The Salad Days, Volume 1Raconteur, bon vivant, actor, and diplomat, Doublas Fairbanks, Jr., is an American Prince of Wales. Born into a distinguished circle of movie greats, he became a prince of the silver screen, a legend of Hollywood's golden age. His glittering lifestyle has taken him into the world of privilege and power, and his many leading ladies - both on and off the screen - have included Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Vera Zorina, Gertrude Lawrence, Rita Hayworth, and Katharine Hepburn. In The Salad Days Fairbanks paints a self-portrait that shines with the same kind of wit, warmth, candor, and charm found in David Niven's bestselling The Moon's a Balloon. The Salad Days re-creates a time and place that will never be seen again. Here is father Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and other screen legends such as Charlie Chaplin and stepmother Mary Pickford...mythic moviemaking that included The Dawn Patrol, Little Caesar, The Prisoner of Zenda, and Gunga Din...marriage to Joan Crawford at age 19...friendships and liaisons with glamerous women...stories of lifelong cronies Laurence Olivier, Noël Coward, and David Niven, and mentors John Barrymore and Lord Mountbatten. The Salad Days, the first volume of his autobiography, spans the twenties and thirties and ends in 1941, when FDR sent him and his new wife Mary Lee on a fact-finding tour of South America just before the United States entered World War II. -- from back cover. |
Common terms and phrases
actor Allan Dwan American asked Barrymore beautiful became began Billie Billie Dove Billie's Bob Montgomery British brother California called charming course D.F. Jr Dad's decided Dedie Dickie director Douglas Douglas Fairbanks early Fairbanks famous father favorite felt film finally friends girl Gunga Din heard Hollywood idea invited Jack Jack Warner Joan Joan Crawford Kenneth Ridge knew Larry later lived London look Marlene married Mary Lee Mary Pickford morning Mother movie never night Noël once Owen Moore Pete Pickfair picture play pretty romance Ronald Colman scene seemed smile soon star story studio Sully Sylvia theater things thought told took tried trip turned Uncle Bob United Artists wanted Warner Warner Bros Watch Hill weeks York young
References to this book
Dangerous Men: Pre-Code Hollywood and the Birth of the Modern Man Mick LaSalle No preview available - 2002 |