Synopses & Reviews
Newly discharged from the Marines after World War II, Scotty Bowers arrived in Hollywood in 1946. Young, charismatic, and strikingly handsome, he quickly caught the eye of many of the towns stars and starlets. He began sleeping with some himself, and connecting others with his coterie of young, attractive, and sexually free-spirited friends. His own lovers included Edith Piaf, Spencer Tracy, Vivien Leigh, Cary Grant, and the abdicated King of England Edward VIII, and he arranged tricks or otherwise crossed paths with Tennessee Williams, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price, Katharine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Errol Flynn, Gloria Swanson, Noël Coward, Mae West, James Dean, Rock Hudson and J. Edgar Hoover, to name but a few.
Full Service is not only a fascinating chronicle of Hollywoods sexual underground, but also exposes the hypocrisy of the major studios, who used actors to propagate a myth of a conformist, sexually innocent America knowing full well that their stars personal lives differed dramatically from this family-friendly mold. As revelation-filled as Hollywood Babylon, Full Service provides a lost chapter in the history of the sexual revolution and is a testament to a man who provided sex, support, and affection to countless people.
Review
"I have known Scotty Bowers for the better part of a century. Im so pleased that he has finally decided to tell his story to the world. His startling memoir includes great figures like Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Scotty doesn't lie-the stars sometimes doand he knows
everybody."Gore Vidal
A picaresque romp that unabashedly uncover long-hidden sexual scandals during Hollywoods golden years.”John Rechy, author of City of Night
"Scotty Bowers's memoir is a jaw-dropping firsthand account of closeted life in Hollywood during the '40s and '50s. The wholesome image of the post-war American family was acted, written, directed and designed by people for whom such a life was never possible and Bowers writes about their pain and brilliance with the childlike wonder of Chauncey Gardiner. Turner Classic Movies will never quite look the same."-Griffin Dunne, Actor/Director
"They said he'd never talkbut at long last, the legendary Scotty Bowers has told his story, with all the honesty, compassion and insight that made him a confidant of movie stars, directors, billionaires, and politicians. Bowers knew Hollywood like no one else, invited behind closed doors to observe firsthand the true stories of America's dream factory. This is juicy, juicy stuffbut just as importantly, it's a seminal chapter of American popular culture that gives us a richer understanding of the people, times, and culture of Hollywood's Golden Age."-William J. Mann, author of Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn and How To Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood
Review
A jaw-dropping firsthand account of closeted life in Hollywood during the 40s and 50s. The wholesome image of the postwar American family was acted, written, directed, and designed by people for whom such a life was never possible and Bowers writes about their pain and brilliance with the childlike wonder of Chauncey Gardiner. Turner Classic Movies will never quite look the same.”Griffin Dunne, Actor/Director
Full Service at the very least highlights how sharply the rules of engagement for reporting celebrity gossip have changed. . . . [Its] much harder to keep details as salacious as the ones Mr. Bowers outlines under wraps.”Brooks Barnes, The New York Times
[Scotty Bowers] made his reputation by sleeping with everyone in Hollywood who wasnt actually Lassie, and now he tells all. If you ever suspected that Spencer Tracy was bisexual and Tyrone Power a coprophiliac, and if you happen to believe everything you read, here is all the testimony you require.”Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
[Q]uel scandale!”Vanity Fair
Connoisseurs of lurid tell-alls and the golden age of Hollywood will almost certainly be entranced by Full Service.”The Atlantic Wire
This handsome ex-Marine and his friendly gas station have long been alluded to in Hollywood memoirs. And now, at last, they go public.”Janet Maslin, The New York Times
The book is like a 286-page gossip column from Hollywoods golden ageit names all the names and spills all the secrets. Bowers was a . . . free-love advocate far ahead of his time who claimed Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Edith Piaf and the Duke of Windsor (to mention just a few) as lovers.”W Magazine, Februarys Most Wanted
Younger readersat least those raised in the Internet and TMZ agemay find nearly as shocking the fact that the stories were squelched by studio publicists and remained largely under wraps back in the day.”Chicago Tribune
"The Scotty I knew was a guy who always seemed to be enjoying his life working morning, noon and night, with never a gripe; always with a smile to greet you, and never with an axe to grind. After a lifetime in Hollywood, thats a remarkable feat and its own kind of Zen.”David Patrick Columbia, New York Social Diary
A picaresque romp that unabashedly uncovers long-hidden sexual scandals during Hollywoods golden years.”John Rechy, author of City of Night
