1. THE RKO GALS by James Robert Parish

RKO was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. It was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum (KAO) vaudeville theater circuit and Joseph P. Kennedy's Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) studio were melded together under the control of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in the fall of 1928. In late 1930 RKO purchased Pathé Exchanges and Studio. This book is a cornucopia of Hollywood information on the impressive leading ladies who made RKO a major force in Tinseltown. Each lengthy, well-documented chapter focuses on the subject’s professional career and private life and includes detailed cast and credits of the celebrity’s feature film appearances. The 14 studio stars profiled are Ann Harding, Constance Bennett, Irene Dunne, Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Anne Shirley, Lucille Ball, Joan Fontaine, Wendy Barrie, Lupe Velez, Maureen O’Hara, Jane Russell, Barbara Hale, and Jane Greer.


2. HOLLYWOOD PLAYERS: THE THIRTIES by James Robert Parish and William T. Leonard

To be in the movies in the 1930s was to be in the right place at the right time. It was the heyday of exciting Hollywood glitter and glamour. This fact-filled volume of 71 stalwarts from Hollywood’s Golden Age brings it all back in vivid detail. Nearly six dozen important actors and actresses from that era—all important screen players but not A-list major stars—are given their proper due in individual chapters. Among those included in this volume are Eddie Albert, Robert Armstrong, Lynn Bari, Binnie Barnes, Louise Beavers, Bruce Cabot, Helen Chandler, Mae Clarke, Buster Crabbe, Constance Cummings, Frances Dee, Brian Donlevy, James Dunn, Ann Dvorak, Sally Eilers, Frances Farmer, Glenda Farrell, Stepin Fetchit, Preston Foster, Skeets Gallagher, William Gargan, Wynn Gibson, Bonita Granville, Phillips Holmes, Josephine Hutchinson, Allan Jones, Victor Jory, Paul Kelly, Elissa Landi, Francis Lederer, Margaret Lindsay, Anita Louise, Paul Lukas, David Manners, Burgess Meredith, Dickie Moore, Chester Morris, Jack Oakie, Gail Patrick, Gene Raymond, Gilbert Roland, Cesar Romeo, Simone Simon, Penny Singleton, Anna Sten, Gloria Stuart, Genevieve Tobin, Lee Tracy, Helen Twelvetrees, Jane Withers, Anna May Wong, and Fay Wray.


3. THE GLAMOUR GIRLS by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

Known as Glamour Girls, some of these major stars were little more than animated mannequins daydreaming through movies. Others were far more fortunate. Blessed with ability and determination, they showed moviegoers that they were far more than store-window dummies. The most artificial creations of an artificial-loving business, Hollywood’s Glamour Girls were cinema’s blessed goddesses. Here nine of the most memorable are recalled in substantial detail—their films, their offscreen lives, and their special and highly varied brands of magic. The subjects are Joan Bennett, Yvonne De Carlo, Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Jones, Maria Montez, Kim Novak, Merle Oberon, and Vera Hruba Ralston.


4. HOLLYWOOD’S GREAT LOVE TEAMS by James Robert Parish

Back when Hollywood stars cast their light across the land every night—and even on Saturday afternoon—the great love teams shone brightest of all. Great romance duos won the fans right from the start of the American film industry. This volume recounts the magic of 28 of the most popular teams ever to pair on the Hollywood screen. Among the many cinema love teams showcased are Vilma Banky & Ronald Colman, Greta Garbo & John Gilbert, Janet Gaynor & Charles Farrell, Joan Crawford & Clark Gable, Kay Francis & George Brent, Myrna Loy & William Powell, Claudette Colbert & Fred MacMurray, Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy, Olivia de Havilland & Errol Flynn, Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney, Ann Sheridan & James Cagney, Greer Garson & Walter Pidgeon, Lana Turner & Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy, Veronica Lake & Alan Ladd, Maria Montez & Jon Hall, June Allyson & Van Johnson, Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Bogart, Joanne Woodward & Paul Newman, Doris Day & Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton . . . plus more.


5. THE FUNSTERS by James Robert Parish and William T. Leonard

The 62 iconic subjects of this volume could pop up in any movie—as plumbers or secretaries or bank tellers, as wives or husbands or (would-be) lovers. They could be pompous or scatterbrained. What they all shared in common was a genius for making funny faces at life. They made us laugh at our world—and ourselves. They are the Hollywood Funsters: the comics, the clowns, and the jesters of the silver screen. Individual in-depth chapters highlight such outstanding laugh provokers as Abbott & Costello, Woody Allen, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Eve Arden, Lucille Ball, Fanny Brice, Joe E. Brown, Burns & Allen, Judy Canova, Eddie Cantor, Charles Chaplin, Joan Davis, Phyllis Diller, Marie Dressler, Jimmy Durante, Leon Errol, W.C. Fields, Judy Holliday, Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Buster Keaton, Patsy Kelly, Ernie Kovacs, Laurel & Hardy, Jack Lemmon, Harold Lloyd, Marjorie Main, Martin & Lewis, the Marx Brothers, Mabel Normand, Edna May Oliver, ZaSu Pitts, Martha Raye, Will Rogers, Phil Silvers, Red Skelton, S.Z. Sakall, the Three Stooges, Ben Turpin, Dick Van Dyke, Clifton Webb, Mae West, and Ed Wynn.


6. THE DEBONAIRS by James Robert Parish

Things came easy to him: money, adventure, women. He enjoyed his success in opulent surroundings, wearing tasteful, expensive, perfect clothing like a second skin. He was the screen’s Debonair—a rather specialized movie model from Hollywood’s Golden Age. This book probes the intriguing lives of eight leading men of the bygone Tinseltown era; screen stars who most perfectly defined the Debonair manner, morality, and method. Their imposing careers, many major films, colorful offcamera lives, and memorable personalities emerge in vivid detail in sizeable individual chapters. The roster features George Brent, Melvyn Douglas, Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Ray Milland, Robert Montgomery, David Niven, and William Powell.


7. THE TOUGH GUYS by James Robert Parish

The astonishing thing about them was their versatility. Certainly, they were tough, ready to trade punches onscreen at the drop of an insult, and well acquainted with the ins and outs of assorted firearms. Bumping off and getting bumped off were almost the same to them. And they were ready to take their just desserts (as approved by the Motion Picture Code) without ratting on the boys. The subjects of this substantial volume—James Cagney, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Paul Muni, Edward G. Robinson, and Robert Ryan—could doff a crumpled hat and shoulder holster and turn in an elegant, beautifully controlled performance worthy of a classical actor.


8. HOLLYWOOD DIVAS: The Good, the Bad, and the Fabulous by James Robert Parish

These 70 distinctive screen personalities shared in common a strong overdrive which led them to personal and career excesses and propelled them into the rank of Diva. Each of the book’s chapters reveals in detail the subject’s often torturous road to fame and how it shaped her oversized personality, needs, and demands. This volume delves into the lusty private lives and cutthroat careers of Hollywood’s most memorable bad girls over the decades. Among the subjects profiled in individual chapters are Jean Arthur, Lucille Ball, Tallulah Bankhead, Theda Bara, Drew Barrymore, Kim Basinger, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Brett Butler, Mariah Carey, Cher, Joan Collins, Joan Crawford, Dorothy Dandridge, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Shannen Doherty, Patty Duke, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Kay Francis, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Paulette Goddard, Melanie Griffith, Jean Harlow, Susan Hayward, Rita Hayworth, Sonja Henie, Katharine Hepburn, Whitney Houston, Betty Hutton, Janet Jackson, Grace Kelly, Veronica Lake, Hedy Lamarr, Jennifer Lopez, Jeanette MacDonald, Madonna, Jayne Mansfield, Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Maria Montez, Demi Moore, Mae Murray, Joan Rivers, Julia Roberts, Roseanne, Diana Ross, Norma Shearer, Britney Spears, Sharon Stone, Barbra Streisand, Gloria Swanson, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Lupe Velez, Mae West, Shelley Winters, Natalie Wood, and Loretta Young.


