Individual actors Books

Book Synopsis The Incomparable Hildegarde (1906-2005) began her career as a pianist in Milwaukee''s silent movie theaters, which led to the Vaudeville stage. By the 1930s, she was singing in the cabarets of Paris and London, rubbing elbows with royalty, White Russians and Josephine Baker. She then became a darling of the New York supper club scene and her name became synonymous with high-class entertainment at venues like the Plaza Hotel''s Persian Room. She started fashion trends, had her own signature Revlon nail and lip color, and was the first to have song hits in the World War II era. This first biography of Hildegarde Sill covers her 70-year career, including her intimate relationship with her manager, Anna Sosenko, and emphasizes her importance in 20th-century American popular culture.

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Book Synopsis Born Joan Lucille Olander in a small South Dakota town, Mamie Van Doren rose to Blonde Bombshell status in Hollywood when she signed with Universal Pictures in 1953, right on the heels of Marilyn Monroe. This comprehensive biography explores Van Doren''s early life and career, spanning from her start as a bit player in Howard Hughes'' Jet Pilot to her significant role as the last surviving member of Hollywood''s famous Three M''s: Mamie Van Doren, Marilyn Monroe, and Jayne Mansfield. A complete filmography lists Van Doren''s roles in film and television. Entries include a plot synopsis, cast and crew details, and in many instances recent and contemporary reviews.Trade Reviewwell-organized study...well-researched and informative text. Film enthusiasts will especially enjoy this book"" - Library Journal""a fabulous book filled to the brim with solid info, a sense of humor and extensive quotes from Mamie, all of which are entertaining...awesome...a great fun read"" - Classic Images""affectionate tribute...has everything Mamie's fans could wish for"" - Film Review

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Book Synopsis What audacity! exclaimed actor Robert Wagner when he heard about the authors'' adolescent exploits in nabbing interviews with Hollywood celebrities. In 1978, Fantle and Johnson, St. Paul teenagers, boarded a plane to meet with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. They had written the stars requesting interviews--and to their amazement, both agreed. Over the years, more than 250 other stars also agreed--Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Debbie Reynolds, George Burns, Rod Steiger, Milton Berle, Frank Capra and Hoagy Carmichael, to name a few. Published for the first time and with exclusive photos, this selection of 75 interviews chronicles the authors'' 40-year quest for insights and anecdotes from iconic 20th century artists.

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Book Synopsis Alexander Pantages was 13 when he arrived in the U.S. in the 1880s, after contracting malaria in Panama. He opened his first motion picture theater in 1902 and went on to build one of the largest and most important independently-owned theater chains in the country. At the height of the Pantages Theaters'' reach, he owned or operated 78 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. He amassed a fortune, yet he could not read or write English. In 1929 he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old dancer--a scandal that destroyed his empire and reduced him to a pariah. The day his grandest theater, the Pantages Hollywood, opened in 1930, he lay sick in a jailhouse infirmary. His conviction was overturned a year later after an appeal to the California State Supreme Court, but the question remains: How should history judge this theater pioneer, wealthy magnate and embodiment of the American Dream?

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Book Synopsis Documenting a theater project for incarcerated youth in a New Mexico juvenile detention facility, this book presents the script of a play about prison life, and interweaves the author''s creative, self-reflective text (autoethnography). The collaborative experience of writing and staging such a play enacted by prisoners frames a discussion of larger social and political themes in the criminal justice system, and of the complexities of getting juveniles to engage with variously positioned mentors.

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Book Synopsis Just as the Academy Awards have an impact upon stars and their careers, their filmic achievements influence the Academy and contribute to the rich history of the Oscars. Upset wins, jarring losses and glaring oversights have helped define the careers of Hollywood icons, while unknown actors have proven that timing sometimes beats notoriety or even talent. With detailed discussion of their performances and Awards night results, this book describes how 108 actors earned the Academy''s favor--and how 129 others were overlooked.

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Book Synopsis Like the age-old feud between the Montagues and Capulets in Romeo and Juliet, the enduring rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers makes for great drama. Macbeth''s career began with promise but ended in ruin--not unlike Pete Rose''s. Twelfth Night''s Viola''s disguise as a boy to enter into a man''s world is echoed in Babe Didrikson Zaharias'' challenge to the pro golf patriarchy when she competed in the Los Angeles Open. Exploring parallels between Shakespeare''s plays and famous events in the world of sports, this book introduces seven of the best-known plays to the sports enthusiast and offers a fresh perspective to Shakespeare devotees.

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Book Synopsis Considered one of the finest performers in world cinema, Japanese actor Takashi Shimura (1905-1982) appeared in more than 300 stage, film and television roles during his five-decade career. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Akira Kurosawa, including major roles in the landmark classics Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954), and for his memorable characterizations in Ishiro Honda''s Godzilla (1954) and several Kaiju sequels. This is the first complete English-language account of Shimura''s work. In addition to historical and critical coverage of Shimura''s life and career, it includes an extensive filmography.

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Book Synopsis The 15th in a series drawn from scholarship presented at the annual Comparative Drama Conference at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, this collection provides insights into texts and practices currently at the forefront of theatrical discussion. The volume includes various essays on the intersections of script and performance, and features an exclusive interview with keynote speaker, playwright Simon Stephens.

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Book Synopsis This volume is the sixteenth in a series dedicated to presenting the latest findings in the fields of comparative drama, performance, and dramatic textual analysis. Featuring some of the best work from the 2019 Comparative Drama Conference in Orlando, this book engages audiences with new research on contemporary and classic drama, performance studies, scenic design and adaptation theory in nine scholarly essays, two event transcripts and six book reviews. This year''s highlights include an interview with playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and a roundtable discussion on the sixtieth anniversary of Lorraine Hansberry''s A Raisin in the Sun.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments  viiPreface  1A Conversation with Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Baron Kelly)  5A Raisin in the Sun at 60: A Conversation (Teresa Gilliams, Nathaniel G. Nesmith, Janna Segal, Baron Kelly and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins)  27Radical Resurrections: A Performance History of John Brown's Body (Victoria Lynn Scrimer)  49Deep When: A Basic Design Philosophy for Addressing Holidays in Historical Dramas (Michael Schweikardt)  63Uncanniness and Alienation in Lisa D'Amour's Detroit and Airline Highway (M. Scott Phillips) 78Precious Resources: Cultural Archiving in the Post-Apocalyptic Worlds of Mr. Burns and Station Eleven (Paul D. Reich)  96Past the Lyrical: Mythographic Metatheatre in Marina Carr's Phaedra Backwards (Phillip Zapkin)  113Infidelity, Adaptation, and Textuality: Directing Late Medieval and Early Modern French Farce (Scott D. Taylor)  130Rectories Meet "One-Hour" Rooms: Williams on Summery and Eccentric Loves (Jeffrey B. Loomis)  148A Portrait of the Krapp as a Young[er] Man: Michael Laurence's Krapp, 39   (William Hutchings)  161Waiting for Rothko (Doug Phillips)  174Review of Literature: Selected Books Simon Critchley, Tragedy, the Greeks, and Us (Doug Phillips)  189Trevor Boffone, Teresa Marrero and Chantal Rodriguez, eds. Encuentro: Latinx Performance for the New American Theater  (Osvaldo Sandoval-Leon)  193Lopamudra Basu. Ayad Akhtar, the American Nation, and Its Others After 9/11: Homeland Insecurity (Mahwash Shoaib)  197Max Shulman and J. Chris Westgate, eds. Performing the Progressive Era: Immigration, Urban Life, and Nationalism on Stage (Patrick Midgley)  200Selby Wynn Schwartz. The Bodies of Others: Drag Dances and Their Afterlives (Alicia M. Goodman)  204David Palmer, ed. Visions of Tragedy in Modern American Drama  (Melissa Rynn Porterfield)  207Index  211

