Arts and Entertainment Books

I read it over a period of two days and found it very hard to put down. The essays on each star were fairly short, but they gave an insight into their lives off the movie screen and out of the pages of the fan magazines. More of a "where are they now..." kind of book.

I have a touch of envy too. I would have loved to have done what David & Tom did - travelling to Hollywood in the summer to interview stars of the Hollywood golden age. I have a keen interest of what went on behind the scenes & afterwards, almost as much as the finished products themselves.

Reel To Real is an anthology of celebrity interviews featuring big names in entertainment from vaudeville to movies and TV. Various interviews take place in different years, spanning 25 years total. The Featured individuals include Harry Delmar, Fred Astaire, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, George Burns, William Shatner, Mel Blanc, Mel Brooks, and many more. Each interview has a down-to-earth tone and offers plain-terms insight into the business of bright lights and mass-media, from celebrities' reactions to government cutting of arts funding to the simple trials and tribulations of growing up and striving to make it big. An inset collection of black-and-white photographs of the interviewees rounds out this engaging slice of the stage and silver screen life.

Reel to Real is a history of 20th century entertainment. If you're a film buff and appreciate the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, the interviews in this book are for you. The Frank Capra chapter is funny and informative. Spencer Tracy's story about Hemingway is amazing. And Milton Berle talking about dressing in drag for the first time is a real hoot. I couldn't put this down!

The year was 1974 and "That's Entertainment," the compilation film of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio's most wondrous musical moments had just opened wide at theaters nationwide. For David Fantle and Tom Johnson, two St. Paul, Minnesota teenagers, it was a galvanizing experience.

When "That's Entertainment" opened, their interest in the movies and the stars that were in them was piqued. Not only did they become film buffs, but in 1978, just liberated from high school, they made their first trip to Los Angeles to interview Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and George Burns. The celebrity floodgates opened.

The pair began publishing their interviews in the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota newspaper and have interviewed more than 200 celebrities the past 25 years for publications throughout the world.

Reel to Real: 25 years of celebrity profiles from vaudeville to movies to TV represents the authors 60 "best" interviews with such legendary names as Astaire, Kelly, Burns, James Cagney, Lucille Ball, Gregory Peck, Bob Hope, Charlton Heston and Frank Capra.

The book also features forewords by Cyd Charisse and Shirley Jones and 24-pages of rare and candid celebrity shots, most taken by the authors.

For anyone who loves candid, facinating anecdotes about the way Hollywood used to be....from the stars and directors who were there and made history, this book puts it up front.

It contains tons of information that I have never heard about before. For instance, I never knew Frank Capra gave Irving Berlin the idea for the musical "Holiday Inn" staring Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. I always thought that Berlin came up with the idea himself. The Lucille Ball interview was also very cool as were many others.

The pictures really rock. I especially loved the Milton Berle gag photo where he poses with a cigar sticking out like a bucktooth beaver......and what's with songwriter Sammy Cahn posing sans shirt? Bizarre!

The interviews are often very funny and sometimes border on the irreverent, so this isn't some kitchy Hollywood cream-puff book. Yet, though it all, you can tell that Fantle and Johnson have deep admiration and respect for the clasic stars they interview.

I have read everything there is to read about Ricky and I found this book the most interesting, inspiring, fun and cool. Get this one!

Please help me in obtaining a copy of Ricky's book coz i just LOOOOVE his music and him too. But I would like to know more about him. My name is Surie and I am from Lusaka, Zambia. in the Central part of Africa.

Ricky,

Why do you have only young women in you shows dancing with you. There are differnt type of women that buy your CD for their children. I think, personally that if you held a contest for a mother, as to why they allow or buy your CD for their child, you would have a larger audience. Why you ask because people would want to know! Anything that promotes you people will will listen to! I for example, am a 36 year old mother of three. Why would a person think that I would not like your music? You are a young person and if you would want your popularity to follow you then I personally think it would be wise to think not only of the young "teens" out there. I like your music, your voice, if I did not I would not let my CHILDREN buy your music. I know that this will not ever get to you personally befor your "agents" read it first, but you have to think of where the money is coming from for your success. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PLEASE A FAN? HAVE YOUR AGENTS WRITE BACK AND SAY WHAT? THANK YOU FOR INPUT. WHICH I HAVE CC TO MY OWN EMAIL. GOOD LUCK. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. A BUYER AND A FAN FROM MY DAUGHTER.

With so many gorgeous photos, plus inside scoop on Ricky's off stage personality -- desires, activities, ideas, values, this is THE book to buy on Ricky (and I've seen 'em all).

Wow, what a hunk of an inspiration!

If you are a die hard fan of Ricky Martin this is one book you should definitely get your hands on. The book is filled with fabulous pictures of the singer from his hey days in the teen group Menudo through his years as the latin heart throb in General Hospital and all the way to the international mega star he is today. Besides the great pictures what I liked the most about his book was the way it was written, nice and simple and with a positive outlook all the way. A few things you should definitely look at when you buy this book are the trivia tid bits and the time line which are included. The quick information you learn here will make you seem like Ricky's number one fan. I truly recommend this book as a gift to anyone from the age of 10-100.

You're watching an old black and white B picture and about to change the channel to something less cheesy and low budget. You notice a lanky, whiny, oatmeal-faced guy with beady eyes, who looks menacing, especially when there is an attractive female nearby. This guy is trouble. He's no good. But you can't turn away. You're hooked.

He's wearing a bad costume: a 1950's leisure suit, a safari jacket, or more happily, a trench coat or a uniform. He looks awkward, slouching like he's embarrassed to be so tall.

He's ruggedly handsome. Energy flashes from his eyes, his tense almost hysterical voice, his powerful physique. He's like coiled steel, a simmering cauldron, a smouldering oil well. A valve that's about to blow sky high.

The ladies go to pieces around him. They do stuff they shouldn't do, things they'll regret in the morning.

You notice he contributes a lot to good and not so good films even when he's got everything going against him. He doesn't need to be a likeable character, or have good lines, or a good costume, or anything. He infuses engergy and raw power into the movie, he makes it personal. Maybe they used him sparingly because they didn't know what they were dealing with.

The Wild Bunch: Ryan turns up sporadically but his role is central to the plot. Best scenes: He and fellow outlaw William Holden are entertaining two scarlet women in their hotel room. Ryan, in a fancy waistcoat, is worrying that the law is in pursuit so he's not even paying attention to his female companion. Is that fair to the girl? Later, he is shown being flogged in prison -unfortunate, but an opportunity to see him with no shirt on.

