(This is the black and white version. Color is also available.) A Muck-Encrusted Mockery of a Timeline It all began in 1971, when writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson introduced a sympathetic bog-monster who was more than his horrifying exterior conveyed. But there was Moore to come-Alan Moore, to be exact-and it transformed the comics world. Wein and Wrightson's story "Swamp Thing," published in DC Comics' The House of Secrets #92, launched an extraordinary saga. The resultant Swamp Thing monthly title chronicled the macabre exploits of scientist-turned-plant Alec Holland, and it introduced chain-smoking occultist John Constantine, ushering in his acclaimed spinoff, Hellblazer. Alec Holland and John Constantine: distinctively different, yet inextricably intertwined. Born on the Bayou examines every comic, novel, and short story-approximately a thousand tales-to feature the mossy elemental or the British mage before 2011's Flashpoint. Featuring a foreword by Swamp Thing writer-artist and Constantine co-creator Stephen R. Bissette, plus an afterword by comics historian John E. Boylan.
Classic TV Icons: Action & Drama is the first in a series of books profiling actors and shows making up our collective television nostalgia. It's written by veteran entertainment journalist Edward Gross, who has been on the editorial staff of a wide variety of film and TV magazines. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including oral histories on Star Trek and Superman (the two-volume The Fifty-Year Mission and Voices from Krypton, respectively) and Above & Below: The Unofficial 35th Anniversary Beauty and the Beast Companion from Bearmanor Media.
"America's Criswell foresees the future clearly." H.G. Wells "He predicts Nostradamus." Mae West "Criswell's relative fame in the early stages of the mass-media era was an innocent, harmless symptom of the beginning and continuation of the blurring the razor-thin line between factual News and Entertainment fiction in late 20th century America." Charles Phillip Wireman, Ass't Editor "Criswell is always a welcome guest on the 'Tonight Show' for his predictions are provocative and accurate time after time." Johnny Carson Startling Prophecies of the 1970s including: Carnage, Chaos, Crisis, Civil Rights, Climate Change! Rock & Roll, Robbery, Riot, Rape, Revelry, Drugs! Sexxx, Nudism, UFOs! Ghosts of Hollywood! Criswell Returns from the Grave!
Classic TV Icons: Action & Drama is the first in a series of books profiling actors and shows making up our collective television nostalgia. It's written by veteran entertainment journalist Edward Gross, who has been on the editorial staff of a wide variety of film and TV magazines. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including oral histories on Star Trek and Superman (the two-volume The Fifty-Year Mission and Voices from Krypton, respectively) and Above & Below: The Unofficial 35th Anniversary Beauty and the Beast Companion from Bearmanor Media.
THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE 2023 RONDO AWARD NOMINATED "GIANT BUG CINEMA" From the creators Giant Bug Cinema - A Monster Kid's Guide, which reached Number 1 on Amazon for Horror Movie Books, comes the followup, Giant Beast Cinema - A Monstrous Movie Guide - a celebration of creatures (other than bugs) that are beasts because they simply aren't supposed to be THAT BIG! Featuring sharp, witty, and informed reviews of 33 movies by six exceptional voices on genre cinema, take a cinematic hot rod through the screen-scape of giant apes, betrayed women, six-legged octopi, teenagers, crabs, and mollusks, to name a few of the featured giant beasts. The contributors are: ¿ Larry Blamire - film historian and cult filmmaker of Sony's The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra¿ Justin Humphreys - Rondo Award-winning The Doctor Phibes Companion, George Pal: Man of Tomorrow¿ Tracy Mercer - Host, My Favorite Shtty Movie podcast¿ Mike Peros - José Ferrer: Success and Survival, Dan Duryea: Heel with a Heart, film critic for Noho Arts District¿ Steven Peros - Giant Bug Cinema, film historian, screenwriter of Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow¿ Brian R. Solomon - Godzilla FAQ Each chapter contains the unique voice, vast memory bank, and idiosyncratic sense of humor of its distinctly mad author. These are all movies you may have watched many times and yet each one of these writers will make you see them in a way you had not seen them before. As with Giant Bug Cinema, the book explores this arena up until the accepted end of the "Monster Kid Era" - 1968 (although we did sneak in one worthy retro entry from 1969 because it was too enjoyable to resist). But rest assured, plans are afoot to bring our readers second volumes of both Giant Bug Cinema and Giant Beast Cinema, which will take readers into the gonzo 1970's, 1980's and beyond. You will step way from Giant Beast Cinema with a new level of appreciation for giant beasts you only thought you knew. But then again, can one ever really know a killer shrew?