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Book Synopsis Gene Hackman (b. 1930) has been described as the best actor of his generation. During almost half a century as an American film, television and stage actor, film producer and author, he was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning the Best Actor for The French Connection (1971) and the Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven (1992), as well as three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs. This study examines his film work in detail, with a filmography/videography included.

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Book Synopsis On December 31, 1939, nationwide radio audiences listened as 17-year-old Josephine Owaissa Cottle, a Texas schoolgirl, won Gateway to Hollywood''s new talent competition. Her prize was a movie contract at RKO and a memorable stage name--Gale Storm. One of the United States'' most beloved entertainers, she appeared in 35 films, starred in two hit television series (one was My Little Margie) and earned a gold record for I Hear You Knockin''. Drawing on interviews with family, friends and colleagues, this biography provides many unpublished details of her life and career. An annotated filmography encompasses Storm''s time at Monogram Pictures, her roles in westerns and her appearances in classics such as It Happened on 5th Avenue. Her TV career is covered, including complete production histories and episode guides.

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Book Synopsis Immersive theater calls upon audience members to become participants, actors and others. It traditionally offers binary roles--that of oppressor or that of victim--and thereby stands the risk of simplifying complex social situations. Challenging such binaries, this book articulates theatrical grey zones when addressing juvenile detention, wartime interventions and immigration processes. It presents scripts and strategies for directors and playwrights who want to create theatrical environments that are immersive and pedagogical; aesthetically evocative and politically provocative; simple and complex.

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Book Synopsis As a Ziegfeld Follies girl and film actress, Justine Johnstone (1895-1982) was celebrated as the most beautiful woman in the world. Her career took an unexpected turn when she abruptly retired from acting at 31. For the remainder of her life, she dedicated herself to medical research and social activism. As a cutting-edge pathologist, she contributed to the pre-penicillin treatment of syphilis at Columbia University, participated in the development of early cancer treatments at Caltech, and assisted Los Angeles physicians in oncology research. As a divorced woman in the 1940s, she adopted and raised two children on her own. She later helped find work for blacklisted Hollywood screenwriters and became a prominent participant in social and political causes. The first full-length biography of Johnstone chronicles her extraordinary success in two male-dominated fields--show business and medical science--and follows her remarkable journey into a fascinating and fulfilling lif

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Book Synopsis Hollywood studios were once eager to bring stand-up comedy king Richard Pryor''s dynamic humor to the big screen--so much so that studio executives gave him full access to available resources and creative control to develop his own projects. Unfortunately Pryor''s screen talents were far less acclaimed than his stage ones, and flops such as The Toy and Superman III greatly diminished his reputation. The author examines how this downfall unfolded through comprehensive analyses of each of Pryor''s movies.

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Book Synopsis One of the most versatile actors of his generation, Edmond O''Brien made a series of iconic noir films. From a man reporting his own murder in D.O.A. (1949) to the conflicted title character in The Bigamist (1953), he portrayed the confusion of the postwar Everyman. His memorable roles spanned genres from Shakespeare to westerns and comedies--he also turned his hand to directing. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as the harassed press agent Oscar Muldoon in Joseph Mankiewicz''s bitter Cinderella fable The Barefoot Contessa (1954). This first in-depth study of O''Brien charts his life and career from Broadway to Hollywood and to the rise of television, revealing a devoted family man dedicated to his craft.

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Book Synopsis One of the powerful icons of 1930s Hollywood film, Jean Harlow died a tragically early death in 1937 at age 26. During her brief career, she delivered memorable performances in such MGM classics as Red Dust (1932), Bombshell (1933), Dinner at Eight (1933) and Libeled Lady (1936), among others. Taking a film-by-film look at Harlow''s work and her own impressions of her costars and directors, this retrospective traces her growth as an actress--from tentative supporting player to top star at a prestigious studio--and how her often tumultuous life informed her performances.

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Book Synopsis In 1933, Margaret Sullavan made her film debut and was an overnight sensation. For the next three decades, she enchanted audiences and critics in any medium she chose--film, theater, television--and was regarded as one of the foremost dramatic actresses. Off screen, she epitomized the Southern Belle--beauty, hospitality and flirtatiousness. Deep down, she suffered from crippling insecurity, especially as a mother--a feeling exacerbated by progressive hearing loss. By age 50, she could no longer cope and took an overdose of sleeping pills. This biography covers her film career with insightful criticism from the period and details her personal life, including her marriage to Henry Fonda, her special friendship with James Stewart and her bitter rivalry with Katharine Hepburn.

