Nathan Lane Talks New Children's Book 'Naughty Mabel', Based on His 'Pampered' Bulldog

Broadway's Nathan Lane met with reporters this morning at the annual Children's Book and Author Breakfast at BookExpo America to speak about his forthcoming children's book, "Naughty Mabel", based on his own spoiled and poorly behaved French bulldog.

Always the comic, the star of Broadway's IT'S ONLY A PLAY joked to the crowd that three librarians had already tried to "French kiss me but only because they thought I was James Patterson."

He shared that as a child he loved reading, noting his favorite book was EB White's Stuart Little. "I like any book that begins with a matter-of-fact birth of a mouse to a woman in Manhattan, and nobody blinks," explaining he identified with the ficitonal mouse "because he was different, maybe because I felt different."

Lane co-wrote his book with his partner Devlin Elliott, and describes it as the story of "Mabel of the Hamptons, a French bulldog, a high-society, highly strung canine with a penchant for doing things her way, you know, like Sinatra."

He admits that the real-life Mabel is "indeed spoiled rotten and pampered. She actually has 26 separate allergies, a very delicate stomach, is a little bit stubborn. She's extremely neurotic, a little needy. It's like living with Gwyneth Paltrow."

Illustrated by Dan Krall, the picture book will be published by Simon & Schuster on Oct. 6.

Known for roles as Max Bailystock in the musical The Producers, Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, and, and recurring roles in Modern Familyand The Good Wife, Lane has created a wide footprint on American stage, film, and television. Other memorable and award winning roles include Albert in The Birdcage, Gomez in The Addams Family, and the voices of Snowbell in Stuart Little and Timon in The Lion King.

Lane recently starred on Broadway as Jimmy Wicker in It's Only a Play by Terrance McNally, with Matthew Broderick, F.Murray Abraham, Stockard Channing, Rupert Grint, Megan Mullally, and Micah Stock. He starred alongside O'Neill Trustee Brian Dennehy as Larry Slade in the revival of the Eugene O'Neill play The Iceman Cometh at Chicago'sGoodman Theatre in 2012, the most successful show in its history.

Inducted in the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2008, Mr. Lane has been honored for a remarkable legacy in stage and screen, including 5 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Obies, 2 Tonys and 1 Screen Actors Guild Award.

Source: USA Today

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos