By Sam Irvin
Liza Minnelli’s godmother, Kay Thompson, seemed to live a charmed life. She was Hollywood’s most talented vocal coach, romancing both women and men (including young Andy Williams), authoring the Eloise children’s books, and–“Think Pink!”–upstaging Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. Sadly, though, she also got hooked on meth injections that detoured many stars of Judy Garland’s era. In 2009, Liza’s at the Palace recreated Thompson’s popular cabaret act, with Liza explaining Thompson this way: “She’s the original ‘you had to have been there.’” Simon & Schuster (simonandschuster.com). —Preview: Donalevan Maines

