Individual actors Books

Book SynopsisA heartbreakingly honest memoir of a young woman battling with self-esteem and eating disorders in the public eyeTrade Review"Portia de Rossi's memoir reminds us that fame and celebrity is no substitute for feeling comfortable in one's own skin, and unconditional love. Her journey toward self-acceptance is an important lesson for those who struggle with eating disorders, sexual orientation, and confidence. Every girl who dreams of being a model should read this book, to learn that the best judge of beauty is not society -- but self." -- Jodi Picoult "Anyone who's ever wondered why a beautiful, talented young woman would starve herself -- as well as anyone looking for a powerfully-written memoir -- should read Unbearable Lightness. Portia De Rossi tells her story with genuine insight and unflinching honesty. Her plight is horrifying, but De Rossi herself is entirely sympathetic, and by the end, you will cheer her on." --Jeannette Walls "De Rossi is beautiful and famous and married to another celebrity and all of this makes it very easy to roll your eyes and dismiss Unbearable Lightness, her memoir of overcoming an eating disorder. Don't make that mistake: this is quite possibly the best book on the subject ever written. It is riveting and ruthlessly honest. De Rossi is the real deal; she's a fine writer with a sharp mind and tremendous substance who has turned in a rich, layered book of remarkable courage, power and significance. I have no doubt that her story will serve as life-changing inspiration for many young women currently struggling with their own food issues. But the book's general excellence makes it a fascinating and inspiring read for anyone." --Augusten Burroughs "There are passages in this book that I had to read through my fingers, and others that made me laugh aloud. UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS is breathtakingly honest, brutal and beautiful." --Jonathan Safran Foer 'a courageous, startlingly honest account...It really is an amazing read; beautifully writen, it vividly captures the alarming, self-destructive thought processes that drive anorexic behaviour' Diva Magazine, Jan 2011 'a surprisingly open memoir...Her book is a gripping story about dealing with the combined shame, as she saw it, of gayness and fatness' Times Magazine, Nov 2010 'This is the moving, often heartbreaking story of how the actress came to terms with her body and her sexuality, finding the strength to overcome her fears and create a life that nourished both her body and her soul' Scottish Daily Record

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe #1 New York Times Bestseller * Named one of Variety''s Best Music Books of 2021 * Included in Audible''s Best of The Year list * A Business Insider Best Memoirs of 2021 * One of NME''s Best Music Books of 2021So, I''ve written a book.Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities (It''s a piece of cake! Just do 4 hours of interviews, find someone else to write it, put your face on the cover, and voila!) I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I''ve recorded and can''t wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child. This certainly doesn''t mean that I''m quitting my day job, but it does give me a place to shed a little light on what it''s like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, walking through life while living out the crazy dreams I had as young musician. From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, jamming with Iggy Pop or playing at the Academy Awards or dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, bedtime stories with Joan Jett or a chance meeting with Little Richard, to flying halfway around the world for one epic night with my daughters…the list goes on. I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement. 

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost Hollywood biographies are little more than 500-page musings on the ‘ when-I-met… ’ theme, filled with famous names, love affairs and cliché s of a ‘ meteoric rise’ or ‘ tragic fall’ . Bruce Campbell’ s If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor is the boisterous antidote to such convention. Campbell is the ultimate ‘ B’ Movie actor. Star of the cult Evil Dead trilogy, with a CV that ranges from buddy Sam Raimi’ s Spider-Man, through The X-Files and Xena: Warrior Princess, to the less-than-glamorous Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, you’ ve probably never heard of him. But his is one heck of a story! The popularity of Bruce, the cult hero of cable TV and Hollywood’ s second rung, is burning brighter than ever, his legion of fans undiminished after over thirty years. Insightful, encouraging and brilliantly funny, If Chins Could Kill! is a brilliant place to start for those unfamiliar with his work. For everyone else, it acts as a wonderful reminder for just why they fell in love with him in the first place.Trade Review‘An insightful and rant-filled guide to being almost famous'‘[an] entertaining and witty Hollywood memoir…[with] enough insights and smarts to appeal to readers with a serious interest in popular culture.’‘This engaging memoir offers much more than the standard, glamorous "and then I did..." show business autobiography… it succeeds as an evocative memoir that allows the reader to know Campbell. High recommended’‘ An insightful and rant-filled guide to being almost famous' ‘ [an] entertaining and witty Hollywood memoir… [with] enough insights and smarts to appeal to readers with a serious interest in popular culture.’ ‘ This engaging memoir offers much more than the standard, glamorous "and then I did..." show business autobiography… it succeeds as an evocative memoir that allows the reader to know Campbell. High recommended’

