From Thomas Hamilton to contemporary artists Tom Normand traces the 200 year history of the Royal Scottish Academy. Featuring both men and women, short summaries precede each reproduction and orient the reader to particular points of interest within each art work. The artist’s history is related side by side with that of the Academy and, as such, they complement descriptions of the paintings. The book chronologically captures different periods as they influenced the style of what was produced in the Academy. Looking forward Normand states that ‘the Academy, in its history, has been a vital part of that international role, freely exhibiting the newest and the best of modern art and respecting the multi-dimensional approaches of contemporary art’. It is this vitality in the Scottish art scene that will sustain its visual culture in the future and place it on the international stage.

Between 1783 and 1860, more than 100,000 enslaved African Americans escaped across the border between slave and free territory in search of freedom. Most of these escapes were unaided, but as the American anti-slavery movement became more militant after 1830, assisted escapes became more common. Help came from the Underground Railroad, which still stands as one of the most powerful and sustained multiracial human rights movements in world history. This work examines and interprets the available historical evidence about fugitive slaves and the Underground Railroad in Kentucky, the southernmost sections of the free states bordering Kentucky along the Ohio River, and, to a lesser extent, the slave states to the immediate south. Kentucky was central to the Underground Railroad because its northern boundary, the Ohio River, represented a three hundred mile boundary between slavery and nominal freedom. The book examines the landscape of Kentucky and the surrounding states; fugitive slaves before 1850, in the 1850s and during the Civil War; and, their motivations and escape strategies and the risks involved with escape. The reasons why people broke law and social convention to befriend fugitive slaves, common escape routes, crossing points through Kentucky from Tennessee and points south, and specific individuals who provided assistance - all are topics covered.

An examination of the cinematic and cultural discourse surrounding work, the worker, organized labor, and the working class in 20th century America, this book analyzes a number of films within the historical context of labor and politics. Looking at both comedies (Modern Times, Gung Ho, Office Space) and dramas (The Grapes of Wrath, On the Waterfront, F.I.S.T., Blue Collar, Norma Rae, and Matewan), it reveals how these films are not merely products of their times, but also producers of ideological stances concerning the status of capitalism, class struggle, and democracy in America. Common themes among the films include the myth of the noble worker, the shifting status of the American Dream, and the acceptability of reform versus the unacceptability of revolution in affecting economic, political, and social change in America.

In the early days of radio, producers, directors and scriptwriters were well aware of the listening public's fascination with subject matter that was tinged with almost any form of wrongdoing. Stories that compared right and wrong, portrayed crime and punishment, and showed the characters upholding law and order kept audiences of every age hooked on this type of program for more than thirty years. This work covers over 300 syndicated radio mystery and adventure serials that aired in the early or middle twentieth century. To be included in the book, a series must have included one or more characters who regularly appeared in occupations or avocations that fought against espionage, theft, murder, and other criminal activities. Each entry includes the name of the series, air dates (stations and times are noted), the sponsor, extant episodes, cast information (such as the directors, writers, composers, announcers, lead actors and supporting actors), and a brief synopsis.

In 1912, Guillermo Calles (1893-1958) became the first Mexican actor to appear in films made in California. Despite limited resources, he began directing and producing his own movies, and in 1929 pioneered production of Spanish-language sound films. His major works, among them the long-unavailable El indio yaqui and Raza de bronce (both 1927), represented Calles' tireless crusade to restore the image of Mexicans and Indians in an era dominated by Hollywood stereotypes.

This biography traces Calles' career from his earliest Hollywood days through the 1950s. Included are the only surviving images of the filmmaker's silent productions, a closing commentary on his intimate circle of relatives, and an appendix featuring two fascinating letters written by Calles during a filming trip.

In 1935 Sidney Kingsley's play about streetwise urban kids, Dead End, opened on Broadway featuring 14 adolescent actors. For two years on Broadway and then on tour, Kingsley's play delivered its social commentary contrasting affluent neighborhoods and tenement slums on New York City's East River. The film industry picked up the story and in 1937 released Dead End, which spawned 23 more years of films and serials featuring the Dead End kids and their offshoots, Little Tough Guys, East Side Kids and the Bowery Boys. This chronicle follows the street kids through the many assorted incarnations, shifting casts and studios. First the reader is introduced to how the original play and film came about. A cast list and analysis of each production follows. For the major players, the author provides a biography and filmography, and several of these entries include a tribute from a friend or family member. Brief biographical profiles are given for other actors. Sketches of the ""Dead End"" revivals of 1978 and 2005 follow.