Gene Nelson was one of a kind-dancer, actor, choreographer, and director for stage, screen, and television. The admiration he received from co-players (with one exception) is moving and impressive. Musicals with Doris Day (who took up dancing again thanks to Gene), and his delightful portrayal of Will Parker in the blockbuster screen classic Oklahoma! make for an unforgettable legacy. And yes, Nelson managed to overcome scandal as he transitioned into becoming a prolific director. Gene Nelson is Scott O'Brien's ninth biography of cinema legends. His books have garnered positive reviews from Classic Images, Sight & Sound, and SF Gate. Three of O'Brien's books have made the Huffington Post's "Best Cinema Books of the Year."
"Historian J.R. Jordan takes us on a fascinating film-by-film journey behind the scenes into the genesis and creative process of one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, chronicling Billy Wilder's unique blend of cynicism, wit, and emotional depth that made his movies so memorable. As a researcher and fan, Jordan's concise summaries and thoughtful insights into Wilder's vision will inspire readers to rewatch his incredible body of work with even greater appreciation for the enduring legacy Wilder left behind."-Jaime Paglia, TV writer/showrunner, and co-creator of Eureka "I want to live in Billy Wilder's movies, forever, all of the time. J.R. Jordan's terrific, loving book Magic Time allows me to carry them around with me wherever I go."-Will Leitch, author of How Lucky and The Time Has Come "Detailed and insightful, especially on the writing and production of Wilder's finest films."-Martin Keady, The Script Lab "Through loving analysis, behind-the-scenes context, and a painstaking look at Wilder's career-spanning motifs, Jordan gives us an engrossing 'director's cut' of one of cinema's greatest filmographies."-Ian Simmons, Chicago Film Critics Association "J.R. Jordan puts before us a fascinating excursion into the life and career of one of Hollywood's most versatile filmmakers. Jordan's book also offers insight into the many luminaries who crossed Wilder's path during his five decades of picture making. This is one of the best-written and thoroughly researched bios of a cinematic legend."-Steve Randisi, Author of The Merv Griffin Show: The Inside Story About the Author: J.R. Jordan has been writing about motion pictures for several years. He is the author of Showmanship: The Cinema of William Castle and Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures.
THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE 2023 RONDO AWARD NOMINATED "GIANT BUG CINEMA" From the creators Giant Bug Cinema - A Monster Kid's Guide, which reached Number 1 on Amazon for Horror Movie Books, comes the followup, Giant Beast Cinema - A Monstrous Movie Guide - a celebration of creatures (other than bugs) that are beasts because they simply aren't supposed to be THAT BIG! Featuring sharp, witty, and informed reviews of 33 movies by six exceptional voices on genre cinema, take a cinematic hot rod through the screen-scape of giant apes, betrayed women, six-legged octopi, teenagers, crabs, and mollusks, to name a few of the featured giant beasts. The contributors are: ¿ Larry Blamire - film historian and cult filmmaker of Sony's The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra¿ Justin Humphreys - Rondo Award-winning The Doctor Phibes Companion, George Pal: Man of Tomorrow¿ Tracy Mercer - Host, My Favorite Shtty Movie podcast¿ Mike Peros - José Ferrer: Success and Survival, Dan Duryea: Heel with a Heart, film critic for Noho Arts District¿ Steven Peros - Giant Bug Cinema, film historian, screenwriter of Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow¿ Brian R. Solomon - Godzilla FAQ Each chapter contains the unique voice, vast memory bank, and idiosyncratic sense of humor of its distinctly mad author. These are all movies you may have watched many times and yet each one of these writers will make you see them in a way you had not seen them before. As with Giant Bug Cinema, the book explores this arena up until the accepted end of the "Monster Kid Era" - 1968 (although we did sneak in one worthy retro entry from 1969 because it was too enjoyable to resist). But rest assured, plans are afoot to bring our readers second volumes of both Giant Bug Cinema and Giant Beast Cinema, which will take readers into the gonzo 1970's, 1980's and beyond. You will step way from Giant Beast Cinema with a new level of appreciation for giant beasts you only thought you knew. But then again, can one ever really know a killer shrew?