Read more less

Book SynopsisMusicals are the most popular form of stage entertainment today, with the West End and Broadway dominated by numerous long-running hits. But for every Wicked or Phantom of the Opera, there are dozens of casualties that didn't fare quite so well. In this book, Julian Woolford explores the musical-theatre canon to explain why and how some musicals work, why some don't, and what you should (and shouldn’t) do if you're thinking of writing your own. Drawing on his experience as a successful writer and director of musicals, and as a lecturer in writing musicals at the University of London, Woolford outlines every step of the creative process, from hatching the initial idea and developing a structure for the work, through creating the book, the music and the lyrics, and on to the crucial process of rewriting. He then guides the reader through getting a musical produced, with invaluable advice about generating future productions and sustaining a career. The book includes dozens of exercises to assist the novice writer in developing their craft, and detailed case studies of well-known musicals such as Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell and Evita. An essential guide for any writers (or would-be writers) of musicals, How Musicals Work is a fascinating insight for anyone interested in the art form or who has ever wondered what it takes to get from first idea to first night. ‘A comprehensive and thoughtful guide to everything one must consider in order to write a successful musical. It would take at least a decade to learn all of this on one’s own. Invaluable.’ David Zippel (lyricist of City of Angels and The Woman in White) ‘If anyone knows how musicals work (I’m not sure I do), this highly entertaining dissection of every aspect of that bewildering art form reveals that Julian Woolford does.’ Tim RiceTrade Review'Excellent... a useful source of information' * The Stage *'Extraordinarily informative... always practical and always readable... a seminal examination' * ReviewsGate.com *'There is plenty here of interest to anyone wishing to analyse or create musicals or even with a general interest in the subject' * British Theatre Guide *

Read more less

Book SynopsisElvis: Still Taking Care of Business is arguably the most authentic, no-holds-barred depiction of the greatest entertainer who ever lived. This is the book that the estate doesn't want you to read--it's a balanced, respectful, and insightful look by a true Presley insider and carter member of the infamous Memphis Mafia. Sonny West, Presley's close friend and bodyguard for nearly two decades, provides a firsthand account of the King's lavish spending sprees and many charitable acts, as well as the many affairs Presley conducted with his costars. Among all of Elvis Presley's close associates, no one tells stories that are more entertaining than Sonny West--he can mesmerize audiences for hours with his Elvis tidbits.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCo-authored by the resident dramaturg at Shakespeare Theatre Company and a long-time scholarly consultant, this book chronicles how a small repertory troupe at the Folger Theatre on Capitol Hill became an internationally renowned company performing in a lavish, multi-venue performing arts centre in downtown Washington, D.C. The artistic vision and business acumen of Michael Kahn, the founding Artistic Director, largely catalyzed this transformation, but so too did the forces of neoliberalism and, more recently, globalization and new media. Accordingly, Shakespeare in the Theatre: Shakespeare Theatre Company not only examines directorial decision-making but also 3 decades of social and economic change in the nation's capital, from the complexities of gentrification to the arts policies of successive administrations. In addition to discussions of directorial practice, this book examines the ambivalence of American theatre artists toward their British cult

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow the smile and fortitude of a child actress revived a nation.Trade Review"Fascinating biography..." -- The Bookseller"Compelling... This isn't a traditional biography; Kasson is more interested in the context in which Temple became such an icon..." -- The Boston Globe"Kasson's fascinating biography…" -- The Sunday Herald

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe engaging, passionate, always-honest, and often-hilarious memoir of actor Ron Perlman--his triumphant story of perseverance and determination navigating the slippery slopes of Hollywood, with a foreword by Guillermo del Toro Ron Perlman was a kid who had a myriad of self-image issues, yet he triumphed in an industry that trades on image and self-confidence. He landed a leading role in Quest for Fire. He won a Golden Globe for Beauty and the Beast. And he played the title role in two Hellboy movies, becoming along the way an icon among sci-fi and comic book fans worldwide. Although his name may be unknown to some, most people know Ron Perlman''s face, despite the fact that for nearly half his career he''s been disguised under feature-altering foam-rubber prosthetics. On his offbeat path to success, Ron has amassed nearly 200 stage, TV, voiceover, and major motion picture credits, including roles in Drive, Pacific Rim, and a six-year gig as the badass biker boss Clay Morrow in Sons of Anarchy. In Easy Street (the Hard Way), Ron shares his life story, starting with his up-by-your-bootstraps background in New York''s Washington Heights. His father, a Swing Era drummer, gave up his dream in order to feed his sons while his mother worked as a municipal clerk. Ron''s hard-earned road to Easy Street included bouts of abject poverty, heartbreaking familial episodes, and a long, often uncomfortable struggle for self-acceptance. He sheds light on his life as a working actor and also offers behind-the-scenes insight into the working styles of internationally famous directors, including Jean-Jacques Annaud, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy and Academy Award-winning Pan''s Labyrinth). He provides his own peek into Hollywood, up close and personal, where he has encountered the likes of Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and others. Plus, he turns his eye on the trajectory of American culture--the good and the bad--as observed by a man who started out in a mom-and-pop world where the arts were disseminated by individuals rather than corporations.Easy Street (the Hard Way) will inspire anyone who has ever dared to dream and offers a roadmap to the next generation of dreamers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe candid and heartbreakingly honest memoir of Sylvia Kristel, the cinema icon of the 1970s who played the lead role in the worldwide sensation erotic Emmanuelle films.Trade Review'Far from being seedy, this is an elegantly written book. The prose is simple, evocative and highly readable. I found myself wishing that our home-grown celebrities would write books full of ideas and feelings, not glossy magazine therapy-speak. A few of her highly stylised sentences tell far more about the whys and wherefores of exposure and fame than all the trash clogging the bestseller lists of late.' Belle de Jour, The Times 'This is a poignant, semi-intentionally hilarious autobiography. Her story is gripping.' Sunday Times 'A remarkable memoir. A series of impressionistic snapshots, delivered in austere, melancholic prose, it is quite unlike other show-biz memoirs and its candour is raw. Sylvia is a cult icon, she loosened our inhibitions. But the price was high.' Bridget Hourican The Gloss Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFrom Academy Award winner and bestselling author Diane Keaton comes a candid, hilarious, and deeply affecting look at beauty, aging, and the importance of staying true to yourself—no matter what anyone else thinks.   Diane Keaton has spent a lifetime coloring outside the lines of the conventional notion of beauty. In Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, she shares the wisdom she’s accumulated through the years as a mother, daughter, actress, artist, and international style icon. This is a book only Diane Keaton could write—a smart and funny chronicle of the ups and downs of living and working in a world obsessed with beauty.   In her one-of-a-kind voice, Keaton offers up a message of empowerment for anyone who’s ever dreamed of kicking back against the “should”s and “supposed to”s that undermine our pursuit of beauty in all its forms. From a mor

