Television Books

The word "Tour de Force" may not have been invented with Lily Tomlin specifically in mind, but she is one of the best people for whom this epithet should be used. I've seen her do this show live, twice, when it first came to Philadelphia, and enjoy repeating the experience via the video, and the book. She's an amazing performer, and this is an amazing piece of theater.

This play is just what my title says....very entertaining and if you are in the theatre world, guys, but especially girls, should look into a purchase of this play for potential monologues for auditions.

I'm in an arts/high school program, PCCA. I came in after all of the other students had already been there for over a year. This was the first piece I ever performed there. I did a section of it where Trudy is Trudy, in the beginning.

The character was so rich. So many different quirks. The audience loved it, so did the other performers who did the same piece. This is one funny script.

I wasn't nervous when i performed it at all. I just kept thinking how funny the script was, and that, not matter how terrible the acting, the audience would still enjoy the performing.

This one woman plays many characters, and will take you on a journey of laughter, and much more, and leave you smiling for long after you put it down...

Trudy the Bag Lady has made a life for herself on the streets, offering her own bits of wit and wisdom to the passers-by. Before she wound up on the streets, she was in and out of hospitals, receiving so much electro-shock therapy that she believes her nervous system has been re-wired and now tunes into the bio-rhythms of people around her.

Trudy takes us, along with her two alien companions, on a discovery trip to find out what it means to be human and imparting her own impressions on life. She tunes in a wide array of people, ranging from Agnus Angst, a 15-year-old punk performance artist; Agnus' grandparents Lud and Marie; Chrissy, a recently unemployed workout enthusiast; Lily, an actress currently performing a one-woman show; and many others, both men and women, gay and straight.

This play is full of marvelous insight into the human condition and life in the 1980's. This is very apparent in the incredible second act, in which we follow Lyn from the consciousness-raising times of the 1970's through her rise and fall in the business ranks of the 1980's and her turbulent family life. Also, all the characters, in one form or another, have some influence on the life of the other characters in the play, whether or not they actually meet: Lyn has an affair with Agnus's mother; Kate, a rich trendsetter, finds a suicide note left by Chrissy lying in the street; Trudy takes the aliens to see Lily's play in order to show them goosebumps.

The book also includes still images, from the stage production, of Lily Tomlin, many of which were shot by Annie Leibowitz. Jane Wagner also created some montages of Lily as the many characters in the play.

Full of wit, insight and tenderness, this play stands as a perfect glimpse into understanding society.

This book is a continuation of the first autobiography by Gelsey Kirkland. It tells about her starting back up in dancing and winning her final aclaim for her career before finding out what she has to give to the new young generations of dancers. This book is full of Gelsey's wonderful insights and methods of working on ballets, and I am sorry that it is out of print. I recommend it to dancers and autobiography readers. It is rare that you see a star find true happiness in the course of their life.

As good as her first but more about her creative process and the value of ballet. Has a beautiful section on how she created her memorial roles.

"Dancing on My Grave" was riveting, taking you down the spiral into addiction and then back up again--barely. This sequel autobiography fulfills all your hopes for Ms. Kirkland and much, much more! The world is fortunate that she met her co-author and life partner, Greg Lawrence, who has so skillfully guided them both through these books that immortalize the special passion and intensity she brought into her work as a dancer! I'm not a ballerina (although I dance whenever I can and always dreamed of being one) but her presentation of her working methods crosses over and can be applied to just about any life or form of creative expression! I could not put this book down, the story is so well-told, with one event after another drawing you on. Who needs gossip and scandal? This is MUCH, much more enriching and fulfilling, healing and inspiring! Don't miss it! I, for one, am so grateful that her special inspiration has been preserved and I agree--it should never fall out of print. Generations in the future need her perspective.

Kirkland's moving and in depth sequel to "Dancing on my Grave" is wonderful. She uses her experiences and struggles to find meaning and life in her dancing. From one who has been classically trained in ballet, but never been taught to feel emotion or a character, I am forever grateful to Ms. Kirkland for opening her life and sharing it with me. Please, if you dance, read this book!

This book goes beyond "Dancing On My Grave" and extends the "happy ending." Gelsey describes her experiences with teaching. The best part was when she takes you through the rehearsals and performances of Romeo and Juliet. She describes how she develops the character, and makes the character come alive. I loved this book!