On Dangerous Ground: as a tough cop, he questions a hooker. She practically begs him to mistreat her: 'are you gonna squeeze it out of me with those big, strong arms?' You betcha. In another scene, he tries to flirt with a girl, is rejected for being a cop, and the frozen pain of rejection on his face is raw, as if he got sucker punched with an ice berg.

Caught: he is a narcissistic neurotic millionaire who mentally torments a silly golddigger played lovably by Barbara Bel Geddes. Best line: 'What's wrong, don't you think I like you?' As usual he's in comically silly, Thurston Howell the Third type outfits, and as usual he rises above it all.

Crossfire: preachy stuff about the evils of bigotry but worth enduring for Ryan as the least laid back guy ever in a Hawaiian shirt.

The Naked Spur: not to be confused with The Naked Gun, in this Western he's an outlaw with a price on his head and cute little Janet Leigh as his girlfriend. Jimmy Stewart is taking him in for the reward money, and to get the girl as well. He puts Ryan on a burro, not only to hinder his escape but probably also to emasculate him in Leigh's eyes. Ryan is a rotten, dishonorable character, but Leigh seems mighty reluctant to part company with him. I wouldn't wonder...

The Set-up: Ryan is a has-been boxer who- don't sweat the plot, you see him in boxing trunks, that's all you need to know.

Beware My Lovely: Ryan is compellingly creepy but beware, my lovely, the plot is el bizarro.

Clash by Night: Ryan mixes it up with bad-girl Babs Stanwyck while also flirting around the edges with young Marilyn Monroe. The fact that you get to see him in a sleeveless undershirt has nothing to do with my endorsement of this movie.

About Mrs. Leslie: Shirley Booth in a dreary tale enlivened by brief glimpses of Ryan in flashbacks, including a romantic scene on the beach, he's either wearing a white robe or white swim trunks or I just added that detail out of wishful thinking.

Odds Against Tomorrow: silly heist movie overburdened with heavyhanded antiracism theme. Just watch for the scenes between Ryan and the irresistible Gloria Graham - talk about sadomastochistic overtones!

Bad Day at Black Rock: a good message movie starring Spencer Tracy, with Ryan as (of course) the detestable townie wearing an idiotic red baseball cap as the character's pathetic phallic symbol -still, Ryan almost steals the movie from Tracy.

City Beneath the Sea: watch for the scene where he is really an s.o.b. to a dance hall girl, but somehow in a very provocative way. Hokum plot, awful outfits, such as a striped shirt, bandana and skipper's hat. The wardrobe mistress was surely hoping he'd get mad, storm the costume department, grab her in his arms, and...oh, sorry, I was daydreaming there.

There's one movie where he's a mob boss guy who, in the middle of buying off judges or having people bumped off or whatever mob bosses do, nags his younger brother about doing well in college, and chomps on an apple!

The Dirty Dozen: He's not one of the dozen, nor is he the lovable leader played by Lee Marvin. He's a martinet that no one likes, and he eats it up in the few scenes he has.

Fire and Ice! Two great, elusive movies featuring Ryan.

Inferno: Shows up on cable occasionally, he's a pain in the duff heir who has to survive on his own in the desert, it's just a great movie. He actually gets a good costume for once, he looks terrific in dusty white, loose-fitting khakis

The Iceman Cometh: One of Ryan's last performances, unavailable for years but came out on DVD not long ago. Depressing tale about barflies but powerful acting with Lee Marvin, Ryan, and a very young Jeff Bridges all making the most of their choice lines.

Comparing him with other great actors Ryan holds his own. His characters were multi-layered, intense, real, and somehow always likable - even the "bad guys". They were oddballs - harsh yet anxious, uncomfortable in their own skin.

I don't think Robert Ryan ever got an Oscar nod. Many wonderful actors and actresses never get nominated for an Oscar. After all, what really lasts are good performances.

Offscreen, Ryan was kind, reserved, quiet, and bookish. He wasn't into making the Hollywood party scene, preferring privacy for himself and his family. The most dramatic thing he seems to have done was when he and his wife, an unforgivably perfect partner for him since she was tall, gorgeous, and brainy - helped start a local grade school so their kids could get the best possible education. The school is still in existence today.

Nevertheless, he made quite an impression in person.

Somewhere in the book there is a description of him meeting a friend for lunch. When he enters the crowded restaurant, despite his unassuming demeanor, he draws awestruck stares from every woman in the room. Whether due to his height and rugged good looks - or also the hint of untold depths of passion that seemed to emanate from him?

You watch his B movie to the bitter end. The character Ryan created on screen had an inner life, something that reaches out to you. A man of passion, of mystery, wearing an ugly knit cap. Tormented by inner demons, he haunts a seedy waterfront bar where one foggy night you just happen to walk in wearing nothing but high heels and a trenchcoat, looking for trouble...

Robert Ryan, one of the most brilliant and versatile actors of his time, created a gallery of unforgettable characters during his thirty year career, yet never received the recognition he deserved. Franklin Jarlett's Robert Ryan: A Biography and Critical Filmography goes a long way towards filling this void; it is a fitting tribute to a great performer, who by all accounts was as good a man as he was an actor.

Jarlett's fascination with Robert Ryan began in childhood, as he watched Ryan's films on TV, and his "obsession" continued as he matured. Jarlett was especially mesmerized by Ryan's portrayal of Claggart, in Billy Budd, seeing it as "a chapter to an elusive text of which I did not know the title." Through college and graduate school, Jarlett continued his "quest" for the mysterious qualities which made Ryan so extraordinary. This book is the result, and the author's three years of extensive research, interviews with Ryan's children and many friends, and his in-depth study of the 77 film Ryan made during his prolific film career make this a fascinating and readable must for any Ryan fan's library. Written with an eloquence of which the very literate Ryan would surely approve, the book is loaded with photos as well; stills from nearly all of Ryan's films illustrate the book.

By an ironic twist of fate, Robert Ryan, a quiet, self-effacing man, who often graciously accepted second billing to far less talented co-stars, is suddenly "Hot," thanks to cable television, and to the proliferation of VCR and DVD players, which make older movies new again.. Turner Classic Movies' recent "Star of the Month" tribute to Ryan certainly had legions of his blissed-out fans manning their VCR's, and won him many new fans as well. Ryan's Westerns and his war films play endlessly on TV, and he is such a film noir icon that many of the excellent books on the subject devote entire sections to discussions of his artistry.

