Television Books

This book is fantastic. The inside story of the remaking of TV news (for the better!) by Primo would alone be worth the time, but it is the stories and anecdotes about the reporters that makes this book impossible to put down. With many laugh out loud moments along the way, you will be sorry when this one ends.

Eyewitness Newsman is a pleasure. I've been recommending this book to everyone I know.

I have enjoyed reading about how the most copied news format ever was born. The chapter on Geraldo was real insight into how he came to be so famous. Anytime I can read about the ego maniac Howard Cosell, I take advantage.

If you are interested in how your local TV newscast gets put together every night, this is the book for you. Mr. Primo was the inventer of contemporary TV news, and his book is a concise and easy to read history written by someone who was there, and who was responsible for many of the innovations which make TV news interesting and relevant.

As a bonus, the book includes inside information on some familiar names Primo worked with including Geraldo Rivera, Howard Cosell, and Tom Snyder.

Eyewitness Newsman should be required reading for anyone interested in the Television News Business.

Al Primo provides insightful analysis on news coverage. For example, it highlights some priceless examples of how to beat back the competition in this cut throat line of work. It is also quite instructive on how to grab at viewers and build brand loyalty. How Primo created both the Eyewitness News format and an exceptional, although quite eccentric, team of reporters is very entertaining to boot.

This book is hilarious. Tells the story behind the story of how a motley crew of news reporters changed the way TV broadcasts news. Some like Geraldo Rivera, Howard Cosell and Joan Lunden went on to become broadcast icons. The stories about Geraldo threatening riots in the street, Howard Cosell's missing toupee, and Roger Grimsby's outragegous one the air cynical snipes at other reporters left me in stiches.

Al Primo was the maestro behind the scenes. Not only did he provide the innovative approach that moved news away from the set piece studio with stilted empty suits "reading" the news in front of camera, he had his hands full herding the cats... Not to mention tempering the inflated egos of his new breed of diverse, in your face, reporters. Before cable and reality TV there was "Reality News," thanks to Al Primo and the Eyewitness News Team.

A most enjoyable read.

This unique book is one of the best Film and Television Directing books that promises satisfaction and truth. Myrl A. Schreibman is an authentic and creative author that incorporates wisdom throughout the book rather than regurgitating his knowledge. Experience is another thing that this book offers which creates a pragmatic platform for the reader that ultimately functions as motivation and inspiration. This book is a powerful tool for any beginning, intermediate, and even advanced student or professional of Film and Television Directing.

The Film Director Prepares: A Complete Guide to Directing for Film and TV is a great text and resource for the beginner looking at the construct of filmmaking and the director's role as well as great advice and insight for those at intermediate and experienced levels. The added CD from Frame Forge is outstanding and invaluable for storyboarding your project. Overall an excelent resource!

This book is an entirely interactive book as it contains a CD-rom that has a 3d storyboarding software that makes it absolutely remarkable in being able to manipulate the images in the book to experiment with concepts and precepts that the author is knowingly speaking about. The Directors Guild of America calls this book the definitive book for directors and encourages not only those who are learning to direct but those who already direct to hacve this book in their library. It is told from a very easy and understandable perspective and full of practical stuff about telling stories, saving production time during production, working with talent, directing various forms of television and most of all what it means to do coverage to tell stories. This is one book that you must have!

I just finished a feature length screenplay that will soon become a feature length film. To prepare for production I decided to purchase two books: Creative Producing A to Z, and, A Film Director Prepares, both by Myrl Schreibman. Having just finished reading them both, I now know I could not have made two better choices. Buy them both, read them both, then read them both again! I promise, your film career will be well served.

Practical and easy-to-grasp, this book breaks down directing to its most essential elements: the philosophy and the process. The book is a great starting guide for the newbie. Use it to learn just the fundamental principles of filmmaking, and then go out and discover your own principles.

Fifteen of the best episodes and their original scripts. What could be better than watching these and following along with the scripts to see exactly how the written word was acted out by this great group of actors? They have done a masterful job in choosing 15 of the best scripts, especially the pilot episode "The Good Son". Watching them trying to establish a long ago relationship between father and son is great! Following with the script makes it even better. I highly recommend The Frasier Scripts for all of us serious fans. We can always use more Frasier. Oh how I wish they'd bring the show back, even for a reunion/bring everyone up to date on what's happening now type show would be great. Maybe someday.

