Arts and Entertainment Books

Actually, we called him "Fatty". When I was a kid in the 1950's our small town theater still showed the old westerns on Sat. When we played cowboys one of us would have to be "Fatty". It was usually a neighbor boy named Teddy ,who could have whupped us in real life but didn't mind playing the bad guy and getting beat up in our pretend fist fights. The book is great and well researched. God bless Mr. Copeland for his good work.

Unquestionably, author Bobby J. Copeland has filled in a gap in B-Movie western film scholarship with this sketchy but insightful look at the life of a veteran badman who mixed it up with some of the greats in B-Movie western circles. The biggest problem with Copeland's book is simply the dearth of information about Charlie King. I wasn't around when B-Movie westerns galloped across the silver screen like the shaggy buffalo that once roamed the western plains. Nevertheless, I have been watching these art-ifacts with great interest and Charlie King is one of the unsung cowboy bad guys. If you get around to watching these novelty items from the past, Charlie King throws a long shadow over the B-movie westerns. Copeland's book isn't so much the work of an objective cinematic scholar, but he does answer many questions about the little known life of King. Deplorably, Charlie King emerges as a pathetic figure behind-the-scenes. According to Copeland's research, King was an alcoholic who borrowed money from his friends but rarely repaid them; his wife would accompany him to the studio to pick up his paycheck before he drank it away. As sad as these revelations are to learn about this fabulous character actor, "Charlie King: We Called Him 'Blackie'" stands as a tribute to one of the top heavies in the B-Western business. Copeland's filmography of King is useful; this actor appeared in 300 B-movie westerns. Wherever Charlie King is now, he would be grateful to know that this nifty little tome qualifies as a tribute to a badman. Mind you, this isn't an exercise in scholarship with footnotes galore, but it's the nuggets of information that make it a useful contribution to field of criticism that sorely lacks substance. I doubt that this brief biography can be surpassed and I know that it cannot be overlooked by serious B-Movie western history. Anybody that wants to catch up on the life and times of B-Movie cowboys will get their money's worth out of this unique text.

When you think of great badman in films during the '30s and '40s, hands down the name is "Blackie" alias Charlie King. In fact author Bobby J. Copeland's latest book is titled "Charlie King - We called him "Blackie", comprehensive in depth behind the scenes of the baddest of the badmen. We saw him through the eyes of such heroes as Buster Crabbe, Johnny Mack Brown, Buck Jones, Ken Maynard, Dave O'Brien, Tex Ritter and Bob Steele. Bob Steele and Blackies fight scenes were a joy to watch, classic moves that actually looked so real ~ you could feel the punch in the fifth row where I was sitting.

Copeland takes the reader into the life and times of King through sections ~ Where Are The Ashes?, How Many Times Did Charlie Play "Blackie"?, Some of Charlie's Classic Moments, They Worked with Charlie King, They're Writing About Charlie King, The Fans Speak Up for Charlie, Conclusion, Charles King's Sound Filmography, King's Silent Features, Index of Film Companies, Photo Gallery, About the Author as we salute one of the premiere B-Western badmen.

This book includes so many great photos. Also the truth about Charlie's death...including his death certificate...comments by noted Western Film Historians...remarks by co-workers...writers' opinions of Charlie's acting and his career...Cowboys with whom he worked...studios that employed him...filmography. King also worked in silent films, may have also appeared as an extra in the 1915 film "The Birth of a Nation"...if you have a copy look for Charlie. Charlie King certainly left us with many wonderful memories up there on the big screen. One of the great scene stealers, as he got heavier he looked tougher and more menacing. I would put Charlie King up there with Roy Barcroft and Harry Woods...who is number one, is a toss up. Oh, I'm one of the lucky fans who had my book autographed by the author Bobby J. Copeland, gotta love it!

Total Pages: 112 ~ Empire Publishing Inc #0-944019-40-4 ~ (1/31/2003)

In this remarkable memoir, Gus Lee presents a clear and compassionate picture of his parents, grandparents and their 'clans' set in turbulent times. He brings alive the social, historical, religious and cultural context which informs their actions and reactions making them comprehensible to a reader with a totally different cultural viewpoint. It reads like a multi-generational adventure novel where the characters play parts in or are impacted by major events, from the Taiping rebellion through the British opium trade to the civil wars that raged from the early twentieth century through the brutal Japanese occupation in WWII. It is a wild ride and a great read. Gus presents his forbears and related characters warts and all, but always with great compassion and subtlety. There are no cardboard characters. Readers of his novels, which have a strong autobiographical base, particularly 'China Boy', will know what a hard childhood he endured with a stern and distant father, a mother prone to 'magical' beliefs who died when he was five, and a rigid, vindictive step mother. In this memoir, Gus reveals to us what he subsequently discovered about his parents and he honors them both. Gus's own life has been a testament to using adversity to build strength. He has wasted no time blaming, or scoring points off his parents or using his experiences to excuse failings in his own life. There is no 'poor me' here. His story helped me understand a completely different belief system and cultural perspective. And it was at times moving, at other times funny, but always interesting.