Jarlett's book is a perfect source for anyone who wants to know more about this complex and very private man who was such a compelling presence on screen. Ryan was a man of paradoxes. He graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in English Literature, but reigned as the undefeated heavyweight boxing champion throughout his four year college career. Though the product of a relatively prosperous family, Ryan sought out tough and demanding jobs: he worked as an engine room janitor on an African- bound freighter for two years, and as a cow puncher on a ranch in Montana, among other jobs, before finally finding his niche in acting. Ryan's World War II stint in the Marine Corps, though honorably served at Camp Pendleton where he was a drill instructor, sent him back into civilian life with distinctly pacifist leanings. Though Ryan could portray vicious, ignorant bigots with an almost frightening intensity, he himself was a tolerant, compassionate man, so dedicated to liberal causes that he was sometimes targeted and threatened by Right-wing fanatics. And unlike many in an ego-driven industry, Robert Ryan was a modest man. He was thrilled beyond words when he had an opportunity to work with such greats as Spencer Tracy and Frederic March, and never suspected how much younger actors, like Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine, valued the experience of working with him.

The biographical section of the book is arranged chronologically, with each section corresponding to an important period in Ryan's life. Jarlett's meticulous research uncovered many hitherto unknown or forgotten facts, and they make fascinating reading. He discusses the founding of the Oakwood School, a progressive educational establishment started by Ryan and his wife Jessica when their own children were small, and still flourishing today. In the l960's, Ryan spent some time in England, and with the support and encouragement of actors John Neville and Paul Rogers, his co-stars in Billy Budd, he appeared on provincial and London stages in works by Shakespeare and Eugene O'Neill. After moving his family to New York, Ryan appeared in many television dramas,and did a number of narrations and voice-overs for various projects. He played the lead in The Front Page and other plays, both on and off Broadway, co-starring with Katherine Hepburn, Helen Hayes, and other renowned leading ladies, to great critical acclaim. But films continued to be the primary outlet for his talent, and he worked steadily in them until his death.

The second half of Jarlett's book is a complete filmography covering all of Ryan's work, from his earliest "walk-on" days at Paramount through his last three movies in l973, the year of his death: The Iceman Cometh, Executive Action, and The Outfit. Jarlett reviews each film, and supplies a complete cast list, as well as notes on critical and audience reception and other pertinent data. The book also contains notes on Ryan's stage performances, television appearances, narrations and recordings, an essay on Ryan as a film noir figure, and a listing of his films available on videocassette. Chapter notes, an extensive bibliography and an index complete this terrific volume. Though this book was originally written as a library reference guide, it has been reincarnated in a very portable paper back form, complete with a fabulous cover photo of Ryan as Montgomery in Crossfire.

Jarlett's book is clearly a labor of love, and perhaps this is the dominant impression. Far from being undervalued or unappreciated, Robert Ryan seems to have been revered and deeply loved by most of the people he came in contact with, and his talents have always been held in high esteem by those who value excellent acting. And those of us who know him only through the many films made unforgettable by his presence, can only be glad that the man himself was as fine as we have always imagined him to be.

Although most Ryan devotees focus on his more famous "film noir" vehicles as evidence of his skill, Jarlett illuminates his performances in scores of less known films. In Horizons West, Ryan's interpretation of a disgruntled ex-Confederate major achieves more in his portrait than the sum of the film's parts.
Return of the Badmen also featured Ryan's grim portrait of a cold-blooded bank robber that elevates an otherwise pedestrian horse opera to something nearly sublime. Other choice Ryan vignettes can be found in such early Ryan enterprises like Marine Raiders. Made in 1944 when America was fighting the Japanese, Ryan gives a stout performance that achieves real range, again raising a programmer to cult status. The author provides detailed film critiques from major publications (Time, The New York Times, Variety, etc.), providing readers with a glimpse at what critics of those time periods said about Ryan. I was pleased to note upon reading critical reviews of Ryan's character in Marine Raiders that film critic Manny Farber of Nation magazine compared Ryan with Gary Cooper, though in all honesty, Ryan easily outclassed Cooper as an actor. Perhaps Farber was referring to Ryan's quiet magnetism.
Jarlett addresses the question of Ryan's status as the cinema's epitome of the "noir" protagonist, noting his contributions in such "noir" gems as The Racket, Act of Violence, The Woman on the Beach, Beware, My Lovely, Caught, On Dangerous Ground (John Houseman lauded his portrayal of a disillusioned cop as a "disturbing mixture of anger and sadness"). I cannot think of another actor who deserved a book devoted to his life and works besides Ryan. Kudos to Franklin Jarlett for giving us his gift.
Jarlett illuminates the off-screen actor's life, noting that the actor and his wife founded the Oakwood School in California, which stills remains viable today as a solid, academically oriented institution of higher learning.
Besides the fifty or so movie stills, Jarlett's book features interviews with those closest to Ryan, and a glowing preface by John Houseman, who worked closely with Ryan on various stage productions before they became a fad.

When I saw this book at a local book store, I was ecstatic. I had long hoped that someone would write a biography on Ryan, and wondered why this amazingly talented actor never was recognized for his range, versatility, and talent. The picture on the book's cover grabbed my attention immediately: it was none other than Ryan's psychopathic Montgomery from the film noir gem, Crossfire. Oh great!!! I thought; someone finally decided to take on the task of researching material for a book about Ryan.

After purchasing the book, I rushed home to read it, along the way quickly perusing the scores of stills the author included. I was in my glory, since Ryan was my favorite actor growing up. The book is a fully researched tome that seems to have gotten to the heart of the matter. Yes, the book depicts a man whose performances seemed to exemplify the "art" of film-making, rather than the glitz of fame. Herein one can find definitive examples of Ryan's "art". Read Jarlett's reviews of early Ryan gem performances to understand just how great he was: Act of Violence, The Woman On The Beach, Caught, Beware, My Lovely were just a few examples of film as art, and the author seems to understand the ethos that drove Ryan.

I marveled at the author's ability to write with the same sort of artistic merit that Ryan endorsed: the book contains reviews culled from scores of cinema retrospectives on Ryan's films, including Cahiers Du Cinema, Films in Review, and so on. Jarlett's sources of information were first-rate. Who can deny the opinion of John Houseman, whose preface lauds Jarlett's acumen in discerning Ryan's talents?

I agree with one amazon reviewer who noticed Ryan's subtle touches of brilliance in The Racket, a film which portrayed him as a ruthless racketeer who nevertheless garners a degree of pity. The scene where Ryan's Nick Scanlon jauntily munches on an apple while trading words with Robert Mitchum's stalwart cop was a sublime melding of actor and prop.

