Author: George A. Katchmer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 1096
Book Description
Eighty good-sized biographies of significant silent-era players hard to find in other reference works, and almost nowhere at this length. The villains and sidekicks of two-reelers (Jim Corey, Nelson McDowell), cowboy action stars (Jack Hoxie, Art Acord, Hoot Gibson, et al.), comedians, character actors, matinee idols and other talented and reliable performers.A comprehensive filmography (compiled for this book by Richard E. Braff and listing year, studio, director, screenplay, story or author, length and cast) accompanies each entry. The biographies are revised and edited versions of a series that ran in the film periodical Classic Images.
Eighty Silent Film Stars
Author: George A. Katchmer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 1096
Book Description
Eighty good-sized biographies of significant silent-era players hard to find in other reference works, and almost nowhere at this length. The villains and sidekicks of two-reelers (Jim Corey, Nelson McDowell), cowboy action stars (Jack Hoxie, Art Acord, Hoot Gibson, et al.), comedians, character actors, matinee idols and other talented and reliable performers.A comprehensive filmography (compiled for this book by Richard E. Braff and listing year, studio, director, screenplay, story or author, length and cast) accompanies each entry. The biographies are revised and edited versions of a series that ran in the film periodical Classic Images.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 1096
Book Description
Eighty good-sized biographies of significant silent-era players hard to find in other reference works, and almost nowhere at this length. The villains and sidekicks of two-reelers (Jim Corey, Nelson McDowell), cowboy action stars (Jack Hoxie, Art Acord, Hoot Gibson, et al.), comedians, character actors, matinee idols and other talented and reliable performers.A comprehensive filmography (compiled for this book by Richard E. Braff and listing year, studio, director, screenplay, story or author, length and cast) accompanies each entry. The biographies are revised and edited versions of a series that ran in the film periodical Classic Images.
John Gilbert
Author: Eve Golden
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 081314163X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 348
Book Description
This revealing biography of the legendary silent film star chronicles his meteoric rise, famous romances, and tragic descent into obscurity. Known as “The Great Lover,” John Gilbert was among the world's most recognizable actors during the silent era. A swashbuckling figure on screen and off, he is best known today for his high-profile romances with Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, his legendary conflicts with Louis B. Mayer, his four tumultuous marriages, and his swift decline after the introduction of talkies. Many myths have developed around the larger-than-life star in the eighty years since his untimely death, but this definitive biography sets the record straight. Eve Golden separates fact from fiction in John Gilbert, tracing the actor's life from his youth spent traveling with his mother in acting troupes to the peak of fame at MGM, where he starred opposite Mae Murray, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, and others in popular films such as The Merry Widow, The Big Parade, Flesh and the Devil, and Love. Golden debunks some of the most pernicious rumors about Gilbert, including the oft-repeated myth that he had a high-pitched, squeaky voice that ruined his career. Meticulous, comprehensive, and generously illustrated, this book provides a behind-the-scenes look at one of the silent era's greatest stars and the glamorous yet brutal world in which he lived.
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 081314163X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 348
Book Description
This revealing biography of the legendary silent film star chronicles his meteoric rise, famous romances, and tragic descent into obscurity. Known as “The Great Lover,” John Gilbert was among the world's most recognizable actors during the silent era. A swashbuckling figure on screen and off, he is best known today for his high-profile romances with Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, his legendary conflicts with Louis B. Mayer, his four tumultuous marriages, and his swift decline after the introduction of talkies. Many myths have developed around the larger-than-life star in the eighty years since his untimely death, but this definitive biography sets the record straight. Eve Golden separates fact from fiction in John Gilbert, tracing the actor's life from his youth spent traveling with his mother in acting troupes to the peak of fame at MGM, where he starred opposite Mae Murray, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, and others in popular films such as The Merry Widow, The Big Parade, Flesh and the Devil, and Love. Golden debunks some of the most pernicious rumors about Gilbert, including the oft-repeated myth that he had a high-pitched, squeaky voice that ruined his career. Meticulous, comprehensive, and generously illustrated, this book provides a behind-the-scenes look at one of the silent era's greatest stars and the glamorous yet brutal world in which he lived.