Sherlock Holmes was the first pop icon of modern times, and Sherlock Holmes On Screen provides the most comprehensive filmography of his career, analyzing the Holmes movies and television shows, and including 60 photos as well as a guide to Doyle's original stories. An excellent companion for any avid fan.

If you are a fan of more than the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes episodes, this is a great item for your bookshelf. Barnes has written the most comprehensive guide to Holmes in film and on television. The amount of information is amazing. Boookend this with David Stuart Davies' graphically gorgeous Starring Sherlock Holmes and you'll have a fantastic reference library on Holmes on screen.

Bob Byrne
Sherlock Holmes on Oxford Lane

Being a Sherlock Holmes fanatic induced me into purchasing this for my collection in the hopes of obtaining some new images of Rathbone, Richardson, and other Holmes actors. I also had an interest in learning the up-to-date status of each Holmes film ever produced. In that, this is a wonderful book, filled with pages upon pages of information, cast listing, and comments, as well as some rare images of aforementioned actors.

The personal bias of the writer is the only thing that dampens a wonderful experience... namely because I tend to disagree with his assessments of certain Holmes films, particularly those of Basil Rathbone in his later career. I wished there were more images of Ian Richardson and Nicholas Rowe, but all together it's a wonderul purchase to add to any true Sherlockian collection.

This book has yet to leave my bedside table since I purchased it a few months ago. It's not only an extremely well researched book but a very entertaining read as well, packed with information that is revealing (eg, how Jeremy Brett's personal problems impacted upon the Granada tv series) and sometimes surprising (eg, Peter O'Toole and Peter Sellers were the original choices for Holmes and Watson for Billy Wilder's 'The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes').

Alan Barnes and his fellow contributors go into great detail about the films and television shows they cover, and give their personal opinions about each entry. You may not agree with all of the views expressed, but they are well written and certainly give the reader food for thought.

The book is well illustrated with black and white photographs. This is important as it's likely that many people will never get to see the films they are taken from, particularly some of the early silent films that are lost or older and more obscure films and television shows that have yet to get a video or DVD release.

This book has proven invaluable to me as it has introduced me to tv series and films that I previously knew little or nothing about like the Arthur Wontner films and the Douglas Wilmer and Peter Cushing BBC tv series. I also gained an insight into the little known Ronald Howard tv series from the 1950s. It was also great to read of the BBC 4-part presentation of The Hound Of The Baskervilles starring former Doctor Who star Tom Baker as Sherlock Holmes. I saw this when it was first shown on tv in Australia and it hasn't been screened again, so it was quite nostalgic to read about it and see a photo of Baker in his Holmes costume.

This book is an essential addition to the library of any Sherlock Holmes fan or film buff. You won't find another book that covers Sherlock Holmes history in film and television so thoroughly.

There are no words which seem to adequately describe just how good SHERLOCK HOLMES ON SCREEN: THE COMPLETE FILM AND TV HISTORY by Alan Barnes is: The word "comprehensive," while accurate, just doesn't seem to go far enough.
A lifelong Sherlockian I purchased this handsome 288 page hardback updated edition with high hopes and I was not disappointed. Barnes decision to take an A to Z organizational approach may not be everyone's ideal, but he does provide a film and television chronology towards the end of the book to appease those of us who prefer that type of listing.
As the title indicates every film and television appearance by the Sherlock Holmes character including a number of which I was previously unaware. Barnes gives more behind the scenes production notes, details of the mysteries and the solutions and in some cases these are quite extensive. For example I found the details behind the Peter Cushing television series of Holmes adventures fascinating and entertaining and his notes on what it took to bring SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE DEADLY NECKLACE to the screen, entertaining and revealing. Who knew that the movie had been intended to be the start of a franchise - with the script for the second planned movie eventually being filmed as A STUDY IN TERROR with John Neville in the Holmes role.
Barnes even includes movies and television episodes with more questionable ties to Sherlock Holmes. He gives high praise to Disney's animated THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE but the Spielberg produced YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES fares less well. In addition there are entries for the two STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION episodes that featured Prof. Moriarty and even THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN gets a mention for its Holmesian references.
With listings that include not only alternate titles for the movies, but also surprisingly in depth cast listings, running times and some very rare photo's, this volume is a must-own for any self respecting Sherlock Holmes fan, and anyone with even a mild curiosity about the character.

I have never seen a collection of Shirley photographs and memorabilia as extensive as this one.