9. HOLLYWOOD BAD BOYS: Loud, Fast, and Out of Control by James Robert Parish

Here are the fascinating accounts of the screen’s most infamous rascals and rogues over many decades. This volume provides a provocative look into the wild lives of 70 of Hollywood’s most notable hellions, both past and present. Included are individual chapters on each of the raucous stars, revealing their often troubled childhoods and charting their collision courses with fame . . . and infamy. The bad boy celebrities include Ben Affleck, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Alec Baldwin, John Barrymore, Warren Beatty, John Belushi, Robert Blake, Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Montgomery Clift, Steve Cochran, Bob Crane, Bing Crosby, Russell Crowe, James Dean, Johnny Depp, Kirk Douglas, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Farley, W.C. Fields, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, John Gilbert, Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Grant, Pee-wee Herman, Howard Hughes, Don Johnson, Paul Kelly, Peter Lawford, Rob Lowe, Dean Martin, Steve McQueen, Robert Mitchum, Eddie Murphy, Tom Neal, Jack Nicholson, Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Matthew Perry, River Phoenix, Elvis Presley, Richard Pryor, George Raft, Wallace Reid, Burt Reynolds, Mickey Rourke, Tupac Shakur, Charlie Sheen, O. J. Simpson, Frank Sinatra, Christian Slater, William Desmond Taylor, Lawrence Tierney, Spencer Tracy, Rudolph Valentino, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jan-Michael Vincent, Mark Walhberg, John Wayne, Bruce Willis, and Gig Young.


10. THE HOLLYWOOD BOOK OF SCANDALS: The Shocking, Often Disgraceful Deeds and Affairs of More Than 100 American Movie and TV Idols by James Robert Parish

For as long as there have been big Hollywood stars there have been explosive Hollywood scandals: from the Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle rape case to the puzzling death of Thelma Todd, from Lana Turner and the fatal knifing of mobster Johnny Stompanato to Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini’s forbidden love. This volume spotlights 32 of the most spectacular scandals in all of Tinseltown’s extravagant history. Included, among others, are chapters on the William Desmond Taylor murder case, Wallace Reid’s drug-filled finale, the Mob taking on Hollywood, Jean Harlow and Paul Bern’s deadly marriage, Loretta Young and Clark Gable’s secret love child, Joan Crawford: the demon mother, Errol Flynn’s statutory rape trial, Robert Mitchum: filmdom’s literate rebel, Marilyn Monroe’s sad fate, Liberace playing the Hollywood game, Elizabeth Taylor’s seduction of crooner Eddie Fisher, Judy Garland’s pathetic public meltdown, Bob Crane’s baffling ghastly murder, the Saturday Night Live curse, Heidi Fleiss: ex-madam to the stars, the sensational fallout of Woody Allen’s union with Mia Farrow, the killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, O. J. Simpson and the murder case of the century, and the Robert Blake homicide trial.


11. THE PARAMOUNT PRETTIES by James Robert Parish

Paramount Pictures dates its existence from the 1912 founding of the Famous Players Film Company. In the heyday of Hollywood, every major studio had its own unique individuality, a personality defined by its films and its roster of stars. Thus Paramount Pictures was thought—especially during its Golden Age—to be the haven of sophistication, style, and subtlety; its actresses the epitome of wit, intelligence, and beauty. This volume focuses on 16 of the most striking and celebrated of Paramount’s leading ladies to illustrate the studio’s changing style over many decades. The roster include Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Carole Lombard, Marlene Dietrich, Claudette Colbert, Miriam Hopkins, Sylvia Sidney, Mae West, Veronica Lake, Dorothy Lamour, Paulette Goddard, Diana Lynn, Betty Hutton, Joan Caulfield, Lizabeth Scott, and Shirley MacLaine. Each of these unique personalities is highlighted in her own chapter, encompassing her career and offscreen life.


12. THE ALL-AMERICANS by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

These seven Hollywood leading men captured the essence of America with their laconic, low-key, almost shy, but strong emoting on the screen. They represented the clean-cut American guy who could always be depended upon in films to do the right thing . . . and still head off into the sunset with the heroine. Each subject is showcased in a lengthy chapter covering their onscreen and offscreen lives, with a detailed filmography for each of these highly popular actors. The stars covered are Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, William Holden, Rock Hudson, Fred MacMurray, Ronald Reagan, and James Stewart.


13. HOLLYWOOD BABY BOOMERS by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

The generation of the American Baby Boomers is comprised of those born in the years from 1946, following the return home of soldiers who had fought in World War II, through 1964. For purposes of brevity, this book includes Hollywood luminaries born between 1946 and 1960. Most of the subjects profiled made it to the top of their profession without the aid of a major studio. Most of the successful members of this generation of talent formed, at one time or another, their own production companies to make themselves self-sufficient in dealings with film studios. This book includes narrative accounts of 83 Hollywood Baby Boomers including Dan Aykroyd, Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Candice Bergen, Jeff Bridges, Cher, Glenn Close, Kevin Costner, Billy Crystal, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ted Danson, Richard Dreyfuss, Sally Field, Richard Gere, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Arsenio Hall, Tom Hanks, Mark Harmon, Don Johnson, Tommy Lee Jones, Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Madonna, John Malkovitch, Bill Murray, Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dennis Quaid, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter, Roseanne, Kurt Russell, Susan Sarandon, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jimmy Smits, Sissy Spacek, Sylvester Stallone, Meryl Streep, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Kathleen Turner, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Williams, Bruce Willis, Oprah Winfrey, Debra Winger, James Woods, and many others.


14. THE FORTIES GALS by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

Hundreds of new faces appeared in the motion pictures of the 1940s but only a few lasted until the end of that decade…and fewer yet were able to establish long-lasting careers as major Hollywood stars. Seven of the most unique and popular actresses that endured from the 1940s are the subjects of this book. Each of these iconic leading ladies is spotlighted with a lengthy chapter focusing on both her stellar career and her complicated offscreen life, and includes a detailed filmography. These resilient, distinctive leading ladies are Lauren Bacall, Susan Hayward, Ida Lupino, Virginia Mayo, Ann Sheridan, Esther Williams, and Jane Wyman.


