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On the Other Hand: A Life Story
Autobiography of Fay Wray, famous for her appearances in the King Kong. movies.
Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
About the author
Fay Wray
8 booksVina Fay Wray was a Canadian-American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film King Kong. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international recognition as an actress in horror films. She has been dubbed one of the early "scream queens".
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 14, 2012
Although Fay Wray was in more than 75 films, she will always and forever be known as Ann Darrow, the girl in King Kong's mighty clutches in 1933. It was a distinction she came to embrace with grace and good humor; she called Kong her "tallest, darkest leading man."
Fay discusses much of her life with grace and a good deal of insight. Even people who were less than supportive or faithful in their dealings with her, such as her mother and her first husband, are discussed kindly and with an eye toward the lessons she learned from those relationships. We also hear about her flirtation with Cary Grant, and how close she was to Clifford Odets before finding someone who honored her in the way any woman would love to be honored. I wasn't terribly familiar with Robert Riskin before reading "On the Other Hand." Now I want to know all about him.
"On The Other Hand" is a personal memoir, and while there are excellent discussions of certain areas of filmmaking, and the people involved in the process (von Stroheim is singled out for especially high praise), Wray focuses on the "interior." She is not seedy or prurient, but she is honest about her own shortcomings and the areas where she wished things had gone differently. She tells you just enough so that you get an idea of what she was feeling and thinking, but not so much that it feels intrusive or "tell-all."
She seems to have managed something unique in Hollywood life; two happy marriages, three children with whom she still seemed to be close and a contented, pleasant life. Just enough bitter to appreciate the sweet, and a sense of humor to keep all of it in perspective. Getting to spend time with her was not only educational, but thoroughly enjoyable.
Fay discusses much of her life with grace and a good deal of insight. Even people who were less than supportive or faithful in their dealings with her, such as her mother and her first husband, are discussed kindly and with an eye toward the lessons she learned from those relationships. We also hear about her flirtation with Cary Grant, and how close she was to Clifford Odets before finding someone who honored her in the way any woman would love to be honored. I wasn't terribly familiar with Robert Riskin before reading "On the Other Hand." Now I want to know all about him.
"On The Other Hand" is a personal memoir, and while there are excellent discussions of certain areas of filmmaking, and the people involved in the process (von Stroheim is singled out for especially high praise), Wray focuses on the "interior." She is not seedy or prurient, but she is honest about her own shortcomings and the areas where she wished things had gone differently. She tells you just enough so that you get an idea of what she was feeling and thinking, but not so much that it feels intrusive or "tell-all."
She seems to have managed something unique in Hollywood life; two happy marriages, three children with whom she still seemed to be close and a contented, pleasant life. Just enough bitter to appreciate the sweet, and a sense of humor to keep all of it in perspective. Getting to spend time with her was not only educational, but thoroughly enjoyable.
June 21, 2020
I had first read her daughter Victoria Riskin's book, Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir, which I adored. She indicated that she received a lot of help from her mother's memoir, On the Other Hand: A Life Story. Reading this after the daughter's book it is easy to see that she heavily drew on her mother's book, and she admits that she is drawing on it.
Wonderful to read her own words about her life. Riskin told her that one day she would want to write about things and she did. She had also written a play, Meadowlark, which apparently took place in Lark, Utah, during the time she was growing up there. It was produced in New Hampshire by Pres. Grover Cleveland's son.
Full of fascinating stories about old Hollywood. Stories of her first two husbands, both writers, John Monk Saunders and Robert Riskin; not too much about her third husband, one of Robert's doctors when he was ill for 5 years after his stroke. To care for him she was forced to go back to work, included several movies and a television series.
Wonderful to read her own words about her life. Riskin told her that one day she would want to write about things and she did. She had also written a play, Meadowlark, which apparently took place in Lark, Utah, during the time she was growing up there. It was produced in New Hampshire by Pres. Grover Cleveland's son.
