My latest book: Timmy's in the Well will be available in December.

The only time you will hear me use "divorce" and "my husband" in the same sentence is when I tell you that it was easy to divorce myself from the fact that my subject is also my husband. Sure, at the beginning, I felt extra pressure. I mean, this wasn't just any book; it's my husband's one-and-only memoir. And then there's the fact that it marks the 50th anniversary of his debut as Timmy Martin, one of classic television's most iconic characters. O.K., alright, I admit it. I was intimidated. If I screwed this up, it would be bad on so many levels.

All my concerns dissipated when I began hearing the stories. Ultimately, I am a fan of Hollywood, always have been. I've been researching and writing about it for close to thirty years - more if you count all those hours glued to "The Late, Late Show". But as much as I've learned, as many times as I have peeked "behind the veil," I was surprised by so many things in Jon's professional life. And I was astonished by things in his private life. While Jon portrayed part of an idyllic television family, his relationship with his own family was deeply affected as a result of his skyrocketing career. Did you know the suicide rate amongst the siblings of child stars is far higher than among "normal" siblings? Neither did I. That's the tip of the iceberg. For anyone considering putting a child in show business, there's plenty to learn.

The late '50s - early '60s is such a fascinating period, not only in Hollywood, but in our country: the collapse of the studio system, the burgeoning industry of television, the civil rights movement, JFK, rock and roll, Vietnam, the sexual revolution and the Sunset Strip. Peppered with names like: Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, Anita Ekberg, William Holden, Lucille Ball, Elvis Presley, Natalie Wood, Kurt Russell, Sal Mineo, Davy Jones, David Cassidy, Jay North and many more, Jon's path from toddler to television to teen idol is a pioneer's trek across some amazing territory. And in the fashion of that time, it has a Hollywood ending: He and his family find their personal happiness and their way back to one another. And Jon and I ride off together into the sunset.

Laurie Jacobson
Santa Rosa, CA
October, 2007