Gene Nelson was one of a kind-dancer, actor, choreographer, and director for stage, screen, and television. The admiration he received from co-players (with one exception) is moving and impressive. Musicals with Doris Day (who took up dancing again thanks to Gene), and his delightful portrayal of Will Parker in the blockbuster screen classic Oklahoma! make for an unforgettable legacy. And yes, Nelson managed to overcome scandal as he transitioned into becoming a prolific director. Gene Nelson is Scott O'Brien's ninth biography of cinema legends. His books have garnered positive reviews from Classic Images, Sight & Sound, and SF Gate. Three of O'Brien's books have made the Huffington Post's "Best Cinema Books of the Year."
"Historian J.R. Jordan takes us on a fascinating film-by-film journey behind the scenes into the genesis and creative process of one of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, chronicling Billy Wilder's unique blend of cynicism, wit, and emotional depth that made his movies so memorable. As a researcher and fan, Jordan's concise summaries and thoughtful insights into Wilder's vision will inspire readers to rewatch his incredible body of work with even greater appreciation for the enduring legacy Wilder left behind."-Jaime Paglia, TV writer/showrunner, and co-creator of Eureka "I want to live in Billy Wilder's movies, forever, all of the time. J.R. Jordan's terrific, loving book Magic Time allows me to carry them around with me wherever I go."-Will Leitch, author of How Lucky and The Time Has Come "Detailed and insightful, especially on the writing and production of Wilder's finest films."-Martin Keady, The Script Lab "Through loving analysis, behind-the-scenes context, and a painstaking look at Wilder's career-spanning motifs, Jordan gives us an engrossing 'director's cut' of one of cinema's greatest filmographies."-Ian Simmons, Chicago Film Critics Association "J.R. Jordan puts before us a fascinating excursion into the life and career of one of Hollywood's most versatile filmmakers. Jordan's book also offers insight into the many luminaries who crossed Wilder's path during his five decades of picture making. This is one of the best-written and thoroughly researched bios of a cinematic legend."-Steve Randisi, Author of The Merv Griffin Show: The Inside Story About the Author: J.R. Jordan has been writing about motion pictures for several years. He is the author of Showmanship: The Cinema of William Castle and Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures.
Loved and hated, adored and derided, Ayn Rand has been one of the most controversial philosophers and authors of our time. She is considered a Goddess of Capitalism by some and a quintessentially "Mean Girl" by others. Denise Noe tries to bring complexity to the life of this most complex figure and, especially, to explore in depth her strong relationship with the motion picture industry. Ayn Rand fell in love with movies during the silent era when she was a young girl growing up in Russia and that love affair with cinema lasted all her life - and had profound effects on her life. One of her first published works was on a favorite actress, Pola Negri. She met her husband, Frank O'Connor, when she worked as an extra on Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings. Ayn Rand penned the screenplays for the 1945 films Love Letters and You Came Along as well as for the 1949 The Fountainhead, a motion picture made of her groundbreaking novel of the same name. Ayn Rand has been the subject of films like the documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life and the fabulously stylish Hellen Mirren vehicle The Passion of Ayn Rand. This book discusses the three-part Atlas Shrugged movie series. It delves into the making of a Saints vs. Scoundrels episode pitting Rand against Roman Catholic author Flannery O'Connor. It tells how her dystopian novella Anthem was made into an inspired cartoon as was her screenplay Red Pawn. It talks at length about how The Simpsons put on delightful send-ups of Rand works-send-ups that were also tributes to those works. This book discusses lavish Hollywood productions and high school projects that can be viewed on YouTube, feature films and shorts, to show how gloriously both the life and work of Ayn Rand are intertwined with the motion picture industry.
Loved and hated, adored and derided, Ayn Rand has been one of the most controversial philosophers and authors of our time. She is considered a Goddess of Capitalism by some and a quintessentially "Mean Girl" by others. Denise Noe tries to bring complexity to the life of this most complex figure and, especially, to explore in depth her strong relationship with the motion picture industry. Ayn Rand fell in love with movies during the silent era when she was a young girl growing up in Russia and that love affair with cinema lasted all her life - and had profound effects on her life. One of her first published works was on a favorite actress, Pola Negri. She met her husband, Frank O'Connor, when she worked as an extra on Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings. Ayn Rand penned the screenplays for the 1945 films Love Letters and You Came Along as well as for the 1949 The Fountainhead, a motion picture made of her groundbreaking novel of the same name. Ayn Rand has been the subject of films like the documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life and the fabulously stylish Hellen Mirren vehicle The Passion of Ayn Rand. This book discusses the three-part Atlas Shrugged movie series. It delves into the making of a Saints vs. Scoundrels episode pitting Rand against Roman Catholic author Flannery O'Connor. It tells how her dystopian novella Anthem was made into an inspired cartoon as was her screenplay Red Pawn. It talks at length about how The Simpsons put on delightful send-ups of Rand works-send-ups that were also tributes to those works. This book discusses lavish Hollywood productions and high school projects that can be viewed on YouTube, feature films and shorts, to show how gloriously both the life and work of Ayn Rand are intertwined with the motion picture industry.
Showing you both the process and product, Can I Quote You on That? takes you through all the interviewing steps from contacting interviewees to completing interviews for publication. Along the way, we'll look at how to ask for an interview, developing and ordering lists of questions, the importance of research and how to research without much notice, conducting an interview without any notice, time, how to politely persist and get an interview from people who say yes but won't set a date, why your spam folder may contain a golden ham, technical considerations and proper equipment, what I did when I lost all copies of an interview, handling the laconic and the loquacious, organization, assembling a collection of interviews, efficiently transcribing from audio or video, editing an interview, the pains and pleasures of release forms, payment, and working with editors. As we'll see, interviewing is much more than just mechanically transcribing words to the page. Can I Quote You on That? guides you through the editing process of removing, adding, cleaning up, clarifying, and moving material within an interview by taking you through a first rough draft, a second draft showing editing decisions with bracketed changes followed by explanatory notes, and a third and final draft. Two complete examples fully demonstrate all three stages through separate interviews with Pete Von Sholly (The Fantastic Four, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile) and Martin Kove (Death Race 2000, The Karate Kid, and Once Upon a Time. . . in Hollywood). William Nesbitt, Ph.D., is Professor of English at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida. His articles, creative writing, reviews, and interviews have appeared in numerous publications including Aji, Manzano Mountain Review, PopMatters, The Rockpit, Beat Drama: Playwrights and Performances of the 'Howl' Generation, Beatdom, Route 7 Review, Popular Culture Review, The Southeast Review, and The Journal of Evolutionary Psychology. His books include Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities at Beacon College: Lessons from the Inside, Roger Corman's New World Pictures (1970-1983): An Oral History (volumes one and two), and Forsaken: The Making and Aftermath of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four.
My Peacock Tale: Secrets Of An NBC Page is a funny, sexy, gossipy, celebrity-filled memoir with real-life, never-before-told stories. Set against the backdrop of NBC Burbank in the mid-70s, the Pages had VIP access to stars ranging from Johnny Carson to Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner to Andy Kaufman, Freddie Prinze to Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, John Travolta, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donald Trump, Johnny Cash, Harry Chapin and iconic legends including Bob Hope, Betty White, Elvis Presley, Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Alfred Hitchcock and many more. Oh, and then there's all the good sex! But, there are also stories of unwanted sexual advances made on the Pages, both men and women. The Page staff was like a show biz exclusive sorority/fraternity, and their friendships have continued for decades. The stories make this a good read for anyone hoping to enter the entertainment industry."A revealing and often delightful insider's look at the heyday of network television." - Kirkus ReviewsI think I'm safe in saying that at the age of 15, I was the youngest Page Boy ever hired at NBC in New York. My sister, actress Joann Dru, helped get my foot in the door for what turned out to be a life-changing job that started my career in the entertainment industry. Often when I was hosting The Hollywood Squares, I would see the Pages in the hallway and remember the lifelong friendships I made giving tours and ushering shows, friends including Match Game host Gene Rayburn. I think so highly of the NBC Page Program that I suggested it to my daughter, Jamie, who became a Page at NBC Burbank. Shelley's book brought back some great memories, and I read a few stories about what was happening around the studio I had never heard before.- Peter Marshall, TV Host/Boy SingerThe Hollywood SquaresI was working at NBC during this era. I left my job as a Page at another network to write questions for the game show Celebrity Sweepstakes because NBC was the place to be. Shelley and her Page colleagues reveal never-before-told stories about what took place behind the peacock curtain, bringing readers into the little-known secret society they affectionately call Pagedom. They worked with all the biggest stars in their unguarded moments, witnessing behavior that would not and should never be tolerated in the workplace. They are a show biz Band of Brothers and Sisters who have remarkably remained close friends all these decades. No wonder many of them said it was the best job they ever had.- Marc SummersTV Host, Producer, Star of Double Dare, UnwrappedI remember seeing Shelley in her little Page uniform while we were taping Wheel of Fortune. When you're starting a brand new show, you find yourself looking for faces that reflect kindness. I had two in the audience - my mother and Shelley Herman with her infectious smile. Our friendship has continued through many of life's challenges. Reading My Peacock Tale brought back fond memories of my time at NBC Burbank, and Shelley's spicy stories had me laughing and empathizing with her and what many women had to endure while building their careers. Just one question: Who's Jake?- Chaplain Susan Stafford, Ph.D.Original Hostess of Wheel of Fortune
Showing you both the process and product, Can I Quote You on That? takes you through all the interviewing steps from contacting interviewees to completing interviews for publication. Along the way, we'll look at how to ask for an interview, developing and ordering lists of questions, the importance of research and how to research without much notice, conducting an interview without any notice, time, how to politely persist and get an interview from people who say yes but won't set a date, why your spam folder may contain a golden ham, technical considerations and proper equipment, what I did when I lost all copies of an interview, handling the laconic and the loquacious, organization, assembling a collection of interviews, efficiently transcribing from audio or video, editing an interview, the pains and pleasures of release forms, payment, and working with editors. As we'll see, interviewing is much more than just mechanically transcribing words to the page. Can I Quote You on That? guides you through the editing process of removing, adding, cleaning up, clarifying, and moving material within an interview by taking you through a first rough draft, a second draft showing editing decisions with bracketed changes followed by explanatory notes, and a third and final draft. Two complete examples fully demonstrate all three stages through separate interviews with Pete Von Sholly (The Fantastic Four, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile) and Martin Kove (Death Race 2000, The Karate Kid, and Once Upon a Time. . . in Hollywood). William Nesbitt, Ph.D., is Professor of English at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida. His articles, creative writing, reviews, and interviews have appeared in numerous publications including Aji, Manzano Mountain Review, PopMatters, The Rockpit, Beat Drama: Playwrights and Performances of the 'Howl' Generation, Beatdom, Route 7 Review, Popular Culture Review, The Southeast Review, and The Journal of Evolutionary Psychology. His books include Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities at Beacon College: Lessons from the Inside, Roger Corman's New World Pictures (1970-1983): An Oral History (volumes one and two), and Forsaken: The Making and Aftermath of Roger Corman's The Fantastic Four.
LISTEN TO THE RAINAward Winning Actor - Award Winning Author - Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host MICHAEL DANTE Many years ago, I wrote a brief outline about a fictional character Michael Randall, who dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. I wrote it with the intention of portraying him in a movie or a television show with the same passion I had for playing baseball, in addition to surrounding his life with something different. Time passed and I could no longer physically play the role. But the story has always stayed with me. I have now completed it in a novella entitled, Listen to the Rain. It is my first contemporary offering about a complex young man who was also involved in organized crime. But he never lost his desire to play baseball as a career and found love along the way.
Carroll Borland is the legendary star of early cinema, who's portrayal of "Luna" opposite Bela Lugosi in Mark of the Vampire (1935) indelibly etched in the minds of moviegoers the look, the style, and the sexuality of female vampires for generations to come. How did Bela Lugosi inspire the writing of the legendary sequel to Bram Stoker's Dracula?¿ What was the true story behind the infamous incest scene rumored to have been cut from¿ Mark of the Vampire starring Carroll and Bela? Was Carroll Borland visited by the ghost of Bela Lugosi? What was the secret of their relationship? Learn the answers in Gregory Mank's compelling account of Carroll's life and film career.
Dame Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England on Sunday, September 26, 1948. Starting at an early age Olivia expressed an interest in music. By the time she was in her mid-teens she was singing in coffee houses with an all-girl group she formed with three classmates called "Sol-Four." Within the next decade she would become one of the most well-known female singers to ever grace the stage. Aside from singing Olivia also was an activist for environmental and animal rights causes. Olivia's mother once gave her some advice-- "If you can help someone I think you should do it." She certainly took her mother's advice. Olivia was a much loved performer for her entire career. That love from her fans has continued on just as strong, if not stronger, since her passing. Daniel Selby has researched and compiled the most up to date discography ever published on this remarkable Australian musician. From early musical beginnings to global super-stardom!Truly career spanning!
Can't get enough of The Golden Girls? It's been 38 years since the show first aired and became an instant cult classic. Viewers quickly became enamored with the extraordinary cast of female characters. A Tribute to The Golden Girls: From Sharing Cheesecake to Relaxing on the Lanai is everything you need to know about Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche and Rose through trivia questions, fun facts, memorable quotes and a must-have list of collectibles for the most loyal of viewers. The Golden Girls still remains fresh today with generations of new viewers. It is considered one of the most treasured TV sitcoms shows of our time. M.A. Cassata is the author of Pop 'N' Rock Trivia Quiz: '60s to '80s, Timeless TV Trivia Quiz & Random Facts: '60s to '80s, The Superheroes Movies Trivia Quiz Book and other entertainment/celebrity-themed tribute books including The Revised Elton John Scrapbook, Starman: A Tribute to Bowie, The Cher Scrapbook and The Essential Jim Carrey.
"After a Close Encounter with aliens gives him a super suit, regular guy Ralph Hinkley reluctantly becomes...The Greatest American Hero! There's never been a book about the beloved cult classic series, until now! With The Greatest American Hero Companion, you will get: *A Foreword by The Hero himself, William Katt!*A Complete episode guide, exclusive photos & never-before-told stories!Believe it or not, you will discover:*How the attempted assassination of a U.S. President changed the Hero's name!*How Superman battled Ralph...in court!*How Jerry Seinfeld made the theme song more famous than the show!*How Stephen J. Cannell created the show to be 'Rockford Files with a superhero!'*Which Cobra Kai Bully made his acting debut here...as a nerd!*Which FRIENDS star was almost The Greatest American Heroine!*How Katt & stuntman Dennis Danger Madalone survived Flying & fighting Andre The Giant*How a nervous first time actress bluffed into a role posing as an Italian model! From Patrick Jankiewicz, the Saturn Award & Rondo nominated author of You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry: A Hulk Companion and Buck Rogers In The 25th Century: A TV Companion comes The Greatest American Hero Companion!
A Best Actor Academy Award on his mantle, a four-decade-long acting career on his resume, 104 feature films in his filmography, enough great reviews to fill a dozen scrapbooks, the highest paid actor in Hollywood in 1938, and the second highest in 1937, a popular star admired and loved by coworkers and fans everywhere, a man beloved by his wife, family, and friends whose philanthropy, community service, and acts of kindness won him wide approbation. Those were but a few of the accomplishments of Warner Baxter, the actor and the man. Yet in spite of all his achievements, the life of Warner Baxter was no bed of roses. An insecure, troubled man bedeviled by grave self-doubts, negative thoughts and inner demons which he never seemed totally able to control, Baxter often appeared incapable of enjoying his many triumphs. On a surface level, his unhappiness and inner turmoil appear irrational, but when one learns his history, past experiences, and the astonishing series of accidents, injuries, and catastrophes which befell Baxter and those closest to him throughout his life, his insecurities and instability become considerably more understandable. Similarly sad is the fact that since his early death in 1951, Warner Baxter's fame and professional legacy have basically faded into oblivion, an unjust victim of time and neglect. Who was Warner Baxter? Why is he important? How is it possible such an acclaimed and popular actor, someone so admired by fans and Hollywood elites during his heyday could be disregarded and/or forgotten today? The Accidental Star chronicles the dramatic life and career of this talented, versatile and vastly underrated film star in an attempt to answer those questions. A native of Charlotte, Michigan, author, biographer Dan Van Neste has been chronicling entertainment history for over thirty years. He is the author of three acclaimed film books: The Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows (2011), The Magnificent Heel: The Life and Films of Ricardo Cortez (2017), and They Coulda Been Contenders: Twelve Actors Who Should Have Been Cinematic Superstars (2019). He lives in Lansing, Michigan.
