Film Biographies

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Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design
Jennifer Bass
This is the first book to be published on one of the greatest American designers and filmmakers of the twentieth century. Saul Bass created some of the most compelling images of American postwar visual culture. Having extended the remit of graphic design to inclide film titles, he went on to transform the genre. Edited, compiled and designed by Saul's daughter Jennifer, this book includes a wealth of illustrations, many never published before. Hardcover, 425 pp. $84.00.

Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood
Emily Leider
From the beginning, Myrna Loy's screen image conjured mystery, a sense of something with-held. "Who is she?" was a question posed in the first fan magazine article published about her in 1925. This first biography of the wry and sophisticated actress offers an unprecendented picture of her life and extrodinary movie career, which spanned six decades. Hardcover, 411 pp. $38.95.

Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women as I Knew Them
Frank Langella
Captured forever in a unique memoir, Frank Lengella's myriad encounters with some of the past century's most famous human beings are profoundly affecting, funny, wicked, sometimes shocking, and utterly irresistible. With sharp wit and a perceptive eye, Mr. Langella takes us with him into the private worlds and privileged lives of movie stars, presidents, royalty, literary lions, the social elite, and the greats of the Broadway stage. Hardcover, 356 pp. $28.99.

Then Again
Diane Keaton
Beloved actress Diane Keaton writes a touching, unforgettable memoir abot her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also mett, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, alwas-thinking Dorothy Hall. Hardcover, 266 pp. $30.00.

Mary Pickford: Canada's Silent Siren, America's Sweetheart
Peggy Dymond Leavey
An enlightening biography of one Canada's greatest stars, who completely shook up Hollywood. Born Gladys Louise Smith in 1892, Pickford was raised in Toronto and began her acting career on stage. She eventually moved to the screen and revolutionized acting methodology, as well as the business of acting. Along with Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin she co-founded United Artists in 1919, turning the studio system on its head. Softcover, 222 pp. $19.99.

Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down
Robert Sellers
This brings alive the trail-blazing period of theatre and frilm from 1956-64 through the vibrant energy and exploits of the vibrant energy and exploits of a revolutionary generation of stars who bulldozed over austerity Britain and paved the way for the swinging 60s. Stories of Albert Finney, Sean Connery, Richard Harris, Michael Caine and more illustrate this raucous and uproarious book. Softcover, 426 pp. $22.00.

Life Itself
Roger Ebert
In this brilliant and touchingly personal autobiography, Roger Ebert shares his life stories, all told with candour and charm. The opening line, "I was born inside the movie of my life." is fulfilled on every page until the very end. A life as big and cinematic as any of the big screen epics while at the same time as detailed and finely rendered as a sketch drawn by a master painter. He really is the consummate story teller who takes the reader through time and to the many locations where he has experienced the best and worst in life. This is a must read. Signed copies available. Hardcover. $29.99.

Pauline Kael: A Life in the Dark
Brian Kellow
In her nearly quarter century as film critic for The New Yorker, Pauline Kael became the most widely read, the most influential, the most powerful, and, often enough, the most provocative critic in America. Much lauded biographer Brian Kellow examines her success as well as her battles, her fights with fellow critics, and other aspects of her life and career. Hardcover, 410 pp. $32.50.

Learning to Live Out Loud
Piper Laurie
An intimate memoir by three-time Oscar nominee Piper Laurie. One of Hollywood's most gifted and respected actresses. Hardcover, 359 pp. $27.99.

Jane Fonda: The Private Life of a Public Woman
Patricia Bosworth
In the hands of this seasoned biographer, the evolution of one of the century's most controversial and succesfull women becomes nothing less than a great, enthralling, American life. Hardcover, 580 pp. $35.00.

Sean Connery: The Measure of a Man
Christopher Bray
An unschooled no-hoper from the tenements of Edinburgh, Sean Connery went on to become a star and his generation's definition of masculinity. Spirited, argumentative and sardonically celebratory, this biography shows what can happen to a man when the image he creates take over his life. Softcover, 342 pp. $19.99.

Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of Humphrey Bogart
Stefan Kanfer
This long overdue biography appraises each of Bogart's films with an unfailing critical eye, weaving in lively accounts of behind the scenes fun and friendships, including, of course, the grat love story of Bogart and Bacall. What emerges in these pages is the portrait of a great Hollywood life. Hardcover, 290 pp. $26.95.

Spencer Tracy: A Biography
James Curtis
From his boyhood in Milwaukee, to his Broadway succes, to his distinguished film career and his famous relationships and habits, Spencer Tracy comes to life in this thrilling and exhaustively researched biography. Hardcover, 980 pp. $46.00.

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection
Carol Burnett
With a sharp eye and her trademark self-deprecating humour, Carol Burnett tells the story of her rise in show business and the people she met along the way, from such Hollywood greats as Jimmy Stewart, Marlon Brando, and Cary Grant, to the family, cast and audience members who motivated her. The anecdotes range from the hilarious to the heartbreaking. Throughout these reminiscences, a portrait emerges of a totally down-to-earth, richly talented, and amusingly spunky woman whose life and career are moving, insightful, and ultimately inspiring. Hardcover, 267 pp. $29.95.

Drama: An Actor's Education
John Lithgow
In this witty and intelligent memoir, John Lithgow shares the story of his life with honesty and humour. From his childhood travelling across the States, performing in his father's Shakespeare company, his education in England, and his breakthrough success on Broadway, to his final days with his beloved father.This memoir is not to be missed. Hardcover, 320 pp. $28.99.

Lucky Bruce
Bruce Jay Friedman
Whether he's fist fighting with Norman Mailer, explaining to Richard Pryor why there are so few Jewish junkies, or cavorting with the likes of Natalie Wood, Mario Puzo, Kurt Vonnegut, and more, Bruce Jay Friedman tells the tale of his amazing life and career with charm and wit. Hardcover, 290 pp. $29.95.

An Improvised Life: A Memoir
Alan Arkin
This is a revealing look into the creative mind of one of the craft's best practioners on stage or screen. Arrkin reveals not only insights about himself, but also truths for the rest of us abour work, relationships, and sens of self. Softcover, 201 pp. $19.50.

My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business
Dick Van Dyke
One of television and hollywood's best loved stars shares his life and stories in this wonderful memoir. Every ounce of Dick Van Dyke's charm and joy pours through the pages. Hardcover, 287 pp. $28.95.

Lives and Letters
Robert Gottlieb
The incomparable New Yorker writer and critic Robert Gottlieb shines a light on some of the most iconic figures of the 19th and 20th century including Mae West, Harry Houdini, Elia Kazan, Charles Dickens and Judy Garland. Through witty and insightful profiles as well as letters written to and from these stars, Gottlieb brings all of them to life. Hardcover, 420 pp. $34.50.

And Furthermore
Judi Dench
In this candid autobiography, Judi Dench reflects on her life and career, detailing not only the highs, but the lows as well. Here she reveals her personality in its many facets, and above all her affection for those who have influenced her the most. Fans will be delighted by her effervescing sense of humour and her irrepressible zest for acting. Hardcover, 268 pp. $39.95.

Audrey 100
Ellen Fontana
In this unique collection, Audrey's beloved companion, Rob Wolders, and sons, Sean and Luca, blend the Audrey they knew, with the Audrey the world knew. They chose the images in Audrey 100 for their beauty and artistry, as well as their representation of the Audrey beyond the movie screen. Extended captions convey the stories behind the photographs. Hardcover, 189 pp. $48.00.

Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr
Stephen Michael Shearer
This in-depth and meticulously researched biography, written with the cooperation of members of Hedy's family, intimate friends, and colleagues, separates the truths from the rumours, the facts from the fables, to reveal the life and character of one of classic Hollywood's most beautiful and remarkable women. Hardcover, 464 pp. $34.50.