15. THE MGM STOCK COMPANY: The Golden Era by James Robert Parish and Ronald E. Bowers

This reference directory to gigantic MGM—home to “more stars than are in the heavens”—is a cornucopia of film lore, with detailed biographies and career studies of nearly 150 studio greats from June Allyson to Robert Young. Rich in quotes from the stars themselves, replete with fascinating salary statistics and contemporary reviews, this volume is an anatomy of Hollywood’s greatest studio and its glittering array of contracted notables during the lot’s magical heyday. The subjects include individual chapters on, among many others, Fred Astaire, Mary Astor, Lew Ayres, Fay Bainter, Lucille Ball, the Barrymores, Freddy Bartholomew, Wallace Beery, Ann Blyth, Lucille Bremer, Virginia Bruce, Billie Burke, Louis Calhern, Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse, Jackie Cooper, Joan Crawford, Arlene Dahl, Marion Davies, Melvyn Douglas, Marie Dressler, Nelson Eddy, Anne Francis, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Betty Garrett, Greer Garson, John Gilbert, Gloria Grahame, Stewart Granger, Kathryn Grayson, Jean Harlow, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Hersholt, Lena Horne, Jose Iturbi, Van Johnson, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Deborah Kerr, Hedy Lamarr, Fernando Lamas, Angela Lansbury, Mario Lanza, Myrna Loy, Keye Luke, Jeanette MacDonald, Marjorie Main, the Marx Brothers, Ann Miller, Robert Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Margaret O’Brien, Maureen O’Sullivan, Eleanor Powell, Jane Powell, William Powell, Luise Rainer, Donna Reed, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Rosalind Russell, Ann Rutherford, Norma Shearer, Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, James Stewart, Lewis Stone, Margaret Sullavan, Robert Taylor, Lawrence Tibbett, Audrey Totter, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Robert Walker, Johnny Weissmuller, Dame May Whitty, and Esther Williams.


16. THE SLAPSTICK QUEENS by James Robert Parish

At one time or another, most every nostalgia-conscious film enthusiast has laughed heartily at the wild onscreen antics of gifted movie comediennes Marjorie Main, Joan Davis, Martha Raye, Judy Canova, and Phyllis Diller. This book provides an in-depth study and appraisal of the professional work of these noteworthy funsters. Each of these five talents has a comprehensive chapter devoted to her oncamera and personal life, containing as well a detailed filmography of the subject’s screen work. Personal interviews with Phyllis Diller and Judy Canova give this volume an added dimension.


17. HOLLYWOOD PLAYERS: THE FORTIES by James Robert Parish and Lennard DeCarl

For Hollywood, World War II meant a greater demand for both escapist films and realistic war movies. So the film capital assembled a cast of hundreds to populate these motion pictures. This book focuses on 83 of the busiest actors, probing the lives and films of each of these notables. Among the many subjects presented in individual chapters are Robert Alda, the Andrews Sisters, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Turhan Bey, Eddie Bracken, Barbara Britton, Jack Carson, Steve Cochran, Tom Conway, Wendell Corey, Laird Cregar, Cass Daley, Billy De Wolfe, Bobby Driscoll, Dan Duryea, Wild Bill Elliott, Dale Evans, William Eythe, Betty Field, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Nina Foch, Susanna Foster, Mona Freeman, Peggy Ann Garner, Farley Granger, Sydney Greenstreet, Signe Hasso, Sterling Hayden, Dick Haymes, Wanda Hendrix, John Hodiak, Celeste Holm, Tim Holt, Arthur Kennedy, Evelyn Keyes, Joan Leslie, Oscar Levant, Dorothy Malone, Lon McCallister, George Montgomery, Patricia Morison, Tom Neal, Donald O’Connor, Dennis O’Keefe, Janis Paige, Larry Parks, Robert Preston, Ella Raines, Gail Russell, Sabu, Martha Scott, Zachary Scott, Craig Stevens, Gale Storm, Sonny Tufts, Dooley Wilson, Teresa Wright, and Gig Young.


18. THE LEADING LADIES by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

Each of these major Hollywood movie stars had her own very special blend of glamour, persistence, and magnetism. All six major talents profiled herein had one thing in common: the tenacity and adaptability to survive in the Hollywood film business for many decades. The great, indestructible talents chronicled are Joan Blondell, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell, and Barbara Stanwyck. Each of these remarkable leading ladies has an extensive chapter covering her professional and private lives, as well as a detailed filmography.


19. THE SWASHBUCKLERS by James Robert Parish and Don E. Stanke

These dashing cinema stars were the heroes of many exciting films from silents to talkies and on to the later widescreen epics. Sometimes knighted by their king, but always embraced by their one true love, acclaimed by adoring peasants, these dashing cinema champions nevertheless worked their stirring derring-do adventures without proper recognition—until now. The athletic lineup includes Ronald Colman, Tony Curtis, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Errol Flynn, Stewart Granger, Victor Mature, Tyrone Power, and Cornel Wilde. Each of these durable leading men is showcased with an expansive chapter covering his professional and private life, as well as a detailed filmography.


20. THE FOX GIRLS by James Robert Parish

One of Hollywood’s oldest major studios is Twentieth Century-Fox, which began as Fox Film Corporation in 1915 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Two years later studio head William Fox inaugurated a West Coast movie lot in Los Angeles. By 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression, the then financially-plagued film company had merged with Twentieth Century Pictures. The new entity was Twentieth Century-Fox under the leadership of industry veteran Darryl F. Zanuck. Through the decades the studio relied heavily on a series of sparkling leading ladies to attract filmgoers to its pictures. Sixteen of the lot’s most striking and celebrated female talents over the many years are chronicled in this volume, The stars covered are Theda Bara, Anne Baxter, Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Alice Faye, Janet Gaynor, Betty Grable, June Haver, Sonja Henie, Carmen Miranda, Marilyn Monroe, Sheree North, Shirley Temple, Gene Tierney, Raquel Welch, and Loretta Young.


21. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ETHNIC GROUPS IN HOLLYWOOD by James Robert Parish and editor Allan Taylor

This unique, informative volume explores the various ethnic stereotypes propagated by American television and movies, as well as the breakthrough shows and films that shattered them. Starting with the beginning of filmmaking and TV (including soap operas) in the U.S., the text is divided into five expansive parts (a section each devoted to African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Jewish Americans, and Native Americans). Presented in an easy-to-use A to Z format, each comprehensive section offers informative discussions detailing landmark films and TV series related to that group, biographical entries covering key personalities, and topical entries focusing on important themes, genres, and fictional characters. Among the many entries in this book’s five sections are: Paul Robeson, Pinky, The Jeffersons, Whoopi Goldberg, Sanford and Son, Dorothy Dandridge, In Living Color, Will Smith, Sidney Poitier, The Karate Kid, Bruce Lee, Anna May Wong, Broken Blossoms, Charlie Chan, The Good Earth, Margaret Cho, Kung Fu, Keye Luke, Flower Drum Song, Lucy Liu, the Star Trek franchise, America Me, Lupe Velez, I Love Lucy, Maria Montez, Chico and the Man, Dolores Del Rio, Ricardo Montalbam, The Mark of Zorro, Edward James Olmos, Freddie Prinze, Carmen Miranda, Woody Allen, the blacklist, Blazing Saddles, Milton Berle, Gentleman’s Agreement, Steven Spielberg, The Goldbergs, Al Jolson, Rhoda, The Ten Commandments, Exodus, Mad About You, Barbra Streisand, Dance with Wolves, Jay Silverheels, Broken Arrow, The Last of the Mohicans, Chief Thundercloud, Little Big Man, Wes Studi, Rio Grande, Little Big Man, Graham Greene, Jim Thorpe—All American, and Tonto.

22. JET LI: A BIOGRAPHY by James Robert Parish

This book is noteworthy as the first English-language account of the life of the martial arts superstar. Known as the “Gene Kelly of the action film,” Jet Li was part of the wave of new Asian stars taking Hollywood by storm in the 1990s and early 2000s. Along with Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Jackie Chan, and Maggie Cheung, Jet Li kicked and punched his way out of the cult film underground and into global mainstream movie superstardom. This expansive study traces the star’s engrossing journey from his humble birth in Beijing to his later life and career in Hong Kong, and on to Hollywood moviemaking. The narrative takes the reader from Jet Li’s early days in Hong Kong as a fledgling actor to becoming an international box-office success. It examines the actor’s fiercely protected private life and explains the broad appeal of Hollywood’s new Bruce Lee to fans of all ages—from Hong Kong chop-socky cultists to the new Hollywood that eagerly embraced him. This revealing volume includes a detailed filmography of his screen work in Hollywood and Hong Kong.

