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Before We Fall: The Wildham Series (The\wildham Ser. #2)
by Grace LowrieWhen quiet Cally, an amateur ballet dancer, is suddenly diagnosed with cancer she runs away from her boyfriend Liam, her job in a call centre and her safe life in Wildham – in order to experience ‘real’ life in London. Taking a job as a stripper and flat-sitting in the top of an office tower she meets her obnoxious neighbour Bay; a tattooed, drug-taking, suicidal artist, haunted by the death of those close to him. Despite their differences, the two strike up a friendship – Bay pushes Cally to try new things while Cally provides Bay with a muse – and they fall in love. But their secrets threaten to tear them apart and time is running out...
Before We Say "Goodnight": How to Tell Bedtime Stories About Your Life and Family
by Hank FrazeeA unique way to turn bedtime stories into an opportunity to strengthen our bond with our children. Before We Say &“Goodnight&” will show you how to captivate your child&’s imagination with a subject they literally can&’t get enough of—you. In this book, you&’ll discover an easy-to-learn three-step method to turn your life experiences, and those of your family, into great bedtime stories, all without notes or memorization. Best of all, you&’ll make bedtime one of the happiest parts of the day. &“Our children and grandchildren want to know who we really are. This book provides a wonderful method to share our life with those we love. It&’s out of this world!&” —Buzz Aldrin, astronaut
Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Last Days
by David Ritz Tavis SmileyA powerful chronicle of the sixteen weeks leading up to King of Pop Michael Jackson's deathMichael Jackson's final months were like the rest of his short and legendary life: filled with deep lows and soaring highs, a constant hunt for privacy, and the pressure and fame that made him socially fragile and almost--ultimately--unable to live. With the insight and compassion that he brought to his bestselling telling of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s final year, Tavis Smiley provides a glimpse into the superstar's life in this emotional, honest, yet celebratory book. Readers will witness Jackson's campaign to recharge his career--hiring and firing managers and advisors, turning to and away from family members, fighting depression and drug dependency--while his one goal remained: to mount the most spectacular series of shows the world had ever seen. BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME is a humanizing look at Jackson's last days.
Before the Fall: Soviet Cinema in the Gorbachev Years
by Anna LawtonAn expanded edition of Kinoglasnost that examines the fascinating world of Soviet cinema during the yeas of glasnost and perestroika in the 1980s.In Before the Fall, Anna Lawton shows how the reforms that shook the foundations of the Bolshevik state and affected economic and social structures have been reflected in the film industry. A new added chapter provides a commentary on the dramatic changes that marked the beginning of democracy in Russia.Soviet cinema has always been closely connected with national political reality, challenging the conventions of bourgeois society and educating the people. In this pioneering study, Lawton discusses the restructuring of the main institutions governing the industry; the abolition of censorship; the emergence of independent production and distribution systems; the dismantling of the old bureaucratic structures and the implementation of new initiatives. She also surveys the films that remained unscreened for decades for political reasons, films of the new wave that look at the past to search out the truth, and those that record current social ills or conjure up a disquieting image of the future.“What makes Kinoglasnost pre-eminent among current studies of the subject is that sustained attention Lawton pays to changes in the formal organization of Soviet cinema and in the cinema industry.” —Julian Graffy, Sight and Sound“The author constructs a complex, multilayered narrative of a steady and significant movement toward radical change in Soviet society, an account of the growing anxiety and the hope experienced by Russian filmmakers and the intelligentsia.” —Ludmila Z. Pruner, Slavic and East European Journal
Before the Year Dot
by June BrownAt sixteen I was very interested in palmistry. The fate line on my right palm had a distinct break at the age of thirty. It broke into two parts that ran for a quarter of an inch on parallel tracks. I used to look at it and wonder, 'What will happen to me when I am thirty that will change my life?' Of course, it was Johnny's death. But, in fact, my life was changed twice by death. June Brown is an institution - a classically trained actress and showbiz veteran, who has undoubtedly lived a full and fascinating life. One of the few national treasures left not to have told her story, she is much-loved for her role as the chain-smoking Dot Branning in the long-running BBC soap, EastEnders, a character she has played with dedication and skill for over 25 years. Before the Year Dot traces her colorful childhood in Ipswich with her beloved sisters, through the war with the WRENS, to her days as a gifted stage actress trained by the likes of Laurence Olivier, Michel Saint-Denis and Glen Byam-Shaw. Her legendary tours of the Young and Old Vic Schools saw her play some of her most memorable parts and cement her acting credentials. In this hugely anticipated memoir, June recounts an enthralling early life. But it is also a life marked by two deaths that changed June forever - once when she lost her beloved sister, Marise, and a second time with the loss of her adored husband, Johnny. June Brown tells her colorful story with candor and skill, and in her own words.
