Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, the Barbara Payton story, was the best biography written in 2007.  I had so many emails after I reviewed the book last year.  By the way, if you missed that review, it was and is a Five Star read.  I say it with all seriousness that John O'Dowd wrote the best biographical book last year on any celebrity. 

When asked when he became a Barbara Payton fan, O'Dowd responds "I first became a fan of Barbara’s when I was just a child. I saw her film "Bride of the Gorilla" one Saturday afternoon on TV and I remember being mesmerized by her beauty. At seven or eight years old I remember feeling that I had seen the most beautiful and sexy woman in the whole wide world. Barbara made an indelible impression on me, and at the risk of sounding too new age, I believe we made some kind of cosmic connection that day as she never totally left my consciousness after that. Later on, when I was a teenager, I started reading about her life and when I learned what had happened to her, I recall feeling this tremendous sense of sadness, concern and empathy wash over me…almost like I was responding as if I had known her personally…like she was a relative, or a friend of the family’s. Bride of the Gorilla remains one of the author's most favorite movies to this day.

When writing about stars, an author learns lots of his or her skills from their childhood influences. So when I asked O'Dowd if his parents encouraged his artistic and writing skills, he added, "My parents were always encouraging to me, however I can’t say they ever pushed me in any one direction. I clearly had some learning disabilities as a child (as in Attention Deficit Disorder, which in the 1970s had yet to be diagnosed), so I struggled a lot in school; specifically, in math and science. I always excelled in spelling and grammar, though, and began reading comic books at about the age of four and writing short stories by age six. So, while I think my parents always knew I had challenges, I never recall them ever calling me stupid or lazy, or anything like that. In fact, I can remember my father telling me many times when I was a small child, 'Always remember, Johnny, you’re as good as the best, but no better than the rest.' I lucked out when it came to my parents, I really did. The world never welcomed me nearly as warmly as my parents did, and it was a rude awakening when I found out later that nurturing and support should not be automatically expected from everyone you meet."

O'Dowd explains that he wanted to write this biography on Miss Payton after years of her being maligned in the media.  He added: "In the eight years it took me to research and write Barbara’s story, my driving motivation has always been to try to restore some of her dignity and humanity." The author succeeded.  O'Dowd was guided by principles in his writing, he says: "As for Barbara’s book, she was, by far, my most important inspiration. I needed to write the book for her, as well as for myself. I felt a huge responsibility to Barbara as no one had ever written about her like she was a real, honest to goodness human being. I would like to go up to some of the writers, who have trashed Barbara so terribly in the past, look them right in the eye, and ask them, 'How could you?'"

The author had such a wonderful childhood, with loving parents and he speaks openly and proudly about the love and support of both his mother and father and their presence in the lives of their children.  Having grown up much differently than his movie idol Barbara Payton, I asked him to explain it further.  "Writing about Barbara’s life, from her early years to her final, tragic decade, was often grueling and very depressing for me. I often felt haunted by the reality of what happened to her in Hollywood in the 60s and it frequently often interfered with my sleep and with my physical health, too. However, I have to point out that although I had a terrific childhood, I, too, went off the rails in my personal life for a period of time, so I think that experience allowed me to understand how easily it could have happened to Barbara, as well. As a young person in the mid to late 1980s I was a rather mindless and irresponsible 'party boy' and much of what I did in those years remains a blur to me" O'Dowd opines.

O'Dowd didn't just win over readers and critics.  Barbara Payton's son and friends were equally as impressed with his research and the depth in which he wrote about the lady.  John says, "If a film is made on Barbara’s life I hope the actress that plays her will take the time to really get into the core of who she was. Barbara was an extremely complex person and if there’s a screenwriter out there than can capture all her many nuances, maybe one day there will be a film based on her life, after all. I hope so and I also hope to have the opportunity to be a big part of it. Barbara’s family and friends tell me they are convinced that I know who she really was, and I would be very happy and grateful if I were able to contribute something of value, should the film project come to pass."

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye: The Barbara Payton Story is available on Amazon and in bookstores across the nation.

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