The remarkable career of one of America's most talented and best loved musical comedy stars is here documented in all its shining facets: stage, screen, broadcasting, and recordings. Additionally, an annotated bibliography provides full coverage of books and articles wholly or partly devoted to Mary Martin, and further commentary appears in review sections included with the various career listings. The opening biographical sketch is spiced with remarks from published materials, letters, and interviews conducted by the author, notably with Theodore Bikel and Florence Henderson colleagues and close friends of the actress.

Additional features of the volume include a chronology of life and career highlights, listings of awards and endorsements, and information on archival sources. Access to all parts of the book is provided by a general index and a song index. A varied selection of photos from Martin's life and performances show her as a teenager, as a glamour girl, as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, and in such memorable roles as Peter Pan and Maria von Trapp in Sound of Music.