But The Racket is just one of countless films in which Ryan lent his talents to make good films better. I wondered why Ryan never went after the blockbuster roles that contemporaries landed. Jarlett clarifies this point: Ryan simply didn't care about them, instead searching for artistic expression. The book discusses the great Hollywood directors with whom he worked, in classics such as House of Bamboo, The Naked Spur, On Dangerous Ground, Lonelyhearts, Odds Against Tomorrow, Billy Budd, The Wild Bunch, and his last most trenchant portrait in The Iceman Cometh. Who else but Ryan could have been better as Eugene O'Neill's anarchist Larry Slade?

The book is a one-of-a-kind, definitive exposition of Ryan's life and films, and I applaud Jarlett's commitment to finally bring the actor's life to the forefront. My only regret is that Ryan was not alive to have placed his imprimatur on Jarlett's superb biography.

Having seen most of Ryan's films when I was a child, I was again drawn to seeing them after purchasing Franklin Jarlett's authorized biography. I saw the book at a local book store, attracted by the book cover featuring the familiar scowling features of Ryan from 1947's "Crossfire", which earned him an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor that year. Before purchasing the book, I perused the fifty or so stills from his films, and the detailed filmography, which convinced me that I had made a smart buy. I can happily report that the book is an inspired piece of writing: Jarlett's literary skills make one want to read more. He obviously has gotten to the quick of the man, drawing from scores of film critiques from Cahiers Du Cinema and other esteemed cinema circles.
I read Jarlett's book with fascination after many years of waiting for someone to write a book about Ryan, who was one of the most undervalued talents in Hollywood. I always found it curious that although Ryan came up through the ranks at RKO as one of its contract players from the forties, along with Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster and Robert Mitchum, he never garnered the stardom that they achieved, as least with mainstream audiences. Jarlett amply elucidated the reasons for this phenomenon: Ryan simply didn't care that much about fame; he would rather appear in a film for artistic merit instead of for box office success. I only needed to look at Ryan's films from the forties, which Jarlett reviews in detail, to see what an amazing list of films there were. He obviously spent long hours researching the book, which contains behind-the-scenes stories that Jarlett elicited from Ryan's close circle of friends (John Houseman, John Frankenheimer, Lamont Johnson, Robert Wallsten, Arvin Brown and Millard Lampell).
I noted one Amazon reviewer to remark that the author captured the actor's essence in such performances as the racketeer in The Racket. I was likewise mesmerized by Ryan's quirky interpretation of the psychopathic ex-G.I. in Crossfire. I especially liked Jarlett's analyses of Ryan's other unsung gems, such as in House of Bamboo when Ryan says to his friend after killing him, "Why did you tip the cops, Griff?", or Beware, My Lovely, Act of Violence, The Naked Spur, to name a few. Another interesting fact that Jarlett brought out was that Ryan was the "film noir" king, with fourteen trenchant portraits in that genre over the years. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to delve underneath the surface of Ryan's screen presence since in real life he was the opposite of what he portrayed on the screen.

This is a great book! Very easy to read and an interesting story. Roone is so creative and you really get to know him in his memoir. I enjoyed all of the behind the scene stories about Monday Night Football, Wide World of Sports, boxing and World News Tonight. He had to deal with a lot of difficult people -- mostly in the news division -- but he knew what he was doing and always succeeded. This is a success story. The greatest story is how he got started when he was a waiter in a restaurant. It's too bad that the kids working in the restaurants, fast food places and retail stores don't read this and apply themselves to their jobs because you just never know who might be your customer! Roone was always a pro and that's why when fate intervened, he succeeded. I highly recommend this enjoyable and well-written book!

Every once in a while there is a book that you hate to see come to an end. Roone: A Memoir is one of those books.
The reader races through his busy days right along with him. The reader gets the inside jokes and snickers at the absurdity of many situations that were common place.
He does not allow you into his private life. He mentions the break up of his first marriage and casually introduces his second wife. So casually, that I missed it and had to go back and find the reference.
The stories about current TV personalities and those who have passed are captivating. His experiences during the Munich Olympics brought back memories of that horrific nightmare.
This is a book that will definitely be a gift to the sports minded people on my list this Christmas.

Every once in awhile you find someone who loves their work. They don't mind putting in 18 hours a day on the job, because it's their life and it's what brings them happiness. Such was the case with Roone Arledge. Roone not only brought happiness to his own life but he brought a lot of happiness to viewers too.
His recent death probably wasn't all that surprising because he had come to the end of a very long and productive career. The end of the career in many ways was the end of his life.

His work in building ABC Sports and News will live on for decades. Millions of people tune in every night to watch Peter Jennings' newscasts or to watch Monday Night Football or Nightline. All of it can be traced back to Arledge's innovation and this book details how it all happened.

What I liked best about his book is that he was able to delve into the personal curiosities of many television personalities but he does it without rancor. For example, Howard Cosell and Frank Reynolds were probably not the easiest people in the world to have working for you. This book delves into those challenges but still does it in a positive way and you come away with respect for everyone in the book.

It's a great read and also a great resource regarding the history of television.

This was a fascinating look at the life and times of one of the most innovative minds in television history. This man originated a lot of the things that modern viewers take for granted. There was also some great background on a lot of the network stars, past and present, that made the book even more interesting. It is very enlightening to look inside some of the ridiculous egos that dominate the profession. If Arledge had been alive to promote the book it would have been a bestseller, no question.
This book was a terrific, highly entertaining read because the reader gets the inside scoop on so many stars and how so many concepts, like instant replay, were invented. Definitely worth the time-highly recommended!

Roone Arledge wastes no time sharing the fun of producing sports, first at NBC and then to ABC. He proudly tells how he helped land groundbreaking contracts for NCAA football and then several Olympic games. It's a fun ride that gets faster as he takes on ABC News, known to the competition as "Almost Broadcasting Co."

The book is all about personalities: the executives, the on-air talent, the producers and directors -- Arledge seems to relish in the trials and triumphs of his dealings. Also, Arledge always mentions which restaurants in which negotiations occurred -- the food and the atmosphere rank as importantly as the people. His final scene in the book, a reunion of ABC teammates, is painted with details of a popular New York eatery.

As Arledge tells it, the process of people management and kicking the competition while doing it is the real fun. And when you get to hang out with Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer and even Sam Donaldson, it's always going to be interesting.

