By Gene Popa
In 1937, it seemed as if Cary Grant had it all: the fame and fortune of being a leading man for one of Hollywood’s biggest studios, with a life of luxury that was a world away from the hardship and misery he knew growing up in Bristol, England. But all that glitters is not gold. Grant felt that he had no say in the development of his own career, and he was seeing signs that the studio was losing interest in him…other than to just be a handsome face. He yearned for better roles to prove himself as an actor. And so, he did the inconceivable… he left the safety of his studio and struck out on his own as a freelance actor. Over the next four years, against tremendous odds and formidable opposition, he guided his own destiny.
As amazing as the story of Archie Leach forging a new life for himself as Cary Grant is, the tale of these four crucible years, 1937 to 1940, is equally as important. For it was during these years that Cary Grant became more than a movie star… he became a timeless icon.
Author Gene Popa explored those four years and pressure and professional commitments Cary Grant had to undergo to establish his name status for top billing with productions that were not always assigned to him by the studio heads. This makes for fascinating reading – especially if you are a fan of vintage cinema.
By Gordon Shriver
Since his death in 1969, Boris Karloff has remained one of Hollywood's most famous performers, having shot to fame and entering film history as the Monster in Frankenstein, the 1931 Universal classic. He is still revered for his commitment to the craft of acting, his personal warmth, his professionalism, and performances in all phases of show business in a career lasting five decades.
This is Gordon’s biography of the actor, the result of numerous years of interviews and extensive research, and examines Karloff the person, as well as the actor. Gordon took his book from many years ago and revised it, with expanded trivia and recollections from those who worked with Boris Karloff. If someone attending a convention to sign autographs for fans worked with the actor, Gordon took a moment to ask them about Karloff and those added quotes make this expanded edition worth reading. (Note: make sure you get the purple cover for the expanded edition, not the red-orange cover.)
Karloff’s work in movies, radio, television, and the theater is explored in depth, and highlighted by those who knew and worked with him in all stages, as well as personal friends. Among those honoring Karloff, whose lives he made a difference in, are actors Julie Harris, Eli Wallach, Teresa Wright, Tom Bosley, Chita Rivera, Christopher Lee, Susan Strasberg, and Roddy MacDowall, directors Peter Bogdanovich, George Schaefer, and Robert Wise to authors Robert Anderson, Robert Bloch, and Ray Bradbury. With the support of the Karloff family, Gordon Shriver honors the life and career of this much-loved and respected performer.
By James L. Neibaur
Joe E. Brown was the most popular movie comedian in the 1930s, his films being bigger moneymakers than those featuring Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, or The Marx Brothers. A regrettable business decision in the middle of the decade resulted in indie productions that relegated Joe to second-feature status. After losing a son in World War Two, Joe became a tireless entertainer for servicemen all over the world, resulting in his becoming one of two civilians during that time to be awarded the Bronze Star.
His movie career effectively over by the 1950s, Joe took a supporting part in Billy Wilder's Some Like it Hot, which ended up becoming the movie by which he remains best known. This book is a film-by-film look at his movies, basically from a “critical analysis” aspect and not historic, from his early 1930s heyday through his B movies in the late 30s and early 40s, and finally his film career's conclusion, only to be reborn with a handful of small parts in the 50s and 60s. Along with his work, this book will deal with Brown's baseball enthusiasm, his kindness to others, and his lasting legacy.
By Bill Angelos
This book is one of those relished treasures. The author, Bill Angelos, met James Cagney and convinced the actor to consent to a number of interviews regarding his screen career. The author taped all of those conversations and was in the process of transcribing them to text when he fell victim to a house fire. The result are the interviews as he recalled them, and the surviving transcripts that survived the flames.
While purists might contemplate speculation based on interviews from “recollections,” and not straight dictation from recordings, the author discloses this fact and made sure not to deviate from the facts. Fans of James Cagney will find this book of particular interest because it focuses on his early years, the crime capers he produced for Warner Brothersstage fright, dance school, Zanuck, and Public Enemy.
Even more fascinating are the behind-the-scenes photographs, his WWI draft card, playing baseball at Wrigley Field, 1922 marriage license, playbills, clippings from Cagney’s scrapbook and more.
