Cary Grant's Daughter Opens Up on His Devotion, Style and Sexuality

There are memoirs by children of movie stars like the scathing 'Mommie Dearest,' about Joan Crawford, and then there are books like
'Good Stuff,' by Cary Grant's only child, Jennifer Grant. 'Good Stuff' is a loving portrait of her debonair dad who was 62 when she was born and died twenty years later. The star of so many classic movies like 'North by Northwest,' Notorious' and 'His Girl Friday,' was a devoted father who retired to raise his daughter and took endless photos and tape recorded their conversations to set it all in stone. Grant's mother, Dyan Cannon, divorced the screen legend when Jennifer was only a year old and although a bitter divorce and custody battle ensued, clearly they patched up their differences and co-parented their only child with no acrimony.
Jennifer Grant spoke to
PopEater about what inspired the wholly uncontroversial book (weird for a star-child memoir, we know), what it was like to have your dad retire from super-stardom to raise you, her befuddlement with rumors Cary was gay and she even lists his few and rare faults.
What's the emotion you feel when you stumble across one of your dad's films on TV?
I'm proud of him. He was such an amazing talent and he's fun to watch. It's fun to turn on one of his films. I know I'm going to laugh and be entertained and I'm always surprised even though I've seen them countless times. Last night I saw, 'To Catch a Thief,' at a film festival. It was the first time I'd seen one of his films on the big screen.
Really?
I know. I never went out to look for his films in theaters. I've seen them when they come on and I own several of them.
Which one is your favorite?
I have so many and a different one comes to mind every time I'm asked. The one that just came to mind when you asked was 'Bringing Up Baby' because I love Katharine Hepburn and it's just a sweet, happy movie. I love 'Suspicion,' 'North by Northwest,' 'An Affair to Remember,' 'His Girl Friday.' There are so many that's the thing. But last night I was struck by the economy of motion, the grace in his movements which on the big screen I particularly notice and he had it all through his life and it was something very signature to my father.
How did this book come about?
I was finally ready to share Dad with the world, it took me a while. I've always thought of a memoir as something nasty and terrible and I wouldn't have known what to write so it never really crossed my mind but a couple of friends of mine in the same week asked me if I had ever considered writing a book on Dad and something about it struck me deeply because these are people very close to me, know how private I am and have been my entire life and I realized my memoir didn't have to be like anybody else's. So I put pen to paper and started.
Explain the title, 'Good Stuff.'
Well it's something that he said. It could be about something very simple. It might be a quiet, lovely day and we'd be out on the lawn having a cup of tea and maybe Barbara (Grant's fifth wife) would walk out with some coffee cake and he'd say, 'Mmm, good stuff, isn't it?' He had a relish of life and that was one of his catchphrases.
Your Dad was an incredible father. Doesn't every man fall way short?
Thankfully I can put it in the Dad category. Really I just missed him, that was the resounding emotion and I don't think I ever really expected anyone to be like my father. First of all it's so unique that a father retires when you're born and really his life revolved around me so I had a very egocentric point of view. A tremendous amount of focus and one on one time. It took me a while to be accustomed to sharing, to more than a one on one relationship with any of my friends. I'm just used to one on one, for me to divide my focus is challenging. Hopefully I've gotten better at it.
What is also lovely is that you have a wonderful relationship with your step-mother.
We're very close friends. There's some luck in it but there's also a good measure of preparation. Dad didn't wait till he was gone and then have some reading of the will and Dad didn't wait to discuss his passing. We all got to sit and talk about it which I think is really helpful. Thankfully neither of us really wanted to hear about it. We just wanted him to stay around.
Can you believe how much style your Dad had?
More and more as I grow older. Again watching 'To Catch A Thief,' my God the way he carries himself. Simple timeless elegance.
I love the way you were raised. You had to pay for half of your car.
I'm glad as well. It was a very practical and kind thing to do. Still when it came time for me to leave college and go out in the real world, my father just happened to pass right then, it was a blow to look at the real world. I had no idea how to negotiate out there or little idea and those things like working for my car helped to prepare me.
Your Dad documented so much of your life!
As I got into my teen years he didn't document because I needed more privacy but until I was about 12 he would put that tape recorder in my room and talk to me and photograph everything he could. Once I hit 13 I got moody and didn't want my braces showing or something so he was restricted by my ego.
What do you make of the rumors that your Dad was gay?