23. THE HOLLYWOOD BEAUTIES by James Robert Parish

When it came to beautiful women, the Hollywood movie industry had more than most other places in the world. To be beautiful was to have a chance to become a Star. So gorgeous women by the tens of thousands poured into Hollywood, sure that, in a short time, they’d be Tinseltown’s hottest new discovery. Of all these thousands, perhaps a hundred or so made it. Among these, seven, in the opinion of the author, are outstanding for their beauty. This volume is devoted to these seven gossiped about, envied Beauties of Hollywood’s Golden Age. They are: Elizabeth Taylor: violet eyes, black hair, the perfect face; Grace Kelly: cool, blonde, regal-looking; Kay Francis: tall, dark, sultry; Ava Gardner: black hair, green eyes; Jean Harlow: the original blonde bombshell; Dolores Del Rio: the ultimate in Mexican aristocracy; Lana Turner: blonde hair, blue eyes, “the sweater girl.” Here, in seven revealing portraits are expansive accounts of their colorful lives and impressive acting careers. This volume, which includes detailed filmographies of these Hollywood sensations, is a testament and major reference source for these iconic film stars.

24. GOOD DAMES by James Robert Parish

The faces, the voices, and the acting styles of Eve Arden, Agnes Moorehead, Angela Lansbury, Thelma Ritter, and Eileen Hackett have long been familiar to many people. These five talented women are celebrated for their fine “supporting character” roles, but often the public has been ill-acquainted with them as people. This volume delves into the remarkable careers of these extraordinarily creative women, providing new insight into their professional and personal lives. Each of the five actresses has a full chapter devoted to her, and each chapter contains a detailed filmography of the subject’s impressive output of movies. In addition, this volume provides a comprehensive survey of each actress’s stage, radio, and television careers, with reviews of these ventures and quotations by the women themselves. These ladies have been seen for many years in films and on television, and this book celebrates their many impressive career achievements. Here, each of these unique performers receive a long-needed appraisal of their extraordinary careers.

25. THE GREAT COP PICTURES by James Robert Parish

One of Hollywood’s most vital and lucrative motion picture genres is the police action film. These movies deal with the daily anxiety, danger, and excitement officers face as members of law enforcement teams. Over the decades moviegoers have responded in great numbers to movies focusing on the assorted problems and adventures cops undergo. This book examines nearly 330 American feature films and TV movies from the 1920s, when pictures such as Irish Luck portrayed cops with a jovial Irish stereotype, to hard-hitting action dramas of later decades, such as Lethal Weapon and Colors. Particular attention is given to innovative big-and-small-screen studies of cops under special on-the-job stress. This valuable sourcebook provides extensive cast and technical credits, plot synopsis, and thorough analysis for each movie covered. It also includes radio and TV listings for genre series as well as a detailed bibliography dealing with the psychology of police officers.

26. GAYS AND LESBIANS IN MAINSTREAM CINEMA by James Robert Parish

Hollywood’s depiction of gays and lesbians was for a long time stereotypical, from the extremely effeminate characters portrayed by Franklin Pangborn, Eric Blore, and Grady Sutton in the 1930s to the gay figures in such later films as To Be or Not to Be (1983) and Torch Song Trilogy (1988). A contrasting depiction—the homicidal homosexual—was the basis for such popular films as Rope (1948), Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Cruising (1980), and Basic Instinct (1992). Another onscreen trend was to present homosexual and lesbian characters as the victims of ostracism, blackmail, or of being pushed by the majority’s bigotry to suicide, in such films as Tea and Sympathy (1956), The Children’s Hour (1961), Advise and Consent (1962), 7 Women (1965), Rachel, Rachel (1968), Silkwood (1983), and My Own Private Idaho (1991). A major breakthrough in the genre occurred with Longtime Companion (1989), a sympathetic presentation of gay life during the AIDS epidemic. Other compassionate, trendsetting studies of gays and lesbians on the screen occurred in A Very Natural Thing (1973), Lianna (1983), An Early Frost (1985), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), and Doing Time on Maple Drive (1992). This detailed filmography to gay and lesbian characters in mainstream American movies includes full cast and credits to over 270 theatrical and made-for-television genre releases. Each entry also includes production information, reviews, and an analysis of the film with an essay blending critical commentary and synopsis of the picture. Additionally, this book provides a brief history of regulatory codes within the American film industry.

27. THE GREAT COMBAT PICTURES by James Robert Parish

Early in the twentieth century, filmmakers realized that soldiers on the front lines of battle made a powerful subject for motion picture drama. How individuals endure the stress of wartime, while haunted by danger and the grisly sights of death all around them, has been the subject of many memorable films. This book examines some 300 American and British feature films and made-for-TV movies from the 1910s onward. The author focuses on major twentieth-century conflicts, each of which produced a stream of gripping pictures, several of which became Oscar-winners, including: All Quiet on the Western Front, Sergeant York, What Price Glory, Wings, Twelve O’Clock High, Battleground, They Were Expendable, The Dirty Dozen, Paths of Glory, Above and Beyond, A Walk in the Sun, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Platoon, The Green Berets, Full Metal Jacket, The Bridges of Toko-Ri, The Dawn Patrol, Objective, Burma!, Apocalypse Now . . . and many more. This valuable sourcebook provides extensive cast and credits, plot synopsis, contemporary review quotes, and thorough analysis of each film covered. This book also includes TV listings for genre series.

28. PROSTITUTION IN HOLLYWOOD FILMS by James Robert Parish

Many screen performers have found their most challenging and award-winning roles playing prostitutes on camera, such as Elizabeth Taylor (Butterfield 8), Shirley Jones (Elmer Gantry), Paul Newman (Sweet Bird of Youth), Lana Turner (Madame X), Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy), Julie Christie (McCabe and Mrs. Miller), Jodie Foster (Taxi Driver), Jane Fonda (Klute), Richard Gere (American Gigolo), and Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman). Going back to earlier motion pictures, there are specific examples such as Theda Bara (A Fool There Was), Gloria Swanson (Sadie Thompson), Helen Hayes (The Sin of Madelon Claudet), Joan Crawford (Rain), Barbara Stanwyck (Baby Face), Greta Garbo (Camille), Vivien Leigh (Waterloo Bridge), Rita Hayworth (Fire Down Below), Shirley MacLaine (Irma La Douce),and Kim Novak (Of Human Bondage). Other times oncamera prostitutes have been spotlighted as comedic or exploitable figures, as in The Owl and the Pussycat, Kiss Me, Stupid; The Mack, Foxy Brown, For Pete’s Sake, The Happy Hooker, Norman . . . Is That You?, Porky’s, Rent-A-Cop, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, and Frankenhooker. This comprehensive volume covers over 385 U.S. theatrical and made-for-television genre releases. Each entry includes full cast and credits, production information, reviews, an analysis of the movie and its stars, as well as an essay combining critical commentary with a synopsis of the film. This book also provides a brief history of regulatory codes in the American film industry.