Still
Author: David S. Shields
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022601343X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 416
Book Description
The success of movies like The Artist and Hugo recreated the wonder and magic of silent film for modern audiences, many of whom might never have experienced a movie without sound. But while the American silent movie was one of the most significant popular art forms of the modern age, it is also one that is largely lost to us, as more than eighty percent of silent films have disappeared, the victims of age, disaster, and neglect. We now know about many of these cinematic masterpieces only from the collections of still portraits and production photographs that were originally created for publicity and reference. Capturing the beauty, horror, and moodiness of silent motion pictures, these images are remarkable pieces of art in their own right. In the first history of still camera work generated by the American silent motion picture industry, David S. Shields chronicles the evolution of silent film aesthetics, glamour, and publicity, and provides unparalleled insight into this influential body of popular imagery. Exploring the work of over sixty camera artists, Still recovers the stories of the photographers who descended on early Hollywood and the stars and starlets who sat for them between 1908 and 1928. Focusing on the most culturally influential types of photographs—the performer portrait and the scene still—Shields follows photographers such as Albert Witzel and W. F. Seely as they devised the poses that newspapers and magazines would bring to Americans, who mimicked the sultry stares and dangerous glances of silent stars. He uncovers scene shots of unprecedented splendor—visions that would ignite the popular imagination. And he details how still photographs changed the film industry, whose growing preoccupation with artistry in imagery caused directors and stars to hire celebrated stage photographers and transformed cameramen into bankable names. Reproducing over one hundred and fifty of these gorgeous black-and-white photographs, Still brings to life an entire long-lost visual culture that a century later still has the power to enchant.
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022601343X
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 416
Book Description
The success of movies like The Artist and Hugo recreated the wonder and magic of silent film for modern audiences, many of whom might never have experienced a movie without sound. But while the American silent movie was one of the most significant popular art forms of the modern age, it is also one that is largely lost to us, as more than eighty percent of silent films have disappeared, the victims of age, disaster, and neglect. We now know about many of these cinematic masterpieces only from the collections of still portraits and production photographs that were originally created for publicity and reference. Capturing the beauty, horror, and moodiness of silent motion pictures, these images are remarkable pieces of art in their own right. In the first history of still camera work generated by the American silent motion picture industry, David S. Shields chronicles the evolution of silent film aesthetics, glamour, and publicity, and provides unparalleled insight into this influential body of popular imagery. Exploring the work of over sixty camera artists, Still recovers the stories of the photographers who descended on early Hollywood and the stars and starlets who sat for them between 1908 and 1928. Focusing on the most culturally influential types of photographs—the performer portrait and the scene still—Shields follows photographers such as Albert Witzel and W. F. Seely as they devised the poses that newspapers and magazines would bring to Americans, who mimicked the sultry stares and dangerous glances of silent stars. He uncovers scene shots of unprecedented splendor—visions that would ignite the popular imagination. And he details how still photographs changed the film industry, whose growing preoccupation with artistry in imagery caused directors and stars to hire celebrated stage photographers and transformed cameramen into bankable names. Reproducing over one hundred and fifty of these gorgeous black-and-white photographs, Still brings to life an entire long-lost visual culture that a century later still has the power to enchant.
A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses
Author: George A. Katchmer
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476609055
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 489
Book Description
Long before sound became an essential part of motion pictures, Westerns were an established genre. The men and women who brought to life cowboys, cowgirls, villains, sidekicks, distressed damsels and outraged townspeople often continued with their film careers, finding success and fame well into the sound era--always knowing that it was in silent Westerns that their careers began. More than a thousand of these once-silent Western players are featured in this fully indexed encyclopedic work. Each entry includes a detailed biography, covering both personal and professional milestones and a complete Western filmography. A foreword is supplied by Diana Serra Cary (formerly the child star "Baby Peggy"), who performed with many of the actors herein.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476609055
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 489
Book Description
Long before sound became an essential part of motion pictures, Westerns were an established genre. The men and women who brought to life cowboys, cowgirls, villains, sidekicks, distressed damsels and outraged townspeople often continued with their film careers, finding success and fame well into the sound era--always knowing that it was in silent Westerns that their careers began. More than a thousand of these once-silent Western players are featured in this fully indexed encyclopedic work. Each entry includes a detailed biography, covering both personal and professional milestones and a complete Western filmography. A foreword is supplied by Diana Serra Cary (formerly the child star "Baby Peggy"), who performed with many of the actors herein.
