Melissa Berry

Melissa Berry is a third-generation Los Angelean who graduated from Immaculate Heart College with a major in English and Theatre, and minors in Music, Art, History, Fear, and Intimidation. Her career as a writer began in New York while working as an actress and doing postgraduate work at NYU’s School of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Creative Arts. It was during this time that she realized she was much better expressing herself on paper than expressing herself onstage. She immediately got work as a freelance copywriter and proof reader, and eventually as editor and assistant to the President of Media Projects, a children’s book publishing company. Little did she realize where these writing jobs were going to lead her.

Following this, Melissa returned to California, received a California State Lifetime Teaching Credential and then worked as a substitute teacher in Watts, where she taught everything but English. This provided some excellent material when she decided to return to writing and snagged a job as a staff writer for long-time friend, entertainer George Burns. Contributing to his first books Living It Up or They Still Love Me in Altoona (Putnam '77) and The Third Time Around (Putnam '78), her other work for him included his CBS TV Special George Burns 100th Birthday Party, copy for his many TV and print commercials, and co-writing many of his films including coauthor credit on the feature film, Oh God, Book II.

While working with Mr. Burns, she continued writing ad copy for such agencies and publications as Artworks, LA 411, Ad Weekly and Art Directors Index. During this time she was hired by Simon and Schuster to create Body by Jake (Simon and Schuster '85) for Jake Steinfeld’s first celebrity exercise book, Peak Performance with Scott Madsen, and Cyd Charisse: Fit and Fabulous.

A book that actually is in the bookstores now is the recently completed memoir entitled Close But No Cigar! (A look back at 30 wonderful years with George Burns) -- Dove Books, which is a personal album of anecdotes, photos and memorabilia that she put together for George Burns shortly before his death in 1996. She recently completed a book proposal for Baba Dez Nichols, a Dakini in the Healing Arts, which is entitled The Power and Joy of Sacred Sex. And, of course, the follow-up to her first cookbook, You Asked for It! Now Can You Make It? with the sequel entitled: Go Ahead! If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Swallow! A Natural Blonde’s Personal Recipes for All Occasions. During all of this she maintained a monthly column in the Los Feliz Ledger on cooking and gardening.

Also, another ongoing project is a series of essays about growing up in Los Angeles entitled, On Being Privilege to the Privileged which she hopes will be read, but only by the right people.

For the last two years she has been a contributing writer to the on-line magazine Buzzine.com which covers the Performing and Cultural Arts, and the Examiner LA and National. With over 75 articles during this time, her pieces cover everything from performances by Dave Brubeck, Allan Toussaint, Dwight Yoakum, George Benson, Sergio Mendes, Poncho Sanchez, and other musicians, a photographic exhibit at UCLA on The Iraqi Marshlands, visiting and writing about the exhibit SPAIN at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, and most recently the Brazilian Hip Hop performance ensemble Grupa de Rua at REDCAT at the Disney Concert Hall, and a Q&A with Herbie Hancock at the GRAMMY Museum for the release of his new album "The Imagine Project". Also in 2008, she returned to graduate school and just completed an M.A. in Humanities from Mt. St. Mary’s College with a thesis in progress on Fin de Siecle Decadence -- Divine Decadence or Evolutionary Ethics? More to follow ...