29. GUS VAN SANT: An Unauthorized Biography by James Robert Parish

Few directors in today’s moviemaking world have such a controversial and intriguing body of screen work as Gus Van Sant. At the start, the struggling Van Sant used his life’s savings to make his debut feature, Mala Noche (1985). This highly regarded independent picture was the springboard to Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy (1989) and My Own Private Idaho (1991). Although he long refused to be part of the Hollywood studio system, Van Sant nevertheless has created such later crowd-pleasing features as Good Will Hunting (1997), for which he was Oscar-nominated, and Finding Forrester (2000). Gus Van Sant: An Unauthorized Biography is a revealing study of a modern-day Renaissance man who has enjoyed highly successful gallery exhibitions of his paintings, who composes songs, performs, and records. He turns out sophisticated still photography, has written a satirical and controversial novel (Pink) and has directed music videos featuring Elton John, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Hanson. Based on interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, this book explores his successes and his artistic misfires. Above all, this biography reveals how a most unusual talent and independent film icon has succeeded on his own terms.

30. HOLLYWOOD SONGSTERS: Singers Who Act and Actors Who Sing. A Biographical Dictionary (2nd edition) by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

For enthusiasts of screen musicals, singing, Hollywood history, and the lives of movie stars, no other published work equals this presentation of the on- and off-camera careers of more than 100 performers who made major contributions to the American screen musical. While the emphasis of this book is on each star’s contribution to movie musicals and other genres of film, the individual's full career is also put in the spotlight. Each performer’s chapter contains a filmography, discography, a list of Broadway appearances, as well as the star’s performances in radio and television series. Among the many notables included are: June Allyson, Don Ameche, Julie Andrews, the Andrews Sisters, Fred Astaire, Gene Autry, Harry Belafonte, Bobby Breen, Eddie Cantor, Diahann Carroll, Cher, Maurice Chevalier, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Doris Day, Marlene Dietrich, Irene Dunne, Deanna Durbin, Nelson Eddy, Ruth Etting, Dale Evans, Alice Faye, Connie Francis, Judy Garland, Betty Grable, Dick Haymes, Lena Horne, Betty Hutton, Burl Ives, Herb Jeffries, Al Jolson, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Kris Kristofferson, Dorothy Lamour, Mario Lanza, Jeanette MacDonald, Madonna, Dean Martin, Mary Martin, Tony Martin, Lauritz Melchior, Ethel Merman, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Carmen Miranda, Grace Moore, Helen Morgan, Willie Nelson, Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton, Dick Powell, Jane Powell, Elvis Presley, Martha Raye, Debbie Reynolds, Tex Ritter, Paul Robeson, Ginger Rogers, Roy Rogers, Diana Ross, Frank Sinatra, Kate Smith, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Temple, Sophie Tucker, Rudy Vallee, Ethel Water, and Mae West. This is the ideal reference work for everyone from the mildly curious to the hard-core fan of singing and movie musicals.

31. PRISON PICTURES FROM HOLLYWOOD by James Robert Parish

“Pile out, you tramps. It’s the end of the line,” began Caged, a remarkable onscreen study of women behind bars released by Warner Bros. in 1950. The well-defined conventions of this motion picture and almost 300 others in the prison film genre are examined in this in-depth volume. Four major subgenres emerge: biting sociological studies (e.g., I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, 1932), raucous comedies (e.g., Stir Crazy, 1980), rugged black action pictures (e.g., Riot, 1968), and titillating exploitation entries (e.g., Chained Heat, 1985). Comprehensive cast/character and technical listings and an essay blending synopsis, contemporary review quotes, and production details with costs and penetrating analysis are given for each feature film examined in this detailed volume. Coverage includes both silent and sound feature films from Hollywood as well as American-made TV movies. For anyone interested in how Hollywood has depicted life behind bars over the decades, Prison Pictures From Hollywood is a revelatory must read.

32. THE HOLLYWOOD BOOK OF LOVE by James Robert Parish

If you’re still waiting for bells to ring and sparks to fly, for fireworks to explode, and waves to crash upon the shore every time you kiss that special someone, don’t hold your breath: you’ve been bitten—and brainwashed—by the Hollywood love bug! From start-up to breakup, only on the big screen is romance so unreal, and in this expansive, cheery, and amusing study you’ll find enough smooches and schmaltz to take you from here … to eternity. From Bonnie and Clyde to Harold and Maude and from The African Queen to Titanic, this detailed-filled volume gives you all the steam from the screen in its entertaining exploration of Tinseltown’s obsession with love, romance, and heartbreak. Inside this unique volume you’ll find: a guide to Hollywood’s top tales of romance from “Young Love” to “Marriages on the Rocks”; funny, fact-filled plot scenarios of a slew of Hollywood’s great love stories over the decades; spirited sidebars that reveal the reality behind the reel; and behind-the-scenes peeks at the love lives of Hollywood’s sexiest stars, from Gary Cooper, Charles Boyer, Don Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, to Lupe Velez, Lana Turner, and Madonna.

33. THE JEANETTE MacDONALD STORY by James Robert Parish

Billed as “The girl with the red-gold hair and sea-green eyes” on Broadway, and known as the “Iron Butterfly” in Hollywood, legendary singer/actress Jeanette MacDonald (1903–1965) is revealed here as a warm, irrepressible person with a surprisingly whimsical sense of humor. Born in Philadelphia, her stage career began when she was a youngster; later she performed in vaudeville and left high school in order to appear in the Demi-Tasse Revue. An indefatigable worker, this world-famous soprano/actress never stopped performing unless she was too ill to go on. For those who wondered why she worked so hard she explained, “The minute you let yourself ride along on the wave just because people around you are telling you how wonderful you are, you’re sunk.” One of Hollywood’s superstars of the 1930s, she worked oncamera with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy (San Francisco), Maurice Chevalier (The Love Parade, One Hour with You, The Merry Widow), and Nelson Eddy, with whom she reached the pinnacle of movie success in such classic cinema vehicles as Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, Maytime, and Sweethearts. Here is the real Jeanette MacDonald, a supertalent who enjoyed a long marriage to screen star Gene Raymond. She emerges from behind the legend in anecdotes and stories retold by those who knew her, respected her, and loved her. This IS The Jeanette MacDonald Story.

34. GHOSTS AND ANGELS IN HOLLYWOOD FILMS by James Robert Parish

Since the early 1900s, movies dealing with ghosts and angels have been a recurring topic of interest for Hollywood studios. In this fascinating screen genre otherworldly characters are not bound by the same conventions as mere mortals and, thus, often give moviemakers a plot device to tie up loose ends, discuss good versus evil, or showcase gripping special effects. This detailed reference work provides a comprehensive filmography of ghosts and angels in American movies from the 1910s onward, including made-for-TV movies. Each entry includes full cast and credits, production information, contemporary reviews, and an essay blending a summary of the film with critical commentary. Among the colorful array of entries presented in this volume are Beetlejuice (1988), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Ghost Story (1981), The Cat and the Canary (1917), The Horn Blows at Midnight (1944), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) Angels in the Outfield (1951), The Uninvited (1944), Macbeth (1948), Ghost (1990), The Christmas Carol (1938), The Bishop’s Wife (1947), Peter Ibbetson (1921), Outward Bound (1930), Ghost Dad (1990), The Headless Horseman (1922), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Beyond Tomorrow (1940), Hold That Ghost (1941), Carousel (1956), A Guy Named Joe (1943), Smilin’ Through (1932), The Fog (1980), Portrait of Jennie (1948), Defending Your Life (1991), The Old Dark House (1932), The Canterville Ghost (1944), Charley and the Angel (1973), Alice (1990). For Heaven’s Sake (1950), The Horror at 37,000 Feet (1973), Hi Honey!—I’m Dead (1991), and Ghostbusters (1984). Ghosts and Angels in Hollywood Films also contains a film chronology and a special section listing television series and pilots in this genre.