The pages are chock full of photos I've never seen before, and I've been a devoted fan since the 50's! If you adore Shirley, this book is something you must have. I absolutely love it.

This book couldn't be better! The pictures of Shirley Temple are absolutely gorgeous and they are all throughout the book in both color and black and white from the time she was a baby until her later teen years. If you want pictures of the best child star ever, this is the book to have.

This book is a must for anyone who is a Shirley Temple fan. Those not familiar with her work might find it interesting as well. Rita Dubas has done a wonderful job here. The layout is beautiful, showcasing many photos of Shirley (some of which I'd never seen before!) along with oodles of photos of Shirley Temple memorabilia from all over the world.

It's a fascinating glimpse into the world of yesteryear, when a sweet little girl was the most popular star in Hollywood.

This is a gorgeous book by designer/collector Rita Dubas. Breathtaking images presented in such a beautiful fashion. This book does the little legend proud. This is one for your library. Bravo!

Hands down, Rita Dubas' book is the best photo book ever done on Shirley, the Child Star. Almost every photo is a rare one. On top of that, the design is impeccable as well. Rita has outdone herself. Forget the other Shirley books; this is the one to have.

I have many books about Sinatra and this is one of the best. Richard Havers put together a wonderful read. The book combines his music and life very well in a chronological format. There are some great pictures and sidebars about other events music and otherwise associated with the time frame you are currently reading.The research put into this gem is amazing.If you are a fan of Sinatra get this book. You won t be able to put it down!

To me, as someone who lived thru this era and read many books on Sinatra,
none has captured the essence of the man and the times he lived in as
Richard Havers has done. All aspects of Sinatra's life are discussed; the music,
the movies, the concerts and shows, his friends and his loves, good and bad,
in a fair, unbiased, nonjudgmental manner

This is a big book that contains a lot of information and pictures that you
will not find anywhere else. It can be read by casually leafing through the
pages and enjoying the sidebars and photos, or it can be read carefully from
beginning to end to reveal the real Sinatra. If you take the latter approach
you will not only better understand what made Sinatra tick, you will also
better understand the times he lived in.

This book was a delight from beginning to end, packed with useful biographical information. It also contains dozens of sidebars on every one of Frank's albums as well as supplementary sidebars giving historical context to Sinatra's life and work in the form of other artists, historical events, and his various arrangers and labels. The book is packed with photos, memorabilia, track lists--in fact, everything you need to know about the life and work of Sinatra. I think that this book, combined with Will Friedwald's 'The Song is You' are the two best books on Sinatra, and as a dedicated Frankophile, I've read many. Also evident in the book is the author's love of Sinatra and his music. The book is like a virtual Sinatra museum, one you can open and enjoy over and over at your convenience.
Five stars.

This is an amazing book that lets you see Mr. Sinatra through the early days of his childhood, to what would become the ultimate legend...I was never into this kind of music but after listening to the wonderfully composed scores of music and lyrics, you cant help but become an avid fan of his. Through the good and the bad you see something everyone should strive for, the high expectation for ones self in whatever they do as he did and beautifully executed with class....I've discovered Frank Sinatra and I am definately Flying to the moon!!

His voice, his style, a trip into the past. Ole Blue Eyes we will never forget him. For all old and new fans this book is a treasure indeed.

This book is a must read for students contemplating the change to the real world of television employment. Concise, compassionate and clear, I recommend this volume to all the students who come my way.

This book has inspired me to achieve my dream to become a working actor in Hollywood. At times, it's a challenging path, but this book offers practical and thoughtful tips that will help me to advance my career to the next level. Thank you for giving us this gem of a book, Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno!

This is a must have for actors and writers interested in making a career in sitcoms. Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno thoroughly explain the specifics of each day on a sitcom set. They illustrate the different types of jokes and define what makes each of them funny. And, they pepper the book with fun, informative anecdotes. I will read this book again and again! Mostly, because I can never remember anything... But still, the book is that good!

There's nothing better than learning and laughing put together. Mary Lou Belli has created a sitcom textbook that everyone in the television industry (not just the actor), should have in their library. From the costume designer & script superviser to the writer & technical coordinator, everyone who plays a part in making a sitcom successful is discussed. You'll learn sitcom terminology and have fun reading comments and stories from legends. There are even quizzes! But all fun! No pulling teeth with this one. Thank you Mary Lou and Phil for this informative book. I'm now ready to go get my sitcom!

