess that’s true for all of us–as our perceptions and memories emerge, our life stories continue to morph and unfold.

If you are a movie buff and want to learn a little more about an array of great stage and screen stars like Al Pacino, James Garner and Broderick Crawford …if you want to get into a terse guy-story that is easy to read and definitely straightforward, then get yourself a copy of John Mahon’s new book.

Click on this link to have it sent right to your door:

To connect with John Mahon directly, write to him at:  alifeofmakebelieve@gmail.com or find him on Facebook.

At the end of his narrative, John candidly reveals, “I have not considered myself successful in any typical, conventional, usual or ordinary way…

My success was in continuing the journey.”

____________________________________ 

P.S. I believe it’s much the same for most of us. When we’ve gone through hell, as Churchill asserted, we have indeed, kept going.

Through the tough times with a post-polio disability, that magical life spirit deep inside our souls popped up and nudged us forward. 

Lately, as we’ve grown older, we’ve needed to astutely adapt and update our strategies and tactics a bit.  And as we do, we demonstrate to those around us our visibly unique, but certainly viable ways.

May we all continue to proceed, flourish and endure as we …  

Winston Churchill, also known as “The British Bulldog”

 Have you ever noticed how much super-persistence you continue to have?  

Is it still working for you?

If you enjoyed this article and would like to receive private updates about the newest post, consider becoming a subscriber. Just sign up at the subscribe box on this page’s right sidebar. It’s free and convenient.

Also, if you have a book you would like reviewed on this blog, write to me at sunnyrollerblog@gmail.com.