English Actors

On a hot summer day, twenty-eight-year-old Tommy Dorfman was enjoying a beautiful outing on a boat. But inside she felt unmoored. After a lifetime of confusion, she’d finally gained clarity around her gender and had begun to transition. But there were still parts of herself she’d locked away, elements of her story that she needed, for the first time, to fully confront. She sought guidance in a tarot deck, using it as a tool to make sense of her life up until that point. Maybe This Will Save Me, Dorfman’s spellbinding debut memoir, is structured through the cards of that tarot pull.

Hedy Lamarr was a rare kind of woman. She was not only a strikingly beautiful actress who took Hollywood by storm in the 1940s, but she was also an inventor - and not just any inventor. Hedy Lamarr’s work with radio frequencies is credited with paving the way for wi-fi. It seems that the greatest bomb that this bombshell dropped would only fully explode until the last years of her life because when Lamarr passed away in the year 2000, the computing world was just then mainstreaming many of her ideas.

It almost goes without saying that nobody occupies a place in pop culture that remotely resembles the one in which William Shatner finds himself. As an actor who has been about as critically acclaimed as he has been lampooned, Shatner seems to relish every aspect of his image, whether he's making fun of himself and others on a celebrity roast or appearing in humorous commercials as a spokesman for Priceline.com.

A memoir by the influential Grammy Award-winning singer and actor - son of journalist Loudon Wainwright, former husband of Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche, and father of Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Lucy Wainwright Roche, and Lexie Kelly Wainwright - a captivating meditation on relationships and creativity from the patriarch of one of America's great musical families. With a career spanning more than four decades, Loudon Wainwright III has established himself as one of the most enduring singer-songwriters who emerged from the late '60s.

Hilarious, charming, and self-effacing, meet Edmund Pegge, one of Australia's most prolific supporting actors. Traveling between England and Australia and working on stage, in film and on television for over 50 years, Ed Pegge knows all the tricks and all the trials of a working actor's life. He regales us with tales of the good times that intersperse the actor's lean spells.

This is an instructional guide to mastering the Southern accent of the USA, specifically designed for actors who are preparing for roles or auditions that require an authentic regional dialect. This comprehensive course begins by providing a general overview of the distinct features of the North American accent. It then delves into the nuanced details of the American Southern accent, exploring its multiple historical and sub-regional variations.

They say all the world's a stage, but have you read the script? Bible Script for Life is a new series brought to you by Hillary Hawkins, Christian, creator, producer, performer. Bible Script for Life includes affirmations derived from the word of God to help you on your journey through life. Repeat them with feeling and transform your reality through the power of the word.

An honest, inspiring exploration of the New York acting world, ambition, and success, delivered by a fresh, bold insider's voice. In her critically acclaimed essay collection, writer Mellini Kantayya exposes the pinnacles and pitfalls of pursuing artistic ambitions and life as a rank-and-file actor. Her unflinching depiction of show business, backstage anecdotes, and self-deprecating humor will resonate with both the creative and the curious--and inspire anyone who has ever juggled making art and making rent.

Part backstage tour, part travelogue, part social commentary, Letters from Backstage recounts Michael Kostroff’s adventures touring with the road companies of The Producers and Les Miserables. Trekking through more than 20 American cities large and small, here is the story of an actor’s dream come true and the bizarre things that happened along the way—not to mention personal anecdotes about celebrities, including Mel Brooks, Susan Stroman, Jason Alexander, and Martin Short!

Even half a century after his death, Humphrey Bogart remains one of the most iconic actors of all time. The epitome of class and cool, he embodied the ultimate tough guy—and no one wore a fedora quite like him. “Bogie” began life under uncertain circumstances, born to parents addicted to drugs and disorder, but he would rise above these difficulties to become a star. From Broadway to Hollywood, he became a top-billed actor, the likes of which the world has rarely seen.

During the 1940s, a young boy grows up in an immigrant Eastern European Jewish family in Camden, New Jersey. Family members relate stories of his parents' and their own adaptions to the new country. His father's drug store becomes the center of his world through acculturation and confusing definitions of being a responsible young man in America.

An Actor's Business covers everything you need to know to market yourself as an actor, with thorough and concise information about the movie-making process, drama school, community theatre, acting on television and in commercials, unions, and agents. A thorough and well-written resource for anyone wanting to understand all facets of the acting business, this book presents an experienced perspective on the world of professional acting.

When Becky, a housewife with screenwriting dreams, attracts the interest of Felix, a Hollywood star, the two quickly become friends. Though the sexual tension is obvious, Becky has no intention of cheating on her husband - but would Felix cheat on his wife? As their friendship blossoms, rumors and suspicion threaten to derail their platonic love.

Delve into "America Hijacked," a critical and expansive exploration spanning the past 80 years of US political history. This compelling narrative embarks on a journey from the conflicts of Vietnam and Korea, traversing through the tumultuous wars in the Middle East, unearthing the layers of deception and criminal corruption interwoven within the legacies of the Bush, Clinton, and Biden families.

Despite this great record of success, Fredric March isn't as well remembered today as some of his peers (Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, James Stewart) because unlike them, he never developed a recognizable screen persona that followed him from film to film. He was always characterizing - always hiding his own personality behind that of the character he was portraying. He was the consummate actor who richly deserves to be rediscovered.

In the highly competitive world of acting, auditions are the gateway to a successful career. The ability to make a lasting impression in those fleeting, yet critical moments can mean the difference between landing the role of a lifetime or being left in the waiting room, hoping for the phone to ring. Mastering the art of auditioning, be they in-person, via self-tapes, or live on Zoom is a vital skill every actor must acquire.

Heath Ledger rapidly rose to fame to become one of the most acclaimed actors of our time. Although his career was brief, spanning little over 10 years, he shot up like a rising star. People still remember his innovative portrayal of the Joker and so many other roles with awe.

Returning from Africa causes friction in the doctor's marriage. Divorce leads to wild behavior in Hollywood. The love of a new relationship corrects his conduct and leads to renewed good work in Hollywood, Montana, South Dakota, Germany, and Cornell University.

A lot of actors think they're good enough to be professionals. And even if they are, they seldom get to the place where they can actually make a living as actors. Kevin O'Brien is the rare exception. But even among successful actors, his achievement is rare. He's done it all on his own - with his own acting company, his own plays, and his own unique niche in the world of theater.

This is a story from the In the Ravine and Other Stories collection.