The authors leave no stone unturned as they walk you through every aspect of sitcoms. Required reading for anyone looking to break in.

Admiringly as a Ska fan and having my own band, this book was a no-brainer for me to read. I was pleased to find this book an enjoyable read that was hard to put down! Horace Panter, bassist for the Specials, is very candid and honest in his writings and recollections of the band's fast rise to stardom and rapid destruction. By the time I discovered Ska and the Specials here in America in 1980, the ride was all but over for them. This was a chance to follow their path from the start and get behind the scenes of being in the middle of a music phenomenon. How their own label, "Two-Tone" started from a modest idea to being the catalist for a whole new Ska revival, birthing many great bands. I only wish I had all this insight when I met the man himself back in the mid-90's! Anyone who has been or is currently in a band will connect to many of the great stories. Music fans will enjoy the many experiences this group had in just a few short years and how Stardom can destroy what a band sets out to accomplish. A great slice of rock and roll history! Careful what you wish for! For the grass is always greener...

A really Very enjoyable accounting that covers The Specials (and their Two-Tone label) from their early days in Coventry in the late 1970's to their early demise in the beginning of the 1980's. From "Gangsters" to "GhostTown", Horace relays his experiences and observations (some of the bands' dynamics and evolution, playing, recording and touring) with keen wit and the perspective of a person who was clearly a fan of the music (and music scene) first, who would soon become an integral part of an innovative and important band that was able to defy gravity for a little (too-short) while...

A great book that charters the life and times of the Specials, probably one of the most influential bands of their time. No "I was there" No "I did this I did that" Just an honest straight forward account of what it was to be in the band through good times and bad.

Though the book is detailed it reads almost like a reflective diary which I suppose in a way it is. For anyone who loved the Specials then it will bring back some memories, for anyone who has just found them now or just loves to read biographies of bands or musicians this is definitely the book for you.

While I was never abig fan of the Specials, I was still enough interested to buy this book and I am glad I did. This is one of the better rock biographies to have appeared lately. It is very different from the usual drivel about how many groupies and how much drugs they have done which seems to be atrend in recent music books. The Specials were one of the most important groups back in the early 80's in Britain. The degree of coverage and adulation they got in the rock press was very irritating and which more explains why I did not like them. However this book is a very entertaining recount of it's authors years as the bassist of the band and it does provide quite some inetersting insights into the creation of music and touring which is usually not present in other books. Really recommended

Excellent insider's look at The Specials & the 2-Tone movement. Very funny, and detailed view of how the band evolved, songs were written & recorded, & performed live. I especially enjoyed the U.S. Tour diary, and cool photos.

I have read the book. I do not know for sure but I would bet that Mr. Stratton had nothing to do with this book.
Why?
Because I knew him in prison and he never ever had an original thought in his life..ever.

How powerful. It re-questions me how to be myself as a human being in reality. What is freedom, what is a life, what is "the time"? It keeps questioning me without elicit answer that I must have been seeking by myself.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised after viewing this film. It truly captured the power of presence, how the power of words can change ideals and touch emotions. This is one of the best products of poetry in movies I've seen in a while not to mention the demonstration of strength in creativity. If you like the artistic feel of Loves Jones with the power of Soul On Ice, this is the film for you. I only wish we could get more of these films out to a broader audience.

I had searched and searched for movies that would expand my imagination and give me some sort of hope for tomorrow that there are people that still strive to make quality movies and write quality books. Thsi is definitely one of them. I read the book and then I saw the movie that went far beyond my expectations. What a sensory pleasure.

I read this screenplay, and interviews with the author, and learned that this wasn't written solely by Richard Stratton. Instead the story was formed in a collaborative way in a ninemonth workshop and then during filming, by the movies stars, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone and others. I think this is what helps to make this such a powerful screenplay, the fact that many people, some who had experienced events similiar to those portrayed in the movie, were all putting their collective energies together. I really enjoyed this screenplay and was inspired by it. It made me feel like art and artistic endeavor really do matter and can make a difference in the world. I'm grateful to all the authors for that.

It gives Pop Culture References, such as "Authority Sucks!" and "It's a Designer Label." This book a "must" for all fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It covers season 1 through 5 in great detail. Its a good read for everyone.

this review book is unlike others out there, while it admittedly has a british bias, i found it to be easily readable and refreshing. it offers a lot of information not found in other buffy books- such as fashion critiques, pop culture references, etc.

