The Girl Next Door...And How She Grew

Book excerpt: A CINDERELLA JOURNEY FROM SMALL-TOWN KID TO MGM’S SINGING AND DANCING GIRL NEXT DOOR--…BUT WHAT GOT LOST ALONG THE WAY? She was the sweet-faced gal who won our hearts as the spunky heroine of SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS…the all-American beauty who kicked up her heels with Fred Astaire in ROYAL WEDDING. Jane Powell grew up alongside Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowall and Ann Blyth…and she and Liz were bridesmaids at each other’s weddings. But with four marriages and nineteen films behind her, MGM’s golden-voiced Girl Next Door realized she’d never found happiness—or herself—until now. In her own words, Jane Powell gives an unabashed account of her struggle to grow beyond her screen image—after it had been created and torn down by Hollywood. A SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL TRIUMPH! With memorable photos!