A Best Actor Academy Award on his mantle, a four-decade-long acting career on his resume, 104 feature films in his filmography, enough great reviews to fill a dozen scrapbooks, the highest paid actor in Hollywood in 1938, and the second highest in 1937, a popular star admired and loved by coworkers and fans everywhere, a man beloved by his wife, family, and friends whose philanthropy, community service, and acts of kindness won him wide approbation. Those were but a few of the accomplishments of Warner Baxter, the actor and the man. Yet in spite of all his achievements, the life of Warner Baxter was no bed of roses. An insecure, troubled man bedeviled by grave self-doubts, negative thoughts and inner demons which he never seemed totally able to control, Baxter often appeared incapable of enjoying his many triumphs. On a surface level, his unhappiness and inner turmoil appear irrational, but when one learns his history, past experiences, and the astonishing series of accidents, injuries, and catastrophes which befell Baxter and those closest to him throughout his life, his insecurities and instability become considerably more understandable. Similarly sad is the fact that since his early death in 1951, Warner Baxter's fame and professional legacy have basically faded into oblivion, an unjust victim of time and neglect. Who was Warner Baxter? Why is he important? How is it possible such an acclaimed and popular actor, someone so admired by fans and Hollywood elites during his heyday could be disregarded and/or forgotten today? The Accidental Star chronicles the dramatic life and career of this talented, versatile and vastly underrated film star in an attempt to answer those questions. A native of Charlotte, Michigan, author, biographer Dan Van Neste has been chronicling entertainment history for over thirty years. He is the author of three acclaimed film books: The Whistler: Stepping Into the Shadows (2011), The Magnificent Heel: The Life and Films of Ricardo Cortez (2017), and They Coulda Been Contenders: Twelve Actors Who Should Have Been Cinematic Superstars (2019). He lives in Lansing, Michigan.
Al Christie and canine companions, 1927 "With this book, the first devoted to its subject, Mark Kearney deftly and compellingly illustrates Al Christie's vital contribution to the art form, allowing him to take his proper place as an important producer, director, writer, and all-around comedy creator." - Steve Massa, author and silent film historian Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer is a captivating new book that sheds light on the remarkable career of a Hollywood legend who has been overlooked for too long. With over 1,000 short comedies and features to his credit, Al Christie was a prolific director and producer who made the first comedy films in the then little-known town of Hollywood in 1911 and left an indelible mark on the movie industry during his subsequent 30-year career. This biography celebrates Christie's life and work from his early days growing up in London, Ontario, Canada where he helped touring Vaudevillians hone their comic skills to his years in Hollywood behind the camera during the silent film and early talkies' era. Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer is a must-read for anyone with an interest in cinema history.
Al Christie and canine companions, 1927 "With this book, the first devoted to its subject, Mark Kearney deftly and compellingly illustrates Al Christie's vital contribution to the art form, allowing him to take his proper place as an important producer, director, writer, and all-around comedy creator." - Steve Massa, author and silent film historian Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer is a captivating new book that sheds light on the remarkable career of a Hollywood legend who has been overlooked for too long. With over 1,000 short comedies and features to his credit, Al Christie was a prolific director and producer who made the first comedy films in the then little-known town of Hollywood in 1911 and left an indelible mark on the movie industry during his subsequent 30-year career. This biography celebrates Christie's life and work from his early days growing up in London, Ontario, Canada where he helped touring Vaudevillians hone their comic skills to his years in Hollywood behind the camera during the silent film and early talkies' era. Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer is a must-read for anyone with an interest in cinema history.
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