There are a few problems like lack of pictures, not covering the full 7 seasons of Buffy and no coverage of Angel the series. But these few problems do not detract from how great fans will find this book.

while this may be too much for a casual viewer, i'm sure all buffy fans would want to add this to there collection!

Note that there's a new edition coming out in March, 2002, and if I were you I'd wait for it.

But otherwise, it's great. This is my favorite guide to BtVS, and I've looked at all of them.

This is a really good guide to Buffy. I just started watching the show at the end of last season and this book helped me catch up with the seasons I missed plus explained the episodes I saw. It also gives descriptions of the novels, the movie, and the unaired pilot episode that was used to bring advertisers to the show. I highly recommend this book to any and all Buffy fans.

A refreshing change to stuffy old Guides to T.V show. I especially loved the fashion reports on each episode listed. It was well written, and achieved a funny, interesting, information packed guide to the worlds greatest T.V. shows! (Except for Angel)The only thing I could fault(and I am very, very picky) was the lack of pictures.

Being female, it's difficult for me to appreciate the full context of why the Soprano's series is so appealing to men; but it surely is. To the extent that the series reflects the lives they lead, and hence, is the art by which they are most likely to identify with the dynamics, it must be successful due to its popularity. To the extent that it doesn't, it offers the opportunity to prevent lives from having to. Either way, it's a win-win situation since the positive and negative effects can be visualized and measured on the screen rather than through the high risk performance that people must try to live through to survive. Perhaps that is the series' peculiar appeal: safety and entertainment through scrutiny of what people could construe as dangerous territory involving dangerous people. To the extent that it measures a code of justice not often available to people on the outside, it serves to make the world a safer place because of its portrayals.

It's a book that contains five scripts of the best show on TV. It's more than just a TV show, it's a cultural event. It captures the modern day mafia in a brilliant, clever, dramatic, and often times funny way. If You are an inspiring writer, wishing to find a good book for form, or seeking a great work to emulate, then this is the book for You...

I've been waiting for the screen plays to be released ever since seeing the first season of THE SOPRANOS. The only draw back is the print doesn't seem dark enough. I hope it won't fade quickly. That said, it's still a great book and would make a wonderful gift to any hardcore fan of the show. Keep your fingers crossed that other scripts will soon follow.

I bought this for my son because he is a huge Sopranos fan. However, I snatched it away from him and had a great time reviewing the scripts.
When you watch the show, the dialogue is often lost or ignored because the viewer tends to be caught up in the action. By having a script handy, you get a chance to analyze the writing style. While the plots have a great deal to do with the show's ultimate popularity, the crisp and effective dialogue which remains true to each character's development is equally important.
If you are interested in learning how to write for tv or movies, the scripts are great to analyze.

The big irony is that when you read "The Sopranos: Selected Scripts from Three Seasons" expecting to have increased respect for the writers, what you come away with is even greater respect for the actors. I like to look over scripts of favorite television shows, not just to see what was changed, deleted or added to what eventually aired, but to enjoy the stage directions, where the writers work in all sorts of fun and telling details. However, compared to most other television scripts David Chase and company do not provide a lot of extra tips (neither did Shakespeare, come to think of it). Consequently, the chief attraction here for fans of the shows ends up being the dialogue that never made it to the screen along with the introduction by Chase.

Of course the introduction is insightful, albeit relatively short, as Chase talks about the creative and casting process. I particularly liked the part when he explains the multiple strands that comprise each episode (a rule clearly violated by the "College" script, which only has two) and the process by which "Soprano" scripts are written. The results are the "final" (i.e., shooting) scripts, and why the title page of each episode lists the various revisions (blue for 1st, pink for 2nd, yellow for 3rd, etc.). Unfortunately, unlike some other script collections, there are not any notations on the pages to indicate what color they are; I admit, I am curious as to what pages make it from the first draft all the way through production.

For selecting only five scripts from the first three seasons of "The Sopranos," this collection does a nice job. You have to have the "Pilot" episode and "College" is clearly the most memorable show from the first season. "The Happy Wanderer" is another pivotal episode in the show's history and "The Knight in White Satin Armor" contains one of the biggest surprises. "Pine Barrens" represents a prime example of the comic extremes of which the show is capable. So I have no complaints given the collective results. The final comment would be that it is interesting to read hour-long television scripts without teasers and four acts; just another reason to applaud HBO's efforts in this area. So, where is the script collection for "Six Feet Under"?