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvan Cabnet is an NYC-based theater director specializing in new plays. He has directed new works by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Gloria, Pulitzer Finalist, 2015), Helen Edmundson (Therese Raquin on Broadway for the Roundabout Theater Company), Christopher Shinn (Teddy Ferrara), Steven Sater & Burt Bacharach (Some Lovers), Bekah Brunstetter (Oohrah!), Liz Meriwether (The Mistakes Madeline Made and Oliver Parker!), Kenneth Lin (Warrior Class), David West Read (The Dream of the Burning Boy and The Performers on Broadway), Zayd Dohrn (Outside People), Daniel Pearle (A Kid Like Jake) Julia Brownell (All-American) and has collaborated with Stephen Sondheim, Edward Albee, John Guare, Donald Margulies, and Theresa Rebeck. As an Artistic Director, he has developed and produced plays by Jackie Sibblies Drury (Marys Seacole, Obie Award, 2019), Martyna Majok (queens), Aya Ogawa (The Noseb

Read more less

Book SynopsisMarlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl, born less than a year apart, lived so close to each other that Riefenstahl could see into Dietrich’s Berlin flat. Coming of age in the Weimar Republic, both sought fame in Germany’s silent film industry. While Dietrich’s depiction of Lola Lola in The Blue Angel catapulted her to Hollywood stardom, Riefenstahl—who missed out on the part—insinuated herself into Hitler’s inner circle and directed Nazi propaganda films, most famously, Triumph of the Will. Dietrich could never truly go home again, while Riefenstahl was contaminated by her political associations. Moving deftly between two stories never before told together, Karin Wieland contextualises these lives, chronicling revolutions in politics, fame and sexuality on a grand stage.Trade Review"Newly translated dual biography by German historian provides an illuminating look at two famous, ambitious women who reacted very differently to the Nazis...Via a fluent, often witty translation by Shelley Frisch, Wieland draws the portrait of women who were ambitious to a degree stunning in their day." -- The Guardian"In telling their stories, Karin Wieland has decided to juxtapose their lives without making the comparisons explicit. This can be very effective: she is an evocative scene setter and so it is easy to grasp the implication that both women were created by their time and place." -- Literary Review"Wieland offers abundant – and now and then overwhelming – material and produces a captivating chronological narrative that is rich in sources... The emerging story is fascinating…" -- Times Higher Education"... epic, enthralling tome about two of the 20th century's most compelling artists…" -- The Independent"...classical in scope and style. It [Dietrich & Riefenstahl] puts together cradle-to-grave biographies of two women who hardly met, offering admirably researched accounts that leave barely a telegram or plot summary unturned." -- The Telegraph

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1996 Jacques Derrida gave a lecture at the Museum of Modern Art on Antonin Artaud. Artaud the Moma reveals the challenge that Artaud posed to Derrida—and to art and its institutional history. It is a powerful interjection into the museum halls, a crucial moment in Derrida’s thought, and an insightful reading of a challenging writer and artist.Trade ReviewOne of Derrida's most extraordinarily deep and and virtuosic texts and one of the best ever written about Artaud. -- Denis Hollier, New York UniversityTable of ContentsPrefaceArtaud the MomaAfterword, by Kaira M. CabañasNotesAcknowledgments, by Kaira M. Cabañas