The book's second half takes a darker tone as bean-counting executives from Capital Cities buy ABC in the 1980s. The high-rolling days at ABC and other nets came to a close as leveraged buyouts gave investors the chance to own chunks of the Fifth Estate, and the heritage of ABC's Leonard Goldenson and CBS's Bill Paley quickly faded. It wasn't about broadcasting anymore, it was just about money. Having worked in local television during this time, I found much of Arledge's account to be familiar with my own career experiences.

Arledge doesn't spend much time describing the mood after Disney bought ABC in the mid 1990s, but it's clear that Disney was an immediate improvement over the CapCities reign.

Of course, Arledge fought cancer and other ailments late in life, and he died in late 2002 before the book hit shelves. For me, the book lacked much substance about his personal life, his faith or outside interests or accomplishments. True, his work impacted important stories involving U.S. and USSR relations, race relations in South Africa and other milestones. But, if his life was consumed by the TV biz, to the exclusion of family, other causes and loves, this story reads a bit like a tragedy. Broadcasting is a very exciting but always changing product; Arledge's lifelong accomplishments are fading daily into the new visions of management at ABC.

To my abject shame, I confess that prior to reading this biography, I knew Ponselle only vaguely as a "name" from the Golden Age. (Since reading the book, I've acquired dozens of her recordings and viewed her screen test!) What great fun this book is! And what a life to chronicle. Miss Ponselle is shown to be a complex, fabulous, contradictory, and sometimes infuriating human being, a woman of enormous stamina and determination. Her struggles would seem trite and unbelievable in one of those Hollywood faux-bio movies once so popular, yet she did struggle and triumph in the best screen tradition. Without resorting to any phony sensationalism, the author skillfully kept me poised on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what was going to happen next. This may have been partly because I was unfamiliar with Ponselle's career, but I think it would be true for all readers. A rich and totally fulfilling book.

Biographies of the great opera singers are not plentiful. The truly good, well-written biographies are even more scarce. The biography of Rosa Ponselle by James Drake belongs in that handful of well-written and well-reseached biograhies that are not only readbale but are difficult to put down (to sleep). This is not a reprint of the earlier book written by Ponselle with Drake but is an entirely new volume drawing on interviews and documents that were either unavailable or suppressed by Ponselle in "A Singer's Life". Drake constructs his narrative judiciously and fairly giving us a complete (or, rather, as complete as possible) picture of one of the greatest sopranos of this century. In addition, it also provides fascinating glimpses of some of her colleagues such as Caruso (with whom she made her Met debut in 1918) and Martinelli as well as the rigors of making records during that era and the everyday workings of the Met. This is a fascinating volume that belongs in every opera lover's library. My only quibble is that Amadeus didn't include a CD with the book (as does Baskerville Publishers). No, not of Ponselle's recordings. Those who buy this book will find her complete recordings readily available on Romophone in superb sound. Rather, it would have been nice to have been able to listen to some of the interviews used throughout the book rather than just read them. Having met Ponselle, it was a delight talking to her and that comes through on the recorded interviews. Despite this small quibble, I can't recommend this book strongly enough. But, be forewarned, it's as hard to put down as a good Agatha Christie!

James Drake's previous biography of Rosa Ponselle (styled an "autobiography," but in fact written entirely by Drake), was an excellent book and, until this new offering, served as the only biogrqaphy of an artist many consider the greatest opera singer America has produced, and one of the greatest, of any nationality, of all time. Prof. Drake's new book on Ponselle is not merely a rehashing of his earlier effort, but in fact entirely supersedes it. Unorthodox in organization, it gives us a complete picture of Rosa Ponselle, both as artist and woman. Prof. Drake has given us one of the finest biographies of an opera singer ever written.

Each chapter in the book is divided into four sections. First, there is an introductory overview, by Drake, of the period of Ponselle's life covered in that chapter. Next comes "The Interview," which is a transcript of interviews Ponselle gave to various persons (including the author) in the later years of her life, again dealing with the period of her life covered by the chapter. Here, Ponselle herself speaks. Then follows an account by some other person closely associated with Ponselle, dealing with the same events - her manager, Libbie Miller; her secretary and longtime companion, Edith Prilik Sania; her husband, Carle Jackson; and a close friend, Lena Tambourini. Finally, there is "The Written Record," which looks at what was actually written about Ponselle at the time of the events in question - reviews, articles, interviews, etc.

The overall effect of this sequence is to give a full, well-rounded and sometimes conflicting account of Ponselle's life. Not infrequently, Ponselle's own spoken recollections will be contradicted either by the recollections of others or by the written record. Perhaps the most important contribution of this book is to scrutinize - and in part, explode - the "Cinderella" myth surrounding Ponselle's "discovery" by Caruso and her subsequent engagement by the Met. Edith Prilik Sania's account gives a fascinatingly different perspective on these events. (She was there when they happened.) Another example of a fresh and varied perspective is the account of Ponselle's relationship with her manager early in her operatic career, William Thorner. Ponselle always maintained that Thorner never gave her any voice lessons ("I wouldn't have let him touch my voice!"), contrary to his own claims, and she downplayed Thorner's role in her engagement by the Met. Ponselle's recollections were no doubt colored by her personal antipathy to Thorner. (She later sued him, and one gets the impression that she never forgave him for steering her to Columbia records, rather than to Victor, where she would have been able to record with Caruso). What the written record and Edith Prilik's recollections show, is that Thorner may in fact have given Ponselle some voice lessons (he was a well-known vocal instructor at the time), and he had a lot more to do with Ponselle's "discovery" than she later let on.

Perhaps the major difference between Prof. Drake's old book and the new one, is the extent to which this new book gives us an unblinking look at Ponselle's personal defects, only hinted at in the "autobiography." Ponselle was apparently a very high-strung, almost neurotic individual. She could be petty, mean, greedy, and very difficult to live with. (Admittedly, not uncommon caracter traits among opera singers generally.) She also had many positive qualities, including loyalty to her family (she supported most of them), and she obviously inspired considerable devotion in her friends.

What there is no dispute about by anyone in this book is Ponselle's greatness as a singer. Her magnificent voice, unique in its dark, voluptuous timbre, apparently conquered all who heard it, and her recordings, technically primitive though they are (and which Ponselle herself disliked), are her passport to operatic immortality. Prof. Drake's excellent new book gives us a good look at the life and career behind the indescribably beautiful sounds one hears from a Ponselle recording. "Rosa Ponselle: A Centenary Biography" is fully worthy of its glorious subject.