Get ready to give up your weekend because once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. Lee's dramatic descriptions cover the conflicts between historical Eastern and Western traditions woven into poignant family events. While his relatives and their antics seem quirky and particular, in fact they resonate with all families facing abrupt changes and adaptation --be they generational or cultural. For those who have read and loved China Boy and Honor and Duty, Chasing Hepburn gives us the pre-story we've all been wondering about.

Get ready to give up your weekend because once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. Lee's dramatic descriptions cover the conflicts between historical Eastern and Western traditions woven into poignant family events. While his relatives and their antics seem quirky and particular, in fact they resonate with all families facing abrupt changes and adaptation --be they generational or cultural. For those who have read and loved China Boy and Honor and Duty, Chasing Hepburn gives us the pre-story we've all been wondering about.

Don Cherry is one of our better vocalists: comfortable in the same links as Perry Como, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and other top-notch performers.

Speaking of links, Don has also served his time as a professional golfer.

This book reflects the real talent and determination of this good ol' boy from Wichita Falls, Texas. Whether you are a fan of his music, his golf-swing ... or both ... you'll enjoy every page.

Lots of attention grabbing references to some of the most popular names in entertainment are found here. Don knew all of them on a first-name basis and presents his various thoughts about them as "smooth-and-easy" as he handles a 9-iron.

Don Cherry deserves a "standing ovation" for this perfectly constructed book.

Super great book. A lot of things happened in professional golf in the 60's and 70's. This book brings a accurate outlook. A great golfer that was over looked by the hughness of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player. Also the fact this great golfer had another profession. I can't think of another great golfer than had another profession where you could make a lot of money from their talent.
Sincerely, Carl Welty

Don Cherry is the guy who has led the life you wish you could have. It's a terrific rags to riches story but with incredible and great stories along his journey. Don Cherry would have to be added to your fantasy list of people you'd like to have dinner with one day.

I highly recommend this book - it's a great read for all ages.

This book is an extraordinarily thorough and well-written account of Ang Lee's career. Anybody interested in the director's work would be fascinated to read it. I highly recommend it.

This scholarly treatise of director Ang Lee by Whitney Crothers Dilley is a thoroughly engaging, in-depth study of this iconic and enigmatic filmmaker. Logically organised and richly researched, The Cinema of Ang Lee shows great insight on the many influences which impacted Mr. Lee's directorial vision: born in Taiwan, to parents who escaped Mainland China following the 1949 Civil War, his cultural identity further diluted when he came to the U.S. at age 23 in his yearning to break free of parental control to pursue his artistic and cinematic dreams.

Ms. Crothers Dilley astutely shows us that Ang Lee's directorial range cannot be confined to a single culture or genre, and while films such as Eat Drink Man Woman, Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm, and Hulk appear to be thematically disparate, common threads course throughout his filmography. Globalisation / cultural identity, family ritual, intergenerational conflict, dialogue-free visual metaphors, cultural codes of behavior, and above all the inherent diaspora brought to bear stemming from his personal history bring a unique perspective to each of his films.

Serious students of film as well as casual fans of Ang Lee's body of work will love this book. Take the time to go on a wonderful journey as each film is dissected in order to find, in Ang Lee's words, "'The Juice', the thing that moves people, the thing that is untranslatable by words".

This is must reading for film buffs.

This book is no less than a terrific synopsis of Ang Lee's life and filmmaking motivations plus a thorough review of the common themes that surprisingly link Lee's amazingly diverse films.

Whitney Crothers Dilley's much-anticipated book provides the first in-depth look at one of the most heralded creative film directors still active today. A true auteur, Ang Lee has taken on the challenge of almost all the classic film genres and done them all marvelously.


From his early Taiwanese-themed social comedies through his Chinese/American and American and even British mainstream films to The Hulk (his only commercial failure) to the colossal last two released films, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain, no film director has ever generated an oeuvre of such range.


