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Biographies
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 A Strange Eventful History
Michael Holroyd
Henry Irving and Ellen Terry were the king and queen of the Victorian stage. In his first major biography for fifteen years, Michael Holroyd explores their public and private lives, showing how their artistic legacy and lines of inheritance came to influence the modern world. A witty, elegant and brilliantly paced tragicomedy, and an absorbing chronicle of two great theatrical families, A Strange Eventful History is a masterwork of the biographer's art. Hardcover, 620 pp. $57.95.
 Kander and Ebb
James Leve
John Kander and Fred Ebb, one of the greatest and longest lasting composer-lyricist partnerships in Broadway history, created some of the most memorable musicals of all time, including Chicago, Cabaret, and Zorba. This book examines their artistic accomplishments as individuals and as a team. Kander and Ebb is essential reading for students of Musical theatre and lovers of Kander and Ebb's songs and shows. Hardcover, 365 pp. $49.99.
 Buster Keaton: Tempest in a Flat Hat
Edward McPherson
Buster Keaton was the antic genius of silent film comedy -- equal parts auteur,
innovator, prankster and daredevil. Edward McPherson traces Keaton's career,
from his early days in vaudville -- where as a rambunctious five-year-old his
father threw him around the stage -- to his emergence as one of the brightest
stars of silent film's Golden Age. Buster Keaton true character is respectfully
revealed in this elegant and affectionate new biography. Softcover, 288 pp. $23.00.
 Buster Keaton Remembered
Eleanor Keaton
A unique illustrated history of Keaton's life and films, recalled by
his wife. Drawing on personal and professional papers, produced and
unproduced scripts,
studio records and scrapbooks, this book provides a vivid, behind the scenes
account of Keaton's movie making. Illustrated with rare and never before published
photographs from the Buster Keaton Collection. Hardcover, $65.00.
 Only Make Believe: My Life in Show Business
Howard Keel
This is the frank memoir of a huge film star and a stand-up guy. Keel dishes
on his many experiences in Hollywood, his many leading ladies -- including Esther
Williams, Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, and Doris Day -- and his rocky personal
life, which includes three marriages, several romances with Hollywood's leading
ladies, and a lengthly affair with Marilyn Monroe. This is his story, in his
own words, published for the first time. Hardcover, 334 pp. $31.95.
 Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures
Yann-Brice Dherbier & Pierre Henri Verlhac
Passionate and talented, Grace Kelly was Alfred Hitchcock's favourite actress.
Her short, dazzling career along with her incomparable allure impressed Hollywood
and the world. Grace Kelly: A life in pictures is the most ambitious photo-biography
to date of this unique woman. It pays homage to an extraordinary personality
through over 170 stunning photographs and comprehensive documents. Hardcover,
207 pp. $35.00.
 Grace Kelly: Icon of Style to Royal Bride
H. Kristina Haugland
One of the most admired women of her generation, Grace Kelly (1929-1982) is remembered
for her beauty, poise, and style. Her "fairy-tale" wedding to Prince
Rainer of Monaco in 1956 was one of the most celebrated of the century. Published
to commemorate its fiftieth anniversary and including stunning color images and
specially commissioned drawings, this lovely book tells the story behind her
wedding gown, cap, veil, shoes, and prayer book. Softcover, 80 pp. $30.95.
 The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall
Eve Golden & Kim Kendall
This book, about one of the most amiable and glamorous stars of her era, was
written with the cooperation of Kendall's sister Kim and includes interviews
with many of her costars, relatives and friends. A complete filmography and numerous
rare photos complete this first-ever biography of the star with a joyous passion
for life. Hardcover, 194 pp. $41.50.
 Nicole Kidman
David Thomson
From brilliant film historian and critic David Thomson, a book the reinvents the star biography in a singularly illuminating portrait of Nicole Kidman and what it means to be a top actress today. At once life story, love letter and critical analysis, this is not merely a book about who Kidman is but what she is -- in our culture and in our minds, on and off-screen. Impassioned, opinionated and strikingly original in its approach and ideas, Nicole Kidman is as alluring and as much fun as Nicole Kidman herself, and David Thomson's most remarkable book yet. Softcover, 286 pp. $18.95.
 Hollywood's Stephen King
Tony Magistrale
America is fascinated with Stephen King. The demand for his work
is so great that his books alone cannot satisfy the demand; as a
result, Hollywood has embraced him as the most adapted author of
his generation. In this, the first major overview of the movies that
his work has inspired, Tony Magistrale examines the various thematic,
narrative and character interconnections that highlight the relationships
between his films. Softcover, 233 pp. $27.95.
 Into the Unknown: The Fantastic Life of Nigel Kneale
Andy Murray
Over fifty years ago, Nigel Kneale penned the first installment of a sci-fi thriller
series called Quatermass; it was to become the first of many
successes for this talented screenwriter. A key figure in popular culture, yet
a vastly underrated one, Nigel Kneale continues to have an influence on filmmakers
of today. Into the Unknown is the first book to examine Kneale's
work as well as assess its pioneering nature, drawing on exclusive interviews
with major collaborators and high-profile fans -- as well as Kneale himself.
Softcover, 191 pp. $24.00.
 Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods
Derek Mannering
Blessed with one of the greatest tenor voices of all time, Mario Lanza rose to
spectacular heights in a film, recording and concert career that spanned little
more than a decade. This is the story of a tremendous talent that was derailed
by a self-destructive lifestyle, culminating with his death at the age of thirty-eight.
Newly revised and updated, this is the definitive account of the remarkable life
and times of one of the twentieth century's most beloved singing stars. Hardcover,
280 pp. $43.95.
 Stan and Ollie: The Roots of Comedy
Simon Louvish
"Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have remained, from 1927 to the present day,
the screen's most famous and popular comedy double act, celebrated by legions
of fans. But despite many books about their films and individual lives, there
has never been a fully researched, definitive narrative biography of the duo,
from birth to death - from soup to nuts. This is that book." Softcover,
$29.99.
 Original Story By
Arthur Laurents
The autobiography of director (La Cage aux Folles), playwright (West
Side Story) screenwriter (Rope). He's seen it all, done it all and
now he tells it all. Hardcover, $45.00; paperback, $18.95.
 Bruce Lee: Fighting Words
Bruce Thomas
In this book, author Bruce Thomas sheds light on the enigma of Bruce Lee the
martial artist, actor, and philosopher. Following Thomas's definitive biography, Bruce
Lee: Fighting Spirit, this compilation of anecdotes, interviews, and
short essays adds further layers to our understanding of Lee's legacy and life.
Like a martial artist engaged in "sticking hands," Thomas maneuvers
through conflicting reports from Lee's students, teachers, and friends, and successfully
intuits the power and the essence behind the greatest martial arts icon of the
twentieth century. Softcover, 158 pp. $22.95.
 Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History
Jonathan Rigby
Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History chronicles Lee's entire career, including his starring role as James Bond's nemesis in The Man With the Golden Gun and his more recent appearances in the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars epics. Compiled with the co-operation of Christopher Lee, and featuring many previously unseen photographs from mhis private collection, this is the definitive guide to one of cinemas last true legends. Softcover, 272 pp. $22.95.
 Lord of Misrule: The Autobiography of Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
With a career in films spanning more than half a century, Christopher
Lee has appeared in some of the most popular films of all time.
Often cast as the villian, due to his imposing physical appearance,
Lee proves in this autobiography that he is not a blood-thirsty
vampire, an evil Jedi Count, or a human-sacrificing pagan; his
is infact a highly articulate Englishman with countless colourful
anecdotes with which to decorate the story of his fascinating life.
Hardcover, 354 pp. $39.95.
 Gypsy: The Art of the Tease
Rachel Shteir
The best introductory book on the magnificent Gypsy Rose Lee, a woman whose name come to connote the importance of the sexual gimmick and the eroticism of the undelivered promise. Hardcover, 222 pp. $30.00.
 Pimps,
Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends
John Leguizamo
Keenly intelligent and insanely funny, this book offers a unique behind-the-scenes
look at the magic and chaos of stardom, as well as an intimate portrait of John
Leguizamo's greatest achievement -- to grow up Latino in America and to succeed
on his terms. Along the way, he offers candid anecdotes about his friends, family,
and colleagues, including Spike Lee, Steven Seagal, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn,
Harrison Ford, Brian De Palma, Al Pacino, Baz Luhrmann, and Nicole Kidman. Softcover,
276 pp. $16.50.
 Enfant Terrible! Jerry Lewis in American Film
Murray Pomerance
The creative activities of this self-proclaimed "total filmmaker" are
closely scruntinized in this collection of intelligent essays. Whether
you think that Jerry Lewis is an important artist, or merely a spastic
showman, Enfant Terrible! will help you to better understand
the creative process behind the work of one of the 20th century's
most misunderstood entertainers. Softcover, 274 pp. $27.95.
 Starring Brian Linehan
George Anthony
The elegant host of talk shows City Lights and then Linehan, Brian Linehan interviewed mmmore than two thousand stars over three decades - eventually becoming as famous as the people he spoke with. George Anthony, one of Linehan's oldest friends and colleagues, reveals all: the wit, the infighting, the insecurity, the famous friends, and the groundbreaking interviews. Deeply personal, Starring Brian Linehan is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking, as it traces Linehan's rise to fame, his troubled private life, and his death by cancer in 2004. Softcover, 342 pp. $19.99.
 The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre
Stephen D. Youngkin
The first biography of this major actor, The Lost One: A Life of Peter
Lorre draws upon more than three hundred interviews, including conversations
with directors Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, John Huston, Frank
Capra, and Rouben Mamoulian, who speak candidly about Lorre, both the man and
the actor. The book examines, for the first time, Lorre's pivotal relationship
with German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, his experience as an emigre from Hitler's
Germany, his battle with drug addiction, and his struggle with the choice between
celebrity and intellectual respectability. Hardcover, 613 pp. $57.95.
 Ridiculous! The Theatrical Life and Times of Charles Ludlam
David Kaufman
From his first unscripted appearance on an Off-Broadway stage in the revolutionary
Sixties to the front-page news of his death from AIDS in 1987 at age 44, Charles
Ludlam embodied the upheavals of his time. The astonishing life and legacy of
this American comic genius are at last revealed in Ridiculous!,
a literary biography of a theatrical force to be reckoned with. Softcover, 496
pp. $23.95.
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