35. THE GREAT MOVIE SERIES by James Robert Parish

This comprehensive volume details 25 of the greatest sound film series even ever produced by Hollywood. It reveals the intriguing background behind such memorable movie series as: Andy Hardy, Blondie, Bomba, Boston Blackie, The Bowery Boys, Charlie Chan, Crime Doctor, Dr. Christian, Dr. Kildare, Ellery Queen, The Falcon, Francis the Talking Mule, Hopalong Cassidy, James Bond, Jungle Jim, The Lone Wolf, Ma and Pa Kettle, Maisie, Matt Helm, Mr. Moto, Philo Vance, The Saint, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, and The Thin Man. Each chapter provides a history of the big-screen series from its literary origins, including versions utilized for television and radio as well as the cinema. There are also biographies of each series’ leading players, with revealing career studies on such well-known Hollywood stars as Mickey Rooney, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Johnny Weissmuller, Warner Oland, Marjorie Main, George Sanders, Arthur (Dagwood) Lake, Donald O’Connor, Maureen O’Sullivan, Warren William, Ann Sothern, William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd, Warner Baxter, Peter Lorre, Lew Ayres, Dean Martin, and Sean Connery, Every chapter contains a detailed filmography for each episode of the series, giving cast and character names, technical credits, running time, name of the producing studio, and year of release. This entertaining book explains why the series film was such a staple of Hollywood studios and how moviegoers found it reassuring to have a recurring group of familiar screen performers whose exploits they could follow and with whom they could identify when going to the cinema. This then is the lively and wonderful world of The Great Movie Series.

36. THE GREAT DETECTIVE PICTURES by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This in-depth volume covers some 350 feature films, telefilms, and serials from the prolific detective genre. This book showcases such classics as Bulldog Drummond (1922), The Canary Murder Case (1929), The Thin Man (1934), Murder on the Orient Express (1974). Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Murder, My Sweet (1944), Chinatown (1974), Evil Under the Sun (1982), Harper (1966), and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), along with scores of lesser-known but very enjoyable sleuthing pictures. In addition, The Great Detective Pictures provides a look at the cinematic work of assorted fictional gumshoes, including Sherlock Holmes, the Lone Wolf, Philip Marlowe, Charlie Chan, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, the Crime Doctor, Sam Spade, Ellery Queen, Mr. Moto, and many others. Each entry contains detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This volume also includes a bibliography of detective fiction sources and a listing of radio and television detective series. This is a valuable sourcebook for both cinema fans and film historians, as well as an outstanding reference guide to many of the detective genre entries now available on TV, DVDs, and the Internet.

37. LET’S TALK! AMERICA’S FAVORITE TALK SHOW HOSTS by James Robert Parish

Television talk shows have been a favorite genre of the medium since the early days of American commercial TV at the start of the 1950s. It has remained an enduring format (with numerous variations and offshoots) over many decades, highlighted by an amazing array of distinctive program hosts, every one of whom had his/her own unique personality that attracted a wide viewing public. Each of the twenty-three chapters is devoted to the professional and off camera life of a genre pioneer/favorite who played such a key role in the phenomenal history of American TV shows. Among the many colorful superstar personalities profiled in this volume are: Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Sally Jessy Raphael, Jack Paar, Geraldo Rivera, Whoopi Goldberg, Virginia Graham, Oprah Winfrey, David Frost, Merv Griffin, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Regis Philbin, Mike Douglas, Larry King, Vicki Lawrence, Phil Donahue, Dinah Shore, Arsenio Hall, Dick Cavett, Kathie Lee Gifford, David Letterman, and Jay Leno. This then is the fascinating and compelling world of Let’s Talk! America’s Favorite Talk Show Hosts.

38. HOLLYWOOD ON HOLLYWOOD by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

Film lovers have long had an insatiable drive to know what “really” goes on behind-the-scenes at Tinseltown film studios. This volume delves into some 300 feature films, movie shorts, and TV movies in which Hollywood filmmakers turn the cameras on themselves as storylines play out in front of and behind the cameras. Among the many titles covered are Sunset Boulevard (1950), The Phantom of Hollywood (1974), Hollywood Hotel (1937), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), A Star Is Born (1937, 1954), That’s Entertainment! (1974), Star-Spangled Rhythm (1942), James Dean (1976), The Studio Murder Mystery (1929), Harlow (1965), On an Island with You (1948), What Price Hollywood? (1932), The Day of the Locust (1975), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), Bombshell (1933), The Star (1952), The Oscar (1965), The Jolson Story (1946), The Sex Symbol (1975), and Inside Daisy Clover (1965). Each entry contains detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This helpful film guide is designed for both movie fans and cinema historians, as well as being an excellent reference source to many of the genre entries now accessible on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

39. THE GREAT HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL PICTURES by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This richly comprehensive volume covers some 340 of the great—and not so great but fun—musicals Hollywood has produced over the decades. The movies discussed in detail range from The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) to lavish Busby Berkeley offerings (e.g., Footlight Parade, 1933), the Jeanette MacDonald-Nelson Eddy operettas (e.g., Rose Marie, 1936), the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers pairings (e.g., Carefree, 1938), the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland entertainments (e.g., Girl Crazy, 1943), the Elvis Presley’s trend-setting big-screen offerings (e.g., Jailhouse Rock, 1957), the impressive song-and-dance opuses of Barbra Streisand (e.g., Funny Girl, 1968), and such later genre entries as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), Body Rock (1984), Dirty Dancing (1987), La Bamba (1987), and School Daze (1988). Each entry contains detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This is an entertaining and valuable source volume for both film enthusiasts and cinema historians. It also is an excellent guide to many of the genre entries now offered for viewing on TV, the Internet, and DVDs.

40. WHITNEY HOUSTON: 1963-2012: We Will Always Love You by James Robert Parish

When legendary singer Whitney Houston died suddenly on February 11, 2012 her fans around the world were shocked by her tragic passing. This comprehensive biography chronicles the full dramatic narrative of Houston’s rollercoaster ride from her troubled childhood days in New Jersey to her emergence as an international singing sensation in her early twenties. While her adoring public placed the beautiful and amazingly talented songstress/actress on a lofty pedestal, lurid tabloid reports about Houston’s increasingly frenzied partying lifestyle, her dysfunctional marriage to singer/bad boy Bobby Brown, and her escalating bizarre professional behavior ultimately overshadowed her astonishing talents and the once high regard of her vast fan base. In more recent times, the celebrated singing diva battled a magnitude of disturbing problems, including her mounting substance abuse, the finish to her out-of-control marriage to Bobby Brown, her tremendous financial difficulties, and her stalled show business career. Then in the new millennium the pop superstar returned full force to her singing profession, spearheaded by her first new studio album (2009’s I Look to You) in several years, and by her starring in a new feature film (2012’s Sparkle). On the surface, everything now appeared to be so promising for her future life and career, until her world came crashing down into a heartbreaking finale. All of Houston’s high and low points in her complex personal and professional life are covered, in Whitney Houston: 1963-2012: We Will Always Love You.

