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New titles from others and blogging about my own books

Budd Schulberg

Budd Schulberg
From time to time, I'm going to invite guest bloggers to post and to invite your comments. This time, my guest is Marion Meade, biographer of Dorothy Parker, Buster Keaton, Woody Allen, and Nathanael West. I thought of her when I saw so many references to Budd Schulberg on this blog. Below you will find an account of her firsthand experience with a very controversial subject.

BUDD, BLACKLIST, BIOGRAPHY, AND THE INTERVIEWS THAT GOT AWAY

My first meeting with Budd Schulberg took place on December 9, 1982, in midtown Manhattan, in a dark chilly apartment that appeared to be uninhabited. (A pied-a-terre, he explained.) I was surprised to be introduced to his attorney, the first time in my experience that an interview subject brought legal backup.  Read More 
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Film Noir: a new book by William Luhr

Studies of film noir have multiplied in recent years. The term has been around since about 1946, but was certainly not in use in Hollywood's heyday. When Dana Andrews was complimented on his performance in a "film noir," he responded, "What's a film noir?" Well, even if you think you know what a film noir  Read More 
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A late noir classic performance by Dana Andrews

Playing the mean husband opposite Anne Francis
Some of Dana's best work occurred in supporting roles in the 1960s, an overlooked period in his career. In Brainstorm he plays a sadistic husband, a rather unusual role for him. But he is a good villain, and Anne Francis is a good foil. I interviewed her. She remembered that he was  Read More 
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The Dana Andrews Dozen

With Joan Crawford in Daisy Kenyon
Can you name any actor in the 1940s who gave great performances in a dozen films?. Here are the Dana Andrews dozen: SWAMP WATER (very dear to a man who cared about his Southern roots), THE PURPLE HEART, WING AND A PRAYER (one of his favorite performances), THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (he was really proud of the picture and of his performance), LAURA (the film that made him a star), FALLEN ANGEL (my personal favorite), A WALK IN THE SUN, CANYON PASSAGE, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (he should have won an Academy Award for this one), DAISY KENYON, BOOMERANG, WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS. Read More 
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Hollywood's Golden Age

From Laura (Gene Tierney getting the third degree)
Welcome to the Hollywood Legends Blog. I am the consulting editor for the Hollywood Legends Series, published by the University Press of Mississippi. I will be writing on the subjects of my biographies (Dana Andrews and Marilyn Monroe) but also about anyone who might qualify as a "legend," and that includes directors, producers, and  Read More 
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