Arts and Entertainment Books

This book is really useful, as it provides an easy reference to Harrison Ford's films and allows the reader to find the ones that are worth watching.

Besides the blurbs of reviews and general information on the movies, however, this book is made really interesting (and at times really funny too) because of the stories about the production experience for each of the movies that it includes as well. Seriously, it is hard to imagine, when viewing the finished products, the disasterous, strange, and hysterical events that occurred during the making of some of the films.

So, if you are a fan of Harrison Ford or are just a big movie fan who is especially interested in behind-the-scenes type information, this book is highly recommended. If you don't care for either of the above things, why are you looking here anyhow?

This was one of THE best HF books I have read! (It's one of the ONLY ones!) Even if you hate HF you would like this book! It has many off-screen photos. It has SO many pictures! The only thing I can say is, READ IT!!!!!!

This is just a great book on the films of Marilyn Monroe, without question, the most admired and sought after screen goddess and icon of the 20th Century. Mr. Buskin gives the reader a very good overview of all of Monroe's films - basically from her modeling years to the very first and most significant films in her tragically short career. The author has also provided on virtually every new chapter page an introduction to the year and movie with screen tests shots of the actress. The narratives and backgrounds, coupled with some never before seen "fabulous" photos of Monroe in the films which she played make this book a true "gotta-havit" in any Monroe afficionados' library.

Many attractive photos of Marilyn Monroe! A wonderful book that explains all her films! I keep it on my coffee table to remind me of her & ALL her beauty!

As a previous student of Professor Don Kunz, and simply a big fan of acclaimed films and filmmakers, I can say that this book is an accurate portrayal of the artistic ability of Oliver Stone.

Professor Kunz, from his teachings in my Absurdist Humor course, is extremely knowledgable of film and shows his understanding of the topics quite well. He shows skill in analyzing films beyond their face value, and does the same for the works of Oliver Stone.

If you look to learn about Oliver Stone beyond simple biographical information, this book is a good pickup.

Oliver Stone is my favorite filmmaker, the man's a genius! All his films are powerful works that leave you impacted and thinking. "JFK" is a masterpiece of modern cinema, a study of power. "Natural Born Killers" is also a great, great film that studies today's culture. Of all the filmmakers, Oliver Stone remains the best, the smartest, most creative and important filmmaker of our time.

This is an indespensible addition to the Hollywood Blacklist Canon. The author reevaluates Jack Lawson's plays, screenwriting, and political development, as well as documenting the conflicts of the Hollywood Left of the thirties and forties. The depth of research of this book is impressive, with Lawson's extensive self-analysis layered throughout the text. The author also mines such primary sources as FBI files and the then Red Baiting "Hollywood Reporter" for additional insight. A scholarly yet very readable book, this is a must for anyone interested in radical American politics of the period, Hollywood, and the Blacklist.

For many of us with an interest in the Hollywood blacklist period, John Howard Lawson appears as something of a negative symbol. Variously characterized as a Stalinist hardliner, a cultural commissar, and a hack writer, he frequently comes across as the least sympathetic of the purge victims. The image is usually that of a one dimensional minion of the party line, without either imagination or compassion. Horne's strongly focused biography attempts to get beyond the cliches to the details of the man's work as both writer and activist. The result is a much more complex portrait than what the public image conveys. But perhaps more importantly, Lawson's career also charts the rise and fall of the Communist Party in Southern California and the wrenching struggle to organize screenwriters within the industry that employed him. Thus, the book follows not only Lawson's career but those larger events that he strove so mightily to influence. Horne's meticulously researched book is indispensible for anyone interested in those topics.

Several miscellaneous comments. What we learn of Lawson the man comes mainly from his professional life and little from the personal side. I wish there were more anecdotes about the personal side that might reveal more about the man than what the writer-activist reveals, which frankly tends to confirm the cultural-commissar accusations. Also, the text could use better editing, as, for example, the numerous points at which Lawson is said to have "committed" to the party. For me, that got confusing. As to the often leveled charge that Hollywood reds smuggled propaganda lines into their movies-- that claim is thoroughly debunked by both Lawson and Horne, showing how many layers of supervision scripts had to pass through before reaching the screen. Lastly, the book is very revealing about the way in which the blacklist was used to strengthen the role of producers at the expense of writers, which, I believe, amounts to a lesser known aspect of the period.

Whatever one thinks of Lawson's politics, it's apparent that he remained a steadfast champion of social equality and economic justice throughout his life. Moreover, he participated at the center of one of America's most tumultuous and treacherous periods, with literary and film-maker contacts far and wide. In fact, it may not be possible to understand the trajectory of modern American film-making without the kind of insight into that crucial post-war period that Horne provides. Thanks to the author, the public now has an opportunity to better assess both the the Dean of the Hollywood Ten and his times. For, as the book shows, the two are inseparable in many ways-- ways that are still with us, as the anti-Moslem hysteria and repressive Patriot Act abundantly illustrate.