Full of fascinating stories about old Hollywood. Stories of her first two husbands, both writers, John Monk Saunders and Robert Riskin; not too much about her third husband, one of Robert's doctors when he was ill for 5 years after his stroke. To care for him she was forced to go back to work, included several movies and a television series.
July 13, 2025
‘I would like the public to be able to see a film for one-tenth of what they must pay today. I would like there to be at least one day a year when movies could be seen by poor people for absolutely nothing. I would like there to be less box-office competition and more thought about content in filmmaking’.
This was published in 1990. Cinema tickets are more expensive than ever and a trip to the movies for a lot of families is a once a year treat (if that).
Films are constantly remade or one in a long series (Fast and Furious?) and original content is few and far between.
Fay, I’m sure you would hate Hollywood today! 😔
This was published in 1990. Cinema tickets are more expensive than ever and a trip to the movies for a lot of families is a once a year treat (if that).
Films are constantly remade or one in a long series (Fast and Furious?) and original content is few and far between.
Fay, I’m sure you would hate Hollywood today! 😔
August 6, 2008
There's lots more to Fay Wray than KING KONG or a song lyric in ROCKY HORROR. Her memoir is fun and fascinating.
December 16, 2025
Re-reading this for the first time in about 30 years, several aspects had a much bigger impact on me. For example, I now know a lot more about Bill Mortensen and his pictures of the young Fay, so her retelling of the events - which were still slightly whitewashed - meant a lot more. I was also amused to note her several references to Maine - she played the Lakeland Theater in Skowhegan (which still exists), and she spent several summers with friends in Phippsburg.
What I like about this is that it feels genuine and authentic. Yes, there are a lot of name-checks, and at times it reads like a list of "famous people I have hung out with", but to be fair, that was a large part of her life. But the bulk of it is very simple, straightforward, and down to earth - and very little of it is about Kong. She's honest about some of her struggles, though she's never gratuitous or salacious. She doesn't use fancy language, she doesn't wander off into big philosophical discourses or polemics, she just tells you about her life as if you were sitting on a sofa with her drinking tea.
It's not for everyone. If you're looking for deep insights or revelations, you won't get them. But if you just want to know a little more about this wonderful actress, it's worth a read.
What I like about this is that it feels genuine and authentic. Yes, there are a lot of name-checks, and at times it reads like a list of "famous people I have hung out with", but to be fair, that was a large part of her life. But the bulk of it is very simple, straightforward, and down to earth - and very little of it is about Kong. She's honest about some of her struggles, though she's never gratuitous or salacious. She doesn't use fancy language, she doesn't wander off into big philosophical discourses or polemics, she just tells you about her life as if you were sitting on a sofa with her drinking tea.
It's not for everyone. If you're looking for deep insights or revelations, you won't get them. But if you just want to know a little more about this wonderful actress, it's worth a read.
May 20, 2022
Fay Wray's most prominent role was in Merian C. Cooper's King Kong. For the rest of her life she was identified with the "damsel in distress" role. Her remembrances, however, are frank and honest (as much as a public persona can be) layered with discretion. Her career after Kong was really that of a journeyman actress in Hollywood; she admits that she wished she had used more discretion in choosing roles. Most interesting was her transient early life, full of upheavals, leavings and insecurity. She reflects without treacle on her tumultous first marriage, her romance with Clifford Odets, her own infidelities. The great love of her life was screenwriter Robert Riskin. Her close and longterm friendships with David and Irene Selznick, Cary Grant and others in the community sustained and supported her. Very valuable for insight into the early Hollywood days and the social and power dynamics...
September 19, 2021
This is the story of Fay Wray the actress best remembered for King Kong. I enjoyed reading about her career, but after King Kong, it sort of read like all the other autobiographies I've read.
April 29, 2009
Lovely autobiography. Fay Wray has a very engaging voice. :D
December 12, 2016
Detailed memoir of her life in Hollywood. Very interesting.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews