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.

With her striking looks, the raven-haired, dark eyed Ruth Roman had an air of sophistication that made her seem sexy yet wholesome. She had to strive harder than most to establish herself as a leading actress in Hollywood during its glory years and finally broke through in 1949 with her role in Champion. As one of the last Warner Bros. contract players, she appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's classic Strangers on a Train. Seen at her best in strong parts, such as the ambitious Ronda Castle in Anthony Mann's The Far Country or as a modern-day Lady Macbeth, she enjoyed a varied career as a freelancer before re-inventing herself as a character actress of note on television. A remarkable return to the screen in the bizarre psycho-horror The Baby (1973) assured her of cult status. This is the first book dedicated to a committed but often undervalued actress who is fondly remembered by fans of classic film. More than a biography, it seeks to contextualize the actress within her own time, illuminate her Hollywood experience and celebrate her extensive career.

This is the first book dedicated to Brian Donlevy, an underrated actor who was often typecast as a villain but who had a surprising range and an unheralded gift for comedy. Separating fact from fiction, the narrative charts his colorful early life as a boy soldier, his years playing comedy on Broadway, and details his long career in Hollywood. Although he made a decided impact as the bad guy in such classics as Destry Rides Again, Union Pacific and Beau Geste, he also displayed his range in the title role of Preston Sturges' timeless political satire The Great McGinty (1940). Thereafter he impressed both the New York critics and the Soviet government as the epitome of calm authority in Wake Island. He showed to good effect in a wide variety of films including The Glass Key, Kiss of Death, Canyon Passage, Command Decision, Song of Scheherazade, Impact and The Big Combo among many others. He was fondly remembered as a globe-trotting detective in the television series Dangerous Assignment, and as Professor Quatermass in two acclaimed science fiction films.]

Edmond O'Brien was one of the most versatile actors of his generation who made an abiding impact in a series of iconic noir films. From a man reporting his own murder in D. O. A. (1949) to the conflicted title character in The Bigamist (1953), O'Brien delineated par excellence the confusion of an Everyman in the complex post-war world. He created a gallery of memorable portrayals in all mediums across the genres, from Shakespeare to westerns and comedies; he also turned his hand to directing. His unique talent was rewarded with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as the harassed press agent Oscar Muldoon in Joseph Mankiewicz's bitter Cinderella fable The Barefoot Contessa (1954). This first in-depth study of O'Brien charts his life and career from the Broadway stage to Hollywood in its heyday and the rise of television. It shows him as a devoted family man dedicated to his art whose career was ended prematurely by mounting health problems but whose work endures. He was always different: as he once observed "It's from me the audience expects the unusual. I like it that way."

As cute as lace pants..."" An alluring blonde with a uniquely seductive voice, Claire Trevor is chiefly remembered now for her many femme fatale roles in a series of iconic noirs such as Murder, My Sweet (1944) and Raw Deal (1948). However she was a versatile actress not trapped by genre who brought a rare emotional depth to her art. She was moving as the outcast prostitute Dallas in John Ford's classic Stagecoach (1939) but was effective in such diverse roles as the ambitious tennis mother in Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951), or as the embittered landowner's wife in William Wellman's overlooked gem My Man and I (1952). Four times Oscar nominated, she deservedly won for her portrayal of broken down gangster's moll Gaye Dawn in Key Largo (1948), humiliated into singing for a drink in one of the most memorable scenes of classic cinema. This book provides a comprehensive discussion of her life and career. My aim is to generate renewed interest in Claire Trevor and to elevate her to her deserved position as one of the finest actresses of her generation.