Growing Up in Disneyland
"Growing up in Disneyland" is part biography about Ron's father, Broadway, movie, and TV star, Don DeFore, and his own autobiography. Don DeFore earned a star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame and was a household name in the 1950s and 60s. He co-starred in numerous feature films with many Hollywood legends, TV shows, and live theater. He is best known for "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" in which he played the next-door-neighbor, "Thorny," and his co-starring role as "Mr. B" in the 1960s TV series, "Hazel." The book includes much of Don's unpublished autobiography, "Hollywood-DeFore 'n After."
"Growing up in Disneyland" is a metaphor for Ron's life growing up in a celebrity family filled with Fantasyland adventures he equates to a Forest Gump type life, from meeting the Beatles, Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, and other celebrities as Associate Director of the Steve Allen Show. His nearly 20 careers include a mid-life crisis as the Flying DJ at an L.A. discotheque to political positions within the Reagan Presidential Administration to establishing his own company. "Growing up in Disneyland" is also to be taken literally, as Ron spent much of his youth in Disneyland where his father owned "Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue" restaurant in Frontierland. Ron and his brother, Dave, have given presentations to various Disneyland interest groups after which many attendees suggested, you should write a book.
"Growing up in Disneyland" will be enjoyed by any age group from baby-boomers that remember Don DeFore's many beloved acting roles to those that don't but are curious how life was in the good-old-days, especially growing up in a Hollywood celebrity family. Ron has had so many careers and adventures along the way that readers will have much to keep them from putting the book down.
About Ron DeFore (Washington, DC Author)
Ron DeFore is the son of film, stage, and TV star, Don DeFore, who was best known for his role as “Mr. B” in the 1960's TV show, “Hazel.” Ron is a communications consultant, most recently retired from the firm he and partners founded in Washington, D.C. Having been in and around cameras all his life, Ron has served as an effective media spokesperson in the Reagan Presidential Administration as well as for corporate clients conducting hundreds of TV, radio, and newspaper interviews, some of which are posted on YouTube.
Ron's first book, "Growing up in Disneyland“ will be published July 15, 2019. It is part autobiography, and part biography using portions of Don DeFore's unpublished memoirs. Don DeFore co-starred in movies in the mid-20th century with many of Hollywood's legends and earned a star on Hollywood Boulevard for his role as "Thorny" in “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” “Growing up in Disneyland” is a metaphor for Ron's life in a celebrity family filled with “Fantasyland” adventures he equates to a “Forest Gump” type life, from meeting the Beatles, Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, and other celebrities as Associate Director of the Steve Allen Show. His nearly 20 careers also include Production Coordinator at Paramount Television and Billy Jack Productions, a mid-life crisis as the “Flying DJ” at an L.A. discotheque, and political positions within the Reagan Presidential Administration, and ultimately starting his own company.
“Growing up in Disneyland” is also to be taken literally, as Ron spent much of his youth in Disneyland where his father owned Don DeFore’s Silver Banjo Barbecue restaurant in Frontierland. His book will be enjoyed by any age group from baby-boomers that remember Don DeFore’s many beloved acting roles to those that don’t but are curious how life was in “the good-old-days,” especially growing up in a Hollywood celebrity family. Ron has had so many careers and adventures along the way that readers will have much to keep them from putting the book down.