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe amazing true story of Charlotte Cibber, a child of the theatre who scandalized proper society - whenever possibleTrade Review'Precocious, gifted, charismatic, and eccentric, Charlotte Charke illuminated the eighteenth century with the fleeting brightness of a shooting star. Kathryn Shevelow has written a remarkable book which admirably captures this most elusive of social rebels' Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana 'Shevelow writes well and wittily, and captures the gamut of the eighteenth-century theatrical world, from its heights in Drury Lane - which went to Charlotte's bewigged head - to its depths among rural travelling players, where she ended up as a result' Sunday Times 'Charlotte is a remarkably learned and even more remarkably entertaining history - not only of a truly fascinating and startlingly-original woman, but also of her times and culture. Kathryn Shevelow brings to life the madness, absurdity and baseness of 18th-century Britain, and the recreates for modern readers the fascinating peculiarities of its theater world. This is a brilliant piece of popular history' David Liss, author of A Conspiracy of Paper 'Quite the spectacle was Charlotte: actress, cross-dresser and general hell-raiser' Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisHer performing days numbered, Josephine Baker did something outrageous: she transformed her chateau into a theme park whose main attraction was her Rainbow Tribe—12 children from around the globe, adopted as the family of the future. Matthew Pratt Guterl concludes that Baker was a serious activist, determined to make a positive difference.Trade ReviewThis book shimmers. The prose is spun gold, the ideas sparkle with intelligence, and the fun’s as high as Josephine Baker—topless in a banana skirt, her caramel skin gleaming —can take it. But in the end, it’s a tragedy… Baker bought a French castle, adopted a dozen children, and made them stand for every race and nation in the world. It went about as well as any other supersized celebrity adoption with a political agenda. But instead of reducing it to farce, Guterl shows us what it all meant… He weaves in new ways to think about identity, success, family, race, celebrity, and Baker herself. -- Jeannette Cooperman * St. Louis Magazine *Guterl is astute about the contradictions in Baker’s experiment and her celebrity, both of which rested on her capacity for reinvention. * New Yorker *Astute and readable… In many ways, this is cultural studies at its best. -- Steven Carroll * Sydney Morning Herald *A few pages into the finely worded, deeply evocative prologue, Guterl asks readers to set aside everything they know about Josephine Baker—but it’s too late, for Guterl has already begun what almost seems a fabulous fairy tale, one commandingly, colorfully told by a masterful contemporary storyteller. Rarely does an author’s voice come across as audibly as Guterl’s, in cadence and sometimes in directives to the reader, and the effect is enchanting—Baker’s story, even more so. Years after chanteuse-dancer Baker’s soaring star fell, she rose once more, this time as a relentless civil rights advocate and the adoptive mother of 12 multiracial children, the ‘Rainbow Tribe,’ whom she then raised and paraded in a theme-park-type castle, Les Milandes, in the French countryside. Here, Guterl winnows out a truth from the many fragments (in biographies, in the press, from the children themselves), positing that ‘it was an inspirational, exaggerated symbol of what was possible at the extreme end of wealth and fame, globally speaking, for anyone and everyone, no matter their skin tone or racial classification.’ A fascinating book about a magnificent woman. -- Eloise Kinney * Booklist *The persona with which Baker (1906–75) captivated the world had already been retooled once by her manager Giuseppe Pepito Abatino. Following World War II, Baker transformed herself again, this time into a universal mother presiding over a dozen children of every race on permanent display at her castle in France’s Dordogne… This work will be enjoyed by all readers. -- Jenny Brewer * Library Journal *Matthew Guterl’s astonishing Josephine Baker and the Rainbow Tribe tells the wholly unsuspected life-story of one of the twentieth-century’s most amazing visionaries. It is an engrossing biography of an extraordinary woman. -- David Levering Lewis, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning W. E. B. Du Bois, 1868–1919 and W. E. B. Du Bois, 1919–1963

