English Actors

John Wayne graced the screen as a cowboy, an all-around rugged hero of the plains. With his “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” determination and raw sense of individualism, in many ways he came to symbolize everything that Americans held dear. His characters - tough as nails - were always idealistic adventurers seeking to right the wrongs of the world. But who was John Wayne? Born Marion Morrison, most don’t even know his real name. In this book, we will cut through all the hype and get to the real man behind the legend of John Wayne.

Raymond Sarlot bought the Chateau Marmont in 1975, but what was originally a business purchase became a love affair as he delved into the hotel's incredible history. From its perch overlooking the Sunset Strip, the glamorous Marmont reigned for decades as the spot for artists, writers, musicians, and actors of every stripe and remains a home-away-from-home for A-listers like Scarlett Johansson and Johnny Depp. Here, Sarlot and coauthor Fred E. Basten share a wealth of scandalous and intriguing tales about them all.

"We're calling her Marilyn Monroe." Those were the words 12-year-old Jane Lawrence remembered when she was asked to head the up-and-coming blonde starlet's fan club at 20th Century Fox under the supervision of studio head Darryl Zanuck. Jane was no stranger to movie sets or movie stars, being that her father, Sidney Lipsitch, headed RKO's legal department. She spent many Saturday afternoons at her home with the likes of Robert Mitchum, Lucille Ball, and Ethel Merman, but helping launch the career of one of the world's most legendary sex symbols was a task beyond Jane's wildest dreams.

Bringing up Baby. The Philadelphia Story. North by Northwest. An Affair to Remember. When Cary Grant passed away at age 82, fans from every generation mourned. Nearly 20 years later his star shines just as brightly from television and revival-house screens; his name remains synonymous with effortless charm.

The work of Mike Nichols pervades American cultural consciousness - from The Graduate and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to Angels in America, The Birdcage, Working Girl, and Primary Colors, not to mention his string of hit plays, including Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple. Over a career that spanned half a century, Mike Nichols changed Hollywood, Broadway, and comedy forever. Here, for the first time, Ash Carter and Sam Kashner offer an intimate look behind the scenes of Nichols' life.

Perfect for old and new fans alike, Dancing on the Edge is an intimate and powerful story about the singular life of one of our most gifted storytellers, artists, and stars of the silver screen.

In many ways, Kamal Haasan is unique. One of the greatest actors India has ever produced, he has usually gone further than just enacting a role to completely immersing himself in it. Kamal Haasan: A Cinematic Journey explores some 50 films out of the 245 Haasan has been associated with and analyses his cinematic journey from his beginnings as a child star all the way to his latest blockbusters.

So many talented actors have trouble preparing and making choices when it comes to tapping into the emotional life of a character. When your director says action, are you truly connected to your character and their world? Be Your Own Coach, by Amy Werba and Peter Meagher, is a manual that will allow you to prepare by yourself, for yourself, before an audition or on set.

Foreword by Noel Blanc, Mel Blanc's son: This is an audiobook for any animation fan, young or old, who might wonder what it would be like to actually work directly with Hollywood's greatest cartoon voice artist: my father, Mel Blanc. Millions continue to celebrate him today as the voice of Bugs Bunny and nearly every other Looney Tunes character, but only a rare handful of people ever got to share time with him. Chuck McKibben was one of those few, and he has created a highly entertaining and surprisingly revealing memoir that will transport you back to the early 1970s.

If one assembled a list of the most iconic actors of the film noir genre, Robert Mitchum would surely rank at the top of the list. With his deadpan façade and slow, monotone verbal delivery, Mitchum encapsulated the disillusioned hero of the postwar crime genre.

William Sanderson has enjoyed a prosperous career in Hollywood as a highly successful character actor whom everyone seems to recognize - but they aren't always certain from what. But as you will learn in his memoir, Sanderson is far more than merely the sum of his characters. His tumultuous, rags-to-riches story is instructive in demonstrating the power of perseverance and fortitude in overcoming one's struggles with self-doubt and self-sabotage and - thanks to the love of a good woman - ultimately carving out a positive, contented life.

Let's get this straight—I hate Tate Blingwood. Our one-night stand was supposed to be just that, but now I've got a precious daughter to raise on my own. To make matters worse, he's everywhere, and I'm not just talking about my fantasies. Tate's career has hit the skids and he's on all the news stations and social media sites. Making revenge memes was just supposed to be a little fun to keep me sane and keep his enormous ego in check. I didn't expect it to bite me on the ass when he ended up seeking refuge at the resort I live and work in.

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees?

Here's the unauthorized, best-selling biography of one of America's brightest—and most flamboyantly glamorous—stars. Elizabeth Taylor has beguiled audiences since National Velvet, and her many loves and peccadilloes have provided endless spice and interest for the movie-going and star-watching public. Biographer Kitty Kelley tells all—even the parts Liz would rather keep secret!—in this uncensored biography.

From its opening moments, Mike Farrell’s memoir reveals the distinctive voice of a man for whom life is an ongoing odyssey of self-discovery, personal commitment, and uncompromising social engagement. The world-renowned actor offers inspirational and often humorous reflections on his path to fame and progressive activism in this book, which became a Los Angeles Times best seller and drew tremendous national media attention.

In 1994 the American Film Institute gave a Lifetime Achievement Award to Jack Nicholson, who became one of the youngest actors ever to receive the award. Such tributes typically come as a capstone to a star's career, not when the actor is still in his 50s. In fact Nicholson would go on to win the Oscar for Best Actor just a few years after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award as a result of As Good As It Gets (1997), and he would earn another Academy Award nomination for About Schmidt (2002).

Sera loves owning a pet shelter—even if it’s often tricky to make ends meet, and her mother thinks she's wasting her life. Thankfully, she can always rely on her steadfast best friend, Toby, who just happens to be the local vet. And then famous actor Ethan James enters the scene. After Sera 'saves' Ethan from a friendly German Shepherd, he confesses to a terrible fear of dogs. A canine co-star is all that stands between Ethan and the role of a lifetime—and he wants Sera to help him overcome his fear.

As a casting director for 23 years, Holly Powell witnessed the casting world from three different points of view: as an independent casting director, as head of casting for a studio, and as a network casting executive. From this unique perspective she formed Holly Powell Studios, with her mission being to demystify the audition process for actors.

Mel Brooks, born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn in 1926, is one of the great comic voices of the twentieth century. Having won almost every entertainment award there is, Brooks has straddled the line between outsider and insider, obedient and rebellious, throughout his career, making out-of-bounds comedy the American mainstream. Jeremy Dauber argues that throughout Brooks's extensive body of work, the comedian has seen the most success when he found a balance between his manic energy and the constraints imposed by comedic partners, the Hollywood system, and American cultural mores.

No one could protect her once she was inside. No friend would hear her if she screamed. A brilliant undercover journalist and actress, Nellie Bly is admitted into Blackwell's Island asylum in New York as a homeless "crazy" lady. What will she be in 10 days?