It's sort of odd to me really because I was so close to him and I never saw any evidence of anything. I think generally even though one may not be looking for something there would be hints and there were no hints so it was sort of out of left field for me to hear something. I wouldn't know what to say to that. I always knew my father's girl friends and I never thought about what they did behind closed doors. It's not as though his sexuality was foremost on my mind but certainly homosexuality didn't enter my picture with him. I wondered if that's something that happened before I was around - who knows?
Describe him as a father.
He was thoughtful to the tiniest detail. He was compassionate, a remarkable listener, he was wise, he was generous and he was fun and funny.
Any bad points?
He could be grumbly sometimes. Prior to travel especially for a day or two or if he was upset with me he gave me the silent treatment. I hated that.
Your Dad had a beautiful full head of white hair. Is it hard for you to look at balding men?
(Laughs) I've never thought of it that way. You know I've never really tried to compare men to my father. He was his own niche and it's sort of a fruitless endeavor to try and compare so I don't do it.
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Wow, a seemingly thoughtful, intelligent, well-adjusted child of Hollywood? Perhaps it's the fact her father decided to drop out of the limelight to focus on raising her, which really is the best gift a parent can bestow on a child. All the best to Jennifer.
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What did the Union troops do after a long night of drinking?
Cary Grant!
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Funny!
I saw my first Cary Grant movies when I was just a kid- probably about 12. Even at that young age, I knew he was a great actor.
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Cary Grant is my favorite actor of all time. I love to watch his movies and I love to just watch him move. He always makes me smile and brightens any day that I see one of his movies in. I am happy that he left his daughter wonderful memories.
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of course he was fooling around with men too, women cant do some things as well as a man
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I so loved Cary Grant, and I never heard such a rumor about him being gay!! I'm 66 yrs. old and never heard that, perhaps some one started saying that because Cary Grand dressed SO nicely and looked so GREAT in his clothes, he knew how to present himself. And talk about being a great actor, to me even today I find his movies are still entertaining and I enjoy them very much, he had a special way about him that made his characters funny and loveable.
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This is very strange because I was just wondering about several months ago what was going on with Cary Grant's daughter Jenifer.
It is so hard to believe that she is now in her 40's. She looks like a very beautiful woman - with parents like hers that would not be difficult. But, more important, she is a beautiful woman inside and the type of woman I would love to meet. Personally, I liked Cary Grant and he was truely one of the silver screens greatest Stars. I must admit that I have always liked Dyan Cannon too. I look forward to reading this book.
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Many years ago when Mr. Grant and my sister did a movie together, my mother had a brief affair with him, and according to her...Cary was anything but Gay. She said he was warm, loving, funny and very caring, not only to her but to all the people he came in contact with. His interest focused on his work and the perfection in his craft. I am just sorry I didnt have the pleasure to have known him.
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Cary Grant was one of my favorite actors and I think it is wonderful for his daughter to honor him for being a great Dad. She realizes how lucky she was to have such a wonderful father and I was not so fortunate to be close to mine so I am very touched by this. She seems like a lovely person. What a great relationship they had together. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Cary Grant was a very handsome MAN. All told the truth, I would have liked to go to bed with him!
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CARY GRANT GAY? hA hA hA hA. are you kidding? This a MAN.MAN! how could any body think otherwise??
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She is the spitting image of her gorgeous mom, Dyan Cannon.......and Bubbles if I were gay either way.......I win.
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Cary Grant is my favorite actor. How lucky Jennifer is to have had a father and mother that so loved her even though they had a tough divorce they could put it aside to raise her. It is wonderful to see the child of a TRUE SUPER STAR that is not scared beyond all hope. My favorite Cary Grant movie is "Arsenic and Old Lace" all the others are tied for second.
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jew-dee jew-dee jew-dee. Cary Grant NEVER made a bad movie.
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I agree my personal favorite is "Arsenic and Old Lace". He was what we would call today a Super Star. In today's crop of so-called movie stars name one who is fit to be mentioned in the same sentence as him. I am also a big John Wayne fan. Even the Duke doesn't measure up to Cary. I know they where in very different kinds of movies but I still think Grant was the better of the two.
Gay?? I thought everyone in Hollywood was secretly gay!! Gay means happy,right??
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If you guys think Bubbles is bad, read the entry by '' florida 1 ''
To florida 1, What is a '' fudge packer '' ?
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We just celebrated my hubby's 60th birthday at a restaurant that sits on the "old Cary Grant estate"! One could just "feel" the grace and elegance.......wish he was still here.
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who cares about what people do In the bedroom? For god sakes get a dam life.... Cary Grant was a wonderful actor. I don't care If he was gay or not gay-who gives a hoot? I doubt that he was gay...!
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