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Sal Mineo: A Biography
Michael Gregg Michaud
Revealing a charming, mischievous, creative, and often scandalous side of Sal Mineo -- which few have ever known until now -- this is an intimate and moving biography of a distinctive Hollywood star. Hardcover, 421 pp. $29.99.

Hugh Martin: The Boy Next Door
Hugh Martin
Here is an enchanting jaunt through the Golden Era of Broadway and the MGM musicals. Written as Hugh enters his 96th year, this could be the last chance to hear eye-witness accounts of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, Carmen Miranda, Lena Horne, Bea Lillie, Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Rodgers and Hart, Irving Berlin, Josh Logan, Vincente Minnelli, Liza Minnelli, and dozens more. Hardcover, 409 pp. $35.95.

The New Biographical Dictionary of Film
Fifth Edition
David Thomson
Always mentioned whenever cinephiles talk about the great books about film, David Thomson's magnum opus is a true classic of the genre. For this new edition, he has brought up to date and in some cases recast the biographies, and added new ones. The book now includes almost 1,500 entries, some of them just a pungent paragraph, some of them several thousand words long, every one a gem. Hardcover, 1076 pp. $47.00.

Sinatra: Hollywood His Way
Timothy Knight
The fifty-nine films in which Frank Sinatra appeared from 1941 through 1991 are vividly brought to life in the pages of Sinatra: Hollywood His Way. Each entry includes behind-the-scenes stories, reviews, and plenty of colour and black & white photos, making this an essential addition to the library of every fan of Sinatra or classic Hollywood. Softcover, 334 pp. $42.00.

The Early Diaries
Simon Gray
Simon Gray's unforgettable Early Diaries, written several decades before his acclaimed Smoking Diaries, chronicle the frustrations and delights of mounting The Common Pursuit both in London, under the direction of Harold Pinter, and in the States, under the direction of the playwright himself. Exasperated, hilarious, Gray gives his inimitable observations on casting, miscasting, rehearsal-room egos and altercations. Softcover, 473 pp. $26.00.

Furious Love
Sam Kashner & Nancy Schoenberger
For nearly a quarter of a century, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were Hollywood royalty, and their fiery romance -- often called "the marriage of the century" -- was the most notorious, publicized, and celebrated love affair of its day. Shocking and unsparing in its honesty, Furious Love is more than a celebrity biography; it's an honest yet sympathetic portrait of a man, a woman, and a passion that shocked and mesmerized the world. Hardcover, 500 pp. $29.99.

The New Biographical Dictionary of Film - Completely Updated and Expended
David Thomson
This new Fifth Edition wiith more than 100 new entries, to total almost 1500 on over 1000 pages is more than worthy of the description of an advance review as "the finest refernce book ever written about movies:. It is crammed with Thomson's trademark humour and passionate, provocative, and daring opinions. This is the one book that every filmmaker and film buff will want. Cloth, $48.00.

My Life in Pieces: An Alternative Autobiography
Simon Callow
In this autobiography, Simon Callow writes with his customary perceptiveness, wit and flair about his particular journey towards becoming an actor. But, this being an 'alternative' autobiography, he also writes about figures he did not meet but whose influence was vital to a full understanding of his craft: figures such as Stanislavsky and Michael Chekhov, Nureyev and Cocteau, Laughton and Welles. Hardcover, 436 pp. $50.00.

Clint: A Retrospective
Richard Schickel
Clint Eastwood has achieved an iconic status unmatched in the history of cinema. For more than six decades, he has been making outstanding films, first as a leading actor and subsequently as an intelligent and questioning director. Complete with a comprehensive filmography, this beautifully illustrated book is a fitting tribute to a movie icon whose achievements have enriched our culture and illuminated the times in which we have lived. Hardcover, 288 pp. $44.95.