Beginning Backgammon: Strategy and Tactics for Winning Play
by J. Du C. Vere MolyneuxWhether you're looking for a pleasant family pastime or a competitive gambling game, backgammon can supply the answer. The combination of skill and luck that is at the heart of the game enables players of differing skill and aptitude to play together without boredom or one-sided results. BEGINNING BACKGAMMON, as its title suggests, is intended for the complete beginner at backgammon. In simple language and clear, easy-to-follow illustrations, it introduces this exciting, popular game at all its levels. Covering the basic rules of the game, elementary tactics; and overall strategy (including dice probabilities and gambling aspects such as the right use of the "doubling cube"), BEGINNING BACKGAMMON includes sample games used to show backgammon theories in practice. Alternative games that can be played on the backgammon board are also included.
Beginnings
by Horton FooteSince 1939, Horton Foote, "the Chekhov of the small town," has chronicled with compassion and acuity the experience of American life both intimate and universal. His adaptation of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and his original screenplay Tender Mercies earned him Academy Awards. He has won a Pulitzer Prize, the Gold Medal for Drama from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award for Drama, and the President's National Medal of Arts. Beginnings is the story of Foote's discovery of his own vocation. He didn't always want to write. When he left Wharton, Texas, at the age of sixteen to study at the Pasadena Playhouse, Foote aspired to be an actor. He remembers the terror and excitement of leaving home during the Depression, his early exposure to the influences of German theater, and the speech lessons he took to "cure" him of his Southern drawl. He eventually arrives in New York to search for acting jobs and to study with some of the great Russian and American teachers of the 1930s. But after mixed results on the stage, he finally recognizes his true passion, writing. From Martha Graham to Tennessee Williams, from Agnes de Mille to Lillian Gish, Horton collaborates with great artists in both dance and theater. The world he describes of fierce commitment and passion regardless of financial rewards is both captivating and inspiring. Through it all Horton maintains his genuine Southern charm, and he often travels home to Wharton, the town that nurtured him as a storyteller and has inspired his writing for the past sixty years. From one of the most moving and distinctive voices of our time, Beginnings is a rare, personal look at a fascinating era in American life, and at the making of a writer.
Beginnings: A Memoir
by Horton FooteSince 1939, Horton Foote, "the Chekhov of the small town," has chronicled with compassion and acuity the experience of American life both intimate and universal. His adaptation of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and his original screenplay Tender Mercies earned him Academy Awards. He has won a Pulitzer Prize, the Gold Medal for Drama from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award for Drama, and the President's National Medal of Arts. Beginnings is the story of Foote's discovery of his own vocation. He didn't always want to write. When he left Wharton, Texas, at the age of sixteen to study at the Pasadena Playhouse, Foote aspired to be an actor. He remembers the terror and excitement of leaving home during the Depression, his early exposure to the influences of German theater, and the speech lessons he took to "cure" him of his Southern drawl. He eventually arrives in New York to search for acting jobs and to study with some of the great Russian and American teachers of the 1930s. But after mixed results on the stage, he finally recognizes his true passion, writing. From Martha Graham to Tennessee Williams, from Agnes de Mille to Lillian Gish, Horton collaborates with great artists in both dance and theater. The world he describes of fierce commitment and passion regardless of financial rewards is both captivating and inspiring. Through it all Horton maintains his genuine Southern charm, and he often travels home to Wharton, the town that nurtured him as a storyteller and has inspired his writing for the past sixty years. From one of the most moving and distinctive voices of our time, Beginnings is a rare, personal look at a fascinating era in American life, and at the making of a writer.