If Flaubert was in love with Emma Bovary, surely James Drake must be in love with Rosa Ponselle. He has made her live for us, just as Flaubert made Emma flesh and blood. For me, opera singers are made of glass; they shine, and they may even seem transparent, but rarely do they seem human. Through the clear, admiring eyes of James Drake, Rosa could be our next-door neighbor. The dignity of Drake's writing, his clear love and respect for his subject makes her life shimmer like crystal. This book one of the best of the summer

James Drake's previous biography of Rosa Ponselle (styled an "autobiography," but in fact written entirely by Drake), was an excellent book and, until this new offering, served as the only biogrqaphy of an artist many consider the greatest opera singer America has produced, and one of the greatest, of any nationality, of all time. Prof. Drake's new book on Ponselle is not merely a rehashing of his earlier effort, but in fact entirely supersedes it. Unorthodox in organization, it gives us a complete picture of Rosa Ponselle, both as artist and woman. Prof. Drake has given us one of the finest biographies of an opera singer ever written.

Each chapter in the book is divided into four sections. First, there is an introductory overview, by Drake, of the period of Ponselle's life covered in that chapter. Next comes "The Interview," which is a transcript of interviews Ponselle gave to various persons (including the author) in the later years of her life, again dealing with the period of her life covered by the chapter. Here, Ponselle herself speaks. Then follows an account by some other person closely associated with Ponselle, dealing with the same events - her manager, Libbie Miller; her secretary and longtime companion, Edith Prilik Sania; her husband, Carle Jackson; and a close friend, Lena Tambourini. Finally, there is "The Written Record," which looks at what was actually written about Ponselle at the time of the events in question - reviews, articles, interviews, etc.

The overall effect of this sequence is to give a full, well-rounded and sometimes conflicting account of Ponselle's life. Not infrequently, Ponselle's own spoken recollections will be contradicted either by the recollections of others or by the written record. Perhaps the most important contribution of this book is to scrutinize - and in part, explode - the "Cinderella" myth surrounding Ponselle's "discovery" by Caruso and her subsequent engagement by the Met. Edith Prilik Sania's account gives a fascinatingly different perspective on these events. (She was there when they happened.) Another example of a fresh and varied perspective is the account of Ponselle's relationship with her manager early in her operatic career, William Thorner. Ponselle always maintained that Thorner never gave her any voice lessons ("I wouldn't have let him touch my voice!"), contrary to his own claims, and she downplayed Thorner's role in her engagement by the Met. Ponselle's recollections were no doubt colored by her personal antipathy to Thorner. (She later sued him, and one gets the impression that she never forgave him for steering her to Columbia records, rather than to Victor, where she would have been able to record with Caruso). What the written record and Edith Prilik's recollections show, is that Thorner may in fact have given Ponselle some voice lessons (he was a well-known vocal instructor at the time), and he had a lot more to do with Ponselle's "discovery" than she later let on.

Perhaps the major difference between Prof. Drake's old book and the new one, is the extent to which this new book gives us an unblinking look at Ponselle's personal defects, only hinted at in the "autobiography." Ponselle was apparently a very high-strung, almost neurotic individual. She could be petty, mean, greedy, and very difficult to live with. (Admittedly, not uncommon caracter traits among opera singers generally.) She also had many positive qualities, including loyalty to her family (she supported most of them), and she obviously inspired considerable devotion in her friends.

What there is no dispute about by anyone in this book is Ponselle's greatness as a singer. Her magnificent voice, unique in its dark, voluptuous timbre, apparently conquered all who heard it, and her recordings, technically primitive though they are (and which Ponselle herself disliked), are her passport to operatic immortality. Prof. Drake's excellent new book gives us a good look at the life and career behind the indescribably beautiful sounds one hears from a Ponselle recording. "Rosa Ponselle: A Centenary Biography" is fully worthy of its glorious subject.

If your career aspirations lie in the show biz world, don't forget to consult actor/producer/casting director Steve Stevens Sr.'s So You Want To Be In Show Business: A Hollywood Agent Shares The Secrets Of Getting Ahead Without Getting Ripped Off. Stevens also has a background representing struggling actors: his 50+ years experience in the acting trenches lends to an eye-opening industry reference crucial to learning about casting, agents, and more.

I picked this great guide up last week, finished it in a day, and am totally changing the way I approach this business! There are so many little things that the authors recommend doing that I would never have thought of--I am much more confident, because now I feel like I am fully prepared when I go into auditions... Thank you!

This is my first review of anything, but I felt like I needed to give this book a plug--even though it comes from a small, independant press, this book should be in every acting/directing/theater class in the nation. Cady and Stevenson take you through the inner workings of the agent business, the right/wrong approaches to auditions, the way to work in Hollywood while keeping your sanity, all while maintaining an easy tone that gives one the confidence to take a chance and try to be a star! Great work, and a bargain for those of us who thought they knew the business.

This is an absolute must-have for all actors! After being an actress for over 20 years, I have spent countless hours reading books on the business of acting. "So you want to be in Show Business," is the most complete book I have ever read on the subject. Steve Stevens Sr. masterfully blends humor along with the no-nonsense truth about this crazy business. All while giving encouragement and sharing his passion. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Highly informative and very entertaining... anyone thinking about embarking on an actor's life should read this book! Loved it!

This book is fantastic. Connie has managed to put into words what most people just think. It is great to read a book with such witty humor and deep insight. Bravo Connie, my hat is off to you.

I give Connie Cronley 5 glittering stars for this enchanting book of essays about all the things we experience but are often too busy to stop and observe. She has recorded most of these essays (first heard on Public Radio) and what a recording it is. Listening to it over and over is like visiting with a good friend.

I don't usually read non-fiction to escape and feel good, but Ms. Cronley's collection of essays gifted me with a wonderful afternoon of humor and insightful commentary. I adore this collection! Order this book, curl up with your cat and your favorite glass of wine (or two), and prepare to have a wonderful time.

This book may make you see things differently. You may see cats differently, or flower gardening, or bright moonlight nights, or crisp spring days. Ms. Cronley's gift for imagery makes this an enjoyable reading experience. Her wit is a bonus. I experienced many giggles and a few really good laughs while reading it. I couldn't decide whether to buy the book or the audio cassette, so I bought both, and I'm glad I did. I enjoy the book at home and the cassette in my car.

Connie Cronley's "Sometimes a Wheel Falls Off" is a collection of wry observations and smothered giggles. Each piece, originally drafted for NPR, has a deft and gentle humor reminiscent of the Talk of the Town brief assays from the New Yorker. Ms. Cronley describes the small universe of her home and cats, her cosy neighborhood, and the larger world she visits when she travels. But some essays are more worldly than these perfectly crafted intimate essays. She provides wise and thoughtful analysis of well known authors and their work. The best part of this collection is the voice of a friend, admiting fraility and finding gentle humor in the vagaries of her life. It's a thinking person's inspiration. I bought twelve copies as Christmas gifts and I realize that I need few more.