"Full Service is not a kiss-and-tell or a diary of a rent boy but an insightful look through the microscope at the world of make believe."Sydney Morning Herald
Controversial . . . vivid . . . As well as a titillating catalogue of sexual intrigue, the book is designed to expose of the hypocrisy and fear that swirled beneath the industry's on-screen glamour and crafted wholesomeness.”The Guardian (UK)
They said hed never talkbut at long last, the legendary Scotty Bowers has told his story, with all the honesty, compassion and insight that made him a confidant of movie stars, directors, billionaires, and politicians.”William J. Mann, author of Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn
The initial impulse, of course, is to compare Bowers allegations about his career with that of Heidi Fleiss, the Hollywood Madam, and though they both pandered to the prurient interests of the entertainment industry, Bowers fantastical story goes further. . . . [If] youre looking for an unvarnished account of the closeted shenanigans of Hollywoods Golden Ageand a good trashy read at the same timethen Full Service is the full enchilada.”Los Angeles Times
In this shocking exposé, Bowers finally reveals his sexual liaisons with the rich and famous, sparing no details along the way. . . . Bowers has no regretshaving led a life of pleasure, satisfaction and joy that the rest of us can only envy.”The New York Post
[Full Service] reads more like a historical document, the Kinsey report on the sex lives of the rich and famous. . . . theres also a sad irony in [Bowerss] story. Many of the actors mentioned in his book established the basis for what was for decades considered normal: cookie-cutter, heterosexual marriage. As a reader, it makes you cringeif all these celebrities hadnt pretended to be something they were not, would generations of gay teenagers have struggled as much with their identities? Would we even be debating gay marriage today?”The Daily Beast
Juicy . . . a titillating tell-all from Scotty Bowers, a gadabout go-between in the closeted and scandal-wary world of moviedom. . . . chatty, affable . . . never less than entertaining. . . . the book paints a picture of a different kind of Hollywood, where the press only went so far in reporting scandals, where great efforts were taken to conceal an actor or actress true proclivities, where there was no TMZ and no celebrity porn videos and where there was a lot more to lose if the real story ever got out.”The Philadelphia Inquirer
Scotty Bowers was Hollywoods Mr. Fixitat least when it came to the bedroom.”Entertainment Weekly
[Bowers] has become a mythic figure in Hollywoods gay subculture. . . . Bowers documents his encounters with great specificityincluding Walter Pidgeons proclivitiesand takes the reader inside some of the most fascinating scenes” of the period.”The Daily Variety
After five decades maintaining that sex secrets of Tinseltowns elite, at the age of 88, Bowers is revealing all in a sensational new memoir."The Daily Express (UK)
Full Service opens the doors of the closeted, X-rated underworld of old Hollywood through three decades.”The Daily Mail (UK)
[Bowers] became the Mr. Fixit for screen icons who sought out the more lurid trappings of Tinseltown during its glory days. Wild affairs, gay romps and rampant prostitution were the order of the day and Bowers was the man they turned to for their salacious entertainment.”The Daily Mirror (UK)
[If] you're one of those people who still owns a vintage princess phone, watches Mad Men obsessively, and yearns to go back to a simpler” time when men and women exchanged witty banter in mid-Atlantic accents instead of jumping into the sack, read Bowers book.”Nerve.com
[Full Service] is about to blow the door off of the Hollywood Closet. . . . Escandalo!”Seattle Gay Scene
None of us are ready for what appears to be the kickass Old Hollywood memoir of 2012: Scotty Bowerss Full Service.”AfterElton.com
Review
I have known Scotty Bowers for the better part of a century. Im so pleased that he has finally decided to tell his story to the world. His startling memoir includes great figures like Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Scotty doesn't liethe stars sometimes doand he knows
everybody.”Gore Vidal
Mr. Bowers, 88, recalls his highly unorthodox life in a ribald memoir . . . [A] lurid, no-detail-too-excruciating account of a sexual Zelig who (if you believe him) trawled an X-rated underworld for over three decades without getting caught. . . . [A] lot of what Mr. Bowers has to say is pretty shocking. . . . Full Service at the very least highlights how sharply the rules of engagement for reporting celebrity gossip have changed. . . . [I]ts much harder to keep details as salacious as the ones Mr. Bowers outlines under wraps.”Brooks Barnes, New York Times
"A jaw-dropping firsthand account of closeted life in Hollywood during the '40s and '50s. The wholesome image of the postwar American family was acted, written, directed, and designed by people for whom such a life was never possible and Bowers writes about their pain and brilliance with the childlike wonder of Chauncey Gardiner. Turner Classic Movies will never quite look the same."Griffin Dunne, Actor/Director
