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The 1931-1940: American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States
"The entire field of film historians awaits the AFI volumes with eagerness."--Eileen Bowser, Museum of Modern Art Film Department Comments on previous volumes: "The source of last resort for finding socially valuable . . . films that received such scant attention that they seem 'lost' until discovered in the AFI Catalog."--Thomas Cripps "Endlessly absorbing as an excursion into cultural history and national memory."--Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
Of Gods and Monsters
While Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein (both 1931) have received the most coverage of any of the studio's genre releases, it is the lesser known films that have long fascinated fans and historians alike. Starting with The Last Warning, a 1929 movie released as both a silent and a talkie, Universal provided a decade of films that entertained audiences and sometimes frustrated critics. Each of Universal's horror, science fiction and "twisted mystery" films receives an in-depth essay for each film. The focus is first on the background to the making of the movie and its place in the Universal catalog. A detailed plot synopsis with critical commentary follows. Filmographic data for the film conclude the entry. Universal's The Shadow short film series is covered in an appendix. Many rare illustrations and movie posters are also included.
Beyond the Stars: Stock characters in American popular film
The third of five volumes of new scholarship on American movie conventions. The 19 essays explore cinematic representations of such material items as food, weapons, clothing, tools, technology, and art and literature. Not illustrated. No index. Paper edition (unseen), $13.95. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
Mothers, Mammies and Old Maids
Continuing the exploration which began in Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties (McFarland, 2006), this companion volume analyzes the contributions of female supporting players in the films of Hollywood's Golden Age. The twenty-five actresses profiled herein range from the easily recognizable (Marie Dressler, Ethel Waters) to the long forgotten (Esther Howard, Evelyn Varden), and from the prolific (Clara Blandick, Mary Forbes) to the "one-work wonders" (Jane Cowl, Queenie Vassar). Each profile captures the essence of the individual performer's on-screen persona, unique talents and popular appeal--with special emphasis on a single definitive performance of the actress's motion picture career (who, for example, could ever forget Josephine Hull in Harvey?). The appendix offers a list of "The 100 Top Performances by Character Actresses in Hollywood, 1930-1960."
Playbills to Photoplays
"They were pioneers in the most glamorous business in the world, and you only know half of their story. Playbills To Photoplays reveals colorful episodes in the lives of the stars before they became stars. Everyone saw them, but few knew where they came from. This collection of essays follows some of the most famous names in show business from Vaudeville and Broadway to Hollywood, revealing a part of their lives that movie historians have neglected -- until now. I think this book is terrific. It's a must read for any fan of the silver screen, and the days when movie stars were real stars." - Morgan Loew, great-grandson of Adolph Zukor, founder, Paramount Pictures, and Marcus Loew, founder, L...
Within Our Gates
"[These volumes] are endlessly absorbing as an excursion into cultural history and national memory."--Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
Television Western Players of the Fifties
Modeled after the Mack V. Wright 1920 film version, the 1949 western television series The Lone Ranger made Clayton Moore's masked character one of the most recognized in American popular culture. Other westerns followed and by 1959 there were 32 being shown daily on prime time television. Many of the stars of the nearly 75 westerns went on to become American icons and symbols of the Hollywood West. This encyclopedia includes every actor and actress who had a regular role in a television western from 1949 through 1959. The entries cite biographical and family details, accounts of how the player first broke into show business, and details of roles played, as well as opinions from the actors and their contemporaries. A full accounting of film, serial, and television credits is also included. The appendix lists 84 television westerns, with dates, show times, themes, and stars.
Character Actors in Horror and Science Fiction Films, 1930-1960
This biographical dictionary presents a stellar lineup of talented, versatile character actors who regularly appeared in horror and science fiction films during Hollywood's golden age. Many are well known by genre buffs and casual fans--they include Lionel Atwill, John Carradine, Dwight Frye, Rondo Hatton, Dick Miller, J. Carroll Naish, Maria Ouspenskaya, Glenn Strange, Edward Van Sloan, and George Zucco. Some are perhaps not so well known but equally at home in the horror and science fiction films--such as Anthony Carbone, Harry Cording, Rosemary La Planche, Dick Purcell, Elizabeth Russell and Mel Welles. The 96 entries are complete with a biography and in-depth analyses of the actor's best performances--demonstrating how important these personalities were to the success of their genre films.
The King of the Movies
That immigrant Jews had a profound impact on the growth of American cinema is well known and has been the subject of much scholarship. But America's first Jewish movie mogul, Siegmund Lubin of Philadelphia, has never been closely studied. Drawing upon contemporary accounts and interviews with Lubin's surviving family, friends, and employees, this work details the life and career of the once-famous "Pop" Lubin. It also seeks to explore the complex personality of this early film pioneer and the impact he had on the initial development of the movies. Torn between his loyalty to Edison and his desire to help the young Jewish independents trying to break into the business, Lubin adopted a complex strategy for working both sides of the fence. Sam Goldwyn, Jesse Lasky, Mark Dintenfass, Charles Baumann, and Adam Kessel all benefited from his discreet assistance. Lubin also became the first American film pioneer to utilize the motion picture to combat anti-Semitism.
Actresses of a Certain Character
"Information presented regarding birth, death, film credits and analyzes each player's unique talents, signature roles and career development. Representative range of backgrounds, character types and career experiences including actresses such as Agnes Moorehead, Thelma Ritter, Beulah Bondi, Sara Allgood, and Jessie Ralph, among others. A fascinating tour through Hollywood's big studio era and the lives of its characters"--Provided by publisher.
