English Actors

Brimming with previously untold stories and insights, How Coppola Became Cage both revels in and demystifies Cage's onscreen eccentricities. No other modern actor has explored such profound creative extremes while bending the boundaries of good taste. Here is the origin story of an actor who truly is wild at heart and weird on top.

Helen Gibson was a woman willing to try anything. Advertised as “The Most Daring Actress in Pictures,” Helen emerged in the early days of the twentieth-century silent film scene as a rodeo rider, producer, performer and stunt double for iconic stars of the era. Her exploits were as dangerous as they were glamorous, featured in hundreds of films and serials—yet her legacy was quickly overshadowed by the increasingly hypermasculine and male-dominated evolution of action films in the decades that would follow her.

Born into the steam and starch of a Chinese laundry, Anna May Wong (1905-1961) emerged from turn-of-the-century Los Angeles to become Old Hollywood's most famous Chinese American actress, a screen siren who captivated global audiences and signed her publicity photos—with a touch of defiance—"Orientally yours." Now, more than a century after her birth, Yunte Huang narrates Wong's tragic life story, retracing her journey from Chinatown to silent-era Hollywood, and from Weimar Berlin to decadent, prewar Shanghai, and capturing American television in its infancy.

Marlon Brando, screen legend: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best.

Alan Rickman was one of Britain’s most beloved actors. His portrayal of the cunning Hans Gruber in the 1988 blockbuster Die Hard set a new standard for movie villains with his perfect blend of charm and menace. Rickman then became a household name playing Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. His performance captured the layers of emotion and complexity that made Snape one of the most memorable and celebrated figures in the series.

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.

"The noble father and simpleton Shchiptsov, a tall, stocky old man, famous not so much for his stage talents as for his extraordinary physical strength, had a huge fight with the manager during the performance and in the midst of the swearing suddenly felt that something had snapped in his chest..

In the distant future, humanity wages war on many fronts. In the core systems resides a deity for all to follow—Eden. The youthful monarch is symbolic, serving annual terms to keep humanity blessed under her salvation.

I was prepared to die in that last fire I fought in Tucson. I’d saved as many civilians as I could when the flames finally devoured me, but then I woke up in a vast world called Dracoria with a beautiful angel beside me. Things have only gotten crazier from there.

Australian voice-over artist Lofty Fulton knows what it's like to have the odds stacked against him: Born with achondroplasia, which is a form of dwarfism, his grandmother thought he should be locked away from the world. At school, he suffered years of relentless bullying, believing the lie he would never be loved or good enough. At 15, Lofty's voice broke, giving him a unique gift that paved the way for his future. LOFTY: MY LIFE IN SHORT is a deeply personal memoir—of vulnerability and courage and humor.

Eric Yang and the Bastion community are at a tipping point. Eric battles to clean up Earth while trying to rescue stragglers desperately surviving the apocalypse. Deep in the universe's core, two factions go to war. Eons of planning are suddenly unraveled as the opening salvos shatter the endless peace. Join Eric and the community on this epic conclusion to the series!

A home. Finally a home. Frank finds stability, eager to convert Team Zeppelin into a mighty empire who welcomes all. Those damn manipulators interfere and change everything. Suddenly, Frank becomes a Castle Manager and so the adventure continues.

Looting Denver proves fruitful. The crew and community are ready to step up their offensive and defensive abilities. New species are needed to stabilize life, some more exotic than others. Journey with Eric, as Stronghold Mansion and Stronghold Aspen, emerge stronger than ever. If only those pesky aliens would go away.

From a childhood as an abandoned orphan to life as one of the city’s most skilled burglars, master thief Rafiq has long lived high off the wealth of Avanasia - its trade, its jewels, and its women. The vaults of Avanasia's merchants are as open to him as the legs of its most beautiful courtesans. For in Avanasia, there is but one paramount truth: There are those who have and those who take. And Rafiq is one of the latter.

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.

Chasing Chesterton explores the journey of an actor of faith through his professional career in film, television, and theater. From Hollywood to NYC as well as the creation of his one-man play on G.K. Chesterton for EWTN. This audiobook offers the listener a behind-the-scenes look at an actor's craft as well as advice for young actors of faith in navigating a professional career in acting.

This is an autobiographical account read by the actor himself about all that goes into playing one of Shakespeare's greatest and most taxing roles. It is amusing, instructive, empowering, and a great listen that's full of theatrical anecdotes. We are taken on a fascinating journey through the emotional, physical, and intellectual challenges involved in creating one of Shakespeare's darkest and most captivatingly tragic characters.

Lloyd Nolan could play any character in any genre and was believable to every role. He was not acting; he was just real. He was Inspector Briggs in The House on 92nd Street and The Street With No Name. He was Dr. Swain in Peyton Place and, even as a bad guy, he was Lt. De Garmot in Lady in the Lake. Nolan's off-screen life was just as remarkable. He was devoted to his autistic son Jay and, when young Jay died in an accident 2,500 miles away, Lloyd channeled his grief into action.

In 1939, Olivia de Havilland had her most memorable role as Melanie Hamilton in Gone With the Wind (1939), perhaps the most famous movie in American history, but Hollywood legend has it that she only got the role because her own younger sister, Joan Fontaine, was asked to audition for the part and recommended Olivia instead so that she could audition for Scarlett O'Hara.

Virtually all famous actors are regaled by the public, but even still, Fred Astaire occupies a privileged position in American pop culture. The specific films in which Astaire acted may not be especially famous in their own right - most people likely cannot recall the title of Top Hat (1935), his most decorated film - but Astaire's dancing prowess invariably creates a lasting impact on viewers.