Behaving Badly: Richard Harris
by Cliff GoodwinRichard Harris was never an easy person to get along with. He was a difficult schoolboy (and was later disowned by his Limerick teachers), then he went to work in the family flour and milling business - where he organised a strike against his father.It was as a gifted and compelling actor that Richard Harris dominated stage and screen for more than four decades. He was nominated for an Oscar twice: for his earthy portrayal of a rugby player in This Sporting Life and as a dominant and bullish Irish farmer in The Field. More recently he delivered gripping screen performances in Gladiator and two Harry Potter films.But it was his violent, drunken, womanising private life that fed the public myth and made Harris, one of a new breed of rogue male actors, an international celebrity. Married and divorced twice, with three sons - two actors, one a film director - he claimed the only time he had been miscast was as a husband. His lovers included legends such as Merle Oberon, Sophia Loren, Ava Gardner and Vanessa Redgrave.
Behind The Mask Of Innocence
by Kevin BrownlowFrom Kevin Brownlow, cinema historian and discoverer of lost films, here is the first full-scale exploration of a vital and now almost forgotten chapter of American moviemaking: the response of early producers of the decades before World War I. All the issues that torment America today were rampant in the silent-film era: crime, poverty, alcohol, drugs, racial and ethnic prejudice, epidemics, and the controversies over birth control, abortion, and the death penalty. And there were others that persist today but were then even more explosive: sexual mores, government and police corruption, prison conditions, immigration, and strife between capital and labor. Although many early moviemakers ignored harsh realities, choosing to depict a society shielded by a "mask of innocence," others went behind that façade, fighting the ever-present censors and producing films that made even the most sheltered moviegoer aware of deep rents in the country's social fabric. Some films were exploitative, some serious, but together they add up to a revelation of the dark side of American life--a revelation startling to us today because it was later, in the era of the Hays Office, so thoroughly ignored, indeed denied, by Hollywood. Broken Blossoms, The Crowd, Humoresque, Regeneration: these films that have survived and become classics are, in these pages, studied in their historical context. And although a tragic number of other films have vanished, nearly all are reclaimed from oblivion by Mr. Brownlow's brilliant feat of restoration and descriptive "reconstruction." Here, never again to be forgotten, are The Fall of the Romanoffs, The Racket, Those Who Dance, and dozens of others. With this remarkable book, Kevin Brownlow completes the panoramic trilogy that began with The Parade's Gone By... and continued with The War, the West, and the Wilderness. Like its predecessors, Behind the Mask of Innocence is an essential work of silent-film history, certain to become a standard reference; but it is more--at once a surprising portrait of a time not unlike our own and a powerful demonstration of the way in which a popular art form can reveal a society to itself.
Behind The Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1910-1969
by William J. MannWhether in or out of the closet, gays and lesbians played an essential role in shaping studio-era Hollywood. Gay actors (J. Warren Kerrigan, Marlene Dietrich, Rock Hudson), gay directors (George Cukor, James Whale, Dorothy Arzner), and gay set and costume designers (Adrian, Travis Banton, George James Hopkins) have been among the most influential individuals in Hollywood history and literally created the Hollywood mystique. This landmark study-based on seven years of exacting research and including unpublished memoirs, personal correspondence, oral histories, and scrapbooks-explores the experience of Hollywood's gays in the context of their times. Ranging from Hollywood's working conditions to the rowdy character of Los Angeles's gay underground, William J. Mann brings long overdue attention to every aspect of this powerful creative force.
Behind The Shoulder Pads - Tales I Tell My Friends: The captivating, candid and hilarious new memoir from legendary actress and Sunday Times bestselling author
by Joan Collins'I'm lucky to have an inexhaustible appetite for life. I've had many amazing adventures in Hollywood and beyond, but some stories I have only ever shared with my friends. After all, you've got to have a bit of mystery, so I hide a knowing smile behind my shoulder pads. Until now! So, read on for the tales I tell my friends . . .'In her new book, Dame Joan Collins returns in dazzling form to share the most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life, in and out of the limelight. Taking us on an incredible journey from her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of St Tropez to the busy Oscars season in LA over the years.Joan writes movingly about her grief and adventures with her sister Jackie, delving deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Diana, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Warren Beatty, and many more, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a spectacularly entertaining tour de force bound to delight and shock in equal measures.Hilarious, intimate and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she had previously reserved for her closest of friends.
Behind The Voice: Dietro La Voce
by Anthony CalleaAn honest and candid memoir from one of Australia&’s most phenomenal voices. A story of determination, humility and self-discovery. All Anthony Callea wanted was to sing. From his first memories of singing for his family, Anthony knew that he wanted to share his voice with the world. He had a strongly held dream but was as surprised as anyone when his breakout moment (his heart-stopping rendition of &‘The Prayer&’ on Australian Idol) turned him into a household name overnight. Now, in his own words, Anthony shares the joys and challenges of becoming celebrated for his voice, all while navigating the twists and turns of life. It&’s a story of a kid from the working-class western suburbs of Melbourne with a big dream and an even bigger voice, who had to finish growing up in the spotlight. Anthony&’s 20-year career has spanned stage, arena, and screen, and he now invites you backstage to share his journey. One day you are working at a suburban shopping centre as a Freddo Frog mascot, the next you are topping charts, winning awards and sharing stages with Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. These candid, courageous and, at times, very amusing anecdotes take us beyond the slick facade of showbiz, to the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to become one of Australia&’s most enduring and beloved entertainers.
Behind These Hands
by Linda Vigen Phillips"A richly woven, unforgettable symphony of feelings and words" –Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)Piano prodigy Claire Fairchild, 14, has always known music would be her life. So when she has the opportunity to enter a prestigious contest, she goes all in—until she realizes she’s also competing against Juan, a close childhood friend and one of the most talented musicians she knows. It doesn’t help that her thoughts about him are turning romantic.When Claire and her family receive a devastating blow from Batten disease, her world enters a tailspin. Claire decides her musical goals no longer seem relevant.She can’t reconcile the joy that music would bring to her life while her brothers succumb to an early and ugly death. Her decision puts everything at risk: her friendship with Juan, her parents’ expectations, and her own happiness.After Claire accompanies a friend on a school newspaper assignment, she meets a centenarian with a surprising musical past and only one regret in life. Claire knows something in her life has to change before it’s too late, but she’s not sure she has the courage to take the next step.
Behind the Bell
by Dustin DiamondFor the first-time, Diamond presents the inside story of the young cast from Saved by the Bell that the viewing public thought were so lucky . . . Learn the dark, behind-the-scenes story of the cast and crew's extreme lifestyle: sex, drugs, and wild parties Post-Bell, discover how Diamond used his natural comedic talents to overcome being typecast as a child actor and how he reinvented himself through stand-up comedy and reality TV Working in Hollywood might represent an American Dream, but for many youngsters it is a true nightmare. Dustin Diamond is best known for his character Samuel "Screech" Powers in the late '80s and '90s on the long-running American TV teen sitcom Saved by the Bell (SBTB). Diamond's new book gives readers the disheartening story of an ex-child star. Dustin faced serious challenges moving his career beyond his comic role as the smart, funny, and endearing nerd of Bayside High School on the show that made him an audience favorite. Through his eyes, we uncover Hollywood's myths.
Behind the Crown: My Life Photographing the Royal Family
by Arthur EdwardsBreathtaking photographs and stories capturing forty-five years of the British monarchy, from the longtime Royal Photographer for the Sun newspaper.For 45 years I’ve chronicled the Royal Family for the Sun newspaper with my camera. I’ve witnessed their triumphs and disasters, their laughter and tears, when they’ve found love and when their relationships splinter. I’m there when they emerge from the maternity wing as wailing newborns and I’m there again when they marry before a joyous nation. And when they’re laid to rest on those solemn occasions that this country marks so well, I’m on hand to capture history being made . . . Originally from the East End of London, Arthur Edwards is the longest-serving Royal Photographer of any newspaper—and has chronicled the lives of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the most famous family in the world. With commensurate skill and unprecedented access, he has captured the candid moments when protocol is put aside, revealing the true personalities behind the Crown.This beautiful book is a treasure trove of glorious photography, along with Arthur’s own warm recollections of the stories behind his iconic shots. It is the perfect glimpse behind the scenes of the British monarchy, from a truly unique perspective.
Behind the Glass: Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits
by Howard MasseyThis book is a collection of interviews with top producers that give a fascinating perspective on what it takes to be a successful record producer and provides a wealth of real-world tips and techniques that every musician and student can add.
