Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era

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Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 : 0786498331
Total Pages : 234 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (864 download)

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Book Synopsis Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era by : Edwin M. Bradley

Download or read book Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era written by Edwin M. Bradley and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-02-18 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most memorable Hollywood musicals of 1930s showcased the talents of stars like Fred Astaire, Jeanette MacDonald, Bing Crosby and Alice Faye. The less memorable ones didn't. This book takes a look at the unsung songfests of the '30s--secondary or forgotten features with short-lived or unlikely stars from major studios and Poverty Row. Through analysis of films such as Lord Byron of Broadway (1930), Shoot the Works (1934), Bottoms Up (1934), Moonlight and Pretzels (1933) and The Music Goes 'Round (1936), the author profiles such performers as Dorothy Dell, Lee Dixon, Peggy Fears, Lawrence Gray, Joe Morrison and the mother-daughter team of Myrt and Marge. Behind-the-scenes figures are discussed, like the infamously profligate producer Lou Brock, whose flops Down to Their Last Yacht (1934) and Top of the Town (1937) cost him his career. Filmographies and production information are included, with background on key participants.

Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era

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Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 : 1476624003
Total Pages : 234 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (766 download)

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Book Synopsis Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era by : Edwin M. Bradley

Download or read book Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era written by Edwin M. Bradley and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2016-02-29 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most memorable Hollywood musicals of 1930s showcased the talents of stars like Fred Astaire, Jeanette MacDonald, Bing Crosby and Alice Faye. The less memorable ones didn't. This book takes a look at the unsung songfests of the '30s--secondary or forgotten features with short-lived or unlikely stars from major studios and Poverty Row. Through analysis of films such as Lord Byron of Broadway (1930), Shoot the Works (1934), Bottoms Up (1934), Moonlight and Pretzels (1933) and The Music Goes 'Round (1936), the author profiles such performers as Dorothy Dell, Lee Dixon, Peggy Fears, Lawrence Gray, Joe Morrison and the mother-daughter team of Myrt and Marge. Behind-the-scenes figures are discussed, like the infamously profligate producer Lou Brock, whose flops Down to Their Last Yacht (1934) and Top of the Town (1937) cost him his career. Filmographies and production information are included, with background on key participants.

Hollywood Musicals You Missed

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Author :
Publisher : McFarland
ISBN 13 : 1476639930
Total Pages : 307 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (766 download)

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Book Synopsis Hollywood Musicals You Missed by : Edwin M. Bradley

Download or read book Hollywood Musicals You Missed written by Edwin M. Bradley and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2020-06-05 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pre-World War II Hollywood musicals weren't only about Astaire and Rogers, Mickey and Judy, Busby Berkeley, Bing Crosby, or Shirley Temple. The early musical developed through tangents that reflected larger trends in film and American culture at large. Here is a survey of select titles with a variety of influences: outsized songwriter personalities, hubbub over "hillbilly" and cowboy stereotypes, the emergence of swing, and the brief parade of opera stars to celluloid. Featured movies range from the smash hit Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), to obscurities such as Are You There? (1930) and Swing, Sister, Swing (1938), to the high-grossing but now forgotten Mountain Music (1937), and It's Great to Be Alive (1933), a zesty pre-Code musical/science-fiction/comedy mishmash. Also included are some of the not-so-memorable pictures made by some of the decade's greatest musical stars.

Musicals in Film

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Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 1440844232
Total Pages : 481 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (48 download)

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Book Synopsis Musicals in Film by : Thomas S. Hischak

Download or read book Musicals in Film written by Thomas S. Hischak and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2016-11-07 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This wide-ranging guide introduces (or reintroduces) readers to movie musicals past and present, enabling them to experience the development of this uniquely American art form—and discover films they'll love. This comprehensive guide covers movie musicals from their introduction with the 1927 film The Jazz Singer through 2015 releases. In all, it describes 125 movies, opening up the world of this popular form of entertainment to preteens, teens, and adults alike. An introduction explains the advent of movie musicals; then, in keeping with the book's historical approach, films are presented by decade and year with overviews of advances during particular periods. In this way, the reader not only learns about individual films but can see the big picture of how movie musicals developed and changed over time. For each film covered, the guide offers basic facts—studio, director, songwriters, actors, etc.—as well as a brief plot synopsis. Each entry also offers an explanation of why the movie is noteworthy, how popular it was or wasn't, and the influence the film might have had on later musicals. Sidebars offering brief biographies of important artists appear throughout the book.

