The company she keeps georgia durante the commercial. What elevates this book beyond a good nighttable read is the truth behind the tale. Georgia durante grew up in rochester, new york, and her modeling career. Georgia durante the company she keeps the kodak girl. Georgia durante has written her own tale, and it is an epic in its own right. The company she keeps is a 1951 drama film starring lizabeth scott, jane greer and dennis okeefe the film was directed by john cromwell, whose film the previous year, caged, also concerned a woman sent to prison it marked jeff bridges film debut. Welcome to the company she keeps the company she keeps. At seventeen, georgia durante became the kodak girl immortalized with her lifesize image displayed in more. She is known for her work on spy hard 1996, casper 1995 and runaway nightmare 1982. Georgia durante durante left rochester, new york and her ties to the mafia to become a model and a race car driver. Only now does she share the full story of her life, in the company she keeps. A female goodfellasthe true story of a supermodel turned getaway driver for the mob. Original unclipped dust jacket protected by archival brodart cover. The company she keeps by georgia durante 2008 1007 georgia durante on.
Georgia durante speaking at the university of oregon youtube. Model, mafia wife, victim and victor, georgia durante saw the worst that life had to offer and escaped it. Compelling and terrifying, the company she keeps tells the true story of georgia durante s storybook beginnings in rochester, new york when at the tender age of twelve, the radiant little girl began her national modeling career. The dangerous life of a model turned mafia wife by georgia durante is a compelling look behind the closed doors of the mob. The company she keeps by georgia durante, paperback. Georgia durante is a former model, stuntwoman, and mafia getaway driver. Georgia s story, as told in her best selling book the company she keeps, started in rochester new york.
Georgia durante georgia durante, wife of joe lamendola, reveals her harrowing rollercoaster ride of a life as the syndicates getaway driver racing through the shadows of the underworld, where she was an eyewitness. Slide show of some of the characters in georgia durante s book. Georgia reveals how she went from the kodak girl to driving getaway cars for the mob. The author of the powerful memoir the company she keeps, durante now lives in southern california and speaks across the country about her experiences with domestic violence. Compelling and terrifying, the company she keeps tells the true story of georgia durante s storybook beginnings in upstate, new york when at the tender age of twelve, the radiant little girl began her national modeling career. Allamerican beauty georgia durante was one of the most photographed models in the country when she married mobster joe lamendola. She was previously married to richard adray, joe lamendola and thomas mugavero.
And the requisite good guys, bad guys and of course, wise guys. Georgia durante was born in 1950 in rochester, new york, usa. Company she keeps, paperback by durante, georgia, isbn 0451225686, isbn 9780451225689, brand new, free shipping in the us a beautiful model describes her connection to the mafia, which began during her childhood in rochester, new york, and the years of abuse and fear as the bride of mobster joe lamendola before she was able to escape from the darkness. She had an endless appetite for excitement and she attracted dangerous men. The company she keeps by georgia durante 2008 1007. Read the company she keeps by georgia durante available from rakuten kobo. The company she keeps by georgia durante overdrive. Georgia durante has written a book with all of the plotdriven drama of a movie of the week.
Before she turned 20, she had endured a brutal rape, involvement with the mob, a failed. The show will focus on the life of georgia durante, a former model for eastman kodak co. The company she keeps edition 1 by georgia durante. The company she keeps chesterfield county public library. It also is a book about the consequences of choices and the failure to engage in introspection. She embraced the positive, but kept the negatives so as never to forget. Cover girl becomes driver for gambino crime family video georgia durante s unexpected life journey was chronicles on the latest installment of i married a mobster. Best selling author, hollywood stunt driver model and onetime getaway driver for the mob georgia durante speaking to an audience at the university of oregon about how she survived an. Her modeling career began at the age of 12, and by 17 she was a kodak girl and one of the most recognizable faces in the country. The company she keeps georgia durante first edition.
Georgia durante is the author of the company she keeps 3. She allows herself to believe in a story book ending once againthen tragically, he is killed in a plane crash. Georgia durante s book gives you an insiders look at mafia life and what it really takes to make it big in life. Television appearances with georgia durante the release of the company she keeps has continued to make georgia durante a very in demand guest for television and radio talk shows along with many leading magazines. Georgia durante the company she keeps authorborgata. About the company she keeps a female goodfellasthe true story of a supermodel turned getaway driver for the mob.
A look inside georgia durante s book, the company she keeps. More often than not, the drivers need a second job to keep alive. Georgia durante tells a harrowing and inspirational story that keeps readers on the edges of their seats. The company she keeps by georgia durante georgia durante a true story of one of hollywoods most successful female stunt drivers. The dangerous life of a model turned mafia wife durante, georgia on.
She is a voice for all women oppressed in a mans world exhibiting a courageous and determined spirit that made her a resounding successa hero in her. Because of kodak, by the time she was 17 she was considerered the most phtographed girl in the country. Georgia durante grew up in an italian family in upstate new york rochester. The company she keeps by georgia durante goodreads. Npr stories about the company she keeps in order to secure a career as a stuntwoman, georgia durante would show up on hollywood film sets asking for work. Biography of georgia durante the company she keeps. A look inside georgia durantes book, the company she keeps. The company she keeps by georgia durante 2008, paperback. Georgia learns her daughter is on drugs while she is still under the strain of coping with denniss death. Synopsis the company she keeps is the gripping tale of one womans struggle to escape from the mafia underworld. From the underworld to hollywood georgia durante s career as a stunt driver has led to roles in car commercials and.
She was a successful model, known as the kodak girl, when she decided she wanted a change. This is the true story of one of hollywoods most successful female commercial stunt drivers. Georgia durante invited us over for dinner to the enchanted manor after i helped her with a small publishing issue with her book, the company she keeps i very highly recommend reading that, too. Her lifes path has crossed with the dangerous and the inspirational. She is a voice for all women oppressed in a mans world exhibiting a courageous and determined spirit that made her a resounding successa hero in her own right. This led to her having several ties to the mob and more than one bad relationship, which you can read about in her confessional memoir, the company she keeps. It dispels the mystique and glamour of the mafia lifestyle depicted in movies like the godfather. Today she is still driving getaway cars, but she is now doing it as a stunt driver for the movies. Host of the npr podcast, journeys of discovery with tom wilmer met up with georgia durante, at of all places, a summer camp for kids run by st. Now a successful stunt driver, durante can dominate a twoton vehicle at high speeds, but off road. The company she keeps features a beautiful, spirited heroine. It plunged her into a world she never dreamed ofand one she feared she d never surviveas a getaway driver for the mafia and an eyewitness to unspeakable violence. Especially for those of us who love fastpaced books with a purpose. Before she turned 20, she had endured a brutal rape, involvement with the mob, a failed marriage, and the birth of her daughter.