With a new Ang Lee film in yet a new genre coming out later this year (this time a film noir set in 1940's Shanghai), The cinema of Ang Lee ... the other side of the screen is the perfect read for all the relevant background on this astonishing director before seeing it.

Colored Lights: Forty Years of Words and Music, Show Biz, Collaboration, and All That Jazz An absolutely fascinating look into the hearts and minds and working habits of two men who contributed so much to the American Theater over the last half century. Fred Ebb is no longer with us, so we can be truly thankful that he and John Kander collaborated on this book while he was still alive. As a songwriter myself, I always find such memoirs interesting and valuable.

As the song says, start spreading the news -- this memoir in dialogue form by John Kander and Fred Ebb really is a surprising gem. I didn't expect to enjoy a book that is mainly conversation but I went through it in one sitting (on a flight from NY to LA) and didn't want it to end. These two geniuses of musical theater are totally engaging, and their breezy dialogue is often as provocative (and sometimes hilarious) as their best musicals and songs. It's like being in the same room with the two of them and having a chance to eavesdrop on their wry insights into the shows and various personalities they've worked with, including Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Bob Fosse, Shirley McLaine, and Anthony Quinn.

The anecdotes in the book, even the dishiest ones, are told with wit and intelligence, and without the usual celebrity tell-all pretensions. Kander and Ebb come across as two very different personalities as collaborators, yet both seem very earthy and wise about life and show business. Anyone who was wowed by Chicago or Cabaret will be delighted by their reminiscences. And there are some surprising revelations, like the fact that their biggest hit, "New York, New York," would never have been written if it hadn't been for Robert Deniro, who they say disapproved of their first version of the song and made them rewrite it for him. I was also surprised by the down-to-earth side of Liza Minnelli that comes across in the Introduction -- not at all like her usual media image. This book is like a little play itself, and what a great way to experience forty years of Broadway history and backstage lore. Definitely, a unique'must read' for theater lovers.

Good for Greg Lawrence for facilitating this oral history ad thinking of the right questions to get these two chatterboxes off and running, to the races! Lawrence wrote an OK biography of Jerome Robbins, and an as told to "by" Gelsey Kirkland which was good, but this book is terrific fun. The only thing is, aren't Kander and Ebb a couple? Or was that something they didn't want to talk about? Maybe they're not, who knew! But discussion of their personal lives is totally not on the menu here. Maybe after they are dead the whole story will come out. They tell some great stories here about working with Bob Fosse, maybe the best sustained account available of the great choreographer's ambitions, dreams, desires, and mania. I like the way that Liza Minnelli and Harold Prince also jump in to give their two cents here and there from the bleachers. It's a technique you often see in journalism, and here it works just fine. Liza is subject #1 of Kander and Ebb's discussions. They are always trying to make her look good, or rather to bring her natural talents to the fore. But in doing so they paint a picture of a talented actress who was thwarted by the commercial failure of THE RINK and therefore never tried to be anything but "just Liza" again, and being "just Liza" is pretty messed up what with having a mother who tried to take over her life in a drunken haze and at least one boyfriend (Martin Scorsese) who attempted to direct a whole show for her (THE ACT) via Moviola. Kander and Ebb also discuss writing for Lauren Bacall and the differences that affected WOMAN OF THE YEAR when Raquel Welch came in and replaced Bacall. It's all very illuminating and will make you laugh out loud as well. Their post mortems for their flops THE RINK and STEEL PIER, which they consider among their best shows, are not convincing, but their account of work with a sour kvetching Frank Sinatra and a controlling Barbra Streisand have the bitter ring of truth. This is not a particularly light-hearted book but I think anyone who's interested in musical theater will get a charge out of it.

I wish there had been more in it about the mysterious ingenue Jill Haworth who, after a strong of movies for Otto Preminger, took the Sally Bowles part in CABARET and got crucified for it--and had a "thing" with Sal Mineo (!!!) -- and then left show business. She is one of the most intriguing personalities of the 1960s and Kander and Ebb mention her only briefly (though very sympathetically).

El alma no desaparece con la ausencia del cuerpo. Las hermosas palabras de Soraya reverberan con la belleza que sólo su corazón es capaz de impregnarle a la vida. Este libro respira su luz, su necesidad de vivir al máximo y su deseo de que el resto del planeta lo hiciera. Su sinceridad es el hilo conductor de cada idea y es esta honestidad la que llega tan dentro a quien lo lee. ¡¡Simplemente, precioso:)!!

