The Essential Mickey Rooney

The Essential Mickey Rooney
Author: James L. Neibaur
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2016-04-16
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1442260963

Mickey Rooney is a cinematic icon whose career lasted from the silent era into the twenty-first century. From the shorts he made as Mickey McGuire to supporting roles in such films as Night at the Museum, Rooney had more than 300 film appearances to his credit. Mickey Rooney was not just a movie star, he was the most popular film performer for several years in a row in the 1930s. In addition to his four Academy Award nominations, Rooney received two special Oscars, including an honorary award for his variety of memorable performances spanning several decades. In The Essential Mickey Rooney, James L. Neibaur examines more than sixty feature films in which the actor appeared, from starring roles in Boys Town, Babes in Arms, and The Human Comedy to acclaimed supporting performances in The Bold and the Brave and The Black Stallion. In addition to familiar works like the Andy Hardy comedies or musicals opposite Judy Garland, lesser known films like Quicksand and Drive a Crooked Road are discussed as examples of the masterful performances he offered again and again. An actor of rare talent and unrestrained exuberance, Rooney appeared so often on film that it probably is impossible to view every performance of his career—one that lasted longer than any other actor in Hollywood. While minor roles are not discussed here, all of his vintage works are, making The Essential Mickey Rooney an indispensable resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the best work of this film icon.

The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney

The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney
Author: William J. Birnes
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 624
Release: 2015-10-20
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1501100963

"A definitive biography of the iconic actor and Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) and his extravagant, sometimes tawdry life, drawing on never-before-seen excerpts from Rooney's diary and exclusive interviews with Mickey, and with those who knew him best, including his heretofore unknown mistress of sixty years"--

The Essential Jack Nicholson

The Essential Jack Nicholson
Author: James L. Neibaur
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 213
Release: 2016-12-01
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1442269898

For ten years Jack Nicholson toiled in low-budget films and guest spots in such television shows as Dr. Kildare and The Andy Griffith Show before his breakout performance in Easy Rider. Despite “retiring” in 2010, Nicholson remains one of the most revered actors of the last half century. Nominated for twelve Academy Awards—the most of any male actor—Nicholson has received three Oscars and countless other honors. The Essential Jack Nicholson looks at the key films in the career of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. After a brief profile of the actor, James L. Neibaur highlights each of Nicholson’s most important works, explaining why his performances are essential viewing. In addition to Easy Rider, the films discussed include Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, Chinatown, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Shining, Reds, Terms of Endearment, Prizzi’s Honor, Ironweed, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets, About Schmidt, and The Departed. Neibaur also provides details about each film’s production, critical reaction, commercial reception, major nominations, and awards. A filmography of all of Nicholson’s movie roles (and select television performances) is also included. The Essential Jack Nicholson is a valuable source of information for fans of this iconic star and his films.

The Films of Judy Garland

The Films of Judy Garland
Author: James L. Neibaur
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 203
Release: 2022-09-19
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 147664702X

Judy Garland was an entertainment icon whose performances on stage, screen and television had a tremendous impact across decades and media. This film-by-film study of her work follows her progression from pig-tailed child to a top motion picture star, with such timeless classics as The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St Louis, and A Star is Born. Garland's talent and versatility as an actress are explored through each of her movie roles. More than just a reference filmography, this work examines how Garland's talents were realized and understood by producers and the world. It analyzes the star's relatonships with various co-stars and directors and details how she balanced her painful insecurities with her often focused and driven approach to her work. Through the context of her work on film, Judy Garland's innate and enduring star power is readily appreciated and acknowledged.

The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery

The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery
Author: Herbie J Pilato
Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing
Total Pages: 181
Release: 2013-10-07
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1589798252

Bewitched star Elizabeth Montgomery was one of the most prolific and popular actresses of the twentieth century. In her more than five hundred appearances on television, film and the stage, Elizabeth Montgomery’s talent, charisma, and personalityhave charmed millions for decades. This delightful new book delineates, dissects, and celebrates the diversity and minutia of Montgomery’s remarkable career, while chronicling just how much her real life spilled into her historic roles on stage and screen. The book is based on Pilato’s exclusive interviews with the actress and supplemented withcommentary provided by myriad entertainment professionals, journalists, and media and classic TV historians, including the Oscar-nominated actress Juanita Moore (Montgomery’s co-star from the historic “White Lie” episode of TV’s 77 Sunset Strip), and producer/writer/actor Jimmy Lydon (Elizabeth’s co-star from the Wagon Train episode “The Victorio Bottecelli Story.”) Including plot summaries, airdates, release dates, and behind-the-scenes notes and anecdotes of select performances, The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery is the ultimate handy, entertaining, and informative reference to the on- and off-screen adventures of one of the world’s most beloved stars.