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Mesmerising . . . an extraordinary piece of writing.'' - The i paper''A book that has the rare quality of being both poetic and accessible . . . missing Delicacy would be a huge mistake.'' - Guardian''A book that gets wiser, darker, and more brutally truthful every time you turn the page. Word of mouth is slowly turning it into a passionately recommended cult hit. A book you give a friend in trouble.'' - Caitlin Moran''Hilarious . . . heartbreaking.'' - The Observer''A layer cake of truth, pain and wisdom iced with charm. I loved it.'' - Sue PerkinsFrom award-winning comedian and writer Katy Wix comes Delicacy - a different kind of memoir from an astonishing new voice. Twenty-one snapshots of a life - some staccato, raw and shocking, some expansive, meditative, and profound, underpinned with moments of startling humour that shatter the darkness - alTrade ReviewA book that gets wiser, darker, and more brutally truthful every time you turn the page. Word of mouth is slowly turning it into a passionately recommended cult hit. A book you give a friend in trouble - like a shot of whisky, or a life raft. Or, like the book suggests, cake. * Caitlin Moran *A layer cake of truth, pain and wisdom iced with charm. I loved it. * Sue Perkins *Mesmerising . . . an extraordinary piece of writing. * The i Paper *Raw, profound and relatable. * Stylist *Painfully raw and incredibly funny * Simon Amstell *A book that offers many pleasures . . . hectically funny, eloquently angry. * TLS *Heartbreaking, ridiculously clever and laugh out loud funny. One of the best books on trauma I've ever read. * Scarlett Curtis *Gentle, heartbreaking, laugh out loud funny and poetically told - an intimate memoir that stays with you * Rose Matafeo *Katy sees the world like no one else and deciphers it with extraordinary beauty. Delicacy took my breath away * Lolly Adefope *Honest, raw, profound, deeply moving and funny * Bridget Christie *Wix is such an astonishingly good writer that she makes this into an unlikely page-turner. She turns her pain into poetry: intimate, candid, exquisitely described, deftly using words rich with grace, pain and power. * Chortle *Fabulous story-telling and completely delicious writing * Cariad Lloyd *A stunning book in which darkness and light, tragedy and humour, pain and hope are all masterfully, affectingly balanced. * Liam Williams *Brilliantly original, funny and insightful. Dry and comic, but also very moving. I absolute loved Delicacy * Katy Brand *Painfully vivid . . . insightful. * Sunday Express *Deeply comforting in how relatable it is, hilarious, and moving. I felt like this book was my best friend as soon as I started reading it * Mae Martin *Brimming with graceful, charming writing - this book perfectly encapsulates so many moments we face as girls and women and I only wish I'd read it sooner * Kiri Pritchard-McLean *An exquisite and important book. Delicacy is funny and sad and beautiful * Maeve Higgins *Katy has one of the most singular and enviable minds working today (and tomorrow) * Jamie Demetriou *Wix is showing a different side to herself, not only demonstrating her talents as a gifted writer but laying bare traumatic parts of her life with an honesty and openness that might surprise fans of her TV work. * The Sunday Post *It is mesmerisingly good. * The i paper *Hilarious, heartbreaking...She's a writer with impressive range, and Delicacy is entertaining and affecting. * Observer *Mesmerising . . . an extraordinary piece of writing * The i paper *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMilton H. Greene (1922-1985), famous for his fashion photography and celebrity portraits from the golden age of Hollywood, met Marilyn Monroe on a photo shoot for Look magazine in 1953. The pair developed an instant rapport, quickly becoming close friends and ultimately business partners. In 1954, after helping her get out of her studio contract with 20th Century Fox, they created Marilyn Monroe Productions, Inc. Milton and Marilyn were much more then business partners, Marilyn became a part of the Greene family. By the time their relationship had ended in 1957, the pair had produced two feature films, in addition to more than 5,000 photographs of the iconic beauty. There was magic in Milton and Marilyn's working relationship. The trust and confidence they had in each other's capabilities was on full display in each photo. Greene passed in 1985, thinking his life's work was succumbing to the ravages of time. His eldest son, Joshua, began a journey to meticulously restore his father's legacy. A photographer himself, Joshua spent years researching ways to restore his father's photographs as well as cataloging and promoting Milton's vast body of work all over the world. As a result, Joshua established "The Archives," a company committed to the restoration and preservation of photography. After spending nearly two decades restoring his father's archive, Joshua Greene and his company are widely regarded as one of the leaders in photographic restoration and have been at the forefront of the digital imaging and large-format printing revolution. Now Joshua Greene, in conjunction with Iconic Images, presents The Essential Marilyn Monroe: Milton H. Greene, 50 Sessions. With 280 photographs, including newly scanned and restored classics, as well as images that have appeared only once in publication, Greene's Marilyn Monroe archive can finally be viewed as it was originally intended when these pictures were first produced more than 60 years ago. These classic sessions - 50 in all - cover Monroe at the height of her astonishing beauty and meteoric fame. From film-sets to the bedroom, at home and at play, Joshua has curated a lasting tribute to the work of a great photographer and his greatest muse. Poignant and powerful, joyful and stunning - these breathtaking images of an icon stand above all the rest. The Essential Marilyn Monroe: Milton H. Greene, 50 Sessions is sure to be a book that will become the platinum standard in photography monographs.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is a story of dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. With trademark wit and heart, Phil Vischer shares how God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.Larry. Bob. Archibald. These VeggieTales stars are the most famous vegetables you'll ever eat. Oops, meet. Their antics are known around the world. But so much of the VeggieTales story hasn't been told. In Me, Myself, and Bob, Phil Vischer, founder of Big Idea and creator of VeggieTales, gives a behind-the-scenes look at his not-so-funny journey with the loveable veggies. From famed creator to bankrupt dreamer, Vischer shares his story of trial and ultimate triumph as God inspired him with one big idea after another.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlice Faye's sweet demeanor, sultry glances, and velvety voice were her signatures. Her haunting rendition of ""You'll Never Know"" has never been surpassed by any other singer. Fans adored her in such films as Alexander's Ragtime Band, Rose of Washington Square, Tin Pan Alley, and Hello, Frisco, Hello.In the 1930s and 1940s she reigned as queen of Twentieth Century-Fox musicals. She co-starred with such legends as Shirley Temple, Tyrone Power, Carmen Miranda, and Don Ameche and was voted the number-one box-office attraction of 1940, placing ahead of Bette Davis and Myrna Loy. To a select cult of admirers, she remains a beloved star. In 1945 at the pinnacle of her career she chose to walk out on her Fox contract. This remarkable episode is unlike any other in the heyday of the big-studio system. Her daring departure from films left Fox mogul Darryl F. Zanuck and the rest of the movie industry flabbergasted. For years she had skirmished with him over her roles, her health, and her private life.After leaving Fox, Faye (1915-1998) devoted herself to her marriage to radio star Phil Harris, to motherhood, and to a second career on radio in the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, broadcast for eight years. She happily gave up films in favor of the independence and self-esteem that she discovered in private life. She willingly freed herself of the ""star-treatment"" that debilitated so many of her contemporaries. In the 1980s she emerged as a spokeswoman for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, touring America to encourage senior citizens to make their lives more meaningful and vital.This book captures the special essence of Alice Faye, her work in film, radio, and popular music, and indeed her graceful survival beyond the silver screen.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Spirited and revealing. . . . An astute psychological profile of the man whose biting, nihilistic comedy broke so many barriers.”—John McMurtrie, San Francisco Chronicle"Trenchant and provocative."—Dennis Drabelle, Washington Post"There is no doubt that the author loves the 13 films the brothers made together, but his fascination lies with those moments when they go too far, toppling toward Samuel Beckett's 'mirthless laugh,' which laughs 'at that which is unhappy.' . . . [The book] is full of sensitive observations about Harpo's musical vocation and Groucho's uncanny greasepaint, details to propel readers back to the films. . . . You suspect Marx, frustrated doctor and unlikely pen pal of T.S. Eliot, would have appreciated being taken so seriously."—Victoria Segal, Sunday Times"A luminous delight. . . . A true page-turner and a lot of fun. [Siegel] applies his own philosophical acuity to the personal and socio-political aspects of Groucho’s life."—Shon Arieh-Lerer, Slate"A scholarly milestone in the history of professional writing on Groucho Marx."—Cineaste“Was [Groucho] serious or funny? Where did the persona stop and the real Groucho begin? Lee Seigel wrestles with these questions in his provocative and short critical biography of the man he calls the Marx Brothers’s 'central intelligence.'”—Karl Whitney, The Guardian"Delightfully perverse." —New York Times Book Review"A contentious but always stimulating addition to the surprisingly small library of Marx Bros studies."—Jewish Chronicle"As Lee Siegel’s Groucho Marx: The Comedy of Existence, a book in Yale University Press’s Jewish Lives series, makes plain, Groucho was a man who could find a cloud in every silver lining."—Jewish Review of Books“[A] forensic and well-informed analysis of the brother’s comedy through their lives . . . Siegel is good at building on finds from his extensive sources to create vivid pictures—and plausible assumptions. . . . There are plenty of unusual insights."—Jewish Renaissance“A beautiful, brilliant, and persuasive reading of Marx as crypto-nihilist. A necessary and pulse-quickening work (utterly bereft of jargon or self-seriousness), linking Aristophanes to Kafka to Beckett to Groucho to Woody Allen to Amy Schumer.”—David Shields, author of Reality Hunger“Lee Siegel’s brilliant analysis of the glorious, scary, beyond-funny humor of Groucho and his brothers made me feel as if I were watching their movies for the first time. In this hugely enjoyable and stimulating book, Siegel shows how Groucho became an impossibility: an immortal comedian.”—Ian Frazier, author of Great Plains and On the Rez