Basetsana Kumalo shot to fame as a fresh-faced Miss South Africa in 1994 and soon became the face of South Africa’s new democracy. As the first black presenter of the glamorous lifestyle TV show Top Billing, she travelled the world and interviewed superstars like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, Will Smith, the Bee Gees, Gloria Estefan and Luther Vandross. After a successful career in television, Bassie’s drive and ambition took her into the world of business. The street savvy that her entrepreneurial mother gave her stood her in good stead as she built a media empire. When she married the handsome businessman Romeo Kumalo in a fairytale wedding, they became South Africa’s sweethearts and ‘it’ couple.

Bassie: My Journey Of Hope recounts the stories of Bassie’s life as a celebrity, including her relationships with mentors like Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela- Mandela and Graça Machel. She also shares the secrets of her success and all the lessons she’s learnt along the way, and opens up about the pressures of her high-profile marriage to Romeo, their heartbreaking struggle to have a family, and how they made sure that their loving and respectful union has lasted two decades.

Bassie also talks frankly about the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of boxer Dingaan Thobela and the legal battles she had to fight to protect her name and her brand over the years. She gives her account of the stalker who harassed her for decades, and the nonexistent ‘sex-tape’ allegation that rocked her family and career, leading to painful experiences of cyber-bullying. It is an intimate, inspiring and entertaining account of a remarkable life.

Beginning with ""The Jazz Singer"" in 1927 and ending with ""Sweeney Todd"" in 2007, this comprehensive critical history examines the greatest movie musicals of all time. Organized alphabetically by decade, more than 150 films are analyzed on the basis of importance, entertainment value and musical presentation. Included are Broadway adaptations (""West Side Story""), screen originals (""The Wizard of Oz""), all-star revues (""The King of Jazz""), musical biopics (""The Glenn Miller Story""), 'dance' pictures (""Fame"") and animated features (""Aladdin""). Each entry contains full cast and production credits, a list of awards, background information, and a synopsis incorporating the musical numbers in order of appearance. An appendix itemizes the 'greatest musical' selections of the American Film Institute and ""Entertainment Weekly"" magazine.

King Baggot began making films for Carl Laemmle in 1909 and was a major star from 1910 to 1916. Baggot then gained renown as a director in the 1920s and as a character actor in the 1930s and 1940s, but perhaps most notably, he was the first publicized leading man in America. In his two-reel ""Shadows"" - this was a first in film history - he played ten different characters and also directed. He founded the Screen Club, the first and most prestigious club strictly for film personnel, and became an international star in England with Ivanhoe and in France with Absinthe. As a director, he worked on Kissed, in which Marie Prevost had her first starring role. He also directed The Home Maker, a social drama that explored the role reversal between a husband and wife when such an idea was not at all accepted, and Tumbleweeds, now considered a classic among western films. This work is a biography and filmography of the early film pioneer. It covers his early life before he broke into the film industry, traces his career from his beginnings as a stage actor in 1900 to the peak of his career in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, and ends with his death in 1948. The extensive filmography documents every known film in which he took part, and provides cast and production credits, release date, length, Library of Congress registration number, places where the film can be found today, and other information.

Deals with the various aspects of theatre scholarship. This title presents a selection of the best research presented at the international, interdisciplinary Comparative Drama Conference. It includes papers from the 33rd annual conference held in Los Angeles, California.

The 2nd of the 24 Marvel Cinematic Universe Infinity Saga film titles being published as a complete set. Behind every great Iron Man stands a dedicated group of artists – and now, their secrets are revealed. In The Art of Iron Man 2, you’ll find everything from preliminary sketches to fully rendered 3-D images; storyboards to intricate set designs; and all the heroes, villains and technology you’ve ever imagined! All of Iron Man’s new armors, all of Whiplash’s weapons, Tony Stark’s lab and more are profiled with art and commentary from creators (including comic book fan-favorite Adi Granov). Plus: an unbelievable fold-out section, and the never-before-seen artwork of the movie’s thrilling climax.