41. THE GREAT GANGSTER PICTURES: Volume 1 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This richly detailed volume covers over 300 gangster films, serials, and TV movies produced over the decades. The movies discussed in detail range from the silent film, The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912), to such later genre entries as Underworld (1927), Broadway (1929), Little Caesar (1931), Scarface: Shame of a Nation (1932), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Glass Key (1942), The Killers (1946), White Heat (1949), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Racket (1951), New York Confidential (1955), Some Like It Hot (1959), Point Blank (1967), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Brotherhood (1968), The Godfather (1972), and Lucky Luciano (1974). Each entry includes detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This work also includes a history of gangster films and a list of genre radio and TV series. This engaging and useful reference guide for both movie fans and cinema historians. It is also an excellent comprehensive sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

42. THE GREAT SCIENCE FICTION PICTURES: Volume 1 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This expansive volume covers over 250 science fiction feature films, serials, and TV movies produced over the years in the United States and elsewhere. The movies examined include The Exploits of Elaine (1918), The Last Man on Earth (1924), Chandu, the Magician (1932), Flash Gordon (1936), Buck Rogers (1939), Captain America (1944), Superman (1948), It Came from Outer Space (1953), War of the Worlds (1953), Forbidden Planet (1956), The Blob (1958), On the Beach (1959), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), Fantastic Voyage (1966), The Planet of the Apes (1968), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Sleeper (1972), and Soylent Green (1973). Each entry contains detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This book also contains an extensive history of science fiction films, a list of genre radio and TV series, and a select bibliography of science fiction bibliographies, indexes, and checklists. This is an informed and handy reference guide for movie enthusiasts, sci-fi fans, and film historians. It also is an excellent sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

43. THE GREAT SPY PICTURES: Volume 1 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This detailed volume covers 463 spy films, serials, and TV movies produced over many decades in Hollywood and elsewhere. The entries include The Better ‘Ole (1926), Mysterious Lady (1928), Mata Hari (1931), British Agent (1934), Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Casablanca (1942), Saboteur (1942), Confidential Agent (1945), O.S.S. (1946), Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950), I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. (1951), Betrayed (1954), North by Northwest (1959), The Counterfeit Traitor (1961), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Goldfinger (1964), The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965), Casino Royale (1967), The Kremlin Letter (1970), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Zeppelin (1971). Each entry includes in depth cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This book also provides a history of spy films, a list of genre radio and TV series, and an extensive bibliography of spy novels over the ages. This engaging reference guide is a treasure trove for both movie enthusiasts and film historians. It is also an excellent sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

44. THE GREAT WESTERN PICTURES: Volume 1 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This copious and useful volume covers over 300 western feature films, serials, and TV movies produced in the United States and elsewhere. The movies detailed include The Border Legion (1918), The Covered Wagon (1924), Billy the Kid (1930), Cimarron (1931), Hopalong Cassidy Enters (1935), The Plainsman (1936), Destry Rides Again (1939), They Died with Their Boots On (1941), The Outlaw (1943), Buffalo Bill (1944), Fort Apache (1948), Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Broken Arrow (1950), High Noon (1952), Shane (1953), Johnny Guitar (1954), The Searchers (1956), The Alamo (1960), One-Eyed Jacks (1961), How the West Was Won (1963), Cat Ballou (1965), Hombre (1967), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), True Grit (1969), and The Castaway Cowboy (1974). Each entry provides in-depth cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This volume also includes a history of western films, a list of genre radio and TV series, and a an extensive bibliography of western fiction. This enjoyable reference guide for Western enthusiasts is also a useful sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

45. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Her Journey From Poverty to Megastardom by James Robert Parish

This insightful biography of Whoopi Goldberg traces the remarkable life and times of the internationally famous African-American actress, comedian, television personality, and author. This detailed volume goes behind the scenes to document Goldberg’s humble beginnings in New York City to her later show business success. This success includes her winning of multiple industry awards, including an Oscar nomination for her touching performance in The Color Purple (1985) and an Academy Award for her vibrant role in Ghost (1990). In shedding light on the star’s event-filled personal life (including her several marriages) it is easier to appreciate the myriad factors which made this outspoken, one-of-a-kind celebrity the unique personality she has become. This is the astonishing story of the talented actress who twice hosted the Oscarcasts, won a Tony Award for her on-Broadway one-woman show, and played a recurring role on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which she reprised in two Star Trek feature films. This is a revealing and informed account of the iconic Whoopi Goldberg who once observed of her becoming a major celebrity: “I haven’t changed from being me. A little older, a little quieter. But I haven’t shut up.”

46. THE GREAT GANGSTER PICTURES: Volume 2 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This is a follow up to The Great Gangster Pictures: Volume 1. Here the authors discuss some 400 genre features, from the very best to the not so good. This book, including serials, TV movies, and foreign releases, incorporates titles not discussed in the earlier volume. Among the entries are The Girl from Chicago (1927), Lady Killer (1933), The Shadow of Silk Lennox (1935), The Crime Patrol (1938), Rubber Racketeers (1942), Murder, My Sweet (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Kansas City Confidential (1952), I Cover the Underworld (1955), Party Girl (1958), Hail! Mafia (1966), Stiletto (1969), Hammer (1972), Brannigan (1975), Lepke (1975), The Enforcer (1976), The Gangster Chronicles (1981), Scarface (1982), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), and Mafia Princess (1986). Each entry includes detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This highly readable and useful reference volume is aimed as a guide for both movie fans of the gangster genre and cinema historians. It is also an excellent comprehensive sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

47. THE GREAT SCIENCE FICTION PICTURES: Volume 2 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This is a follow up to The Great Science Fiction Pictures; Volume 1 and continues the authors’ in-depth study of the genre with coverage of well over 300 movies. The entries encompass features films, serials, TV movies, and foreign releases. Among the many titles covered are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Frankenstein (1931), The Devil Doll (1936), Sky Bandits (1940), House of Dracula (1945), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Phantom from Space (1953), The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962), Wizards of Mars (1965), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Star Wars (1977), Alien (1979), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Blade Runner (1982), E.T., The Extra Terrestrial (1982), The Empire Strikes Back (1984), The Terminator (1984), 2010: The Year We Made Contact (1984), Back to the Future (1985), and Robocop (1987). Each entry contains detailed cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This book also provides a list of sci-fi genre radio and TV series. This is an informed and handy reference guide for movie enthusiasts, sci-fi devotees, and film historians. It also is a valuable sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

48. THE GREAT SPY PICTURES: Volume 2 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

This comprehensive resource is a stand-alone follow-up to the authors’ The Great Spy Pictures: Volume 1. This new book includes well over 300 entries from worldwide cinema, ranging from the silent era onward. Among the titles discussed are The Great Love (1918), Hotel Imperial (1927), I Spy (1934), The Saint in London (1939), First Comes Courage (1943), Malaya (1949), Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard (1950), Stopover Tokyo (1957), Circle of Deception (1961), The Train (1965), Live and Let Die (1973), Three Days of the Condor (1975), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Smiley’s People (1982), The Little Drummer Girl (1984), The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), and A View to Kill (1985). Each entry includes in depth cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This book also provides a list of genre radio and TV series, and an extensive bibliography of spy novels over the decades. This engaging reference guide is a treasure trove for movie enthusiasts, film historians, and lovers of spy tales. It is also an excellent sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for viewing on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

49. THE GREAT WESTERN PICTURES: Volume 2 by James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts

The second book in The Great Western Pictures series covers some 400 Westerns—from the classics to the not so great—including feature films, serials, TV movies, foreign films, and with a special emphasis on “B” Westerns. Among the titles highlighted are The Disciple (1915), The Man of the Forest (1921), Montana Moon (1930), Riders of Death Valley (1932), Wells Fargo (1937), Buck Benny Rides Again (1940), The Cowboy and the Senorita (1944), San Antonio (1945), The Baron of Arizona (1950),  Lone Star (1952), The Indian Fighter (1955), Tribute to a Bad Man (1956), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Red Tomahawk (1967), The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1972), Cahill, United States Marshal (1973), The Shootist (1976), Tom Horn (1980), Heaven’s Gate (1981), Pale Rider (1985), and Silverado (1985). Each entry provides in-depth cast/characters and technical credits, a discussion of the film, and review quotes. This volume also includes a list of genre radio and TV series. This enjoyable reference guide for Western pictures enthusiasts and film scholars is also a useful sourcebook to many of the genre entries now available for watching on television, the Internet, and DVDs.