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A wickedly entertaining new memoir'' Daily MailAccording to the Daily Mail Ian Ogilvy was ''the undisputed star of 1970s TV as the dashing Simon Templar in Return Of The Saint''. The show turned him into a household name, causing him to be touted as the next James Bond. From a liberal upbringing in post-war Britain, boarding school escapades and life at RADA, Ogilvy enjoyed an acting career spanning more than fifty years, including TV show Upstairs, Downstairs and films Witchfinder General, No Sex Please: We''re British and Death Becomes Her. His story plays host to a spectacular all-star cast including Boris Karloff, Hayley Mills, Penelope Keith, Derek Nimmo, Timothy Dalton, Derek Jacobi and Meryl Streep, and Ogilvy gives a vivid account from behind the scenes of the Golden Age of television and film.Once a Saint is an amusing and unvarnished story: a tremendously endearing tale from a working actor. Trade ReviewA riotously funny account of becoming a teenage lady-killer ... wickedly entertaining new memoir * Daily Mail *Very funny and very good ... [Ogilvy's] style is effortless and his modesty uncontrived -- Simon Williams, Sunday TelegraphA tour de force -- Andrew Collins, Mail on SundayA funny, gossipy, camp-as-Christmas memoir ... as droll an autobiography as you could wish for - full of fantastic stories you might very nearly believe -- Markus Berkmann

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlice Howell (1886-1961) is slowly gaining recognition and regard as arguably the most important slapstick comedienne of the silent era. This new study, the first book-length appreciation, identifies her place in the comedy hierarchy alongside the best-known of silent comediennes, Mabel Normand.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisI Was Never Alone or Oporniki presents an original ethnographic stage play, based on fieldwork conducted in Russia with adults with disabilities. The core of the work is the script of the play itself, which is accompanied by a description of the script development process, from the research in the field to rehearsals for public performances. In a supporting essay, the author argues that both ethnography and theatre can be understood as designs for being together in unusual ways, and that both practices can be deepened by recognizing the vibrant social impact of interdependency animated by vulnerability, as identified by disability theorists and activists.Table of ContentsAbout This Book Foreword Play Script Cast of Characters Setting Time Portrait I: Vera Portrait II: Vakas Portrait III: Alina Portrait IV: Sergei Portrait V: Rudak Portrait VI: Anya Photos Ethnographer’s Essay: Rituals of Vulnerability Introduction Background a. Words for Disability b. Disability in Russia c. Defining Performance Ethnography d. Performance Ethnography and/in Anthropology Staging Disability: Interdependency and Crip Time Making I Was Never Alone or Oporniki: Origins and Writing Process Representing Russia on the North American Stage Making I Was Never Alone or Oporniki: Casting and Rehearsing Access: Disability Theatre in Practice Conclusion Afterword Appendix 1: Performance Ethnography Exercises Appendix 2: Disability Terminology Appendix 3: Russian and Soviet Historical References Appendix 4: Suggestions for Reading this Work in the Classroom Appendix 5: Prop List and Dramaturgical Note Appendix 6: An Ethic of Accommodation Appendix 7: Glossary and Pronunciation of Russian Words