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Book Synopsis At the height of her celebrity, Madeleine Carroll (1906-1987) was the world''s highest-paid actress. She worked alongside such greats as Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton, British directors Victor Saville and Alfred Hitchcock, and Hollywood directors John Ford and Otto Preminger. She also did radio and television shows--all of which she abandoned to become a Red Cross worker. Piecing together long-lost facts, the author describes Carroll''s almost indescribable life, narrating her personal highs and lows, as well as her fervent commitment to helping others--particularly child victims of war.Table of Contents Acknowledgments ix Preface 1 Introduction 3 Act I—Star of British Stage and Screen 5 One: The English Rose (1906–27) 5 Two: Star of the Silent Screen (1928) 12 Three: Stage Spectaculars (1929) 18 Four: Star of the Talkies (1930) 24 Five: Marriage (1931) 37 Six: Pleasure Cruise (1932) 43 Seven: Victor Saville (1933) 47 Eight: Hollywood (1934) 53 Nine: Alfred Hitchcock (1935) 64 Act II—Hollywood and the European Theater of War 75 Ten: The General Died at Dawn (1936) 75 Eleven: The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) 86 Twelve: United Artists, Then Paramount (1938) 93 Thirteen: The Radio Star (1939) 99 Fourteen: Technicolor (1940) 111 Fifteen: The Airman or the Seaman (1941) 125 Sixteen: Bob Hope's Favorite Blonde (1942) 131 Seventeen: United Seamen's Service (1943) 136 Eighteen: American Red Cross (1944–45) 142 Act III—Broadway, Broadcasting and Building a Better World 151 Nineteen: Love and Marriage (1946) 151 Twenty: The Film Producer (1947) 157 ­Twenty-One: The Broadway Star (1948) 159 ­Twenty-Two: The Public Speaker (1949) 164 ­Twenty-Three: The Television Pioneer (1950) 171 ­Twenty-Four: Married Life (1951–56) 174 ­Twenty-Five: The Radio Soap Star (1957–59) 183 ­Twenty-Six: The Watershed (1960–63) 187 ­Twenty-Seven: Beekman and Other Places (1964–86) 192 The Final Curtain (1987) 203 Filmography 205 Stage Performances 212 Selected Radio Performances 216 Chapter Notes 219 Bibliography 227 Index 231

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Book Synopsis? Punctilious to a fault, Sidney Lumet favored intense rehearsal, which enabled him to bring in most of his films under budget and under schedule. An energized director who captured the heart of New York like no other, he created a vast canon of work that stands as a testament to his passionate concern for justice and his great empathy for the hundreds of people with whom he collaborated during a career that spanned more than five decades. This is the first full-scale biography of a man who is generally regarded as one of the most affable directors of his time. Using the oral testimonies of those who worked with him both behind and in front of the camera, this book explores Lumet''s personality and working methods.

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Book Synopsis One of the most popular Hollywood child stars of the late 1910s, Virginia Lee Corbin was well known to fans worldwide. With her mother as her manager, Corbin retained her popularity as she grew older. She performed in vaudeville for a couple of years before continuing her film career. Corbin fit well into the flapper mold of the Jazz Age and appeared in many films throughout the 1920s. As she matured, her mother found it ever more difficult to control her. Corbin led a difficult life. After her mother''s suicide attempt, she found that all the money she had earned was gone. Her marriage (at age 18) failed and she was eventually separated from her children. The flapper struggled to remain relevant in the sound era and was trying to make a comeback when she died at 31 in 1942.

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Book Synopsis Actor and director John Derek was born in Hollywood, where his striking good looks helped get him a contract with David O'' Selznick. Derek''s career took off after Humphrey Bogart made him his costar in the cultish noir Knock at Any Doors. Derek appeared in such Academy Award-nominated films as All the King''s Men, Run for Cover, The Ten Commandments and Exodus, and worked with directors like Nicholas Ray, Cecil B. DeMille, Otto Preminger and others. He was a competent, dedicated performer even in his last, trivial roles. In the 1960s, his career in decline, he began directing his own films. Although critics panned the string of movies he made starring his three wives--Ursula Andress, Linda Evans and Bo Derek--some were box-office hits, like Tarzan, the Ape Man. This biography covers his extraordinary life and career, with extensive analysis of his films.

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Book Synopsis Born in rural Ohio in 1897, Beryl Halley was educated at a strict Freewill Baptist school. After briefly teaching in a one-room schoolhouse, she joined the navy in 1918 before her unlikely path led her to Broadway, then to the Ziegfeld Follies (1923-1925). She also appeared in Earl Carroll''s Vanities and other revues, as well as in films, and had a widely publicized brush with the law (over alleged nudity) in 1926. She retired from show business in 1930, married an insurance executive and had a family, later reappearing in the public eye as an officer in the Ziegfeld Girls'' Club. Making her home in Houston in the 1950s, she worked as legal secretary for a large law firm. Her death at age 90 was unpublicized. Her story is told here for the first time.

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Book Synopsis Edwin Forrest was the foremost American actor of the nineteenth century. His advocacy of American, and specifically Jacksonian, themes made him popular in New York''s Bowery Theatre. His rivalry with the English tragedian William Charles Macready led to the Astor Place Riot, and his divorce from Catharine Sinclair Forrest was one of the greatest social scandals of the period. This full-length biography examines Forrest''s personal life while acknowledging the impossibility of separating it from his public image. Included is a historical chronology of every known performance the actor gave.

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Book Synopsis Nick McLean was one of the most acclaimed camera operators in American cinema of the 1970s, during which time he shot many classics of the New Hollywood movement including McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Heaven Can Wait, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, Marathon Man, and Being There. As a cinematographer throughout the 1980s, McLean would film blockbusters such as Cannonball Run II, City Heat, The Goonies, and Short Circuit before being lured into television to photograph some of the biggest shows in town, including Evening Shade, Cybill, and the pop culture phenomenon Friends, for which he was thrice Emmy-nominated.Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsForeword by Michael D. O'SheaIntroduction by Nick McLeanFraming New HollywoodBehind the BlockbustersFraming Friends and Farewell to FilmThe Quiet Men: Two AfterwordsIreland, Week 1, by Nicolas S. McLean (aka Nick Jr.)  158Ireland, Week 2, by Nick McLean (aka Nick Sr.)  167The Nick McLean FilmographyIndex

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Book Synopsis English actor Dirk Bogarde dominated the films in which he starred. Exploring the tension between his matinee idol appeal and his own closeted sexuality, this book focuses on the wide variety of genres in which he worked, and the highly charged interaction between his life and his roles. Beginning with an expose of gay life in post-war Britain and his relationship with partner/manager, Anthony Forwood, each chapter explores Bogarde''s performances by genre--his juvenile delinquent movies, his military roles, his contribution to Basil Dearden''s overtly gay thriller Victim (1961), and his outsider roles in such films as The Servant (1963), The Fixer (1968) and Despair (1978). Bogarde''s camp cinema, espionage thrillers and various roles as artists are also examined, along with the misogyny of the Doctor films and his later television work. Table of Contents Introduction 1 One. "It's too horrible to watch!" 11 Two. "I'm better on my own." 23 Three. "You'll wake up in Broadmoor." 32 Four. "All the nice boys like a soldier." 57 Five. "Nature's played a dirty trick on me." 77 Six. "Champagne! Champagne!" 109 Seven. "I don't think you know what the truth is any more." 121 Eight. "I don't believe in morality." 136 Nine. "You cannot reach the spirit through the senses!" 143 Ten. "No women!" 153 Conclusion 168 Filmography 173 Chapter Notes 175 Bibliography 181 Index 185

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Book Synopsis With no formal training as an actor, Welsh-born Ray Milland (1907-1986), a former trooper in the British Army''s Household Cavalry, enjoyed a half-century career working alongside some of the great directors and stars from the Golden Age of cinema. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as the alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend (1945), a defining moment that enabled him to break free from romantic leads and explore darker shades of his debonair demeanor, such as the veiled menace of his scheming husband in Hitchcock''s Dial M For Murder (1954). A consummate professional with wide range, Milland took the directorial reins in several of his starring vehicles in the 1950s, most notably in the intelligent Western A Man Alone (1955). He comfortably slipped into most genres, from romantic comedy to adventure to film noir. Later he turned to science fiction and horror movies, including two with cult filmmaker Roger Corman. This first

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Book Synopsis In 1944, Laird Cregar played Jack the Ripper in The Lodger, giving one of the most haunting performances in Hollywood history. It was the climax of a strange celebrity that saw the young American actor--who stood 6'' 3 and weighed more than 300 pounds--earn distinction as a portrayer of psychopaths and villains. Determined to break free of this typecasting, he desperately desired to become a beautiful man, embarking on an extreme diet that killed him at 31. This first biography of Cregar tells the heartbreaking story of the brilliant but doomed actor. Appendices cover his film, theatre, and radio work. Many never before published photographs are included.Trade Reviewdecades of research...the author brings Cregar back to vivid life in this culmination of an ‘almost lifelong’ fascination with the actor...as with most good Hollywood biographies, this one interweaves its subject’s life story with the story of the movie business itself...Mank finds joy as well as tragedy in Cregar’s attempt to live his dream...gives rich life to an unknown Hollywood story"" - Booklist""Mank offers one of the first in-depth studies of Samuel Laird Cregar…a compelling, cautionary tale of an actor who held his own"" - Library Journal""Mank quotes many people who knew or researched Cregar. The stories are amazing as are the photos...an incredible entertaining opus. As good as anything you have ever read, or will ever read about an actor and name we knew...yet, we really didn’t know"" - Little Shoppe of Horrors""With his hyper-dramatic style and flawless research, Mank has become one of the finest classic film writers/historians working today, and he has been raising the bar of film scholarship for decades...excellent...Creggar’s life and career has never had the light of scholarship and film criticism sine on it until now, and there is so much here to discover and enjoy..the highest recommendation."" - Midnight Marquee""incredibly detailed and meticulously researched"" - Pop Culture Classics.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Author’s Note Introduction: The Ripper Incarnate Part I: If You Try to Find Me, I Will Kill Myself 1 Philadelphia 2 The “Secret Heart” Thing 3 A Grotesque 4 Life in a Sedan 5 Oscar Wilde Part II: The Lion of the Hour 6 Success 7 The Rabbit with the Glass Teeth 8 Gooseberry the Great 9 He-Goat Lucifer 10The Saint Bernard 11 I Wake Up Screaming with Laird Cregar Part III: Betsey 12 Seven Years Old in Hollywood 13 The Man Who Shouldn’t Have Come to Dinner 14 Quaking Like Jelly 15 Riding the Cannon 16 Swashbuckler 17 The Hideaway and a Sad Farewell Part IV: “We Want You Just As You Are, Mr. Cregar.” 18 Who Was Who in the Zoo 19 Three in 1943 20 Horror 21 “Don’t Let Him Catch Ya, Dearie!” 22 “Gloomy Sunday” 23 The Ripper in Person Part V: “A Beautiful Man” 24 Hangover Square’s First Draft, and the Debacle of Laura 25 A Failed Romance, a Revised Script, Abbott and Costello Meet Laird Cregar, a Female Stalker, and the Tragedy of Henry VIII 26 “The Bette Davis of the 20th Century–Fox Lot” 27 Blowing Up 28 Fox Infernos 29 The Last Act Part VI: Denouement 30 What I Wanted for Christmas 31 Legacy 32 A Final Tribute Filmography Theater Credits Radio Credits Unrealized Film Projects Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Ann Miller (1923-2004) was an American actress, dancer, singer and author. Best known as a tap dancer, Miller practiced all forms of dance, and some of her solo routines are considered as good as any recorded in film musical history. Despite a reputation as a kook who believed she was psychic, and the potentially flat image of a glamour girl, Miller''s wit, charm and genuine ability to act gave her and her characters depth. This biography presents Ann Miller''s career in the context of her fascinating life. Her career began with child acting and included three Hollywood studio contracts, two retirements for marriage, and appearances in film, stage, variety shows, sitcoms and more. She made a comeback in the stage musical Sugar Babies, earning a Best Leading Actress in a Musical Tony Award nomination. She was even appointed an international spokesperson for MGM in the ailing years of the studio.Table of Contents Preface  1. Beginning  2. Broadway  3. Louis B. Mayer  4. Easter Parade  5. Kiss Me Kate  6. A New Marriage  7. New Management  8. Sugar Babies  9. Sugar Babies in London 10. Mulholland Drive Bibliography

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Book Synopsis The 1930s represented the strongest and most significant decade in Clark Gable''s career. Later known as The King of Hollywood, Gable started out as a journeyman actor who quickly rose to the level of star, and then icon. With his ruggedly attractive looks and effortless charisma, Gable was the sort of manly romantic lead that bolstered features alongside the likes of Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, and Spencer Tracy. The decade culminated with Gable''s most noted movie, Gone With the Wind. This book traces Gable''s early career, film-by-film, offering background information and a critical assessment of each of his movies released during the 1930s.

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Book Synopsis Among Golden Age Hollywood film stars of European heritage known for playing characters from the East--Chinese, Southeast Asians, Indians and Middle Easterners--Anglo-Indian actor Boris Karloff had deep roots there. Based on extensive new research, this biography and career study of Karloff''s eastern films provides a critical examination of 41 features, including many overlooked early roles, and offers fresh perspective on a cinematic luminary so often labeled a horror icon. Films include The Lightning Raider (1919), 14 silent films from the 1920s, The Unholy Night (1929), The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), The Mummy (1932), John Ford''s The Lost Patrol (1934), the Mr. Wong series (1938-1940), Targets (1968), and Isle of the Snake People (1971), one of six titles released posthumously.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The King and I 1 1. Eastern Origins 9 2. Young "Boris" Goes West 14 3. The Lightning Raider (1919) 16 4. The Hope Diamond Mystery (1921) 27 5. Without Benefit of Clergy (1921) 39 6. Cheated Hearts (1921) 47 7. The Man from Downing Street (1922) 49 8. The Infidel (1922) 52 9. The Altar Stairs (1922) 5510. Omar the Tentmaker (1922) 5811. The White Panther (1924) 6412. Perils of the Wild (1925) 6813. Never the Twain Shall Meet (1925) 7314. Old Ironsides (1926) 7715. Soft Cushions (1927) 8416. Two Arabian Knights (1927) 8817. Sharp Shooters (1928) 9418. Behind That Curtain (1929) 9819. The Unholy Night (1929) 10420. King of the Wild (1931) 11121. Business and Pleasure (1932) 12022. The Miracle Man (1932) 12323. The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) 13324. The Mummy (1932) 14125. The Ghoul (1933) 15226. The Lost Patrol (1934) 16427. Juggernaut (1936) 18228. Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936) 19029. West of Shanghai (1937) 19930. Mr. Wong, Detective (1938) 21031. The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939) 21632. Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939) 22133. The Fatal Hour (1940) 22834. Doomed to Die (1940) 23235. You'll Find Out (1940) 23736. Touring Oceania (1945) 25037. The Emperor's Nightingale (1949) 25738. Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949) 26239. The Hindu (1954) 26940. Voodoo Island (1957) 28741. The Daydreamer (1966) 31242. Targets (1968) 31943. La muerte viviente [Isle of the Snake People] (1968) 326Appendix A: Filmography 335Appendix B: Television Programs 384Appendix C: Radio Programs 422Appendix D: Record Albums 431Appendix E: Stage Performances 435Appendix F: Writings 439Appendix G: Proposed Films and Roles 440Chapter Notes 445Bibliography 453Index 459

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Book Synopsis The great nineteenth-century stage actor Edwin Booth began his long career in 1849 as a young teenager, following in his father''s footsteps. This biography traces his life and career as a tragic actor, including his childhood; his early acting tours of California, Australia and Hawaii; his rise to fame as a touring star; his two marriages; his relationship with his brother John Wilkes Booth; his disastrous management of Booth''s Theatre in New York City; and his death in 1891. The book includes an extensive performance history detailing every known Edwin Booth performance during his more than 30 years on the stage, with reviews and other supplementary materials.Trade ReviewWork of impressive biographical scholarship and a strongly recommended addition"—Midwest Book Review"This biography of 19th-century American stage actor Edwin Booth goes beyond Edwin's relationship with his infamous brother John Wilkes Booth to describe the witty yet melancholy Edwin's career on stage and his relationships...contains a wealth of historical photos"—Reference & Research Book NewsTable of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Biography One. 1833–1849: "Born to the stage" Two. 1849–1852: "A long legged stripling … awkward as a young duck" Three. 1852–1856: "Full of promise … and Bowery rant" Four. Professional and Family Life, 1856–1860 Five. 1857–1860: Booth, Mary Devlin and Adam Badeau Six. America and England, 1860–1862: "At a larger circumference" Seven. 1862–1863: "Tell Molly I'm coming" Eight. 1863–1865: "If it goes a year, keep it up!" Nine. Edwin and John Wilkes Booth: "Life's too short to spend in grieving" Ten. 1865–1867: "Something to keep us above the surf" Eleven. Mary McVicker: "The best actress we've had for a century" Twelve. Booth's Theatre, 1867–1869: "A temple to art" Thirteen. Booth's Theatre, 1869–1871: "The currency of good intentions is not bankable money" Fourteen. Booth's Theatre, 1871–1883: "So much for high-old-art" Fifteen. Family Life, 1870–1880: "My house has been a hospital" Sixteen. England, 1880–1881: "The verdict of foreigners" Seventeen. 1881–1882: The Death of Mary McVicker Eighteen. Europe, 1882–1883: "The most important engagement of my life" Nineteen. 1883–1886: Touring and Family Life Twenty. The 1886-1887 Season: "It is time to harvest all I can" Twenty-One. 1887–1888: Booth and Barrett Twenty-Two. "The Booth and Barrett Social Company" Twenty-Three. 1888–1889: The Second Booth and Barrett Tour Twenty-Four. 1889–1890: Touring with Modjeska Twenty-Five. 1890–1893: Illness, Last Tour and Death Part II: Performance History Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Daniel Lewis''s legacy as a hugely influential choreographer and teacher of modern dance is celebrated in this biography. It showcases the many roles he played in the dance world by organizing his story around various aspects of his work, including his years at the Juilliard School, dancing and touring with the Jose Limon Company, staging Limon''s masterpieces around the world, directing his own company (Daniel Lewis Dance Repertory Company), writing and choreographing operas and musicals, and his years as dean of dance at New World School of the Arts. His life has spanned a particular period of growth of modern and contemporary dance, and his biography gives insight into how the artistic and journalistic perspectives on modern dance were influenced by what was occurring in the broader dance and arts communities. The book also offers rarely seen photographs and interviews with unique perspectives on many dance luminaries.Trade ReviewA splendid biography...documented in detail...illustrated in abundance...a book that deserves to be translated into other languages because it is going to be enormously appreciated in other latitudes." —Artburst"Daniel Lewis' autobiography is more than an important text of dance history; it reveals a unique glimpse into the world of American modern dance through the lens of his charmed and impressive career." —Alicia Graf Mack, Director of the Dance Division, The Juilliard School"Written by one of the great multi-taskers of American modern dance, this book is a unique blend of autobiography, a relatively unexamined recent dance history, and what goes into performing, choreographing and dance administration." —Jennifer Dunning, dance writer for the New York Times, and author of books on ballet and modern dance"Dancer, choreographer, teacher and visionary, Daniel Lewis has contributed greatly to an exciting era of American dance. This chronicle evokes some of the many fascinating people he's encountered during a long and productive career." —Jack Anderson, New York correspondent, Dancing Times (London); founding co-editor Dance Chronicle; and contributor to New York Times and other publicationsTable of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments—v Preface by Donna Krasnow—1 Daniel Lewis Timeline—4  1. The Beginning (1944–1963)—7  2. The Juilliard School (1962–1967)—20  3. The Limón Company (1962–1974)—44  4. Reminiscing About the Limón Company—60  5. Staging Limón Works Around the World—80  6. Contemporary Dance System and Daniel Lewis Dance: A Repertory Company—100  7. Other Facets of Danny's Life During His Company's Years—137  8. New World School of the Arts: The Beginning—150  9. Outreach and Special Events—165 10. Other Facets of Danny's Life During the NWSA Years—191 Appendix: Professional Accomplishments, 1960–2017—215 Index—221

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Book Synopsis In 1965, 18-year-old Persis Khambatta became the third woman to be crowned Miss India. After moving to England and then to the United States, she found worldwide fame in the first Star Trek movie in 1979, and in 1980 she became the first Indian presenter at the Academy Awards. The American film industry seemed never to forgive Khambatta for being a non-white woman who refused to do nude scenes. After failing to sustain a career as either a producer or a performer, she achieved a triumph before her sudden death in 1998 with the publication of her book Pride of India: A Tribute to Miss India. Based on contemporary news articles and primary sources, this first biography examines Khambatta''s Hindi and English-language film and television work, and demonstrates the many ways she was ahead of her time as a filmmaker, feminist, and humanitarian.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments viIntroduction 1Prologue: The Minneapolis Panic 5The Early Years  1946–1965 9Today Bombay, Tomorrow (Miss) Universe 9 1966–1969 14From Bheegi Raat to Bambai Raat Ki Bahon Mein 14The Seventies  1970–1973 19From Beloved India to Frozen England 19; Her First Flight 24 1974–1977 26Khambatta in Kenya 26; Khambatta in Kohl 29; Siri, the ­­Power-Adjacent Princess 30; The Eternal August, Part I: The Screening of Persis 32 1978 34The Eternal August, Part II: The Shave of Singularity 34; The Eternal August, Part III: Ilia Is Introduced 41; The Eternal August, Part IV: Rush Hour on the Event Horizon 47 1979 60The Eternal August, Part V: The Blinding of Persis 60; The Eternal August, Part VI: Persis Is Presented 62The Eighties  1980 67Studio 54 on Parallel 42 67; The Trouble with Exotic Angels 71; Lovin' that cali lifestyle!! 75 1981 79Denny, Khambatta, and Oui 79; Release the Nighthawks 82; The Esquireman Weekend 85; Birds of a Feather Cannot Always Cohabitate Together 89; The (Mega)force of (Tri)illusion 92 1982 95Persis vs. Soup 95; Hunter vs. Khan 97; The Megafudging of Major Zara 103; The Whitewashing of Octopussy 109; The Prime Minister of India Meets the Pride of India 112 1983 115Devi, Coelho, and Khambatta 115; I Visited the Lost World and All I Got Was This Lousy Hairline Fracture 118; The Perils of Persis on the Idiot Box 119 1984 122The Saints of Imperfection 122; The Battle of the Bandit Queens 124; First Strikes and Last Resorts 128 1985 132The Pride of India's Perils in the Lost World 132; Waiting for Gandhi 136; Back to Bombay, for Now 140 1986–1988 142MacGyver vs. Hunter 142; The Blinking Eye 143; The Flameout of the Phoenix 145; This Is a Lowe 150 1989–1990 154The Triillusion Dissolution 154; Exile on Main Street: Des Moines 155The Nineties  1991–1993 159Exile on Main Street: Los Angeles 159; The New Old School 160; Persis Reaches Out 162 1994–1995 164Persis Punches Back 164; Her Journey Through the Past 166; Another Dream Deferred 168 1996–1997 170Pride of India Is Begun 170; India's Pride Is Serenaded 173; Pride of India Is Published 174 1998 177So Long, It Has Not Been Nice to Know You 177; The ­­Pre-Mortem 179; Persis in the Tower, When the Birds Came 181Chapter Notes 185Bibliography 205Index 219

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Book Synopsis Arriving in Hollywood in 1950 to launch her American film career, Jean Simmons (1929-2010) had already appeared in 18 British films and was best known for her portrayal of Ophelia in Laurence Olivier''s Hamlet. She soon became a favorite female face working with some of filmmaking''s greats and acted opposite many Hollywood A-listers. Two of her most popular films--Guys and Dolls (1955) and Spartacus (1960)--were international box-office hits, and in her seven decades-long career she collected numerous awards and honors including a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and two Oscar nominations as Best Actress. Despite the accomplishments and accolades, radiant beauty, and stunning versatility, Simmons is considered by many to be an underrated artist, too often handed more comfortable leading female roles than those that could''ve elevated her to the level of super stardom experienced by some of her peers. This, the first full-length biography of Simmons, fills a Table of Contents Introduction  1. A Cockney Kid from Cricklewood  2. Estella  3. Ophelia  4. Road to Stardom  5. Granger  6. A Gilded Cage  7. Howard Hughes and RKO  8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood  9. Marlon 10. What a Doll! 11. Wise's Choices 12. Ups and Downs and Ups 13. Richard Brooks 14. A Tough Comeback 15. The Heidi Game 16. A Little Night of Music 17. TV, Flirts and Booze 18. Greater Expectations Filmography and Career Record Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis When Ozzie Nelson died in 1975, he was no longer a household name. For a guy who had created the longest-running TV sitcom in history, invented the rock video, and fronted one of the most successful big bands of the 1930s, it''s baffling that Nelson has faded so far from American media memory. Larger than life offscreen--an attorney, college football star, cartoonist, songwriter, major band leader--Ozzie created a smaller-than-life TV persona, the bumbling average Dad who became known to the rock generation (which included his teen idol son Rick Nelson) as the essence of blandness. But America also saw Ozzie as their iconic Dad: not a father knows best, since his pontifications usually proved flawed by the end of each episode, but the father who tried his best. This book is the only full-length biography of Ozzie Nelson since he published his memoirs in 1973. It treats the big band and early TV icon with affection and hints that American pop culture may owe more to OzziTable of ContentsAcknowledgments viiPreface 11. Young America's Favorite (1906–1931) 52. Hello, Peggy Lou (1909–1933) 203. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson (1934–1935) 364. Seeing Stars (1936–1938) 505. Vaudeville and Movies (1938–1941) 646. Ozzie, Red, and Junior's Mom (1941–1944) 797. Adventures Take One: Musical Comedy (1944–1945) 948. Adventures Take Two: The Show About Nothing (1946–1951) 1089. Here Come the Nelsons (1952) 12210. Ozzie's Calendar (1953) 13511. Producer Ozzie (1953–1954) 14712. European Vacation (1954–1955) 16013. Fraternity and a Tenor Guitar (1955–1957) 17214. "Old Posse" / Rock & Roll (1957–1958) 18515. ­Six-Shooters and Trapezes (1958–1959) 19816. I'm Not a Lawyer, but I Play One on TV (1959–1960) 21117. … and on Tonight's Episode, Here's June (1961–1962) 22318. … and on Tonight's Episode, Here's Kris (1963–1964) 23519. Adventures' End (1964–1966) 24820. Ozzie's Girls (1967–1974) 260Epilogue: The Nelson Legacy 275Appendix 1: Discography 281Appendix 2: Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Personnel 292Appendix 3: Ozzie Nelson Radio Log, 1930–1954 294Appendix 4: Radio Episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 347Appendix 5: Television Episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 361Appendix 6: Ozzie Nelson's College Football Record 380Appendix 7: Ozzie Nelson Chart St

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Book Synopsis Frank Sinatra is an iconic figure in music, but his film career is often overlooked. His innate talent as an actor is proven in many serious dramatic roles, including films like Man with the Golden Arm, The Manchurian Candidate, and From Here to Eternity, for which he received an Oscar. From romantic musical comedies to Rat Pack films, Frank Sinatra achieved a great deal of success in motion pictures. He even took a stab at directing. This book examines each of Frank Sinatra''s movies, from his early years as a bobby soxer idol, to more serious roles that exhibited the depth of his talent. Provided are background stories, production information, critical assessments, and an explanation of how his career as a recording artist connected to the movie. Discover through 60 photographs, interviews, and more, this underappreciated aspect of Sinatra''s career.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments  viIntroduction  1Sinatra Before the Movies  5The Films  8Higher and Higher (1943)  8Step Lively (1944)  12Anchors Aweigh (1945)  16It Happened in Brooklyn (1947)  21The Miracle of the Bells (1948)  25The Kissing Bandit (1948)  29Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)  32On the Town (1949)  37Double Dynamite (1951)  42Meet Danny Wilson (1952)  46From Here to Eternity (1953)  51Suddenly (1954)  56Young at Heart (1954)  61Not as a Stranger (1955)  66Guys and Dolls (1955)  70The Tender Trap (1955)  79The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)  84High Society (1956)  94Johnny Concho (1956)  99The Pride and the Passion (1957)  103The Joker Is Wild (1957)  107Pal Joey (1957)  113Kings Go Forth (1958)  122Some Came Running (1958)  127A Hole in the Head (1959)  134Never So Few (1959)  141­Can-Can (1960)  148Ocean's 11 (1960)  153The Devil at 4 O'Clock (1961)  159Sergeants 3 (1962)  163The Manchurian Candidate (1962)  168Come Blow Your Horn (1963)  1724 for Texas (1963)  175Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)  180None But the Brave (1965)  185Von Ryan's Express (1965)  189Marriage on the Rocks (1965)  194Assault on a Queen (1966)  200The Naked Runner (1967)  205Tony Rome (1967)  207The Detective (1968)  211Lady in Cement (1968)  216Dirty Dingus Magee (1970)  220Sinatra in the '70s  224The First Deadly Sin (1980)  227Sinatra After the Movies  234Chapter Notes  237Bibliography  245Index  251

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Book Synopsis Although a major star in the 1910s, Theda Bara--known as The Vamp--was largely neglected until the 1990s, when her fame began to resurface. Since then, there have been biographies, documentaries and other works that have brought the silent film actress back into the spotlight, including a painstaking stills reconstruction of her lost epic Cleopatra. This is a complete examination of Bara''s more than 40 films, as well as her theater and radio appearances, down to the smallest detail. With the vast majority of Bara''s films considered lost, it is a particularly valuable resource for fans and scholars, and includes information about each film''s genesis, director, plot, censorship problems, and critical and public reactions. Also included is a biographical overview, with many illuminating anecdotes.Table of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Theda Bara: The Life and Legend The Feature Films The Short Subjects Archival Appearances: Film and Television Onstage Miscellany Appendix: Film Censorship in the Mid–1910s Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Until recently, it was assumed that the Nazis agitated against Chaplin from 1931 to 1933, and then again from 1938, when his plan to make The Great Dictator became public. This book demonstrates that Nazi agitation against Chaplin was in fact a constant from 1926 through the Third Reich. When The Gold Rush was released in the Weimar Republic in 1926, the Nazis began to fight Chaplin, whom they alleged to be Jewish, and attempted to expose him as an intellectual property thief whose fame had faded. In early 1935, the film The Gold Rush was explicitly banned from German theaters. In 1936, the NSDAP Main Archives opened its own file on Chaplin, and the same year, he became entangled in the machinery of Nazi press control. German diplomats were active on a variety of international levels to create a mood against The Great Dictator. The Nazis'' dehumanizing attacks continued until 1944, when an opportunity to capitalize on the Joan Barry scandal arTrade Review“An unusually important book.” - Kevin Brownlow, film historian, author of The Parade's Gone By, The Search for Charlie Chaplin as well as co-creator of the documentaries Unknown Chaplin and The Tramp and the Dictator“Extremely well-researched and a perceptive interpretation of the complex series of events and agendas.” - Glenn Mitchell, journalist, film historian, author of The Chaplin Encyclopedia“Amazingly comprehensive research which has unearthed fascinating material.” - Dan Kamin, mime expert and one-man show performer, author of The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin: Artistry in Motion“A masterpiece.” - Lisa Stein Haven, professor of English, Ohio University, author of Charlie Chaplin: A Comedian Sees the World and Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp in America, 1947-1977Table of Contents Acknowledgments Foreword by Kevin Brownlow Preface Introduction 1. Charlie Chaplin--a Jew? 2. Chaplin Targeted: Shoulder Arms and The Gold Rush, 1921–26 3. Who Needs Facts? Divorce, Shoulder Arms and Creativity--1927–31 4. Chaplin in Berlin, City Lights--1931 5. Nazi Disruptions of City Lights?--1931–32 6. Südfilm AG and City Lights, 1931–32 7. A Year of Change, 1933 8. Modern Times Nazi Style, 1934–36 9. "Jew" Chaplin "Steals Intellectual Property," 1937 10. The Run-up to The Great Dictator, 1938–39 11. Preparations, 1939–40 12. The Great Dictator Takes to the Stage--1940–41 13. Bogeymen and The Great Dictator in Germany, 1941–45 14. The Gold Rush and Agitation to the Bitter End, 1942–44 Appendix 1: The 25-Point Program of the NSDAP, February 24, 1920 Appendix 2: Three Articles Appendix 3: NSDAP Main Archive (Hauptarchiv der NSDAP): Chaplin File Appendix 4: Nazi Authors and Other Authors Who Wrote About Chaplin During the Third Reich Appendix 5: Nazi Chaplin Slurs Appendix 6: Reichsfilmarchiv Catalogue Card No. 15,242: The Great Dictator Appendix 7: Signage in the Ghetto of The Great Dictator Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis In 1915, British moviegoers voted Fred Evans second only to Charles Chaplin as their favorite film comedian. Appearing as the roguish and anarchic Pimple, Fred made 200 silent movies between 1910 and 1922, running amok in frantic chases and sending-up current events and fashions. With a rich family heritage in pantomime and music hall, Evans introduced a satirical approach to filmmaking, frequently lampooning the recently introduced feature films. Pimple''s burlesques deflated the seriousness of such productions, providing subversive support for audiences adjusting to the the new form. But continual mockery of themes, acting styles and film techniques did not endear him to all. Changing public tastes and industry disapproval eventually resulted in an end to Evans'' screen appearances and a return to the stage. As Evans has been almost entirely sidelined by film historians, this is the first book-length biography of him. It places Evans not only in a film context but withTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1. Pimple's Pantomime TraditionChapter 2. Minnie Jee, the Fair EquestrianChapter 3. Uncle Will, the Musical EccentricChapter 4. An American InterludeChapter 5. Living PicturesChapter 6. The Pooles as PartnersChapter 7. ­Ec-Ko and CoChapter 8. Folly and PhoenixChapter 9. A Cast of Thousands, More or LessChapter 10. Uncles on ScreenChapter 11. Pimple's PopularityChapter 12. The Humor of the HallsChapter 13. Pimple's PatriotismChapter 14. Pimple's Three Weeks (Without the Option)Chapter 15. Pimple in "The Whip"Chapter 16. Our Old Pal PimpleChapter 17. Pandora B9/877Chapter 18. Joey, Jimmy, and GerryChapter 19. An End to FilmingChapter 20. Family AffairsChapter 21. PostscriptAppendix: The Films of Fred EvansChapter NotesBibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis Life in the theatre is often a rollercoaster ride, with all the excitement and occasional anguish that come with the highs and lows. The author''s journey in the American theatre has been amplified by his experience as a Black man who has frequently been one of the few, the first or even the only. His directing career has been full of rewards and opportunities as well as huge challenges and frustrations, along with the anger that has come from being chased by race for so many years. Much of the author''s experience comes from two decades artistic director of Pasadena Playhouse, one of the oldest and well-known theatres in America, and for a time early in his career, one of the whitest. This is the story of how the author came into leadership at Pasadena Playhouse after a successful career directing on Broadway, in London and all over the world. It relates how the theatre was radically changed and reignited by his leadership, including his insistence on making diversity aTable of ContentsPrologue: Chased by RaceAct I, Scene One—Making My Playhouse GreatAct II, Scene One—Making My Way to the StageAct II, Scene Two—From Coast to CoastAct II, Scene Three—Magic TimeAct II, Scene Four—Getting Stage StruckAct III, Scene One—School DazeAct III, Scene Two—The Real WorldAct IV, Scene One—Off and On BroadwayAct IV, Scene Two—Off and On the West EndAct V, Scene One—Movin' On, Movin' UpAct V, Scene Two—Back to BroadwayAct VI, Scene One—Setting My House on FireAct VI, Scene Two—HitmakerAct VI, Scene Three—A Dark ChapterAct VII, Scene One—Coming Out of the DarkAct VII, Scene Two—Making an Exit (A Long One!)Epilogue: Back on the Road(s) AgainIndex