Guide to the Silent Years of American Cinema
Author: Christophe P. Jacobs
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313032173
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 381
Book Description
The latest offering from the Reference Guides to the World's Cinema series, this critical survey of key films, actors, directors, and screenwriters during the silent era of the American cinema offers a broad-ranging portrait of the motion picture production of silent film. Detailed but concise alphabetical entries include over 100 film titles and 150 personnel. An introductory chapter explores the early growth of the new silent medium while the final chapter of this encyclopedic study examines the sophistication of the silent cinema. These two chapters outline film history from its beginnings until the perfection of synchronized sound, and reflect upon the themes and techniques established with the silent cinema that continued into the sound era through modern times. The annotated entries, alphabetically arranged by film title or personnel, include brief bibliographies and filmographies. An appendix lists secondary but important movies and their creators. Film and popular culture scholars will appreciate the vast amount of information that has been culled from various sources and that builds upon the increased studies and research of the past ten years.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313032173
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 381
Book Description
The latest offering from the Reference Guides to the World's Cinema series, this critical survey of key films, actors, directors, and screenwriters during the silent era of the American cinema offers a broad-ranging portrait of the motion picture production of silent film. Detailed but concise alphabetical entries include over 100 film titles and 150 personnel. An introductory chapter explores the early growth of the new silent medium while the final chapter of this encyclopedic study examines the sophistication of the silent cinema. These two chapters outline film history from its beginnings until the perfection of synchronized sound, and reflect upon the themes and techniques established with the silent cinema that continued into the sound era through modern times. The annotated entries, alphabetically arranged by film title or personnel, include brief bibliographies and filmographies. An appendix lists secondary but important movies and their creators. Film and popular culture scholars will appreciate the vast amount of information that has been culled from various sources and that builds upon the increased studies and research of the past ten years.
The Strong, Silent Type
Author: Buck Rainey
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476615241
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 721
Book Description
Many of the stars of silent westerns were young horse wranglers who left the open fields to make extra money bulldogging steers and chasing Indians around arenas in traveling Wild West shows. They made their way to Hollywood when the popularity of the Wild West shows began to decline, found work acting in action-packed silent westerns, and became idols for early moviegoers everywhere. More than 100 of those cowboys who starred in silent westerns between 1903 and 1930 are highlighted in this work. Among those included are Art Acord, Broncho Billy Anderson, Harry Carey, Fred Cody, Bob Custer, Jack Daugherty, William Desmond, William Duncan, Dustin Farnum, William Farnum, Hoot Gibson, Neal Hart, William S. Hart, Jack Holt, Jack Hoxie, Buck Jones, J. Warren Kerrigan, George Larkin, Leo Maloney, Ken Maynard, Tim McCoy, Tom Mix, Pete Morrison, Jack Mower, Jack Perrin, William Russell, Bob Steele, Fred Thompson, Tom Tyler, and Wally Wales, to name just a few. Biographical information and a complete filmography are provided for each actor. Richly illustrated with more than 300 movie stills.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476615241
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 721
Book Description
Many of the stars of silent westerns were young horse wranglers who left the open fields to make extra money bulldogging steers and chasing Indians around arenas in traveling Wild West shows. They made their way to Hollywood when the popularity of the Wild West shows began to decline, found work acting in action-packed silent westerns, and became idols for early moviegoers everywhere. More than 100 of those cowboys who starred in silent westerns between 1903 and 1930 are highlighted in this work. Among those included are Art Acord, Broncho Billy Anderson, Harry Carey, Fred Cody, Bob Custer, Jack Daugherty, William Desmond, William Duncan, Dustin Farnum, William Farnum, Hoot Gibson, Neal Hart, William S. Hart, Jack Holt, Jack Hoxie, Buck Jones, J. Warren Kerrigan, George Larkin, Leo Maloney, Ken Maynard, Tim McCoy, Tom Mix, Pete Morrison, Jack Mower, Jack Perrin, William Russell, Bob Steele, Fred Thompson, Tom Tyler, and Wally Wales, to name just a few. Biographical information and a complete filmography are provided for each actor. Richly illustrated with more than 300 movie stills.