This book is a perfect mechanism for catching up on the early years of Frasier or to relive those wonderful moments. I started watching Frasier in season 6 and this book has been a constant companion to fill the gaps and relive the moments I loved from the episodes I have caught up on. Having this book WILL lift your IQ!!

This book is great because it is an original! You have the original storylines and no additions from other authors. You learn how such a series is made and how important the actors are to bring the action to live.

Frasier was long one of my favorite television shows, and purely from a writing standpoint, I enjoy reading screenplays and scripts to see just how different writers structure their stories. This book collects 15 scripts from the show's first six seasons, and having seen most of the episodes, I can concur that they have chosen 15 of the best episodes.

From a storytelling standpoint, these are just great tales. The pilot episode, in which Frasier and his father try to adjust to living together, is touching and funny in all the right proportions. Stories like The Matchmaker and Ham Radio lose almost nothing in their pure script form, and The Ski Lodge is just as funny as it was on television. Even moments of pure slapstick, like the classic "silent movie" opening scene from Three Valentines, is delivered very well here.

From a writer's standpoint, the book is also entertaining. We can see how the many wonderful writers crafted their stories. Those segments that don't work as well in the script fall a little flat only because the performances on the program were so wonderful. For that, the actors and writers both deserve credit -- the actors for having that talent and the writers for knowing how to use it. There are a lot of things that don't quite work if you don't know how it was delivered, and the fact that it made it into the show proves that the the writers knew what they had and how to use it. If you aren't familiar with the episodes presented here, some of the scripts may not read as well, but if you're a fan of the show, this really is a wonderful collection.

Since losing David Angell in the September 11th tragedy, I am so happy to have a copy of this book. Dave was a great guy, and I miss him.

High praise for Friendly Ememies. It instructs directors on how to communicate with actors by understanding the principles of acting and learning the actor's lexicon. It teaches directors how to bring out the actor's full potential while arriving at the director's intended vision. It's well organized and practical. Clearly written by someone with a lifetime of experience doing what they're writing about. It's the best director's guide to shaping actor's performances out there. I know, I've read them all.

Delia Salvi is a pioneer in the field of teaching emerging directors how to best work with actors. She has mentored many at UCLA including Alexander Payne, David Ward, Audrey Wells, and myself. I have found her book and her counsel to be invaluable. Salvi's book is specific and easy to put into practice. I teach directing at Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and I recommend the book to my students and I use it in my classes and in my professional work on the outside. Five Stars!!!! Lynn Hamrick, Director

Delia Salvi has written an insightful, brilliant - must read for any serious student of Film or Television Directing. This book should be standardized as required reading in Film Schools around the country!

It is a Bible for Artists, whether it be, Actor, Writer, Producer or Director.

Kelly Galindo
Professor @ Chapman University School of Film, Acting Coach, Director and Actor.

May the Gods of the Arts bless Prof. Salvi for writing a guide that is not bogged down in esoteric theory. Practical, concise, comprehensive. A definitive road map for stage or screen directors, with value to actors and writers too. The most useful book on the topic that I have read in years.

What a terrific book! It's a fun read filled with great tips and tools. Anybody who is interested in the performing arts will get a kick out of it, not just actors and directors.

Delia Salvi explains exactly how to diagnose and fix a flat scene. She explains specifically how to work with all different kinds of actors and help them give their best performance. She is very passionate about her work and it shows in her writing. I feel having this book is like having a Hollywood professional as my own personal mentor.

Also, just as it helps directors to understand the acting process, (which she explains) it also helps actors to grasp the directing process. She makes it all easy to understand and apply.

But, I'd say my favorite part of the book is the interviews with working actors and directors. It's really worth it just to read her interviews with Geena Davis and Alexander Payne. They tell you all about how it works in the real world of Hollywood. Very eye-opening. And I'd say that section made me a better actor.