It was the most intriguing and interesting book, I felt like I was right there at the circus.The stories were so informative and at times very funny. It was hard to put this book down.

This book is a veritable delight! It is all at once humorous, credible and compelling. The authors' use of language creates a visual mind picture that is like an outing with a friend. An easy , interesting look at the thought processes that we can all relate to at one point in life or another. Definitely 5 stars!!!

This book is the genuine experience! The author has an incredible knack for triggering each of the senses as she describes with vivid, page-turning detail the life she actually lived and observed first-hand in the circus. Anyone who remembers attending a classic, tented circus as a youngster will find most compelling her ability to virtually bring you back there again, but this time with the privilege of an extended personal tour that completely bypasses the ticket office. With the close of its last page, you'll feel that you, too, have actually lived the experience, and that you personally know each of the personalities who formed its fabric.

As thoroughly dazzling as this book is, it is NOT fiction, making all the more engaging the author's candid illustration of every facet of circus life. Surprisingly, the author also has a great deal to say about the far broader world at large within which the circus existed, told with a perceptive and poignant honesty and frankness, but also with an acquiescent reverence and humor that's accepting of the persuasions of that era. These observations were as engaging as those of the circus -- like watching vintage film footage of a 1930's baseball game but being just as intrigued by the look and dress of the audience in its stands.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to truly visit, or re-visit, the bona fide circus of yester-year. The author realistically tells of a time and place that you'll want to step back into and hang around in long after you've finished reading it...and as authentically as this author captures it, you'll feel that you easily can.

C. B.

"Spangles, Elephants, Violets and Me" by Victoria Cristiani Rossi her intelligent memoir is the best circus book since "I Love You Honey But the Seasons Over." Victoria Cristiani Rossi born into the Famous Cristiani Riding Family while her family was touring with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. From Ringling a very young Vickie moved with her family to another huge railroad show under the Big Top - Cole Bros. Circus. The Cristiani Family occupied an entire railroad car that was specially built for the family. Victoria takes us not only behind the Big Top but her days attending privates schools away from the circus. Our author spends her late teens on the Cristiani Circus Family Circus. She writes about 1958 tour from Sarasota to L.A. via Chicago and her near fatal Hollywood accident that landed her in the L.A. hospital and romancing her future husband Ben a featured cowboy roper and rider on her families circus. Ben within a short time also had a circus accident and was omitted to the same hospital. The (Ozzie & Harriett) Nelson Brothers Rick and David were regular hospital visitors. This is all great reading that once you pick "Spangles, Elephants, Violets and Me" up you won't put down until completion. This book is about real circus and elephants by someone that actually lived the story...Victoria's book is a significant circus memoir. The book is correspondingly an account of her own search for the "violets" in her life.

I found out about this new circus book on Buckles Blog which is a fantastic information source on the circus.
So I ordered this fantastic book and it was so good I could not put it down until I finished it.
It is about the famous Cristiani circus family who were on many famous circuses and who had at one time the largest tented circus that traveled the United States.
They flipped backwards from horse to horse with four horses going around a circus ring. This feat has not been repeated as they were the best ever.
The author who is a daughter of the famous group takes us step by step up their success ladder.
She was there and was part of this famous circus group and she tells us all about it.
There is a great section of photos that covers the Cristiani's career.
If you are a circus enthusiast like I am, this is a must.
You will really enjoy this great book.
Harry Kingston
Circus Fans of America

The first maybe six or seven chapters of this book were really tedious for me as they really didn't seem to delve into the life of Mr. Perry as much as they explored the "times" of Mr. Perry. It wasn't until around chapter 8 or so that I was able to enjoy the book as it went into more detail about Mr. Perry's life in and out of show-biz. Mr. Perry was a character, to say the least. Flamboyant with his riches and fame, but seemingly not so smart about his future. I just don't understand why some don't see just how much of a contribution Mr. Perry made to the world of Black cinema. Yes, he perfected the character of a slow-footed, shuffling, mealy mouth, but had he not made those enroads in film, would there be the Poitiers and Washingtons of today? I wish that there was some way to actually view In Old Kentucky and Hearts in Dixie so I can actually see the character Mr. Perry created and watch as his talents were displayed. Given the times that Mr. Perry and others of his generation had to work within, I'd say that he did what he had to do. Watkins does a fine job of providing us with a fact-based and well-documented glimpse into the life and times of Mr. Perry.

This book was well researched, and provides an entertaining and enlightening insight into an era that could not exist since the civil rights movement of the 60's. It speaks to social justice and inclusion, bias and the ability to transcend existing norms to earn a living at a time when, for black America, second class citizenship and economic hardship were the norm. Mr. Watkins is the professor and we are his students.

A Fascinating Character"

I'd heard the term "Stepin Fetchit," but I didn't know that there was a real person (Lincoln Perry) or movie star who used the name. So when a friend suggested I read this book I was leery. But after a few pages I was caught up in the times and in Perry's struggle to break into films and establish himself as a star. What surprised me most is that he was apparently an intelligent, gifted performer who was nothing like our picture of the "Uncle Tom" that the name is associated with. Who knew that Perry wrote for the Chicago Defender, fought for higher pay and better roles for black actors, hung out with the heavyweight champ Jack Johnson as well as Muhammad Ali, and, for years, lived such a lavish life in Hollywood. Watkins gives us a rich, detailed account of this complex, talented black comic actor. And when one reads about the racial restrictions and circumstances of black actors in the 1920s and 30s, the reasons for his being cast in the cartoonish movie roles he played become clear. He was a man before his time. I finished the book thinking that Perry, with his ambition and outrageous knack for publicity and self-promotion, could have been a star today. It seems that Perry had more flair and attitude than many of today's biggest stars.
This is an entertaining, eye-opening book - a great read. I recommend it for anyone interested in entertainment history or the bumpy road that black actors had to travel to become accepted in Hollywood, and for everyone who wants to be introduced to one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read about. Lincoln Perry's achievements need to be reevaluated and "Stepin Fetchit" definitely deserves * * * * * Five Stars.