A number of thrillers made in the 1920s and 1930s have become available again thanks to new technology. There are a few, however, that remain elusive to most, if not all, movie buffs. This book covers 21 thrillers from those decades that are well-regarded and eagerly sought, but difficult to find - ""The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu"" (1923), ""The Unknown Purple"" (1923), ""The Sorrows of Satan"" (1926), ""While London Sleeps"" (1926), ""The Monkey Talks"" (1927), ""The Chinese Parrot"" (1927), ""Stark Mad"" (1929), ""The Unholy Night"" (1929), ""High Treason"" (1929), ""The Spider"" (1931), ""Eran Trece"" (1931), ""The Monkey's Paw"" (1933), ""Trick for Trick"" (1933), ""Deluge"" (1933), ""The Vanishing Shadow"" (1934), ""The Witching Hour"" (1934), ""Double Door"" (1934), ""Black Moon"" (1934), ""Le Golem"" (1936), ""The Scarab Murder Case"" (1937), and ""Sh! The Octopus"" (1937). For each film, the author provides such details as the production company, running time, release date(s), cast and production credits, a synopsis, and commentary.

Reviled by critics but beloved by an extraordinarily faithful audience, Hee Haw was seen in over 15 million homes a week during the height of its popularity. Many years after going off the air, Hee Haw remains the longest running variety show of its type in television history, having aired for nearly 600 episodes during its decades-long run. This book tells the complete story of how one of America's classic television programs was created by two Canadians in Beverly Hills.

Series co-creator John Aylesworth provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at some of Hee Haw's best--and worst--moments, from the show's shoestring beginnings in a tiny Nashville studio; to the "Great Country Massacre of 1971," which saw the cancellation of Hee Haw, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, and several other "country shows" on CBS; to its unprecedented success in syndication. Richly illustrated with dozens of the author's personal photographs and memorabilia, the book also includes one appendix providing a complete list of Hee Haw episodes from 1969 to 1992.

When 'Hymns and Arias' rang out at Cardiff Arms Park some fifty years ago, those great Welsh anthems 'Calon Lan' and 'Cwm Rhondda' had found a companion and the valleys of south Wales had produced a new folk hero. Max Boyce's work, with over five decades of creativity, captures the spirit and the story of the people of Wales. It also has a warmth and charm that has made his words and music resonate with a worldwide audience. From his early days touring the folk clubs and small concert halls of his native south Wales to sell-out shows at some of the world's most iconic venues, including the Albert Hall, the London Palladium and the opera houses of Sydney and Durban, Max has become an original and treasured performer whose songs and stories have become part of folk culture. His albums, including the No. 1 album We All Had Doctors' Papers and the iconic Live at Treorchy, have sold in their millions and earned him several gold discs. His greatest influence has always been the valleys of Wales, with their inherent warmth and humour, their sadness and passion, and he has the remarkable ability to heighten, to an art form, the 'hwyl' that attends his nation's national game: rugby union. Compiling - in some instances for the first time in print - the very best songs, poems and stories from across his celebrated career, Max: Hymns & Arias is the definitive selected work of a major cultural figure who, through his inimitable humour, uniquely Welsh pathos and masterful wordcraft, has defined a nation and its people for more than half a century.

The twelve classic comedy films examined within these pages are distinguished by an equal number of defining comic performances. Ranging from The Great Dictator (1940) to A Southern Yankee (1948), each film focuses on the most central theme of "clown comedy": Resilience, the encouragement or hope that one can survive the most daunting of life's dilemmas--even during the war-torn 1940s. And each film can be regarded as a microcosm of the antiheroic world of its central clown (or clowns).

Originally broadcast on American television between 1952 and 1969, the thirty situation comedies detailed in this work are seldom seen today, receiving only brief and often incomplete and inaccurate mentions in most reference sources. Yet these sitcoms (including ""Angel"", ""The Governor and J.J."", ""It's a Great Life"", ""I'm Dickens...He's Fenster"" and ""Wendy and Me"",) and the stories of the talented people who made them, represent an integral part of TV history. Each of the thirty entries has been extensively researched, including screenings of multiple episodes. Containing a complete list of production credits and rare publicity stills, this volume not only corrects errors and omissions in other sources, but also expands our understanding and appreciation of these neglected sitcoms.

One of Hollywood's first African American movie stars, James Edwards catapulted to stardom following his breakout role in 1949's ""Home of the Brave"". In his superlative performance as a U.S. soldier experiencing racial prejudice during combat in the South Pacific, Edwards proved that African American actors could do far more than play the bumbling sidekick, the jovial song-and-dance man, or the illiterate plantation hand. Edwards went on to roles in Stanley Kubrick's breakthrough indie ""The Killing"", John Frankenheimer's ""The Manchurian Candidate"", and his final appearance in Franklin J. Schaffner's ""Patton"". This book tells the story of Edwards' life and career, describing his unlikely climb to fame following a serious war injury and detailing how the little known native of Muncie, Indiana, paved the way for the careers of Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and other African American stars to follow.