Read more less

Book SynopsisGregory Doran's account of his quest to re-discover Cardenio, the lost play written by Shakespeare and John Fletcher. A thrilling act of literary detection that takes him from the Bodleian Library in Oxford, via Cervantes' Spain to the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. Fully illustrated throughout, Shakespeare’s Lost Play tells a fascinating story, which, like the play itself, will engross Shakespeare buffs and theatregoers alike. Doran’s much-praised production of Cardenio for the Royal Shakespeare Company marked the culmination of years spent searching for a famously 'lost’ play co-authored by William Shakespeare. In this book, Doran takes us with him on his quest to unearth every extant clue and then into the rehearsal room as he pieces together a play unseen since its first performance in 1613. The result, as the Guardian attested, is ‘an extraordinary and theatrically powerful piece, one that should both please audiences and keep academic scholars in work for years’.Trade Review'Part detective story, part lively summary of the historic research and theatrical processes involved in resurrecting a lost play... It is one of the pleasures of Shakespeare's Lost Play that the reader picks up an education in a whole range of topics' * Around the Globe magazine *'Throughout Doran is a charming and invariably helpful guide... Furthermore, he successfully communicates his passion for the theatre and enables the reader to understand the wealth of labour that lies behind a complicated production' * Times Literary Supplement *'Reading this book is like entering a marvellous emporium... the delight is in the detail.... endlessly entertaining and informative.' * ReviewsGate.com *'Fascinating' * The Stage *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs Nick and Nora Charles in the six Thin Man movies from 1934 to 1947, the husband-and-wife team of William Powell and Myrna Loy showed that marriage didn't have to mean the end of the romantic comedy. From the comedic delight that was the initial The Thin Man through its five sequels as well as eight other films (including the Oscar-winning The Great Ziegfeld and Manhattan Melodrama), Powell and Loy were cemented in the public imagination as Hollywood's happiest married couple.In Becoming Nick and Nora, comedy writer and Hollywood historian Rob Kozlowski follows the winding path that Powell and Loy's screen personas took over their careers. Studios originally cultivated the two as villains in the silent era: Powell as a mustachioed, swashbuckling fiend and Loy as an exotic adversary. With the rise of talkies, the two managed to broaden their range beyond villainous stereotypes, but it took several false starts before they achieved their lasting legacy as Nick and Nora. Packe

Read more less

Book SynopsisInstant New York Times bestsellerThe long-awaited first work of nonfiction from the author of the #1New York TimesbestsellingOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood: a deliriously entertaining, wickedly intelligent cinema book as unique and creative as anything by Quentin Tarantino.In addition to being among the most celebrated of contemporary filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino is possibly the most joyously infectious movie lover alive.For years he has touted in interviews his eventual turn to writing books about films.Now, with Cinema Speculation, the time has come, and the results are everything his passionate fans?and all movie lovers?could have hoped for.Organized around key American films from the 1970s, all of which he first saw as a young moviegoer at the time,this book is as intellectually rigorous and insightful as it is rollicking and entertaining.At once film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history, it is all written in the singular voice recognizable immediately as QT?s and with the rare perspective about cinema possible only from one of the greatest practitioners of the artform ever.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPaperback edition of one of the most important books on Marilyn Monroe ever written

Read more less

Book SynopsisMrs Jordan''s Profession is the acclaimed biography of Dora Jordan by bestselling author Claire Tomalin''Intelligent, finely made and wonderfully readable. As gripping as the best fiction'' Independent on Sunday Acclaimed as the greatest comic actress of her day, Dora Jordan lived a quite different role off-stage as lover to Prince William, third son of George III. Unmarried, the pair lived in a villa on the Thames and had ten children together until William, under pressure from royal advisers, abandoned her. The story of how Dora moved between the worlds of the eighteenth-century theatre and happy domesticity, of her fights for her family and her career makes a classic story of royal perfidy and female courage.From the acclaimed author of Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self, Charles Dickens: A Life and The Invisible Woman, this celebrated biography is one of history''s most astonishing untold stories.''The strangest and mos

Read more less

Book SynopsisHugo Vickers' books include Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece; Gladys, Duchess of Marlborough; Cecil Beaton; Vivien Leigh; Loving Garbo; Royal Orders; The Private World of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; and The Kiss, which won the 1996 Stern Silver Pen for Non-fiction.Trade ReviewHugely ambitious... Vickers's triumph has been to weave the lives of three bisexual, egotistical monsters into an utterly enthralling narrative. -- Sheridan Morley * Sunday Times *This enticing book... is wonderful. * Observer *Immensely entertaining. -- Alexander Walker * Evening Standard *

