I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Tom North the author of “True North-The Shocking Truth about “Yours, Mine and Ours” one of the eight North children, who together with ten Beardsley children, become the family which was featured in the 1968 film,  “Yours, Mine and Ours” starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda, and again in 2005 version starring Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid.

In my interview with Tom we get the opportunity to peer into the window of what truly went on in the blended Beardsley family.  As Tom explains it tremendous family dysfunction and child abuse.  ” It was not one big happy family as the movie depicted.  The stepfather’s violence and abuse created a life of intimidation, confusion and turmoil, fear and depression for the North children.   This abuse lead Tom to a life of drugs in his early years, but later turned himself around and now leads a happy life with his family.

Tom is an advocate and official supporter of the National CASA for Children and committed to raising awareness about all forms of child abuse and domestic violence.  If you want to learn more about Tom you can click here to be directed to his website.