In writing a review of this book, I must first state that I am probably not one of the greatest fans of the 1960s TV series. With that said, I also confess that I didn't exactly hate it either. It was an entertaining show produced more than forty years ago that was initially hard for me to remember. What I like best about the book is the enthusiasm of its reviewers, and their skill in thoroughly describing and reviewing the good and not so good elements of this old series. Also admirable, is their successful rekindling of my interest in the show. Proof of this rekindling is the fact that after reading Volume I of the series I readily bought the first season DVD offering and have been regularly watching the shows. Volume 2 is probably even better written than Volume 1, and I recommend both books to fans of the series, and anyone wanting to know more about the series. When the episodes for Season Two get released on DVD this book will become even more valuable. For the record, I think the old series was superior to the 1990s movie starring Harrison Ford. David Janssen was very well cast in the show. He was a much underrated actor.

A must read for all Fugitive fans. What is unique about this book is that each episode of season two is reviewed in detail and given a poll rating on a scale of 0-10. Follow Richard Kimble and Phil Gerard along with Bob, Kitty, and Ken. Season two has many classic episodes including World's End, Nemesis, Escape into Black, The End is But the Bginning, The Survivors, and May God Have Mercy. This book will be an excellent reference guide to the DVD collection when released.

Volume II of The Fugitive: Views And Reviews, picks up where volume I left off, with more insightful and fact filled reviews and debate of the second season of "The Fugitive" one of television's greatest dramatic series. Also contains viewer poll results for each episode.This volume covers the second season which ran from1964 to 1965, including many classic episodes like "Man In A Chariot", "World's End", "The End Is But The Beginning", and the all time classic "Escape Into Black" from which the cover photo is derived.A perfect companion piece to Volume I which is currently available and a must have for true Fugitive fanatics.Bobbynear

This is the best episode guide yet on The Fugitive. The authors go into such detail and raise points I would never have thought of. I'd recommend it to all Fugitive fans. I hope another three books will follow, for seasons 2, 3 and 4!

The authors of this book put in painstaking effort to review each episode of The Fugitive starring David Janssen. They personally watch each episode more than once, research background information, and blend in their views stemming from what they have gathered from the characters and storyline before each episode, as well as real-life parallel history to either confirm or deny plausibility of plot.

I recommend this book very much as a companion to any Fugitive fan who is going through one or all of the episodes.

Mitch

I really liked this book by Barbara Cameron. She was very honest about the ups and downs of show business, motherhood and marriage. I'd also recommend her son Kirk Cameron's book "Still Growing: An Autobiography" which is also an honest and funny read!

I must say that you going to be very surprised by this book! It isn't only what you probably think it is about, but oh so much more. Barbara is more real and honest with her readers than most people are even with themselves. She shines a flashlight in the dark corners of her life for all to see without apology because as the saying goes..."the truth shall set you free". Let's just say that she has faced her demons and won! Not only do I hope that all the people who read this book let it touch them, but I pray that all people start revealing their secrets in order to be set free, as well. I have and though it was hard, it was worth it because when you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear! Way to Go Barbara---Your truth has made a difference!

This book is so well written. It has such an even flow. I love reading the story of their lives. It is so interesting and I am so proud of the way Barbara has managed her life in Hollywood and as a Christian. I haven't finished the book yet, i really dreading to finish it. I want the story to go on and on, it's very enjoyable! Please purchase this book it is so interesting and easy to read. You won't want to put it down! God Bless~

A great memoir about a woman doing her best to be fair and good in a system (Hollywood) that can corrupt the best of us.

What makes Barbara Cameron's story exceptional is that anyone can relate to her. We're able to see her adult relationship with God begin with her simple belief that He is our Creator who helps us when we pray. Then we're able to see Barbara's realization that He is Everything and there is nothing without absolute Trust in Him, and the changes in her life that ensue.

The feelings and emotions described in this book are the feelings and emotions so many of us deal with everyday and are left wondering how to deal with issues of faith and submission to God.