Silent Serial Sensations
Author: Barbara Tepa Lupack
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501748203
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 405
Book Description
The first book-length study of pioneering and prolific filmmakers Ted and Leo Wharton, Silent Serial Sensations offers a fascinating account of the dynamic early film industry. As Barbara Tepa Lupack demonstrates, the Wharton brothers were behind some of the most profitable and influential productions of the era, including The Exploits of Elaine and The Mysteries of Myra, which starred such popular performers as Pearl White, Irene Castle, Francis X. Bushman, and Lionel Barrymore. Working from the independent film studio they established in Ithaca, New York, Ted and Leo turned their adopted town into "Hollywood on Cayuga." By interweaving contemporary events and incorporating technological and scientific innovations, the Whartons expanded the possibilities of the popular serial motion picture and defined many of its conventions. A number of the sensational techniques and character types they introduced are still being employed by directors and producers a century later.
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501748203
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 405
Book Description
The first book-length study of pioneering and prolific filmmakers Ted and Leo Wharton, Silent Serial Sensations offers a fascinating account of the dynamic early film industry. As Barbara Tepa Lupack demonstrates, the Wharton brothers were behind some of the most profitable and influential productions of the era, including The Exploits of Elaine and The Mysteries of Myra, which starred such popular performers as Pearl White, Irene Castle, Francis X. Bushman, and Lionel Barrymore. Working from the independent film studio they established in Ithaca, New York, Ted and Leo turned their adopted town into "Hollywood on Cayuga." By interweaving contemporary events and incorporating technological and scientific innovations, the Whartons expanded the possibilities of the popular serial motion picture and defined many of its conventions. A number of the sensational techniques and character types they introduced are still being employed by directors and producers a century later.
Stars at War
Author: Marvin D. Pipher
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1685708196
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
This book outlines the lives and achievements of one hundred entertainers and athletes, mostly Americans, who served their nations well, both in times of war and in times of peace. It spans the period from the Spanish American War, 1898, up to 2020, but concentrates most heavily on World War II. The book was initiated in response to an apparent difference noted between the reactions of entertainers and athletes to the events of September 11, 2001, and those following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. It began as an effort to understand who those earlier people were, what they did, and why; to identify the one hundred who did the most during World War II; and to rank them in accordance with their achievements. This proved to be an impossible task since there was no way to identify the one hundred, and there was no common basis for comparison: some were truly heroic, some were wounded and some killed, while others simply served to the best of their abilities. The best that could be done was to categorize the men and women selected and subjectively rank them with their peers. Over time, this effort expanded to be more inclusive: touching lightly upon the Spanish American War, World War I, the Korean War, Vietnam, the war on terror, and upon more recent events. Some of those presented herein served before becoming famous, some after; some volunteered and some were drafted, while others served as civilians in their chosen fields. Two became presidents of the United States. Three won the Congressional Medal of Honor. Aside from their service, however, these were truly remarkable men and women whose stories deserve to be told if for no other reason than to give us a glimpse into the kinds of people who made the United States the greatest nation in the history of the world.