Behind the Grand Ole Opry Curtain: Tales of Romance and Tragedy
by Robert K. OermannThe Grand Ole Opry has been home to the greatest legends of country music for over eighty years, and in that time it has seen some of conutry music's most dramatic stories unfold. We'll hear of the great love stories ranging from Johnny Cash and June Carter in the 1960s to Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, who married in 2005. We'll get the truth of the tragedies that led to the loss of three stars all in the same month, starting the rumor of the "Opry Curse." We'll learn how after being stabbed, shot, and maimed, Trace Adkins calls his early honky-tonk years "combat country," and we'll find inspiration from DeFord Bailey, an African American harmonica player in 1927 crippled by childhood polio who rose to fame as one of the first Opry stars. Our hearts will break for Willie Nelson, who lost his only son on Christmas Day, and soar for Amy Grant and Vince Gill, who found true love. Based on over 150 firsthand interviews with the stars of The Grand Ole Opry, these are stories that tell the heart of country-the lives that are lived and inspire the songs we love.
Behind the Horror: True Stories That Inspired Horror Movies
by Dr. Lee MellorUncover the twisted tales that inspired the big screen's greatest screams.Which case of demonic possession inspired The Exorcist? What horrifying front-page story generated the idea for A Nightmare on Elm Street? Which film was based on the infamous skin-wearing murderer Ed Gein?Unearth the terrifying and true tales behind some of the scariest Horror movies to ever haunt our screens, including the Enfield poltergeist case that was retold in The Conjuring 2 and the serial killers who inspired Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.Behind the Horror dissects these and other bizarre tales to reveal haunting real-life stories of abduction, disappearance, murder, and exorcism.
Behind the Lens: My Life
by David SuchetDaily Mail Showbiz Memoir of the Year'A beautiful book' Chris Evans'Terrifically entertaining' Mail on Sunday'An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star' S magazine'Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick' Daily ExpressIn the early days of my career, I didn't think I stood a hope in hell. Look at me: I'm short, stocky, slightly overweight, deep of voice, passionate, dark haired, olive skinned, hardly your typical Englishman. What chance did I have, going into the world of British theatre?David Suchet has been a stalwart of British stage and screen for fifty years. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, Freud to Poirot, Edward Teller to Doctor Who, Harold Pinter to Terence Rattigan, Questions of Faith to Decline and Fall, right up to 2019's The Price, David has done it all. Throughout this spectacular career, David has never been without a camera, enabling him to vividly document his life in photographs. Seamlessly combining photo and memoir, Behind the Lens is the story of David's remarkable life, showcasing his wonderfully evocative photographs and accompanied by his insightful and engaging commentary.In Behind the Lens, David discusses his London upbringing and love of the city, his Jewish roots and how they have influenced his career, the importance of his faith, how he really feels about fame, his love of photography and music, and his processes as an actor. He looks back on his fifty-year career, including reflections on how the industry has changed, his personal highs and lows, and how he wants to be remembered. And, of course, life after Poirot and why he's still grieving for the eccentric Belgian detective. An autobiography with a difference, this is David Suchet as you've never seen him before - from behind the lens.'The book offers more insight into the mind and philosophy of this remarkable man than a more conventional biographical approach could have achieved' Country Life
Behind the Lens: My Life
by David SuchetDaily Mail Showbiz Memoir of the Year'A beautiful book' Chris Evans'Terrifically entertaining' Mail on Sunday'An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star' S magazine'Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick' Daily ExpressIn the early days of my career, I didn't think I stood a hope in hell. Look at me: I'm short, stocky, slightly overweight, deep of voice, passionate, dark haired, olive skinned, hardly your typical Englishman. What chance did I have, going into the world of British theatre?David Suchet has been a stalwart of British stage and screen for fifty years. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, Freud to Poirot, Edward Teller to Doctor Who, Harold Pinter to Terence Rattigan, Questions of Faith to Decline and Fall, right up to 2019's The Price, David has done it all. Throughout this spectacular career, David has never been without a camera, enabling him to vividly document his life in photographs. Seamlessly combining photo and memoir, Behind the Lens is the story of David's remarkable life, showcasing his wonderfully evocative photographs and accompanied by his insightful and engaging commentary.In Behind the Lens, David discusses his London upbringing and love of the city, his Jewish roots and how they have influenced his career, the importance of his faith, how he really feels about fame, his love of photography and music, and his processes as an actor. He looks back on his fifty-year career, including reflections on how the industry has changed, his personal highs and lows, and how he wants to be remembered. And, of course, life after Poirot and why he's still grieving for the eccentric Belgian detective. An autobiography with a difference, this is David Suchet as you've never seen him before - from behind the lens.'The book offers more insight into the mind and philosophy of this remarkable man than a more conventional biographical approach could have achieved' Country Life
Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey: The Official Backstage Pass to the Set, the Actors and the Drama
by Emma RowleyExperience the making of the first four seasons of the beloved Emmy Award–winning historical family drama—includes exclusive photos and in-depth interviews.This official behind-the-scenes guide brings you back to the world of Downton, with unprecedented access to inside information about the scripts, sets, cast, locations, music, and even props, hair, and makeup. Discover how the unforgettable series about the Crawleys and their staff, friends, and relations was created, and the people who made each weekly episode so eagerly awaited by legions of fans on PBS Masterpiece.Complete with never-before-seen photos, Emma Rowley’s Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey delves into the inspirations behind the details seen on screen. In addition, in-depth interviews offer insight into the actors’ experiences on set as well as the celebrated creative team on the other side of the camera—providing a rich look at all aspects of the making of the show.Featuring a foreword by Gareth Neame, executive producer of Downton Abbey
Behind the Scenes of Indie Film Marketing: A FilmSnobbery Field Guide
by Nicholas LaRueThis book provides current and incoming filmmakers with a comprehensive overview of how to create business and marketing plans to prepare their movies for distribution. Nicholas LaRue combines experienced insights into aesthetics and creativity with logical data-driven conclusions to provide an analysis of independent film promotion.The book first presents a view of sales and marketing in the independent film industry, as well as exploring the new digital tools available to filmmakers and tried-and-true methods that have served industry professionals well for years in promoting their films. This is then complemented by a wide array of testimonials from veteran filmmakers (Kevin Smith, Brea Grant, Joe Lynch, Roger Corman, and more) as well as interviews from film festival directors, publicists, film critics, and other industry professionals, who provide insights into working within the independent film industry.Given this diversity of perspective, this text will be an integral resource for new indie filmmakers, as well as those wishing to perfect their craft in whatever facet of independent filmmaking promotion they choose to pursue.
Behind the Screen
by Patrick Vonderau Petr SzczepanikConceptualizing production studies from a European perspective, the book evaluates the history of European thought on production: theories of practice, the languages, grammars, and poetics of film, practical theories of production systems such as film dramaturgy, and the self-theorizing of European auteurs and professionals.
Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1920-1969
by William J. MannWILLIAM J. MANN'S Behind the Screen is a thoughtful and eye-opening look at the totality of the gay experience in studio-era Hollywood. Much has been written about how gays have been portrayed in the movies, but until now, no book has looked at their influence behind the screen. Whether out of or in the closet, gays and lesbians have played a significant role in shaping Hollywood from the very beginning. Gay actors--from the screen's first matinee idol, J. Warren Kerrigan, through Ramon Novarro, Marlene Dietrich, Clifton Webb, and Rock Hudson--have defined movie stardom. Gay directors and producers--such as George Cukor, James Whale, Dorothy Arzner, and Ross Hunter--have long been among the most popular filmmakers. In fact, gay set and costume designers--Adrian, Travis Banton, Orry-Kelly, and George James Hopkins, among many more--created the very look of Hollywood. Based on seven years of exacting research--scrupulously documented--Behind the Screen chronicles an era never before seriously or thoroughly considered. With a historian's precision, Mann sets the story of Hollywood's gays in context with their times--from the free-loving Roaring Twenties through the conservative Depression years to the progressive flowering of World War II and the turbulent backlash of the McCarthy era. He describes which fields offered gays the most freedom and which de facto barred their entrance. Mann examines not only the working conditions of Hollywood's gays but also their after-hours' pursuit of Los Angeles's rowdy gay underground. With the recollections of dozens of survivors, Mann has woven together unpublished memoirs, personal correspondence, oral histories, and scrapbooks to assemble the first thoughtful analysis of the gay experience during cinema's initial fifty years. While always conscious and sensitive to the shifting social construction of homosexual desire and identity, Behind the Screen remains a platform for a whole new way of seeing both the Golden Age of Hollywood and the history of American gay men and lesbians. It is destined to become a classic of film literature. WILLIAM J. MANN is the critically acclaimed author of Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star, as well as the novels The Men from the Boys and The Biograph Girl. He lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts.