{"product_id":"idols-of-the-odeons-post-war-british-film-stardom-9781526147035","title":"Idols of the Odeons: Post-War British Film","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIdols of the Odeons\u003c\/i\u003e examines British film stardom in the post-war era, a time when Hollywood movies were increasingly supplanting the Pinewood\/Elstree studio system. The book encompasses the careers of sixteen actors, including Stanley Baker, Diana Dors, Norman Wisdom, Hattie Jacques, Peter Finch and Peter Sellers. Such extremely diverse careers provide the opportunity to explore  overlooked films, in addition to examining how the term ‘star’ could apply to a stalwart  leading man, a Variety comic, a self-created ‘Vamp’ and a character actor. Above all, this is a book that celebrates, with idiosyncratic humour and warmth, how these actors accomplished much of their best work during the transitional period between the Rank\/ABPC roster of stars and the US domination of the British film industry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSenior leads: meet the chaps\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJack Hawkins: ‘stand by, number one’\u003cbr\u003eJohn Mills: ‘do push off, there’s a good chap’\u003cbr\u003eKenneth More: hawling like a brooligan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYounger leading men\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStanley Baker: the British Brando?\u003cbr\u003eLaurence Harvey: the talented Mr. Skikne\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeading ladies\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSylvia Syms: never your typical ‘nice blonde’\u003cbr\u003eBritain’s bad blonde: the one and only Diana Dors\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe comics\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNorman Wisdom: ‘Mr. Grimsdale!’\u003cbr\u003eTerry-Thomas and Leslie Phillips: a tale of two cads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLadies and gentlemen of character\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSidney James: Jo’burg’s favourite cockney \u003cbr\u003eJames Robertson Justice: ‘what’s the bleeding time?’\u003cbr\u003eNot to be crossed: Margaret Rutherford \u003cbr\u003eHattie Jacques: matron and mistress of misrule\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe art of screen acting\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePeter Finch: the ‘actor’s actor?’\u003cbr\u003ePeter Sellers: ‘there used to be a me but I had him surgically removed’\u003cbr\u003eConclusion\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Manchester University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51041011433815,"sku":"9781526147035","price":76.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781526147035.jpg?v=1750948587","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/idols-of-the-odeons-post-war-british-film-stardom-9781526147035","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}