Playbills to Photoplays: Stage Performers Who Pioneered the Talkies"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, Loews Theaters and MGM. "Ms. Loew's choice of performers to write about is amazingly diverse and fascinating, from character actors like Conrad Veidt to major stars like Katharine Hepburn. She has written a most compelling book about their transitions from stage to film... many of the stories new to me. Wonderful!" - Joan Benny, daughter of comedian, Jack Benny, one of America's greatest entertainment icons of the 20th century, whose career included vaudeville, radio, movies and television. "A nice compilation of essays on film stars who made the transition from the stage to early talkies with essays on Al Jolson, Mae West, Eddie Cantor, Harpo Marx, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Charley Grapewin, Ed Wynn, and the Morgans (Frank and Ralph). Some essays were much better than others - I loved the one on the Morgans, Burns and Allen, Harpo Marx, and Katharine Hepburn... I would highly recommend the book as it gives you a good idea what vaudeville and the Broadway stage was like in the early 20's and what it was about these stars that allowed them to make the transition." -Librarything.com "....big stars as well as a raft of character actors, and decorated with dozens of striking photos...perceptive close-ups that make for vibrant film criticism...engaging profiles of Old Hollywood icons..." - Kirkus "Performers attempting to breakthrough will find this book inspirational!" - An Aspiring Actor Motion pictures with recorded sound --known as "talking pictures", or "talkies"--signaled the end of silent films and created some of the greatest entertainment icons of the twentieth century. Playbills To Photoplays: Stage Performers Who Pioneered the Talkies introduces a new generation to the real life struggles and careers of talented, hard working, early twentieth century vaudeville and stage entertainers who migrated to sound film. Twenty-eight essays and over one hundred photographs examine the actors before, during, and after the revolutionary new sound film technology catapulted many of them to superstardom during Hollywood's Golden Age. Playbills To Photoplays: Stage Performers Who Pioneered the Talkies explains the social, political, economic, historical, and cultural issues that shaped each performer's body of work, acting technique, persona, and public following over time. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - knahs - LibraryThingA nice compilation of essays on film stars who made the transition from the stage to early talkies with essays on Al Jolson, Mae West, Eddie Cantor, Harpo Marx, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Charley ... Read full review
Pre-Code Hollywood "talkies-era" screen star bios
Each essay in this collection of passionately researched biographical essays is written by an author with a special interest in the performers he or she discusses. What makes this book unique is that this compilation goes behind the scenes, detailing the personal lives, private struggles and public persona's of the actors as they transformed their careers from performing on stage to appearing in the new motion picture phenomenon known as "talkies." Truly inspirational life stories that serve as role models for us today.
Contents
Marie Dressler | 193 |
Lee Tracy and Warren William | 206 |
A Study in Versatility | 221 |
The Perfect Leap from Stage to Screen | 244 |
From Rags to Riches | 260 |
Frankie Thomas on Broadway and in Hollywood | 276 |
Katharine Hepburn On Stage | 291 |
A Blithe Spirit Forever | 311 |
80 | |
89 | |
98 | |
108 | |
117 | |
Stage to Screen and Back Again | 127 |
Horatio Alger in Straw Hat and HornRims | 138 |
The Film Legacies of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton | 151 |
The Jean Arthur Discovery Plan | 165 |
He Never Met a Character He Couldnt Play | 177 |
George Burns and Gracie Allen | 334 |
Ed Wynn the American Clown | 357 |
Spencer Tracy On Stage | 378 |
Al Jolson Ruby Keeler and the Evolution of the Early Hollywood Musical | 405 |
Spencer Tracys Enduring Legacy | 441 |
The Morgan BrothersRalph Frank and Carlyle | 487 |
Contributors | 529 |
Index | 541 |
Other editions - View all
Playbills to Photoplays: Stage Performers Who Pioneered the Talkies Brenda Loew No preview available - 2010 |
Playbills to Photoplays: Stage Performers Who Pioneered the Talkies Brenda Loew No preview available - 2010 |