50. ROSIE: ROSIE O’DONNELL’S BIOGRAPHY by James Robert Parish

Rosie presents in detail the captivating story of how a young woman from Commack, Long Island, became a first-class jokester. Following Rosie’s path on the highly competitive comedy club and television circuit, this dimensional biography also looks at O’Donnell’s Hollywood films (e.g., League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, The Flintstones). From the death of her mother when Rosie was age ten to her troubled relationship with her Irish-born father, here is the story of well-earned professional triumphs and the price of fame. This book provides a behind-the-scenes account of the talented and driven comic who won the hearts of so many just by making them laugh. It also focuses on how this outspoken celebrity became a dynamic national figure as the hostess of her highly-rated TV talk show. This is an illuminating and informed narrative of iconic funster Rosie O’Donnell who observed once of her journey to show business fame, “I never had something to fall back on because I was never going to allow myself to fall back…. You have to know in your heart of heart, 100% sure, that you’re going to succeed in order to do it.”

51. THE GEORGE RAFT FILE: THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY by James Robert Parish with Steven Whitney

Hollywood’s toughest rough guy was born in New York City’s “Hell’s Kitchen” in 1895. As a young adult Raft became a professional boxer and later was a dancehall gigolo. Then he moved into the swanky worlds of New York speakeasies and London clubs. Later, Raft appeared in several Broadway musical revues, all the time retaining his associations with the infamous underworld pals of his youth. A small role in Queen of the Nightclubs (1929) launched his Hollywood career. His strong performance in Scarface (1932) led to his long-term Paramount Pictures contract. Later Warner Bros. added Raft to its roster of cinema tough guys where he appeared in such genre classics as They Drive By Night (1940). Thereafter, as a freelancer, he made such films as Whistle Stop (1946), Lucky Nick Cain (1951), and the memorable Some Like It Hot (1959). For a rugged he-man character, Raft was particularly self-conscious about his short stature, his acting limitations, and his lack of formal education. On the other hand he was proud of his professional success, his patriotic efforts during World War II, and his many Tinseltown friends. This colorful individual once said, “If I had a chance to be reborn tomorrow there is not much I would want to change.” Supplementing this revealing dossier on movie star George Raft is an annotated filmography.

52. VINCENT PRICE UNMASKED: A BIOGRAPHY by James Robert Parish and Steven Whitney

Long known to movie fans as the “King of Horror,” Vincent Price—he of the highly distinctive voice—once reflected, “I sometimes feel that I'm impersonating the dark unconscious of the whole human race. I know this sounds sick, but I love it.” Over the decades, he appeared in such well-remembered screen thrillers as Tower of London, House of Wax, The Fly, The Tingler, Pit and the Pendulum, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, and Theatre of Blood. But the real-life Vincent Price was also the personification of a complete Renaissance man who fully believed: “A man who limits his interests limits his life.” This is the fascinating account of the actor who rose to become one of the most cultured—and popular—men of his time. From his appearances in more than 100 films and thousands of radio and TV shows the actor is well known. However, he also authored best-selling art books, lectured extensively on art and history, supervised the purchase of thousands of works of fine arts, wrote gourmet cookbooks, and served on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Vincent Price Unmasked is the engrossing portrait of this multi-faceted and highly talented personality. Completing this illuminating narrative on Vincent Price is an annotated filmography.

53. KATHARINE HEPBURN: THE UNTOLD STORY by James Robert Parish

An A-list star for over 60 years, Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) headlined over 60 films and 10 Broadway plays. She was nominated for 12 Academy Awards in the Best Actress category and won a record 4! She was admired by generations of filmgoers for her outstanding acting in such movie classics as Stage Door, The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond. In addition, she was revered for being an icon of feminism and New England style candor. This rigorous examination of the legendary star’s enigmatic life reveals the surprising truths behind her carefully constructed image. Discussed in detail are her complex relationship with the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, her life on/off camera with her frequent film costar Spencer Tracy, and the several women who had a strong impact on Hepburn. This dimensional biography answers many of the lingering questions about Hepburn’s unique life. It pays tribute to her remarkable performance in the role of Katharine Hepburn, which transformed her from “box office poison” in the late 1930s to becoming one of the most enduring stars of the 20th century. Katharine Hepburn: The Untold Story is the engaging narrative of an amazing iconoclast who lived by her own rules, a woman who “wanted to paddle my own canoe, didn’t want anyone to pay my way.”

54. BLACK ACTION FILMS by James Robert Parish and George H. Hill

From the late 1960s on, one profitable Hollywood movie genre in particular has deserved more critical attention and documentation. These are the very popular, slam-bang, heavy-duty, ethnic action feature films like Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Black Caesar (1973), Black Gunn (1972), Blacula (1972), Blue Collar (1978), Cleopatra Jones (1973), Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), Foxy Brown (1978), Greased Lightning (1977), Hammer (1972), Hell Up in Harlem (1973), Hit! (1973), The Lost Man (1969), The Mack (1973), Penitentiary (1979), A Piece of the Action (1977), Shaft (1971), Slaughter (1972), Soul Soldiers (1970), The Split (1968), Super Fly (1972), Three the Hard Way (1974), White Fire (1985), and Willie Dynamite (1973). In Black Action Films this vibrant movie genre is given its due in this comprehensive compilation of several exciting filmmaking decades. For each of the 235 feature films and made-for-TV movies covered, there are detailed filmographic data with full cast and credit listings, plus an essay interweaving a synopsis of the film, contemporary critical quotes, production information, and an analysis of the film and its stats.

55. PIRATES AND SEAFARING SWASHBUCKLERS ON THE HOLLYWOOD SCREEN by James Robert Parish

Pirate films hold a special appeal for movie fans, with their swashbuckling heroes and heroines performing their rousing and electrifying derring-do in a bygone era. Filmgoers like to imagine themselves to be these agile and colorful buccaneers of the high seas who are motivated by many ambitions (e.g., financial, political) and who follow their own special code of ethics. This volume contains full filmographic data for each of the genre features, serials, and made-for-television pirate films covered from both the silent and sound eras. Each entry includes complete casts and credits, year of release, and studio. Every title presented also contains an essay blending plot synopsis and critical commentary. Among the many titles discussed are The Corsair (1914), Captain Blood (1924), The Black Pirate (1927), Treasure Island (1934), China Seas (1935), The Sea Hawk (1940), Frenchman’s Creek (1944), The Princess and the Pirate (1944), Anne of the Indies (1951), Blackbeard the Pirate (1952), Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952), His Majesty O’Keefe (1953), Moonfleet (1955), The Buccaneer (1958), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), A High Wind in Jamaica (1965), Scalawag (1976), The Ice Pirates (1984), Hook (1991), and many more memorable genre entries.

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