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 1685708196
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
This book outlines the lives and achievements of one hundred entertainers and athletes, mostly Americans, who served their nations well, both in times of war and in times of peace. It spans the period from the Spanish American War, 1898, up to 2020, but concentrates most heavily on World War II. The book was initiated in response to an apparent difference noted between the reactions of entertainers and athletes to the events of September 11, 2001, and those following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. It began as an effort to understand who those earlier people were, what they did, and why; to identify the one hundred who did the most during World War II; and to rank them in accordance with their achievements. This proved to be an impossible task since there was no way to identify the one hundred, and there was no common basis for comparison: some were truly heroic, some were wounded and some killed, while others simply served to the best of their abilities. The best that could be done was to categorize the men and women selected and subjectively rank them with their peers. Over time, this effort expanded to be more inclusive: touching lightly upon the Spanish American War, World War I, the Korean War, Vietnam, the war on terror, and upon more recent events. Some of those presented herein served before becoming famous, some after; some volunteered and some were drafted, while others served as civilians in their chosen fields. Two became presidents of the United States. Three won the Congressional Medal of Honor. Aside from their service, however, these were truly remarkable men and women whose stories deserve to be told if for no other reason than to give us a glimpse into the kinds of people who made the United States the greatest nation in the history of the world.
Silent Film Stars on the Stages of Seattle
Author: Eric L. Flom
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786439084
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Before they became household names, many would-be Hollywood stars began their careers as small-time actors in regional theatres and playhouses. Few of them earned much recognition based on their time in the footlights, but often the stage provided these Hollywood hopefuls with their first break in show business. Drawing on material from the J. Willis Sayre Collection, a nearly unbroken accumulation of theatrical programs from 1865 to 1955, this book chronicles the Seattle stage engagements of more than 30 silent film personalities. Such Hollywood giants as Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille, D.W. Griffith, and Buster Keaton, to name just a few, can trace their early careers through the Emerald City.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786439084
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 310
Book Description
Before they became household names, many would-be Hollywood stars began their careers as small-time actors in regional theatres and playhouses. Few of them earned much recognition based on their time in the footlights, but often the stage provided these Hollywood hopefuls with their first break in show business. Drawing on material from the J. Willis Sayre Collection, a nearly unbroken accumulation of theatrical programs from 1865 to 1955, this book chronicles the Seattle stage engagements of more than 30 silent film personalities. Such Hollywood giants as Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Cecil B. DeMille, D.W. Griffith, and Buster Keaton, to name just a few, can trace their early careers through the Emerald City.
Eighty Odd Years in Hollywood
Author: John Meredyth Lucas
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786481161
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
John Meredyth Lucas, son of silent screen star and screenwriter Bess Meredyth (Ben-Hur, The Sea Beast, When a Man Loves, Don Juan) and stepson of renowned Hungarian-born director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Life with Father), came of age in Hollywood during the 1930s. Lucas went on to an impressive career of his own as a writer-producer-director. He made films with Hal Wallis, Ross Hunter, Walt Disney, and others, and he wrote, produced, and directed such classic television series as Mannix, The Fugitive and Star Trek. Completed shortly before his death in 2002, Lucas' memoir is filled with never-before-told recollections of many Hollywood greats and features previously unpublished photographs. With Lucas, we go behind the scenes, onto the studio lots and into the parties with family friends John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn and Jack Warner, to name just a few. It's a boy's-eye-view of Hollywood in a time of glamour, decadence, and the golden years of filmmaking.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786481161
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
John Meredyth Lucas, son of silent screen star and screenwriter Bess Meredyth (Ben-Hur, The Sea Beast, When a Man Loves, Don Juan) and stepson of renowned Hungarian-born director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Life with Father), came of age in Hollywood during the 1930s. Lucas went on to an impressive career of his own as a writer-producer-director. He made films with Hal Wallis, Ross Hunter, Walt Disney, and others, and he wrote, produced, and directed such classic television series as Mannix, The Fugitive and Star Trek. Completed shortly before his death in 2002, Lucas' memoir is filled with never-before-told recollections of many Hollywood greats and features previously unpublished photographs. With Lucas, we go behind the scenes, onto the studio lots and into the parties with family friends John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn and Jack Warner, to name just a few. It's a boy's-eye-view of Hollywood in a time of glamour, decadence, and the golden years of filmmaking.