Mr. Media: The Charlotte Stewart Interview

When you pick up a memoir – particularly a celebrity memoir – part of the inherent appeal is that you can safely be a voyeur at arm’s reach.But when that celebrity memoir falls short on sharing names and intimate details, well, that’s not a great read. Because if you just wanted to hear how swell everybody is and how perfect a celebrity’s life is, you could just tune in to “Ellen.”So when I tell you that actress Charlotte Stewart’s autobiography delivers on both boldface names and remarkably personal details, trust me, I’m underselling the book.Like who? Well, she had a long getaway weekend with singer Jim Morrison of The Doors shortly before his fateful final trip to Paris.She was married to actor Tim Considine, one of the sons in the CBS hit comedy “My Three Sons” – although that didn’t keep her from leading a wild life of sex and drugs of which her husband knew nothing.One of the few men she turned down was her boss for four years as she played the reserved schoolmarm Miss Beadle on “Little House on the Prairie.” The boss’s name? Pa Ingalls himself, Michael Landon.A few more names in her life’s story: Elvis Presley. Kevin Bacon. Kyle McLachlan. Neil Young. Joni Mitchell. Jimmy Stewart.Oh, and she inspired a scene in Tom Wolfe’s novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities.She also co-starred in David Lynch’s breakthrough cult film, Eraserhead, as Mary X. And while she and the director never got together off the set, she did live on and off through the years with Eraserhead himself, Jack Nance. (And Lynch gave her the recurring role of “Betsy Briggs” on his legendary TV show “Twin Peaks,” a role she’ll return to in the show’s third season in early 2017 on Showtime.)During today’s conversation, Charlotte will also read a short passage from Little House in the Hollywood Hills, which she co-wrote with Andy Demsky. This book will blow your mind. Promise.