1939

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Author :
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1442278056
Total Pages : 430 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (422 download)

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Book Synopsis 1939 by : Thomas S. Hischak

Download or read book 1939 written by Thomas S. Hischak and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2017-06-16 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do Babes in Arms, Beau Geste, Gunga Din, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Only Angels Have Wings, and Young Mr. Lincoln all have in common? They are all classic films released in the same year, but none of them received Academy Award nominations for best picture. Why? In that same year, Hollywood produced Dark Victory, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Ninotchka, as well as two of the most beloved films of all time, Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. In 1939 Hollywood created an unprecedented number of great films, a year that has yet to be surpassed in cinematic achievement. In 1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year, Thomas S. Hischak looks at the most remarkable 365 days in film history. Arranged chronologically from January 1 to December 31, 1939, each entry covers one day and features major news events (national and international) as well as minor curiosities or news items that would prove to be more important in the future. The activities on Broadway, radio, the music business, literature, and other arts are included, as are noteworthy sporting events. Most significantly, this book provides a full description and commentary on the Hollywood movies that were released on that day. All 510 feature films from all the Hollywood studios are included in the book, along with notable shorts, cartoons, newsreels, and foreign releases. While others have looked at the movie highlights of this momentous year, Hischak evaluates Hollywood’s entire screen output of 1939, from B pictures and serial installments to the international blockbusters—and every film in between. 1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year is a captivating look at this phenomenon and will fascinate any film aficionado.

Charles Walters

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Author :
Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
ISBN 13 : 0813147239
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (131 download)

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Book Synopsis Charles Walters by : Brent Phillips

Download or read book Charles Walters written by Brent Phillips and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the trolley scene in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers's last dance on the silver screen ( The Barkleys of Broadway, 1949) to Judy Garland's timeless, tuxedo-clad performance of "Get Happy" ( Summer Stock, 1950), Charles Walters staged the iconic musical sequences of Hollywood's golden age. During his career, this Academy Award--nominated director and choreographer showcased the talents of stars such as Gene Kelly, Doris Day, Debbie Reynolds, and Frank Sinatra. However, despite his many critical and commercial triumphs, Walters's name often goes unrecognized today. In the first full-length biography of Walters, Brent Phillips chronicles the artist's career, from his days as a featured Broadway performer and protégé of theater legend Robert Alton to his successes at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He takes readers behind the scenes of many of the studio's most beloved musicals, including Easter Parade (1948), Lili (1953), High Society (1956), and T he Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). In addition, Phillips recounts Walters's associations with Lucille Ball, Joan Crawford, and Gloria Swanson, examines the director's uncredited work on several films, including the blockbuster Gigi (1958), and discusses his contributions to musical theater and American popular culture. This revealing book also considers Walters's personal life and explores how he navigated the industry as an openly gay man. Drawing on unpublished oral histories, correspondence, and new interviews, this biography offers an entertaining and important new look at an exciting era in Hollywood history.

That Was Entertainment

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Author :
Publisher : Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN 13 : 1496817362
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (968 download)

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Book Synopsis That Was Entertainment by : Bernard F. Dick

Download or read book That Was Entertainment written by Bernard F. Dick and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2018-06-04 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical traces the development of the MGM musical from The Broadway Melody (1929) through its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s and its decline in the 1960s, culminating in the notorious 1970 MGM auction when Judy Garland's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Charlton Heston's chariot from Ben-Hur, and Fred Astaire's trousers and dress shirt from Royal Wedding vanished to the highest bidders. That Was Entertainment uniquely reconstructs the life of Arthur Freed, whose unit at MGM became the gold standard against which the musicals of other studios were measured. Without Freed, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Cyd Charisse, Arlene Dahl, Vera-Ellen, Lucille Bremer, Gloria DeHaven, Howard Keel, and June Allyson would never have had the signature films that established them as movie legends. MGM's past is its present. No other studio produced such a range of musicals that are still shown today on television and all of which are covered in this volume, from integrated musicals in which song and dance were seamlessly embedded in the plot (Meet Me in St. Louis and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) to revues (The Hollywood Revue of 1929 and Ziegfeld Follies); original musicals (Singin' in the Rain, Easter Parade, and It's Always Fair Weather); adaptations of Broadway shows (Girl Crazy, On the Town, Show Boat, Kiss Me Kate, Brigadoon, Kismet, and Bells Are Ringing); musical versions of novels and plays (Gigi, The Pirate, and Summer Holiday); operettas (the films of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy); mythico-historical biographies of composers (Johann Strauss Jr. in The Great Waltz and Sigmund Romberg in Deep in My Heart); and musicals featuring songwriting teams (Rodgers and Hart in Words and Music and Kalmar and Ruby in Three Little Words), opera stars (Enrico Caruso in The Great Caruso and Marjorie Lawrence in Interrupted Melody), and pop singers (Ruth Etting in Love Me or Leave Me). Also covered is the water ballet musical--in a class by itself--with Esther Williams starring as MGM's resident mermaid. This is a book for longtime lovers of the movie musical and those discovering the genre for the first time.

The Golden Age Musicals of Darryl F. Zanuck

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Author :
Publisher : Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN 13 : 1496838645
Total Pages : 320 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (968 download)

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Book Synopsis The Golden Age Musicals of Darryl F. Zanuck by : Bernard F. Dick

Download or read book The Golden Age Musicals of Darryl F. Zanuck written by Bernard F. Dick and published by Univ. Press of Mississippi. This book was released on 2022-03-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beginning with The Jazz Singer (1927) and 42nd Street (1933), legendary Hollywood film producer Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979) revolutionized the movie musical, cementing its place in American popular culture. Zanuck, who got his start writing stories and scripts in the silent film era, worked his way to becoming a top production executive at Warner Bros. in the later 1920s and early 1930s. Leaving that studio in 1933, he and industry executive Joseph Schenck formed Twentieth Century Pictures, an independent Hollywood motion picture production company. In 1935, Zanuck merged his Twentieth Century Pictures with the ailing Fox Film Corporation, resulting in the combined Twentieth Century-Fox, which instantly became a new major Hollywood film entity. The Golden Age Musicals of Darryl F. Zanuck: The Gentleman Preferred Blondes is the first book devoted to the musicals that Zanuck produced at these three studios. The volume spotlights how he placed his personal imprint on the genre and how—especially at Twentieth Century-Fox—he nurtured and showcased several blonde female stars who headlined the studio’s musicals—including Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Betty Grable, Vivian Blaine, June Haver, Marilyn Monroe, and Sheree North. Building upon Bernard F. Dick’s previous work in That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical, this volume illustrates the richness of the American movie musical, tracing how these song-and-dance films fit within the career of Darryl F. Zanuck and within the timeline of Hollywood history.

Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781542766876
Total Pages : 94 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (668 download)

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Book Synopsis Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly by : Charles River Charles River Editors

Download or read book Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2017-01-26 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures. *Includes quotes about both men's lives and careers. *Includes bibliographies of both men. Virtually all famous actors are regaled by the public, but even still, Fred Astaire occupies a privileged position in American pop culture. The specific films in which Astaire acted may not be especially famous in their own right - most people likely cannot recall the title of Top Hat (1935), his most decorated film - but Astaire's dancing prowess invariably creates a lasting impact on viewers. Instead of tying his fame to a single film, Astaire's genius lay in constructing his star persona around a specific set of iconographic imagery that has become embedded within American culture. Across his films, the recurring iconic images of the top hat, cane, and coat tails, as well as the image of Astaire dancing with Ginger Rogers, all constitute a timeless symbol for elegance that continues to captivate viewers who are unfamiliar with the plots of his films. There have been other film musical actors who were proficient dancers, Gene Kelly chief among them, but none were able to perform with the seamless elegance of Astaire, and none have been remembered nearly as well. Astaire's popularity can in large part be tied to the escapism that his films offered to impoverished Depression-era American audiences, and yet Astaire was a working man, albeit one who labored in the studios of Hollywood rather than the factories of America. Considering the quiet life that he led off the movie set, it can be difficult to disassociate Astaire from his films, and while he may have attempted to project the same image off the screen, the era and his personal background were extremely important. As someone who was born just before the start of the 20th century, Astaire's life sheds light on the developments that occurred in American entertainment, from the stage (where he first performed during his youth) to cinema (the site of his greatest triumphs) and finally to television (a medium Astaire entered at the end of his career.) Astaire's career tends to obscure his all-American success story, one in which hard work transformed a Nebraska boy from a working-class family into America's most prominent symbol of grace. Although they did collaborate on two occasions, in many ways Gene Kelly's rise to popularity in the 1940s amounted to a changing of the guard, because Astaire's career had begun to wane by the mid-1940s. For film historians and fans of the musical, however, even if they weren't contemporaries, Astaire and Kelly will forever be viewed as rivals, with each having left an indelible stamp on the genre that defined their careers. Regardless of which dancer viewers film, there is no denying the cultural significance of some of Kelly's most famous films, including An American in Paris (1949) and Singin' in the Rain (1952), movies that occupy a central position within the pantheon of Hollywood musicals. While it is true that a comparison between Astaire and Kelly is indispensible to any study of Kelly's life, much can also be gained simply by focusing mostly on his life and career. What made Kelly unusual for actors of that era is that he did not actually arrive in Hollywood until he was nearly 30 years old, so his early life and work before film had a crucial influence on his star image. Furthermore, given that he came to prominence after Astaire, Kelly's career offers a valuable lens through which to chart the evolution of the musical genre, as well as a look at the prevailing standards of masculinity within Hollywood at the time. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly examines the lives and careers of two of Hollywood's most iconic dancers, tracing their rise to stardom and the forces within Hollywood and American popular culture that would ultimately lead to the end of their careers.

The Unsung Songwriters

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Author :
Publisher : Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 804 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis The Unsung Songwriters by : Warren W. Vaché

Download or read book The Unsung Songwriters written by Warren W. Vaché and published by Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 804 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Unsung Songwriters is dedicated to a period in the history of American music that author Warren Vach calls the "Golden Age of Songwriting," and to the men and women who made it great. Contrary to the widely held opinion that most of our hit and standard songs were composed by a handful of top writers--Berlin, Gershwin, Kern, Porter, and Rodgers--the fact is that the vast majority of them were written by relatively unknown composers. In this definitive reference work to the "unsung songwriters," you will find Al Neiberg, the author of "It's the Talk of the Town," Maceo Pinkard, the mind behind "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Sugar," Harry Woods for "Try a Little Tenderness," J. Fred Coots for "You Go to My Head," and many more.

At Last

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781947431430
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (314 download)

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Book Synopsis At Last by : Stacia Raymond

Download or read book At Last written by Stacia Raymond and published by . This book was released on 2022-01-31 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The golden age of the Hollywood musical celebrated through the life of unsung hit-maker Harry Warren. Eliciting a swell of nostalgia, Harry Warren's jaunty melodies lift our spirits as much today as they did for Depression-era moviegoers. Navigating a business already known for its glamour, excess, and ruthless business practices, Warren quietly but resplendently helped create a new American art form. A self-taught musician, Warren was nominated for eleven best original song Academy Awards and took home three Oscars. He composed twenty musicals including 42nd Street and unforgettable American standards such as "We're in the Money," "Chattanooga Choo Choo," and "That's Amore." At Last brings readers on a journey through yesteryear's Tin Pan Alley, Busby Berkeley set pieces, cocktails with the Gershwins, and the creative and collaborative process of a prolific musical genius.

They Drew as They Pleased

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Author :
Publisher : Chronicle Books
ISBN 13 : 1452158606
Total Pages : 211 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (521 download)

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Book Synopsis They Drew as They Pleased by : Didier Ghez

Download or read book They Drew as They Pleased written by Didier Ghez and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2016-04-05 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the Walt Disney Studio entered its first decade and embarked on some of the most ambitious animated films of the time, Disney hired a group of "concept artists" whose sole mission was to explore ideas and inspire their fellow animators. They Drew as They Pleased showcases four of these early pioneers and features artwork developed by them for the Disney shorts from the 1930s, including many unproduced projects, as well as for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and some early work for later features such as Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Introducing new biographical material about the artists and including largely unpublished artwork from the depths of the Walt Disney Archives and the Disney Animation Research Library, this ebook offers a window into the most inspiring work created by the best Disney artists during the studio's early golden age. They Drew as They Pleased is the first in what promises to be a revealing and fascinating series of books about Disney's largely unexamined concept artists, with six volumes spanning the decades between the 1930s and 1990s. Copyright ©2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780806126524
Total Pages : 262 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (265 download)

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Book Synopsis The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me by : Saul Chaplin

Download or read book The Golden Age of Movie Musicals and Me written by Saul Chaplin and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An academy award winner who worked on more than sixty films as songwriter, vocal arranger, pianist, musical director, and producer shares his insider's view of the major studios and his working relationships with great songwriters and performers of his era. UP.

Kurt Weill Newsletter

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Kurt Weill Newsletter by :

Download or read book Kurt Weill Newsletter written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Letters from Hollywood

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Author :
Publisher : Abrams
ISBN 13 : 1683356667
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (833 download)

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Book Synopsis Letters from Hollywood by : Rocky Lang

Download or read book Letters from Hollywood written by Rocky Lang and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rare correspondence from Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Jane Fonda, and other Hollywood luminaries from the silent film era to the 1970s. Letters from Hollywood reproduces in full color scores of entertaining and insightful pieces of correspondence from some of the most notable and talented film industry names of all time—from the silent era to the golden age, and up through the pre-email days of the 1970s. Culled from libraries, archives, and personal collections, the 135 letters, memos, and telegrams are organized chronologically and are annotated by the authors to provide backstories and further context. While each piece reveals a specific moment in time, taken together, the letters convey a bigger picture of Hollywood history. Contributors include celebrities like Greta Garbo, Alfred Hitchcock, Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Elia Kazan, Cary Grant, Francis Ford Coppola, Tom Hanks, and Jane Fonda. This is the gift book of the season for fans of classic Hollywood. With a foreword by Peter Bogdanovitch. “This is, quite simply, one of the finest books I’ve ever read about Hollywood.” —Leonard Maltin

Cinema

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 582 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Cinema by : Richard Roud

Download or read book Cinema written by Richard Roud and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

The Sun and Her Stars

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Author :
Publisher : Other Press, LLC
ISBN 13 : 1590517229
Total Pages : 561 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (95 download)

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Book Synopsis The Sun and Her Stars by : Donna Rifkind

Download or read book The Sun and Her Stars written by Donna Rifkind and published by Other Press, LLC. This book was released on 2020-01-28 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: National Jewish Book Award Finalist The little-known story of screenwriter Salka Viertel, whose salons in 1930s and 40s Hollywood created a refuge for a multitude of famous figures who had escaped the horrors of World War ll. Hollywood was created by its “others”; that is, by women, Jews, and immigrants. Salka Viertel was all three and so much more. She was the screenwriter for five of Greta Garbo's movies and also her most intimate friend. At one point during the Irving Thalberg years, Viertel was the highest-paid writer on the MGM lot. Meanwhile, at her house in Santa Monica she opened her door on Sunday afternoons to scores of European émigrés who had fled from Hitler—such as Thomas Mann, Bertolt Brecht, and Arnold Schoenberg—along with every kind of Hollywood star, from Charlie Chaplin to Shelley Winters. In Viertel's living room (the only one in town with comfortable armchairs, said one Hollywood insider), countless cinematic, theatrical, and musical partnerships were born. Viertel combined a modern-before-her-time sensibility with the Old-World advantages of a classical European education and fluency in eight languages. She combined great worldliness with great warmth. She was a true bohemian with a complicated erotic life, and at the same time a universal mother figure. A vital presence in the golden age of Hollywood, Salka Viertel is long overdue for her own moment in the spotlight.