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Books > Biography > Film, television, music, theatre
This is the first and definitive biography of one of the most
iconic, complex and enduring legends of Hollywood's golden age,
whose major presence in American film, radio, television, stage and
theater lasted beyond the second half of the 20th Century, and
whose classic films are known throughout the world. Written by New
York Times bestselling, prize-winning author Marc Eliot - Cary
Grant, Walt Disney, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson,
and others - with unprecedented access to the family, friends, and
Heston's private papers, diaries, journal, writings and estate, he
tells an unforgettable tale of an extraordinary life you may find
difficult to put down. Eliot's biography is rich with facts details
and anecdotal material that bring to life the complex story of this
most iconic of American popular cultural giants to illuminate
Heston's greatest achievements and his personal failures. He
examines how a small boy from the backwoods of Michigan rose to
become one of Hollywood's most legendary stars, one of the Greatest
Generation's true-life war heroes - he saw action in the Pacific
Theater during World War Two, before moving with his young wife
from Chicago to New York's Hell's Kitchen to begin their struggle
to find success in the theater. Eliot traces Heston's pioneering
work in live television, his being discovered by Hollywood because
of it, and tells the amazing saga of his three films for Cecil B.
DeMille and his two for William Wyler, including The Ten
Commandments and Ben-Hur, the latter for which he won a Best-Actor
Oscar, with fascinating new details, documents and photographs
never before seen. Eliot follows Heston through the genre of
Science Fiction, which he helped revive with Planet of the Apes,
and sheds new light on every one of Heston's iconic films. He also
examines Heston's long political involvements, from boom one of the
organizers of Hollywood's faction of marchers who joined with
Martin Luther King, Jr. for the March on Washington, to his
mentoring under Ronald Reagan for eventual presidency of the Screen
Actors Guild, to his late-in-life presidency of, the National Rifle
Association, all the while refusing the Republican Party's
continual pleas for him to run for president of the United States
after Reagan. With unprecedented cooperation with Heston's family,
and never-before-seen personal photos, documents and hand-written
letters, Charlton Heston: Hollywood's Last Icon for the first time
tells the real story of Charlton's Heston's amazing life, an
incisive, detailed, compelling portrayal, both for longtime fans,
Hollywood movie lovers everywhere and a new college and TCM
generation discovering Heston's work for the first time.
From his humble beginnings in a quaint Welsh mining village to the
dazzling lights of Hollywood, much-loved star, Luke Evans takes us on a
poignant and inspiring journey that spans from the heart of Wales to
behind the scenes of the global stage.
Growing up in a small village in the Rhymney Valley, south Wales, Luke
Evans’' early life was shaped by his Jehovah's Witness upbringing.
While most children of his age spent their Saturday mornings watching
Going Live on television, young Luke would dress in a suit and tie and
join his parents to knock on doors to spread the word of his religion.
From an early age, he felt different. This feeling of displacement was
not limited to his faith; as he came to terms with his own sexuality,
he also faced a difficult and uncertain path. In his poignant, tender
and often humorous account, Luke shares his bold decision to leave home
– and the religion – at seventeen to move to London, where the vibrant
Soho scene captured his heart, invigorated his creative journey as an
actor and opened a whole new world of opportunity.
In finding himself, Luke also discovered his passions of singing,
acting and performing. Starring first on the West End stages in iconic
productions like Miss Saigon, Avenue Q and Rent, he quickly captivated
the hearts of audiences and caught the eye of Hollywood's elite, going
on to secure roles in blockbuster films such as The Hobbit, Beauty and
the Beast, Fast and Furious and Dracula Untold.
In this intimate memoir, Luke takes us behind the scenes of his career
on the stage and screen. He writes beautifully of the relationship he
now has with his family and the respect they all have for one another
on their different paths. Luke's story is a powerful tale of
resilience, courage, and the pursuit of finding a sense of belonging
and identity, but mostly (and hopefully) a story of inspiration.
Lauded by his peers, Van Heflin won a place in the hearts of
cinemagoers with his portrayal of a resolute homesteader in George
Stevens' timeless classic Shane. But there was far more to this
superlative actor than one role. He impressed in all genres and
could convincingly portray every kind of character from a heel to a
hero and each shade in between. This first full-length work about
him provides a full commentary of all his films with insights into
his life as a sailor and his stage career. The aim is to restore
him to his rightful place among the gallery of stars of Hollywood's
Golden Age to whose luster he added a stage craftsman's unique
talent. He first caught the public attention as the sensitive
drink-addicted friend of gangster Johnny Eager for which he won the
Academy Award and contributed notable performances in a string of
terrific noirs, dramas and westerns. He was especially memorable as
the psychotic cop in Joseph Losey's masterpiece The Prowler but
equally at home as the doubtful executive in Negulesco's smart
satire Woman's World. A restless spirit whose heart never left the
sea he learned early on about life and human motivations sailing
the oceans of the world; this undoubtedly informed his natural
acting instinct. A versatile risk-taking actor he was never
concerned with popularity or comfortable with the trappings of
stardom. However he brought to every role a rare emotional
intensity which made all his portrayals real and ensured they
should live for all time.
"You think you know her . . ."
Now read the stories even her famous children haven't heard in this
gripping and inspirational "New York Times "bestseller from the
superstar matriarch of one of the biggest celebrity empires of our
time.
On "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," we've watched Kris Jenner do
it all. She runs a household, manages her children's blockbuster
careers, produces four television shows featuring her
larger-than-life family, and still finds time to tweet to her fans.
In this thoughtful, candid, and no-nonsense memoir, Kris opens up
about the parts of her life that aren't always in the spotlight:
her marriage to Robert Kardashian, the late father of her four
oldest children; her husband Olympic champion Bruce Jenner's
pivotal role in ending the Kardashians' messy divorce so they could
all move forward as a family; her close relationships with Nicole
Brown Simpson and O. J. Simpson and her insider knowledge about the
murder, its aftermath, and the infamous trial; and even her
controversial decision to make her charming family into an
international brand.
If you think your life is chaotic, try keeping up with Kris Jenner.
Author Lynn Barnes admits she's known all along that she'd been
a little different in ways she can't explain. In her memoir, The
Last Exit before the Toll, she examines her life and tries to make
sense of who and what she is and how her being affects her
existence.
She reflects on growing up as an only child and her life now as
a single, surrealist artist and Poe aficionado. Barnes recalls the
events that have greatly impacted her, including the deaths of her
mother and father and the suicide of her best friend, Marc. But it
was the discovery that she has undiagnosed Asperger's syndrome that
helped piece together the puzzle that has been her life and allowed
her to come to terms with the troubling personality traits she has
experienced all her life.
An insightful and creative look at Barnes's life, The Last Exit
before the Toll provides a glimpse into the sometimes frustrating
and unknown world of someone who lives with Asperger's
syndrome.
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