This book is quite an interesting read. The publisher has produced it handsomely in a hard back version, which is the one I have, but it is also available in a soft back version. The author is an established expert on silent movie stars, and in this book, he has compiled fascinating biographical profiles about the captivating lives and groundbreaking accomplishments of fourteen men who dared to gamble their reputations by appearing in the first motion pictures.

According to the back cover, these men found work in early motion pictures "at a time when other actors in the legitimate theater scorned the industry. These amazing men not only defied the odds of success, but also received a place at the heights of a fascinating business that was a new form of art. Each made an enduring and important contribution to early cinema, although some are forgotten today."

I greatly admired the exhaustive research the author made in order to create this compilation of information and images. The book includes 114 rare scene photos, portraits, reproductions of full-page film advertisements, and lobby cards, all of which are very eye-catching to a film aficionado.

The book includes profiles of actors that are still visible in films today, as well as others that are not so visible because the majority of their films have been lost. The author styled each chapter to follow the birth to death life span and career of each man, but also hones in on one important film that seemed to have captured the essence of the actor's appeal. That particular film is dissected in great detail.

Actors include: John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Richard Barthelmess, John Bunny, Francis X. Bushman, Lon Chaney, Jackie Coogan, William S. Hart, Tom Mix, Antonio Moreno, Jack Pickford, Wallace Reid, Rudolph Valentino, and Crane Wilbur.

I particularly enjoyed this book because many of these actors never had a full biography written about them. Of great interest to me were the revealing chapters about Jack Pickford, Wallace Reid, and Richard Barthelmess, all enormously popular stars who have never before been profiled in depth.

I would venture to say that any silent film enthusiast will find this book worthwhile, and I highly recommend it.

This book is richly researched and highly entertaining. The author and publisher have profiled the lives and work of certain stars who gambled their careers on making early films in a day when such efforts were scorned by those working in the legitimate theater. Of particular interest are the chapters on fascinating men who have largely had their work lost due to the neglect of the very studios who made the films: Wallace Reid, Francis X. Bushman, John Bunny, and Crane Wilbur. I was particularly touched by the true stories of Lon Chaney, Sr., Rudolph Valentino, William S. Hart, and Jack Pickford. Each actor that is profiled in this book earned a place in the hearts of audiences, and because so much of their work is largely lost, it is most interesting and gratifying that the author has chosen to show what made them so appealing. The book is overfilled with many excerpts from rare reviews of their films, fascinating photographs, and enough advertisements to make any ardent collector envious. Each chapter reveals the men as human beings first, and then delves deeply into one signature role that shows the true essence of their appeal. For any admirer of silent movies, this book is a treasure.

Suffice it to say that there are few individuals who have ever heard of Florence Mills, and that includes some resolute jazz enthusiasts. But through much persistence Bill Egan has changed that and has illuminated our awareness of this entertainment legend. Irish-born Egan, while doing research on jazz great Duke Ellington, came across Florence Mills' name, the woman who inspired Duke's recording of 'Black Beauty'; his tribute to Florence, a fellow Washingtonian.

She was born Florence Winfrey on January 25, 1896 in a middle class section of Washington, D.C., but hard times forced the family to move to a less desirable section of the city known as Goat Alley. Florence began her exodus from the Alley at the tender age of three and by the time she was seven, she was supplementing the family's income by performing in the bordellos where her mother did laundry. Florence and her two sisters traveled the globe displaying their talents and gaining prominence in a world dominated by people who were different, by race and by gender. They did the chitterling circuit long before it was given the name.

Florence opened the door for generations of female stars as she was able to break through white barriers. She performed before crowned dignitaries in Europe and earned the title 'darling of the diplomats', was listed in the New York Times as a dignitary herself, and helped to redefine the entertainment world. Florence's untimely death in 1927 created an unexpected outpouring of grief. Although she was never recorded, and for the most part was nearly forgotten decades later, she is an icon in show business. To understand the history of the industry, from Bert Williams to popular culture, you need to understand how Florence Mills changed the rules.

HARLEM JAZZ QUEEN explores the association between Florence and the early beginnings of jazz and ragtime, her keen intelligence and strong social conscience, and her phenomenal success as the first black international female superstar. It also documents her association with classical music with noted composers William Grant Still and Constant Lambert. This is a history that was too long coming, but one that will captivate and enlighten readers.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Contributing to Scarecrow's 'Studies in Jazz' series comes Bill Egan's Florence Mills: Harlem Jazz Queen, a unique biography of the African American entertainer of the 1920s from childhood to her death at age 31. Mills' achievements opened the doors for generations of black female stars from Lena Horne to modern times, and chapters recount how Mills was able to break through the white barriers to become a star in her own right. She even became famous enough to be listed in a New York Times list of dignitaries sailing aboard a vessel, and helped redefine the world of entertainment as a whole, which was formerly divided between 'black' and 'white' entertainment.

This book is wonderful! It's a thoroughly researched and thoughtful biography of an actor most known today from his earliest frenetic work at Keystone, whose reputation has become somewhat tarnished primarily through the self-serving reminiscences of Fred Balshofer 60+ years after the fact. Ms. White does a wonderful job correcting the record, demonstrating time and again the high regard in which Sterling was held by his peers in the trade, his other contributions to the arts (a respected and awarded photographer - who knew?), and his body of work as a character actor throughout the '20s and into the '30s, almost uniformly well-reviewed at the time, but regretably now in large measure unavailable for reeavaluation.

