By Karie Bible
With the onslaught of bio-pics coming out this year, there has been a great resurgence in learning more about figures from the past. While biographies can be a great way to delve into a life, finding the right one can be tricky. There are many potential landmines to watch out for, particularly when one is dealing with the Hollywood biography.
For some reason, the rules of accuracy and academic standard don't always apply in Hollywood. There seems to be a general attitude that you can write lies and badly researched books about anyone in Hollywood without a single red flag going up. If, however, someone like Winston Churchill was treated like that, the controversy and uproar would be tremendous.
In 1975, avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger wrote Hollywood Babylon, a cruel and mean-spirited look at the scandals and stars of Hollywood's Golden Era. To put it mildly, it was a shameless piece of exploitation. Unfortunately many who read the book took these myths, rumors and lies as the gospel truth. They have been spread around and re-printed time and again.
Fortunately, in recent years many terrific biographers and historians have emerged to write biographies that are artful, well researched, and balanced. We at Port Halcyon recommend some of the things to look for when selecting a biography to read, particularly one about a Hollywood figure, along with a short list of our favorites.
The truth of any life can be elusive, but a good biographer can capture it in a fair and balanced way.
Silent-film sex symbol Clara Bow has often been the subject of particularly lurid and cruel rumors. David Stenn dispels those rumors and presents a thoughtful, intelligent and painstakingly well-researched account of her life. In these pages, the real woman comes to life. Her story is equally fascinating and heartbreaking. Stenn is an incredible writer who really brings his subject off the page and into the vivid imagination of the reader.
Like Clara Bow, Jean Harlow is another sex symbol who became the subject of numerous lies and gossip. Once again, Stenn dispels the lies and presents an unforgettable portrait of a tragic and complicated woman. This book is impossible to put down!
Valentino's life and accomplishments have long been overshadowed by his early death at 31. Since that time, countless books and articles have been written about him. While many of them speculate, few of them have really mined the depths and emerged with the truth. Emily Leider's book is a terrific biography that reveals Valentino as a flesh and blood human being—a context in which he was rarely seen.
Many children of Hollywood stars have written vengeful memoirs, most famously Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest about her life with her adopted mother, Joan Crawford. The children of stars such as Bette Davis, Edward G. Robinson, Vincent Price and Bing Crosby have all written similar books detailing the horrors of their famous parents. DETOUR is something else entirely. Crane not only details life with her famous mother Lana Turner but of the world of Hollywood in the 40s and 50s. She also writes about her role in the notorious stabbing death of gangster Johnny Stompanato and the lasting impact it has had on her life. From describing a night at the Oscars with her famous mother, to her stints in juvenile hall—this book is a real page-turner!
Written by Maria Riva, the daughter and only child of Marlene Dietrich, this book is another must-read. Like DETOUR, it is written in great detail and depth about both the actress and the times in which she lived. This is yet another great biography that really stands out.
Much mystery has surrounded the life of Howard Hughes. Sadly, if he is remembered at all, it is for his eccentric behavior, his obsessions with germs and his grostesque demise. In truth, he was also a record breaking aviator and a filmmaker as well. (Hopefully, when The Aviator opens on Dec. 17th, people will get a more accessible glimpse into his life.) Richard Hack's book captures Hughes as a troubled man, but also as a visionary. In reading the first part of the book, the excitement and world of possibilities that Hughes existed in is almost palpable. He broke aviation records, speed records and fought film censorship. He also owned an airline, a film studio and discovered two of Hollywood's most beloved sex symbols—Jean Harlow and Jane Russell. There was no one else like him, and there will never be again. His life story is incredible and well worth reading.
While there are numerous other interesting biographies out there, these stand out as excellent examples of what great writing and research can do to bring the truth to light.
