Examines the powerful familial forces that have shaped her life, legacies of a strong-willed mother whose own longing to be acknowledged propelled Shirley and her brother, Warren Beatty, to success, of a father whose fear of failure inspired her always to prepare for the worst. Includes photographs.

(Key Words: Shirley MacClaine, Entertainers, Spiritualists, Hollywood, Actresses, Warren Beatty, Dance, Frank Sinatra, Autobiography, Robert Mitchum, Film, Vittorio De Sica, Yves Montand, Gene Kelly).