Jennifer Grant, daughter of screen legend Cary Grant and actress Dyan Cannon, has written her memoir of the years spent with her famous father, who, at age 62 stepped away from the limelight to devote his time to her.
The 45-year old actress will be at Books & Books on Friday, 24 June, at 7pm for a discussion and signing of Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant.
“Dad retired when I was born,” she tells Weekender exclusively.
Grant and Cannon divorced when Jennifer was two. But fatherhood was foremost for the actor.
“He left acting and Hollywood behind to put all of his considerable energy into fathering. Fans may rue the moment he stopped acting, but I was wildly lucky to receive my fathers devoted attention.
“Ultimately my inspiration was to share the beauty of my father’s off-screen life with his fans. I am Dad’s only child and therefore the only person who can truly speak of Cary Grant as a family man. Knowing that his character was only enhanced by his devotion to his family is a valuable piece of the Cary Grant puzzle. It’s comforting to know that the people we chose to admire are worthy of that admiration.”
Biggest challenge
Jennifer says that writing the memoir was one of the biggest challenges of her life.
“Dad left me boxes and boxes of archives from my childhood: super 8 films, photographs, slides, notes, cards and audio tapes documenting our time together. During the writing process I foraged through all of this material for the first time.
“It was cathartic to say the least. The material was a backdrop for the writing. Fertiliser. Writing ‘Good Stuff’ helped me release the repressed grief of losing Dad,” she says.
Jennifer graduated from Stanford University with a degree in history and political science before moving into acting, including stints on Beverly Hills 90210, CSI, Super Dave and Friends. Cary Grant remains an icon for multitudes of screen lovers, something that has been further illustrated by the great reception the book has received.
“It is remarkable to experience the wealth of emotion that Dad’s fans feel for him. I’m very lucky to have those sentiments reflected back to me. There has been a real outpouring of love for this book.
“Dad had integrity. He was who he was. The same man you saw on screen existed off screen as well. He was thoughtful, funny, intelligent, charming, witty… he was Cary Grant at home, too!”
Intoxicating sea
The trip to Cayman will be Jennifer’s debut and she says she is really looking forward to it.
“One of my favourite things to do is swim, and you have an intoxicating sea! I’m looking forward to seeing my two-and-a-half-year-old son run naked (covered in sunscreen of course) on your beautiful beaches,” she smiles.
And with Father’s Day just having passed, what message does Jennifer have for the world?
“Life goes quickly. If your father is still with you, enjoy the moments you share and find a way to express your love to him. If your father has passed on, find a way to appreciate his memory. Light a candle. See if you can bring to life one of the qualities that you most valued in your parent. Make the love count.”
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