The Essential Dale Carnegie

The Essential Dale Carnegie
Author: Dale Carnegie
Publisher: Hachette India
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2016-09-25
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 935195157X

THE ONLY BOOK YOU?LL EVER NEED FOR LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE. Ever wondered what makes successful people tick? According to legendary speaker and self-help guru Dale Carnegie, it?s their great interpersonal skills and how they effectively remove stress and anxiety from their day-to-day life. In this one-of-a-kind selection of Carnegie?s works, you will find carefully curated excerpts from three of his bestselling classics ? How to Win Friends and Influence People (which alone has sold over 30 million copies worldwide), The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living ? which will help you master the essential skills to lead a happier, more successful life. This book will teach you: ? How to communicate effectively in any situation and make a good first impression ? How to handle criticism and use it constructively ? How to be a better leader and inspire your team to success ? How to develop your public speaking skills to leave an impression on your audience ? How to develop good working habits to keep yourself motivated ? How to incorporate positivity in your everyday routine to lead a stress-free life

The Essential Ellen Willis

The Essential Ellen Willis
Author: Ellen Willis
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
Total Pages: 858
Release: 2014-04-23
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1452941483

Out of the Vinyl Deeps, published in 2011, introduced a new generation to the incisive, witty, and merciless voice of Ellen Willis through her pioneering rock music criticism. In the years that followed, Willis’s daring insights went beyond popular music, taking on such issues as pornography, religion, feminism, war, and drugs. The Essential Ellen Willis gathers writings that span forty years and are both deeply engaged with the times in which they were first published and yet remain fresh and relevant amid today’s seemingly intractable political and cultural battles. Whether addressing the women’s movement, sex and abortion, race and class, or war and terrorism, Willis brought to each a distinctive attitude—passionate yet ironic, clear-sighted yet hopeful. Offering a compelling and cohesive narrative of Willis’s liberationist “transcendence politics,” the essays—among them previously unpublished and uncollected pieces—are organized by decade from the 1960s to the 2000s, with each section introduced by young writers who share Willis’s intellectual bravery, curiosity, and lucidity: Irin Carmon, Spencer Ackerman, Cord Jefferson, Ann Friedman, and Sara Marcus. The Essential Ellen Willis concludes with excerpts from Willis’s unfinished book about politics and the cultural unconscious, introduced by her longtime partner, Stanley Aronowitz. An invaluable reckoning of American society since the 1960s, this volume is a testament to an iconoclastic and fiercely original voice.

The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical

The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical
Author: Dominic Broomfield-McHugh
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 665
Release: 2022-09-16
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 019750342X

Since the release of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! in 2001, the film musical has returned to popularity as one of the most important cinematic genres, a box office hit that appeals to audiences of all ages. Yet the history of the musical on film goes back over seven decades earlier than that, stretching from early examples like The Jazz Singer (1927), the first ever film with synchronized sound, through the Astaire-Rogers musicals of the 1930s, the MGM and Warner Brothers extravaganzas of the 1940s and '50s, and the roadshow era of the 1960s. The genre's renaissance with La La Land (2016) and The Greatest Showman (2017) proves that it remains as appealing as ever, capable of both high critical acclaim and widespread box office success. The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical, curated by editor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, reflects and expands on current scholarship on the film musical in a handbook that mixes new discoveries through archival research with new perspectives on familiar titles. It addresses issues such as why audiences accept people bursting into song in musicals; how technology affects the way numbers are staged; and how writers have adapted their material to suit certain stars. It also looks at critical issues such as racism and sexism, and assesses the role and nature of the film musical in the twenty-first century. A remarkable survey at the cutting edge of the field, The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical will be a resource for students and scholars alike for years to come.

The Essential Book of Useless Information (Holiday Edition)

The Essential Book of Useless Information (Holiday Edition)
Author: Don Voorhees
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2010-10-05
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 0399536523

The useless information never ends in the newest, most crucially meaningless addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series. More facts! Less substance! This cornucopia of amazingly pointless facts and figures will have you marveling at all the things you never needed to know. There's no good reason for you to know... ? that Mickey Mouse was banned in Romania. ? that a company sells bikinis made from salmon skin. ? that Brigham Young had fifty-five wives. ? that the Romans used to pay their legions in salt. But we'll tell you anyway, along with... ? where the world's largest ant colony is. ? which country invented figure skating. ? the name of America's bestselling ice cream brand. ? how many muscles make up the tongue.