[Scotty Bowers] made his reputation by sleeping with everyone in Hollywood who wasnt actually Lassie, and now he tells all. If you ever suspected that Spencer Tracy was bisexual and Tyrone Power a coprophiliac, and if you happen to believe everything you read, here is all the testimony you require.”Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
[Q]uel scandale!”Vanity Fair
This handsome ex-Marine and his friendly gas station have long been alluded to in Hollywood memoirs. And now, at last, they go public.”Janet Maslin, The New York Times
The book is like a 286-page gossip column from Hollywoods golden ageit names all the names and spills all the secrets. Bowers was a . . . free-love advocate far ahead of his time who claimed Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Edith Piaf and the Duke of Windsor (to mention just a few) as lovers.”W Magazine, Februarys Most Wanted”
[A] tell-all book . . . .Cary Grant, Rock Hudson, George Cukor, Katharine Hepburn and Vivien Leigh are among those named by Bowers, now 88. . . . Younger readersat least those raised in the Internet and TMZ agemay find nearly as shocking the fact that the stories were squelched by studio publicists and remained largely under wraps back in the day.”Chicago Tribune
Connoisseurs of lurid tell-alls and the golden age of Hollywood will almost certainly be entranced by Full Service.”The Atlantic Wire
The Scotty I knew was a guy who always seemed to be enjoying his life working morning, noon and night, with never a gripe; always with a smile to greet you, and never with an axe to grind. After a lifetime in Hollywood, thats a remarkable feat and its own kind of Zen.”David Patrick Columbia, New York Social Diary
"They said he'd never talk but at long last, the legendary Scotty Bowers has told his story, with all the honesty, compassion and insight that made him a confidant of movie stars, directors, billionaires, and politicians. Bowers knew Hollywood like no one else, invited behind closed doors to observe firsthand the true stories of America's dream factory. This is juicy, juicy stuffbut just as importantly, it's a seminal chapter of American popular culture that gives us a richer understanding of the people, times, and culture of Hollywood's Golden Age."William J. Mann, author of Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn
"A picaresque romp that unabashedly uncovers long-hidden sexual scandals during Hollywood's golden years."John Rechy, author of City of Night
Delicious with every salacious detail . . . The photographs alone are worth the price of admission.”Huffington Post
Controversial . . . vivid . . . As well as a titillating catalogue of sexual intrigue, the book is designed to expose of the hypocrisy and fear that swirled beneath the industry's on-screen glamour and crafted wholesomeness. . . . [Bowers] dramatically describes the climate of fear in an era when he worked as a bartender at Hollywood parties while the LAPD vice squad were prowling the hills in their patrol cars looking for parties and opportunities to arrest the participants.”The Guardian (UK)
After five years maintaining that sex secrets of Tinseltowns elite, at the age of 88, Bowers is revealing all in a sensational new memoir.”The Daily Express (UK)
Full Service opens the doors of the closeted, X-rated underworld of old Hollywood through three decades.”The Daily Mail (UK)
[Bowers] became the Mr. Fixit for screen icons who sought out the more lurid trappings of Tinseltown during its glory days. Wild affairs, gay romps and rampant prostitution were the order of the day and Bowers was the man they turned to for their salacious entertainment.”The Daily Mirror (UK)
Scotty Bowersonce a beacon of discretionfinally unveils the carnal peccadillos of many of the studio eras biggest players. . . . For impromptu beach house read-a-loud moments . . . this book is a must.”Lambda Literary
[If] you're one of those people who still owns a vintage princess phone, watches Mad Men obsessively, and yearns to go back to a simpler” time when men and women exchanged witty banter in mid-Atlantic accents instead of jumping into the sack, read Bowers book.”Nerve.com
[Full Service] is about to blow the door off of the Hollywood Closet. . . . Escandalo!”Seattle Gay Scene
None of us are ready for what appears to be the kickass Old Hollywood memoir of 2012: Scotty Bowerss Full Service.”AfterElton.com
About the Author
Scotty Bowers, now 88, still works as a bartender at private functions in Hollywood.
Lionel Friedberg is an Emmy-winning producer, director and professional writer.
Table of Contents
Authors' Notes
Preface
Chapter 1: Dream Factory
Chapter 2: Gas Station on Hollywood Boulevard
Chapter 3: Awakenings
Chapter 4: Full Service
Chapter 5: Big City
Chapter 6: Star Treatment
Chapter 7: Turning Tricks
Chapter 8: Boot Camp
Chapter 9: Into Battle
Chapter 10: Firmament of Stars
Chapter 11: Vice Squad
Chapter 12: Paternity
Chapter 13: Mixing Drinks
Chapter 14: A Royal Affair
Chapter 15: At The Crossroads
Chapter 16: Moving On
Chapter 17: Myths
Chapter 18: Bar Service
Chapter 19: Finding Out
Chapter 20: Close Encounters of Every Kind
Chapter 21: To Each His Own
Chapter 22: The Young And The Restless
Chapter 23: In High Places
Chapter 24: Drag Queens And Music
Chapter 25: True Love
Chapter 26: Friends
Chapter 27: The Seventies
Chapter 28: Kew Drive
Chapter 29: Looking Back