This wonderful book by Barbara Cameron explains the comings and goings, trials, tribulations, success's and heartbreaks of a Hollywood family. It's refreshingly honest with no spin at all. Mrs. Cameron had her shares of ups and downs in her personal life, all the while being a supportive mother who kept her "star" children in line and the "non-star" children were really the stars at home.
My heart went out to poor Bridgett who is the real star of the family!! But their amazing transformation into Born Again, on fire for Jesus Chrsit and their passion that none should miss out on Heaven is so honest, and pure, and indeed rare in a Hollywood where it's hip to be anti-Christian, anti-morals, and whatever goes is OK. Praise God for this family and I know that He is indeed Blessing us with this most excellent book. Thank you Ray Comfort for inspiring Mrs. Cameron. Thank You Mrs. Cameron for sharing your life with us, and thank you Jesus for loving and dying for all of us so that we may be saved!

I have always been a fan of autobiographies and this book certainly delivers. I was thinking it might not be as good as all that. I mean come on, yes I was a fan of the spice girls, but so was every pre teen girl.

But I was surprised to find out actually quite a lot. Geri is very open about her battles with anorexia and her trials with the paparazzi.

She is also an amazing person having done work for the UN, speaking about birth control and also performing for the troops.

It was a smart move for her to write this book and also a very honest one as well. She has been through a lot and you see her struggle through it all. It is very inspiring to know what she has been through and it makes you realize that celebrity is not always as perfect as it seems.

I read this book after reading her 1st auto-biography If Only and it is great! If only takes you up to when she left the band and Just for the Record takes you on her solo career.
This book really shows you who she is as a person. You see all sides of her and it made me like her all the more b/c you see how human she is. She shows you that all celebrities have their good an bad days like the rest of us. She gives you an insiders peak into a fun and sometimes not so fun world of celebrity.
Loved it!

I have to admit I only bought this book because the Spice Girls were getting back together and thought it would be cool. I'm not much of a reader but, this book kept me entertained, I read the whole book in one day, "If Only" should be read first but really it doesn't need to be, this book portrays even more in depth how and why Geri left the group when she did and she writes about her struggles with what she wanted to do after that decision, she also explaines her troubles with eating disorders and her passion for yoga, a great read, even if you aren't a fan!

This book pics up right where If Only left off. This book is an excellent read, which holds your interest and it has amazing full page pictures of Geri. I would recommend reading If Only first because "just for the record" is a continuation of it. These books are great reads even if you aren't a fan of Geri's music because she has gone through so much in her life, and it is a very inspirational book with a positive message. This book is also a ,must have for any Geri fan. Even if you don't like to read, the pictures are amazing and there are many of them.

Ok, I got this book, and I am in love with it. First of all,I loved "If Only", which was her first book. But, it was story that never got finished. She leaves the first one with you wondering if her solo career is gonna make it, and this one picks up where she left off, and shows her spunky greatness. This book, along with the great pictures is very good. Anything and everything is shown about her life. This is a book that really makes you wanna change and be a better person. Going from 1998 to 2002 shows all of her triumphs and struggles. Anorexia, singles not getting number one, and break ups take up a major part of the book. But also, it shows her awards, loves , and performances, that make you feel like you are right there. READ THIS BOOK. The reading itself is good, but also, there are hundreds of pictures of her in the book that show her from then to now. If you have any intrest in this woman,you'd better buy this book.

I keep this book under my coffee table along with my copy of Psychotronic and Maltin, and find myself picking it up virtually every week for reasons that range from trivia to enlightenment to even "toilet seat treat" and my only wish is that there was an updated edition or sequel covering TV since 1989! This book is a must for any 'scholar' of television and as cheap as it appears to be in the Amazon Marketplace, there's no excuse not to have one! Harry....Wally....please come back and make us a new one! We need it for the 21st century!!!!

An absolutely great reference book. Its sequel was long overdue. They do underrate 'Car 54' a little, though... (!)

This is one of the best reference guides ever written for all those classic tv enthusiests! It not only has information on shows that had successful runs but those shows that didn't last more than one season or possibly not past the pilot show. It is light easy fun reading and a great book to have in my collection when I ask myself "what was that show..you know with the guy and the girl and that whachamacallit", and you can usually find your answer. If you can find this book used,(since it is out of print and hard to find), grab it and enjoy! Thanks Harry & Wally!

Why is it that that "Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows" is now in an 8th edition, while "Harry and Wally" has been out of print for years? The "Complete Directory" is nothing but a dry, boring recitation of shows' premises, whereas "Harry and Wally" is like a roundup of well-written short essays on whether some obscure show would be worth your time. (I refered to it recently when Trio did a special run of "East Side/West Side.") The more classic the show, the better and longer the write-up, too. They also score extra credit with me, as an original series "Star Trek" die-hard, for a great write-up on my favorite series.

I've hoped for years for an updated edition of Harry and Wally. C'mon guys, where did you go? What gives?

It's a shame this book isn't in print anymore. It's an even BIGGER shame that there was never an updated edition. The book came out in the late 1980s, and so much has happened in television since then. Harry and Wally, if you're out there, how about writing a sequel?

Even though it's more than a decade out of date, "Harry and Wally's Favorite TV Shows" is still a valuable reference work for students of pop culture or just fans of classic TV. It covers a great many series that other TV books skip over, including series on PBS and shows imported from the UK. The idea of giving each series a rating from zero stars to four stars also sets "Favorite TV Shows" apart from other similar books. Better yet, the reviews are usually right on the money.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RIF1M2NFS96YR The book started with Guillermo del Toro (GdT) recounting how Hellboy went from being one of his favourite comic books to become a Hollywood movie he would direct.

Major characters in the book have their own biography pages, providing a little background for readers, like me, who didn't read the original comic book series. That was helpful.

Conceptual art was plentiful and are accompanied by the movie script. Short captions by artists explained how the art was created to fit into the vision of GdT. This book's main subject is most probably artistic direction with function. From the captions, every thing drawn has form, function and purpose. Here's a little quote from GdT:

"Let me make something abundantly clear --- in case you've been on Mars --- NO RED!!! --- Except for Hellboy or the atmospheres that are intimate/related to him: BROOM, LIZ, GRIGORY, and/or colors in WWII. - GdT"

This book was heavy on character design, set design, movie story boards and props design. Movie frame stills were hard to find.

For Hellboy fans, getting this book is a no brainer.

There are more pictures on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for my blog's link.

Mike Mignola's HELLBOY is no longer a obscure character enjoyed by unwashed comic geeks thanks to Guillermo Del Toro & Revolution Studios.
A full finished script of the film is included, as well as some background stories on some key characters.
The book's preproduction art from Wayne Barlowe, Mike Mignola, Simeon Wilkins, & TyRuben Ellingson is no less than phenomenal. Creature, Prop, & Location designs are found throughout each page. Arguably, some of Wayne Barlowe's best designs can be found here. Even Guillermo Del Toro's sketches find their way into the book. This book makes for an excellent introduction to one of modern fiction's most unique characters.

Besides a complete shooting script and lots of commentary, this has tons of illustrations and concept art done by all the artists involved in the movie. It's wonderful to see Mike Mignola's and Wayne Barlowe's sketches following the development of all the various Hellboy monsters, characters and environments, and lots of stuff that didn't make it into the movie. A must for any fan of the film.

I was unfamiliar with the world of Hellboy prior to seeing the movie. When I did and when I ordered this book, I was blown away by the wealth of visual richness that inhabit the Hellboy universe. Being a collector of "Art of..." books, I realized that the strength of Hellboy lies in the visual galore. The book is fully detailed with drawings from every level of production as well as the closeness of working atmosphere between the filmakers and the creator of the original material not commonly known in Hollywood.

My only gripe in this book is that the structuring is kinda messed up and confusing, since the book mixes up the art section with the script.

A must have for art, comic and production design lovers, has lots new designs by Mignola Barlowe and other great artists including the prop makers. Includes beautiful pages illustrating both concept and the picture of the final prop supported by the commentaries and thinkings of the artist involved in the creation of that specific prop. It also includes the final shooting script, and images from Guillermo del Toro's notebook which are nice sketches and annotations depicting the first idea behind the final design of each character. Great!!! one of the best, just do not read it before watching the movie.

Linda Darnell has been a long favorite of mine, so to read "Hollywood Beauty: Linda Darnell and the American Dream," was a real treat. Well written, with a good insight to this lady as both an actress and woman.

Madam Shopper
http://www.marchars.com

"Hollywood Beauty" is a thoroughly well researched bio of the late actress, Linda Darnell. It definitely portrays a tough, life in the Tinseltown whirlwind. HB also offers a solid overview of life in the old studio system that wedded performers to one autocratic employer. We read how actors were assigned to a picture, then suddenly pulled or shuffled off to another job with no thought given to personal feelings or effects on careers. Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck and director Joseph l. Mankiewicz are portrayed as hedonistic cads. This reviewer is too young to remember but that system broke up in the early 1950s. TV was the culprit. Fewer Americans were going out to movies so fewer films were made. Linda was cut by Fox but such stars as Clark Gable, Betty Grable, Gene Tierney, and Jeanne Crain also received pink slips. This reviewer encountered one minor disappointment with HB: He would like to have learned more about the making of that classic, brooding western, "My Darling Clementine". How did LD like react to working with director John Ford? (Do we remember that scene where she tries to cheat Henry Fonda at cards?). That minor complaint aside, HB is highly recommended to movie fans of any age. One may be too young to remember LD but that is what VHS and DVDs are for! Some may believe that HB is a sad story but this reviewer disagrees. For all her troubles, LD never gave up. She hung in there through it all and was gainfully working as a stage actress right up to her untimely death in that fire. Readers should enjoy HB more if they approach with an optimistic mindset and a desire to learn of the old Hollywood studio system that is gone forever, for better or worse. Most likely the latter.

Very well, written, but the author couldn't decide the year of Linda's birth. On the copyright page, one year of birth was given, then in the book, another year. It made me question the other facts. Aside from that, the book was very interesting-- the strange homelife, the thyroid problem, the marriages, the films, the decline of her acting career and the section on her burning and death are just gripping. I recommend this one.

This was the only bio I could find on Linda Darnell and I must say, it was worth the money. The author's honest depiction and narrative of this actress is wonderfully written. I highly recommend this insightful biography!

I always liked Linda Darnell. My mother had told me about her when I was in my early teens, saw some of her films, and was quite taken by her. She wasn't a great actress, but she certainly wasn't a bad one, either. But when you look like that, who cares? Linda, born Monetta Eloyse Darnell in Texas, was blessed, or cursed, with a strikingly beautiful face. Pushed by her volatile, ambitious mother, Linda was signed to a contract at 20th Century Fox at the age of 15. Touted as Fox's "Glory Girl", she was featured in several films as a decorative brunette. With her lovely "Latin" looks (her grandfather actually was part Cherokee) and voluptuous figure, she adorned the screen in films such as "The Mask of Zorro" and "Blood and Sand", playing "good girls". When her box-office appeal started to wane, she was still barely over 20 years old. Her personal problems began to mount, dealing with her overbearing mother, a mounting drinking problem that began when she was married to her first husband, (who was some twenty-odd years older), and the fact that she could not bear children. Ms. Darnell's career picked up, however, when she started playing gorgeous "bad girls" in films such as "Fallen Angel", "Hangover Square", and the overblown costume epic "Forever Amber", in which she played an upwardly mobile woman of ill repute. Her best role, as the golddigger with a tender heart in Joseph Mankiewicz's "A Letter to Three Wives", came in 1949, but from then on it was pretty much downhill. Ms. Darnell's personal life became a series of unhappy marriages, exploitative relationships, a spotty career, alcoholism, and ultimately ended in a spectacularly awful way: she was horribly burned in a house fire in 1965, with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 90% of her body,lingered for about 33 hours, and died, aged 41.
The book is a quick, albeit depressing read. Ronald Davis, also a native Texan, writes with compassion for his subject. Several interviews with her siblings, friends, and adopted daughter give a sympathetic portrayal of the "Fallen Angel". To put it in a nutshell, Ms. Darnell wasn't tough enough to handle the ups and downs of show business. Her tale isn't the first nor the last about the cruel world of showbiz, but it just seems even more depressing, when one thinks of the beauty with the face of a Madonna, going downhill at such a young age, and dying so horribly. I may add that there are eerie foreshadowings of her demise in three of her best known films. In "Hangover Square", she is strangled by Laird Cregar, who places her body on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day; in "Anna and the King of Siam", Linda, playing the runaway concubine Tuptim, is burned at the stake; and in "Forever Amber", she bears witness to the Great Fire of London. Creepy, isn't it?
Just a word of warning: Don't read this book if you're depressed!