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou may be a student, or just starting out in the theatre profession, or an actor contemplating a switch to directing, or anyone dreaming of a life in the theatre. Know this: by developing and sharpening your skills on a Shakespeare text, you will be preparing yourself for your next production whatever or wherever that might be. Practical, inspirational and steeped in the wisdom and expertise of one of the great Shakespearean directors of our age, How to Direct Shakespeare guides you through each step of a production, from conception to final presentation to an audience. It includes close analysis of the text and provides strategies for focusing on the main action and structure; it considers dramatic energy and the world of the play, and illuminates these with examples drawn from a variety of Shakespeare''s plays. It will assist you with creating your vision for the production as you collaborate with the design team, cast the play and work with actors in rehearsal. And it walks Trade ReviewHow to Direct Shakespeare is a 'must have' book for ALL directors- experienced and aspiring! Adrian Noble shares his vast experience and leads the reader through the whole journey of directing Shakespeare’s plays from the preparation through all stages of rehearsal leading up to the opening night. It's a wonderful companion to his How to Do Shakespeare for actors. However his guidance can be used for directing any plays as it gives a wonderful insight into a director's process. Invaluable. * Sir David Suchet CBE FRSA *To be in rehearsal of a Shakespeare play with Adrian Noble is a gift to any actor. He is, quite simply, a brilliant director, and now in How to Direct Shakespeare, he guides us through every step of his directorial process with perfect precision and infinite generosity. Hugely informative and insightful, this book is an invaluable asset to any actor or director. * Sinéad Cusack *Adrian Noble and I were contemporaries at the Drama Centre in the early seventies. In 1978, he asked me to play Titus Andronicus at the Bristol Old Vic; it was my first Shakespeare - and his. For me it was like climbing a particularly craggy mountain, but from the first day it was clear that Adrian had a direct line through to the play, its world and, especially, its author, and if I managed it at all, it was largely due to him. In this indispensable book, he shares that extraordinary understanding and connection with anyone who wants to direct Shakespeare, with crystal clarity and a fund of insights both practical and penetrating. Above all, he makes it clear that to stage Shakespeare, directors have to bring their entire being to the work; nothing less will do. * simon callow *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements and thanks List of Illustrations Introduction Chapter 1: You Chapter 2: Him Chapter 3: The Director and the text Part 1: The World (Who’s Who) Part 2: Reading the Play Part 3: Analysing the Play Part 4: Entering Shakespeare’s World Chapter 4: Awayday One; Dramatic Energy (How does he do it?) 1: Apposition 2: Metaphor 3: Metre and Pulse 4: Line Endings 5: Word Play 6: Vocabulary 7: Shape and Structure Chapter 5: Let’s Design it! The Eye To Start: 1: Wall of Ideas 2: Read the Play 3: Analyse 4: Brainstorm The Model A Methodology Space The mechanics Floors Entrances Axes Walls The Skeleton of the Play The Journey and two Casebooks Playtime “In the Round” Thrust Technology (How to get from A to B) Colour, Texture and Decoration Storyboard Show and Tell Costume and the Actor Working with Lighting Designers Chapter 6: Design (The Ear) Music and Sound Chapter 7: Casting the Play 1. The Actor’s World 2. Do I Cast the Part or the Actor? 3. The Process 4. Putting it Together Chapter 8: Awayday Two: Stanislavski and Actioning Chapter 9: To Cut or Not to Cut Length Shape Choice of Edition Chapter 10: The Rehearsal Plan The Traditional Way Basic Aims of Rehearsal Making a Plan Chapter 11: Rehearsing the Play; the Beginning The Rehearsal Room Stage Management An Approach to Day One of Rehearsals Chapter 12: Awayday Three: Improvisation 1. Building a Company 2. Building a Character 3. Developing Relationships and Exploring the World of the Play 4. Exploring Scenes and Situations without using the text Chapter 13: Rehearsing the Play: End of the Beginning Work on Language Work on Character Chapter 14: Rehearsing the Play: Middle Aims for Middle Section of Rehearsals Examples from Romeo and Juliet “The Tank” Blocking Blocking Large Scale Scenes Second Pass at Scenes What to do if your Actors get Inhibited or Stuck Chapter 15: Rehearsing the Play: End First Run Through: How does it Work? How to give your Notes Second and Third Run Throughs Preparing for the Theatre Chapter 16: The “Tech”, “Dress”, Previews and Opening 1. The Tech; How to set up a Tech and how to run a Tech 2. The Dress 3. Curtain Calls 4. Previews 5. Opening Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn 29 September 1981, Peter Turner received a phone call that would change his life. His former lover, Hollywood actress Gloria Grahame, had collapsed in a Lancaster hotel and was refusing medical attention. He had no choice but to take her into his chaotic and often eccentric family's home in Liverpool. Liverpool born and bred, Turner had first set eyes on Grahame when he was a young actor, living in London. Best known for her portrayal of irresistible femme fatales in films such as The Big Heat, Oklahoma and The Bad and the Beautiful, for which she won an Oscar, Grahame electrified audiences with her steely expressions and heavy lidded eyes and the heroines she bought to life were often dark and dangerous. Turner and Grahame became firm friends and remained so ever after their love affair had ended. And it was to him she turned in her final hour of need.Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool is an affectionate, moving and wryly humorous memoir of friendship, love and stardom.

Read more less