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Book Synopsis With a writer who had never written a play, an actress who had never taken the stage alone, and a director who had never headed a live performance, The Belle of Amherst managed to become an American theater classic. Despite being savaged by critics attending its opening night in April 1976, the play, which details the life of Emily Dickinson, survived its baptism by fire and went on to appear in theaters across the world. This is the remarkable untold story of "the little play that could." Covering the play''s humble beginnings as well as its pioneers--like writer William Luce, director Charles Nelson Reilly and actress Julie Harris--this work also documents the modern efforts to keep the play alive. Exploring the show''s enduring dramatic power, this book ultimately pays respect to the one-woman show that has triumphed for decades. Trade ReviewGrant Hayter-Menzies was the companion, caretaker, and archivist of a great American playwright, but he is also a writer of uncommon perceptiveness and grace. In this book, Grant gives us a probing backstage look at William Luce's most celebrated work; at the same time, he shows us a literary friendship that is in itself worthy of a play."—James Gavin, author of Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne and Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee "Hayter-Menzies has composed a poetic, touching, and insightful tribute worthy of his subjects. Julie Harris, Charles Nelson Reilly, and the Belle herself would delight in their portraits, but most of all, this work reveals the gifted, glorious, funny, witty, sly, and brilliant William Luce. In the most heartfelt, honest, and compassionate prose, Hayter-Menzies has brought Luce into the light!"—John W. Lowell, award-winning playwright, author of Autumn Canticle and The Letters "In Staging Emily Dickinson, Grant Hayter-Menzies gives us the full story of how Julie Harris, playwright William Luce, and director Charles Nelson Reilly came together to give the world the beautiful and still-traveling play The Belle of Amherst. A book like this does not come along often. Make an appointment to spend time with it."—Jim Grissom, author, Follies of God: Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog Hayter-Menzies has given us a fascinating and fully realized look into how three artistic geniuses forged their creative prowess into one of the greatest American plays of the 20th century. Gorgeously told, with unstoppable cadence and powerful imagery, the book is refreshingly candid with an inspired blending of courage and grace. A valuable work for anyone concerned with the theater."—Bill Haworth, crisis communications specialist, former award-winning broadcast reporter.Table of Contents Table of Contents Foreword by Jordan R. Young Prologue Acknowledgments  1. Sober ecstasy  2. Julie  3. Charles and Bill  4. "Bitchy little spinster"  5. The play  6. Miracle on West 48th Street  7. Tour and television  8. Dickinson's letter to the world  9. Play in a time of plague: The Belle navigating ­Covid-19 10. Julie: "A thousand summers" 11. Charles: "Save it for the stage" 12. William Luce, "Playwrote" Epilogue: I will not let thee go Appendix. Helen Kingsley Krauss: Her letter to the world Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis A popular romantic actor with a fan club rivalling that of Ivor Novello, John Stuart was frequently mobbed by his adoring fans. He starred in films by Alfred Hitchcock and G.W. Pabst, played opposite British stars such as Madeleine Carroll, Fay Compton, Gracie Fields, and German actor Conrad Veidt, and was also the first actor to ever speak on screen in Britain. Yet despite a film career lasting six decades and 172 films, his name and achievement are little known today. With access to Stuart''s private archive, his surviving films, press cuttings, film reviews, interviews, profiles, features, and gossip columns, his son Jonathan Croall presents a detailed account of an actor who made a significant contribution to the British film industry of the 20th century.Table of Contents Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Part One: Silent Idol  1. Childhood, School, War  2. From Stage to Screen  3. An Emerging Star  4. Alfred Hitchcock and Maurice Elvey  5. Britain or Hollywood?  6. Fame and a Fan Club Part Two: The Background  7. Working Lives  8. Writers, Screenplays, Titles  9. The Film Press and the Film Society 10. The Publicity Machine 11. The Coming of Sound 12. Winners and Losers Part Three: Into the Talkies 13. Kitty 14. From Dupont's Atlantic to Pabst's L'Atlantide 15. With Gracie Fields and Conrad Veidt 16. Stage Matters 17. Fatherhood and War 18. Propaganda and Escapism Part Four: Character Actor 19. On the Small Screen 20. Back to the Theater 21. Leading Roles and Cameos 22. From Quatermass to Superman 23. The Final Years Epilogue Film, Documentary, Theater, Television, and Miscellaneous Appearances Bibliography Index

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