The Passion of Montgomery Clift
Amy Lawrence
As an actor and icon, Montgomery Clift's impact was such that, both during his troubled life and after his untimely death, fans described him in religious terms, characterizing Clift as a vision, acolyte, and martyr. In Amy Lawrence's new book, she challenges the myth of Clift as a tragic victim by examining his participation in the manipulation of his image, his collaborations with directors, his relationships with costars, and his interactions with writers. Softcover, 333 pp. $29.95.

It's Only a Movie: Reel Life Adventures of a Film Obsessive
Mark Kermode
In It's Only a Movie, the incomparable Mark Kermode takes us into the weird world of a life lived in widescreen. Join him as he embarks on a gut-wrenching journey through the former Soviet Union on the trail of the low-budget horror flick "Dark Waters", cringe as he's handbagged by Helen Mirren at the BAFTA awards ceremony, cheer as he gets thrown out of the Cannes Film Festival for heckling in very bad French, and don't forget to gasp as he's shot at while interviewing Werner Herzog in the Hollywood Hills. Written with sardonic wit and wry good humour, this compelling cinematic memoir is genuinely 'inspired by real events'. Softcover, 344 pp. $32.95.

A Touch of Grace
Cindy De La Hoz
A Touch of Grace features guidance on living gracefully, inspired by Grace Kelly's life: from fashion tips, to catching a prince, to how to play it cool. With rare and never-before-seen photos, anecdotes, quotes, and other biographical commentary, this collection will show any woman how to cultivate her own style, charm, and noble flair. Hardcover, 256 pp. $22.00.

Dennis Hopper & The New Hollywood
Matthieu Orlean
Dennis Hopper -- actor, director, photographer, painter, and collector -- is a multi-faceted artist who has always walked the fine line between the mainstream and the avant-garde. This spectacularly designed monograph brings together all of the disparate elements from the different stages of his prolific career. Biographical notes, insightful essays, and an interview compliment the stunning selection of images. Hardcover, 186 pp. $62.00.

Paul and Me
A.E. Hotchner
In this candid memoir, A. E. Hotchner depicts his friend Paul Newman as a complicated, unpredictable, fun-loving, talented man and takes the reader along on their adventures. The pair traveled extensively, skippered a succession of bizarre boats, confounded the business world, scored triumphs on the stage, and sustained their friendship through good times and bad. Paul and Me, complete with personal photographs, is the story of a freewheeling friendship and a tribute to the acclaimed actor who gave to the world as much as the world gave him. Softcover, 234 pp. $33.00.

Streep: A Life in Film
Iain Johnstone
Meryl Streep may not need an introduction, but as one of the most celbrated actresses of all time any insight into her life and work is certainly welcome. Here, in the first biography of Streep in 20 years, writer and journalist Iain Johnstone tracks her rise through the New York theatre scene to becoming one of Hollywood's greatest talents. Softcover, 240 pp. $24.95.

I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography
Charlotte Chandler
By the time that she retired, Hepburn had won a record four Best Actress Academy Awards and had been nominated twelve times. Her acting career spanned six decades, and she was universally acknowledged as one of the finest -- if not the finest -- actors in film history. Drawing on a series of recordings made over many years, beginning in the mid-1970s, acclaimed biographer Charlotte Chandler has written the most intimate and personal biography ever published of this Hollywood legend. Hardcover, 349 pp. $34.00.

Hollywood Hellraisers
Robert Sellers
Marlon Brando, Dennis Hopper, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson: they're the baddest bad asses Hollywood has ever seen. These are men for whom rules did not apply, men for whom normal standards of behaviour were simply too wearisome to worry about. This book is a whistle-stop tour of jaw-dropping sexual activity, misbehaviour of an Olympic standard, all-out excess and genuine madness. Softcover, 322 pp. $21.95.

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Last modified May 27, 2012.
Please note that all prices are in Canadian dollars. All prices are subject to change without notice.