New York Daily News
New book ‘Divas!’ features ladies we love
By Joe Dziemianowicz
Saturday, October 11th 2008, 4:00 AM
Look at that face. Just look at it! Look at that marvelous face of yours.
From the 1970s through the mid-1980s, Kenn Duncan did exactly that while photographing larger-than-life ladies of the stage and screen.
Dozens of them are found in “Divas!” (Universe, $55), a coffee-table collection that pop-culture and theater junkies will love.
Subjects include Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera (each with top hats and canes, of course) and the tome’s cover girls, Angela Lansbury (glam and gleeful in mink as “Mame”) and Bette Midler (red hot in a tomato-toned swimsuit).
Duncan died in 1986. In the book’s foreword, the Divine Miss M calls his work “his legacy, a bittersweet memory. He loved his work, he loved his subjects.”
And it shows. Whether it’s an improbably baby-faced Bernadette Peters, a purr-worthy Eartha Kitt or a fiery Anita Morris in the famous bodysuit from “Nine.” And is that really Joan Rivers? It is, circa 1974. Look at that face, just look at it!
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2008/10/12/2008-10-12_new_book_divas_features_ladies_we_love.html?print=1&page=all
Bookmark Bootleg Betty
October 13th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Hey Mr. D!! I was just going to write and tell you how this book was featured in OUT ( or was it GENRE??) magazine. With the pics of Bette, Angela and a few others featured in the article. It was a section on new books. It was very funny. It went something like this. What are the two things gay men love most? naked men and Divas. Then it went on to show several pics from the book about half naked men ( I was absolutely shocked by such imagery!
LOL) then they sowed pics of Angela dressed as Auntie Mame and Bette in the New Years pic from the early 70’s surrounded my balloons and such. And the caption read something like, ” Bette Midler in her red fright wig, but she is no naked man!” lol same thing for Angela and the other Divas. All ending with, “but she is no naked man!” LOL 
But anyway, that was my tid-Bette 
hope you are well!
love ya!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Thanks Andy….
I swear I read the same thing, but I only get the Advocate and Instinct, so I’m thinking I read it there. Maybe it’s one of those general articles they share with each magazine….
Love, D
October 13th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
No you are right, it was probably Instinct :)I was at a bookstore and perusing the periodicals, lol
October 14th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I love this photo so much
October 15th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I bought the book for my MOM for Christmas…we can take the plastic wrap off when you visit again. It’s one of thos huge coffee table books. Bette’s pic is on the back in that martini glass. Takes up the whole back cover…
October 19th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Oh no! You don’t have to unwrap your mother’s book for me!..I’ll just take it from you.
October 19th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
You should visit us Halloween Becky’s having a party and you have to dress up….might be fun.
D