Most often remembered for her graceful hand gestures, expressive eyes, and body language on the silent screen, ZaSu Pitts was much more than a run-of-the-mill actress. Also an excellent cook, Pitts was often known to give homemade candies to her coworkers, and her extensive collection of candy recipes was even published posthumously with 1963's ""Candy Hits"" by Zasu Pitts. This affectionate study of both her private life off-screen and her public persona details how the multi-talented actress become one of filmdom's favorite comediennes and character players. The book includes many rare photographs.

With its impressive variety of theater, Finland is a superpower of performing arts. Finnish theater, however, is presently a hotbed of cultural debate regarding the artistic quality of its performances. This comprehensive overview of contemporary theater explores many of the most contentious questions concerning applied theater, its devised methods, and the corresponding challenges presented to traditional definitions of theater and related arts. Through interviews with new writers and directors, and first-hand accounts of recent performances, this study attempts to define what it means today to say "Finnish theater." It also addresses issues concerning Finland's emergence as a cultural player within the European Union and implications for its evolving national identity.

This book explores the mechanisms that have driven the evolution of televisual comedy from the classic sitcom, a genre deeply rooted in its theatrical origins, toward a more mature stage of television's history. It analyzes four comic series--Scrubs, The Office, The Comeback, and Ugly Betty--revealing how each separates itself from the traditional sitcom archetype and shows increased awareness of the comic genre. Throughout the author focuses on two cardinal themes: the relationship between comedy and euphoria; and the relationship between comic texts and reality.|This book explores the mechanisms that have driven the evolution of televisual comedy from the classic sitcom, a genre deeply rooted in its theatrical origins, toward a more mature stage of television's history. It analyzes four comic series--Scrubs, The Office, The Comeback, and Ugly Betty--revealing how each separates itself from the traditional sitcom archetype and shows increased awareness of the comic genre. Throughout the author focuses on two cardinal themes: the relationship between comedy and euphoria; and the relationship between comic texts and reality.

In the past, the examination of myth has traditionally been the study of the "Primitive" or the "Other." More recently, myth has been increasingly employed in movies and in television productions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Star Trek television and movie franchise. This collection of essays on Star Trek brings together perspectives from scholars in fields including film, anthropology, history, American studies and biblical scholarship. Together the essays examine the symbolism, religious implications, heroic and gender archetypes, and lasting effects of the Star Trek "mythscape."

This collection of essays focuses on two sub-genres of reality television: dating shows, like ""The Bachelor"", ""Joe Millionaire"", and the earlier ""Love Connection""; and makeover reality shows, like ""The Swan"" and ""Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People"". Each author explores a different aspect of one or both of these types of shows, focusing especially on the cultural interaction between the text - dating and makeover shows - and society. Five of the essays utilize audience analysis to discern the ways in which actual, as opposed to idealized, viewers relate to these genres. The others cover a wide range of critical methodologies - including textual, rhetorical, cultural, and ideological approaches - to analyze a broad spectrum of dating and makeover shows.

Created in 2006 as a spinoff of Doctor Who, the internationally popular BBC television series Torchwood is a unique blend of science fiction and fantasy, with much more of an adult flavor than its progenitor. The series' "omnisexual" protagonist, maverick 51st-century time agent Captain Jack Harkness, leads a team of operatives from the present-day Torchwood Institute, a secret organization dedicated to battling supernatural and extraterrestrial criminals. With its archetypal characters, adult language, subversive humor and openly homosexual and bisexual storylines, Torchwood provides a wealth of material for scholarly analysis and debate.

Using Torchwood as its focal point, this timely collection of essays by a range of experts and enthusiasts provides an interpretive framework for understanding the continually developing forms and genres of contemporary television drama.

Of all the tales to be found in Boccaccio’s Decameron, the tragic story of King Tancred’s efforts to frustrate the love of his daughter Gismond for Guiscardo, was probably the best known and most popular in Renaissance England. This Collections volume brings together the earliest texts of the first and last pre-1642 plays to deal with the lovers’ story: the Inner Temple tragedy, Gismond of Salern (1568), and a much-revised play probably by amateur Warwickshire dramatist John Newdigate (1620s). It presents the first modern transcription of the Hargrave MS of Gismond of Salern and the first ever printed edition of Newdigate’s untitled play, here named Glausamond and Fidelia. Together, the plays offer fresh proof of the important influence of Boccaccio, and Italian literature on English Renaissance drama. They are also fascinating examples of the period’s amateur drama, of interest to all scholars and students of early modern English theatre. -- .