This is a tremendously inspiring book about Hispanic-American singer-songwriter Soraya, who lost her life to breast cancer at age 37, in 2006. It's an incredibly inspiring memoir that has broken records for Spanish-language books. It is now available to order in English, with 100 extra pages of memories, filled with pictures and stories told by friends, family and fellow musicians. Through this alternate story we learn things the humble Soraya would not have said: that in the final years of her life she became a world-class humanitarian, and that she was one heck of a musician. Enjoy. Soraya: A Life of Music, A Legacy of Hope

A veces nos quejamos de un simple malestar o porque el dia por una tonteria no nos haya salido bien, pero una vez uno lee este libro, aparte de que cuando empiezas a leerlo no lo puedes dejar, es una gran enseñanza de que las cosas pequeñas que nos enfrentamos cada día son bien insignificantes. Hay que tener mucha fe y valor para pasar por lo que pasó Soraya y a la misma vez continuar viendo la vida de la maner que ella lo hizo. Este libro me enseño a que hay que darle la importancia a las cosas que realmente la tienen y dejarnos de darle importancia a las tonterias que nos pasan dia a dia. Lo recomiendo 100%, si todos actuaramos de la manera que ella lo hizo, poniendo su ejemplo en las cosas que nos toca vivir todos los dias, creo que tendriamos un mundo mejor. Que pena que personas como ella, de tanta fe y tanta perseverancia, tengan que dejarnos, quizas porque de esta manera han cumplido su proposito en la vida y nosotros podamos seguir su ejemplo. Gracias mil por este legado de esperanza.

I loved this book! I became a little girl again with eyes wide open in awe of my heroes - Roy and Dale. Cheryl is very honest about the fun, the hectic schedules, the grief over the loss of her siblings, her rebellious nature in an innocent way, the strengths and weaknesses of her well-known parents who raised their family well, loved them dearly, lived a honorable life and had a lot of adventures in the way. Where the fans viewed Roy and Dale as super heroes ... Cheryl presents them as parents. I highly recommend this book!

who enriched our lives over five decades.

Cheryl Rogers Barnett has truly written a memoir full of Love, Respect, and Admiration for her late parents, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. She writes of the people they were, before she was born, the circumstances of her adoption - yes, Cheryl was adopted by Roy and his first wife - and growing up in the Rogers-Evans* (Roy's first wife died while Cheryl was still a young pre-adolescent child, Dale lovingly took her on as her own) household. Roy, bless his soul, was in many ways, a real cowboy who eschewed the Hollywood lifestyle and could live in the great outdoors - in fact one of their early homes out at Lake Hughes was in a wooded setting - with rattlesnakes! Knowing that this wouldn't work, Roy moved in closer to Los Angeles, but always made sure that his children were grounded and did not have airs about them.

Barnett writes about her growing-up in the Rogers-Evans household, and in reading it one kind of wishes that too were put of a family that truly lived by the Cowboy Code. Roy and Dale were among the kindest folks one could ever meet, and I sure wish I did. Both Roy and Dale were unfailing kind and considerate to most people they met. It speaks volumes that in the one instance Roy ever got angry at fans was when they chose to want to visit him on the day they were burying Cheryl's little sister, Robin, and only AFTER these uncouth and rude people insisted in visiting him, having no consideration for the grief of the family.

She writes of the wonder horse Trigger, of how George "Gabby" Hayes was as different in real life as he was in the movies. Gabby, bless him, was a trained Shakespearian actor who was more accustomed to wearing tweed suits than a bandana and chaps - still, he too made the roles his very own. There are the Hollywood stories and vignettes of growing up knowing John Wayne and so many other Western heroes and other television and movie celebs, written straightforward, (the reader will never have the feeling that this book is a gossipy read) of Nudie the Famous Rodeo Tailor whom Roy helped to get established in Hollywood, and finally of the last decades when Roy and Dale, seeing how different Hollywood had become (mid-1960s), chose to move out to Apple Valley, and live out their lives there.

Throughout it all, Roy and Dale always gave deep love to the people they knew, and encouraged their children to be the best and fine folks in their own right(after learning she was adopted, Cheryl underwent a quest to learn about her real parents, with Roy and Dale supporting her every way). With the happiness there were the tragedies, first Robin, then the young son who died serving in the U.S. Army, and the adopted daughter from Korea, killed in a senseless road accident. Throughout it all, Roy and Dale's faith in God was never unwavering and was always solid. They lived the true meaning of the Cowboy and Cowgirl Codes.*

*(on their very last record together, Roy, Dale and son Dusty recorded a song written by two great friends of mine, Chris Hillman and Steve Hill entitled: "God's Plan" ...that pretty well sums up the honest and rich meaning of the lives they lived.

A warm memoir of a time when the tinsel Cowboys were so very much real - and real people too, unlike the sad imitation that Hollywood has become these days. Thank you, Cheryl Rogers-Barnett for a heartwarming read, and for signing my Roy Rogers-Dale Evans lunchpail in Wickenburg, Arizona last April.

Cowboy Princess: Life With My Parents Roy Rogers And Dale Evans is Cheryl Rogers-Barnett's true story of growing up as the daughter of "the King of Cowboys" and "the Queen of the West", whose popular exploits on movies and TV captivated the nation. Joy, the gruelling demands of the entertainment industry, the terrible loss of three siblings, and the lively personalities of those who shared their lives with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, and Cheryl Rogers-Barnett fill this highly readable and personal account. Highly recommended for fans of Roy Rogers and the western movies of yesteryear.

It's extremely hard to find biographies of David Boreanaz, my favorite actor on television. Usually you can find short biographies and Buffy books, but they don't include much information. This book contains a summary of David Boreanaz's life before his acting career took off, and a detailed bio of his life afterwards. Also contains many colorful pictures! Highly recommended for fans of this actor and his shows.

If you are fan of David Boreanaz or Buffy, you must buy this book! ITs awesome! IT has the best pictures of him.. plus some of Buffy! Plus you can learn neat facts about him! RECOMEND!

Learn all about our favorite vampire, Angel, from Buffy the vampire slayer in this fun book with beautiful pictures. A must have for all David Boreanaz (Angel) fans and all Buffy the vampire slayer fans.

A great biography about one of Britain's most talented antigue dealers and "showman". He is real and very much a character. His has facets to his personality that make him unique in today's business world. Great read!

I have been watching David D. on BBC America for over a year and I am a real fan of his show, Bargain Hunt. I greatly enjoyed reading his book and learning more about him. He has taken what life has brought him and made a great success out of his experiences, good and bad. I wish I could meet him and be a contestant on Bargain Hunt. Here's to the Duke!

This is a wonderful autobiography by the host of the great BBC America TV show - "Bargain Hunt"! David Dickinson has had a varied life from his childhood, his strict but wonderful "Nanny", finding out he was adopted, talking to and writing to his birth mother but never meeting her and his time spent in prison! Some passages are humorous, compassionate, and serious! He values those mistakes he made because he learned from them and he speaks to groups about this. As an agent for his wife Lorne, an entertainer, he has met extaordinary people and in his business as an antique dealer! Throughout this book you get to know him and you'll wish you could meet him and be his friend! I highly recommend it to every reader whether you've seen the show or not!

This book is the inspiring story of the last surviving Ziegfeld Girl. The fabulous centenarian Doris Eaton Travis takes us on an amazing journey through the ups and downs of one family - members of which just happened to be stage performers. While several of Ms. Travis' siblings met tragic ends, she persevered - through her glorious Ziegfeld years, the sad days of the Great Depression, her loving second marriage, and her bittersweet (and ultimately disenchanting) relationship with Arthur Murray of dance studio fame. Nostalgic yet never melodramatic, Doris Eaton Travis' writing is fresh and upbeat. I was moved to tears at the end - not from sadness, but rather from awe at this magnificent woman with the indomitable spirit! I only wish I had the priviledge of knowing this lovely woman. A truly wonderful read - I simply can't praise this book enough!

I actually had the honor of interviewing Doris Eaton Travis last fall for my college English class... and I was definately honored when she gave me a copy of her book and autographed it for me... I read it right away and absolutely loved it! She is an amazing woman and has lead and incredible life which she tells about in her book. At age 99, she is still going strong and is as busy as ever! I loved meeting and interviewing her and definately loved this book! I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Doris Eaton Travis, at age 99, looks back at a full life, the early part of which is a valuable, firsthand portrait of early 20th Century entertainment, when vaudeville and the stage was still a central part of pop culture. Her frank appraisal of the rough road even successful performers would face as times changed is certainly an antidote to nostalgic ruminations about that long gone era! Highly recommended.