And the guy was a workhorse, with over 80 split, single-, and two-reelers in 1913 alone! Add to this a satisfyingly detailed filmography and a whole bunch of previously unpublished stills, I'd highly recommend this book to any of you lovers of silent comedy or, for that matter, silent film in general.

Ford Sterling has invariably been written off in silent film histories with a couple of dismissive sentences. He has been portrayed as a one-note Dutch-style comedian who had the good fortune to work with Mack Sennett during Keystone's formative years. It was said his success had more to do with luck than ability; with the emergence of genuine talents such as Chaplin and Arbuckle, Sterling faded into obscurity.

With Sterling and his contemporaries long dead and the majority of his films lost or unavailible, who could prove otherwise?

Film historian Wendy Warwick White took up the challenge and her excellent book, "Ford Sterling", goes a long way in setting the story straight. This meticulously researched volume traces Sterling's multi-faceted career; in addition to his comedic endeavors, Sterling was a Shakespearian actor, a pro ball player, and a world-class photographer. After breaking with Sennett, Sterling became a much sought-after and respected character actor in the 1920's. An excellent speaking voice insured continued success well into the talking era.

Despite his volume of work and continued popularity, Sterling's end was particulary tragic. At one time a millionaire, Ford lost both his fortune and his health, and died in near poverty.

Author White has unearthed an extraordinary volume of information on her subject, more than one would have thought possible so long after the fact. Especially telling are the first-person quotes from Sterling himself. He comes off as polite, intelligent and articulate - a far cry from the grimacing, ear-biting lunatic he so often portrayed!

The book includes a number of rare photos plus a detailed filmography. Given the general unavailibilty of the films, the numerous plot synopsis' within the body of the text are particularly valuable.

Well written and highly readable, "Ford Sterling" hopefully will put this fine comedian's contributions to early film comedy in their proper perspective. Highly recommended.

Coming from an ex-girlfriend of one of the men in the book (so I'm biased) the photography in the book is spectacular. I'm not necessarily a fan of nude photography but this is tasteful, and gorgeous.

Follows four incomparable men through four exotic and lush locations, in a deluxe limited-edition coffee-table book. There are 200 hand-toned photos, some nudes and some featuring designer clothes. Sensuous and beautiful men abound!

Frankie Howerd was a much-loved stand-up comedian in Britain from the 1940s to the 1990s. He also appeared in tv shows in Canada and Australia, made several movies and starred in the hit sitcom 'Up Pompeii'. This biography is a superb introduction to the man and the performer, providing one with a remarkably thorough, well-written and well-researched account of his life, career and achievements, and it also fascinates with its more general insights into British comedy and the art of stand-up comics. Hugely enjoyable.

American readers may know of Frankie Howerd via BBC Worldwide (which screens, occasionally, his 1970s sitcom 'Up Pompeii!'), or possibly his association with the musical comedy 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' (he took Zero Mostel's place in the first London production), but there's so much more to him than this, and, if you have a passion for the history of stand-up comedy, he is a vital figure to add to your memory banks (if you thought that Eddie Izzard, for example, is doing something 'revolutionary,' then you need to discover Frankie Howerd, who made such stand-up possible). Graham McCann, quite rightly, celebrates him as Britain's most innovative stand-up comic, because Howerd was the first to stop telling gags and start finding humour in his own life and comedy character. From the mid-1940s through to his death in 1992, Howerd delighted audiences on radio, television, movies and the stage, and the classically 'rollercoaster' nature of his long career - which saw him suffer multiple setbacks as well as enjoy multiple triumphant comebacks - makes it a compelling read. McCann writes beautifully, and with unforced authority, about Howerd's rise to fame, the perfection of his stand-up technique, and the various crises behind the scenes, and he also provides countless fascinating anecdotes about such events as the time when Howerd followed Lenny Bruce at Peter Cook's Establishment club, Galton and Simpson's ill-fated 1968 Broadway production of 'The Wind in the Sassafras Trees,' and Howerd's unlikely new wave of popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a fresh generation of college students, 'alternative' comedians and even Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols. This is a serious book about comedy that still encourages you to laugh and love: it is a superb biography of a unique comic star. I don't tend to write reviews online, but I loved and admired this book so much I felt compelled to make my appreciation public. This one is a special.

This book is an absolute masterpiece. It is filled with thrilling insight, and I have read at least ten times through. It is great for film fans both young and old. There is no collection that is complete without it.

This book is a "must have" for any Gene Autry Fan. It has great pictures from his movies and personal appearances. You also have a list and plot summary of all the movies, tv shows and a listing of all the songs he recorded. If you are into learning about America Favorite Cowboy, the trivia questions and answers are great. I highly recommend this book if you love Gene Autry. As the author says in his introduction, "chances are that you are an avid Autry Fan if you purchased this book". A Fitting Tribute to the Legendary Singing Cowboy.