Lincoln Perry, the man the world came to know as Stepin Fetchit, was a complex man. After reading this book, I realize I have childhood memories of seeing Fetchit in films on television. I also remember some of his imitators. Mel Watkins brought to mind cartoons like "Who Killed Cock Robin?" where a Stepin Fetchit type character was being beaten by the police. I asked my sister to quote our deceased mother using the title of this book. She said, "Stop acting like Stepin Fetchit." That made us laugh. But I also remember being taught by my elders who were the great grandchildren of ex-slaves, the subtle form of "playing dumb" to avoid being oppressed by the oppressor. Unfortunately, when "the oppressor" saw Stepin Fetchit movies, he didn't get the joke because it was at his expense. Therefore, forward thinking black people had to cringe watching some of movies movies in mixed company because they knew that this comedians "act" was being accepted as typical black man behavior. Mel Watkins did a fantastic job of explaining Lincoln Perry and the time in which he lived.

Chances are you don't know who Lincoln Perry is, and chances are you do know who Stepin Fetchit is, even though you may never have seen any of Fetchit's movies. Fetchit was Perry's stage persona, famous for playing the "shiftless darky," the slow-talking, drowsy shuffler that was the comic bane of his white masters. Perry was as full of contradictions as the character he portrayed, and both get a full biography in _Stepin Fetchit: The Life & Times of Lincoln Perry_ (Pantheon) by Mel Watkins. Watkins has previously written a history of African American comedy, and so is well acquainted with Fetchit, his fellow performers, and the social changes of the twentieth century that led to the changes in feeling about Fetchit's screen character. This biography is not just about the man and character, but about a particular aspect of twentieth century American race relations.

Perry was born in 1902 in Key West, Florida, and followed his father into performing, working tent shows, carnivals, and eventually vaudeville. Movies were not a career that black performers considered at the time, because if depicted, blacks were played by whites in blackface. Perry may have taken a job as a porter at MGM, and in 1927 he acted in _In Old Kentucky_, his first film appearance, one which got him some critical notice. Perry did not invent Fetchit's "torpid physical presence and halting, meandering speech," but he performed the role with meticulous attention and timing. When onstage before an audience, a key part of his act (it sounds like the sort of transformation for which Andy Kaufman was famous) was to come meandering out, looking lost and confused, and start a whining, incoherent monologue. He would then suddenly burst into a spirited dance that showed that the sloth and stupidity were nothing but pretense. Watkins makes the point that on the screen, there was no such transformation; Perry's sluggard, always performed with skillful languor, was the only role he got to play. He became the first true black movie star, and one of the first to have a studio contract. Like so many actors of his time, he spent lavishly and foolishly. Throughout his movie career, he would irritate studio executives so much that he would get fired from a movie or from his contract, whereupon he would go back to the road for work on the stage. He was criticized by the civil rights movement in the 1940s, and was unemployable because of it, although he could have made a comeback in drama in the sixties. He died in a home for Hollywood actors in 1985.

Watkins has provided a full picture of a complex man of real talent who used it in a timely way, a way that simply became unfashionable as times changed. Perry's aggressive demands to be treated (and paid) like white stars branded him a troublemaker. His fame opened doors for other black actors in less controversial roles, but his name stands for a now-regrettable image. This entertaining biography shows that there was more to him than the image.

This audio book surpassed my expectations! The life of Ed Feldman was wildly entertaining and Christian Hoff does an incredible job. I feel such an appreciation for the hard work of a producer and value each movie I watch that much more. I would like to thank Ed Feldman for allowing us to step into his life and enjoy his stories of some of our favorite actors. I couldn't of thought of anyone better to narrate than the brilliant Christian Hoff. How does he do that!John Wayne was my favorite.
I recommend this beautifully written story of Ed Feldman's life to everyone.

Ed Feldman has been a distinguished producer for many years. He spent several years in advertising, and various aspects of the motion picture industry on his way up, met many of the "greats". He tells his story in a lively and convincing manner. His "7 rules" extend beyond producing and can apply to many aspects of life. I particularly enjoyed his discussion of his meeting and marrying the girl next door.

I just finished, Tell Me How You Loved the Picture and really liked it. Feldman worked his way up the Hollywood ladder from pr guy to producer and has very funny experiences along the way. The book covers Feldman's Hollywood covers antecdotes from Liz Taylor to Jim Carrey filming The Truman Show. I've never read a better book for understanding what a producer actually does. I highly recommend Tell Me How You Love the Picture.

I've heard the book twice now. I obtained the CD set initially looking to hear Christian Hoff's Guinness world-record 241 voices, which are amazing, but I was treated to a wonderful story by publicist/producer Ed Feldman, with collaborators Tom Barton and Jimmy Merrill, as well.

The audiobook took me through the last half-century, concentrating as much on Bette Davis, John Wayne, Cary Grant and Barbra Streisand as on Harrison Ford, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, and Glenn Close--with wonderful backstories about Murphy in "The Golden Child" and Close in "101 Dalmations."

The stories were thrilling, so much so that I sat in my parked car not wanting to interrupt the wonderful story-telling of the antics on the set of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" or the casting challenge of Barbara Streisand in "Funny Girl." Christian Hoff brings Bette Davis and Joan Crawford back to life, and does a magnificent Streisand inflection.

And I also finally learned exactly what a producer does, as Ed (Christian) takes us through his own wonderful experience of producing Harrison Ford's and Kelly McGillis's "Witness", from having no major studio interest to 8 Academy Award nominations, including one for Ed himself.

I also finally learned what a "producer" actually does. Basically, he "fixes" problems and is the general manager of the film. One thing a producer doesn't do, though, is put his/her own money into a production! Funny, all these years, I've thought the producer was putting his/her monies at risk along with mine!!

But the best part of "Tell Me How You Love the Picture" is personal, describing how Ed met and married Lorraine, literally the girl next door in the Bronx as Ed was growing up, and how they've now been together for 53 years.

Great job, Ed, Tom and Jimmy. And absolutely marvelous story-telling and voice creation, Christian. These stories are a great and wonderful education in the movie industry over the past 50 years. Worth every penny.

Ed Feldman's "Tell Me How You Love the Picture: A Hollywood Life," written in collaboration with Tom Barton, is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes account of a Hollywood movie producer. Feldman, who started out in the movie business as a publicist for 20th Century Fox and worked his way up the ladder to produce big time, blockbuster hits, recounts in his book the tricky path that a movie producer frequently must walk between investors, studio executives, directors, actors and sometimes even puppy advocates in order to get his picture in the neighborhood cinemaplex. Readers, especially Hollywood movie fans, will enjoy the many humorous stories and delightful reminiscences about big named actors such as Elizabeth Taylor, Glenn Close, Jim Carrey, Harrison Ford and Eddie Murphy.