I was disapointed in reading this bio.It left so many things unanswered, in my opinion.Mr.Novarro deserved something more than a thumbnail sketch of his life.I felt that the author skimmed the reader through Mr.Novarros' life.I came away knowing mostly that he was Gay, and had a drinking problem.Not much of a legacy,not much of anything else.The author might read Marie Dresslers' recent bio, or William Haines' bio, or "Charles Chaplin, the man and his times" to understand how details add so much to the overall read, itself.

Being a Ramon Novarro fan, I was elated that a biography was finally written on this legendary film star. I give a tremendous amount of credit to the author. His extensive research has paid off. The filmography at the end especially stands out; very detailed. The only drawback that I saw with the book, is that the sentence structure was simplistic for the most part. It read more like a news report than a story. I did notice that the last few chapters, beginning with the Murder, were especially riveting. I couldn't put the book down. His writing style changed (not sure if his editor had anything to do with it)for the better. Once completed, I felt I wanted more. More of what? Personality content as well as understanding his family dynamics. What was it like having a famous brother? How was it living with Ramon for so many years? It missed a "personal touch." Which I am amazed at, because the author did interview several family members. All in all, it was a good read but not a great read but essential (compliation of the material in one book) for any Ramon Novarro fan.

It is truly a shame that it has taken so long for a biography on Ramon Novarro to be written. After more than 30 years after his death, this book not only sets the record straight about his gruesome death, but also enlightens the reader about his turbulent life. Unlike another reviewer, I feel that the author has told us about who Novarro was. We are not only told about his great career, but also about his loves, his fears,and his weaknesses. If you a lover of film history or have any interest at all in Novarro, read this book.

D W Griffith figures as the patron and idol of Karl Brown. There is no doubt that D W Griffith, the director of "Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance". the supposed inventor of the "close-up" and discover of the Gish sisters, contributed immensely to the development of motion pictures as a distinct art form (perhaps THE art form of this century). Even so, the Griffith which emerges from these pages is half tyrant and "control freak" who ultimately is made obsolete by a public becoming increasingly sophisticated in its tastes. Karl Brown was taken on as a junior camera man by Griffith, and it is through his recollections that the early years of the American cinema comes alive. Still, this is an autobiography so we are treated to a Norman Rockwell account of the early years of this century that illuminates the millieu from which Griffith's work sprung. There is more than an element of defensiveness from Brown as he tries to reconcile Griffith's persona as a "gentleman" with his often reactionary views as exemplified in " A Birth of a Nation" ( afilm that was almost banned in Australia and parts of the US). Griffith does not emerge from this work unscathed. Worth reading for historical interest.

Many books has been published about the silent movies era, from picture books to great actors to the eternal Chaplin and Pickford. This one is from one of Griffith cameramen's so for once, we stand behind the camera. What is different about Brown's account is the way the narration goes: his autobiographical experience of going through that time where everything was almost new and a lot had to be done. He states the important and not so important anecdotic facts while using a sometimes ironic tone and a semi-chronological pace of remembrance. He even explain, matter-of-factly, some technical aspects of the trend, etc... This book has a lot to offer for the silent movies or Griffith fans, especially if you have seen "Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance". This is not the typical movie-related-good-for-the -fans-only book with Ohs! and Ahs! and Wow! to sustain you throughout your reading. It is a very specific moment in the life of a guy who was there when movies were at their beginning, a time long gone...

If you are interested in silent films or David Wark Griffith, then you won't be able to put this book down until you are finished! Karl Brown worked for the Kinemacolor company as a teenager in the 1910s. Just when this company went out of business, D.W. Griffith and his stock company arrived in Los Angeles. He quickly became a camera assistant to cameraman Billy Bitzer. He worked on Griffith's THE AVENGING CONSCIENCE, BIRTH OF A NATION, and INTOLERANCE, among other films. His book is funny, exciting, and informative. He is in awe of Griffith and actress Lillian Gish. He works his hardest to satisfy Griffith's demands on the job, but this sometimes makes Bitzer jealous of him. Brown is confused by many of the things that Griffith does while making these films, but he soon learns why Griffith works this way. The book also includes a chapter on Brown's stint in the Army during World War I, where he was given a one-week leave of absence to help Griffith with BROKEN BLOSSOMS. This is the finest memoir by any silent film vetran that I've read, and I've read quite a few.

Author William Drew interviewed 10 silent film actresses about their careers and their memories of working in the industry. Some like Colleen Moore were huge stars; others were featured actresses that worked steadily through the era. While their stories are not quite as in-depth as Kevin Brownlow's THE PARADE'S GONE BY, Mr. Drew conducted his interviews about 20 years later than Mr. Brownlow and his actresses memories may not have been as sharp. Most of them come across as very intelligent. What is surprising is that most of them had no idea of what they were doing when they first started acting, but they were seasoned professionals when they retired. Only Madge Bellamy, the first subject comes across as a little shallow. If you are a silent film fan and you read this book, you will definitely want to see some films by Colleen Moore, Lois Wilson, Esther Ralston and others. Highly recommended.

This is a book on several actresses who achieved fame in the silent era. Of the bunch, Colleen Moore and Blanche Sweet were the only ones who were superstars, but most of the others were popular with the public then: Esther Ralston, Madge Bellamy, Laura La Plante, May McAvoy, Patsy Ruth Miller, Leatrice Joy, etc. The photos are extremely rare and the design of the book is quite lovely. Each actress gets a chapter, profiling her career and what she her life at the time of the interview (sadly, the last survivor, Laura La Plante, passed away in 1996). The best chapters are the ones with stars who are talkative: the sharply intelligent Bellamy, the vivacious Joy who seems to be her own greatest fan, etc. The more quiet stars like Miss La Plante don't offer much info and the author's writing ability does not seem strong enough to make those chapters as lively. Mr. Drew should count himself fortunate to have known such women. Certainly they all seem very gracious and were very generous with their time to a somewhat unknown author. I was somewhat dissapointed by the fact that the author failed to note which of the ladies had already passed away when the book was first published (1989) one is led to believe all of them were still alive and well. Still, a must for any silent movie lover.

A well researched and very readable account of Ireland's first great film director, who until the arrival of this book was almost completely forgotten. O'Leary traces Ingram's movement from the obscurity of his early life as the son of rural Protestant minister to the glamour of his great Hollywood successes, all the time keeping him in the context of his age, contrasting him with his contemporaries and offering intelligent critical insight into his talents and weaknesses as a director. The pity is that despite O'Leary having shed light on his career Ingram's films remain in obscurity and are difficult to get hold of. He is completely unkown in those places he once lived in Ireland, and because his full name was Rex Ingram Hitchcock his identity has always been confused with that of Alfred Hitchcock, many a small Irish town today being rumoured to be the unacknowledged birth place of that director. O'Leary's sources include Ingram's wife, silent film star, Alice Terry and he manages to maintain a closeness and sympathy with his subject that is rarely found in this sort of biography. Like any good biography this is not only a record of the man but also of the age and industry in which he lived and worked. O'Leary's use of photographs is extensive and covers his professional career, personal life and stills from his films providing an appropriately visual documentary to compliment the text. To be highly recommended to anyway interested in early cinema or the period covered.

Silent film historian Kevin Brownlow documents the silent film newsreel and documentary cameramen who traveled to the far ends of the earth and risked their lives to record history. "The War" concerns films about World War I and America's and Britian's involvment in it. My only complaint here is that the book does not cover more of the war and "Hun" fictional films that came out during the war. There is a large-section on anti-war and preparedness films that appeared before America entered the war. The second section deals with western films. There are sections on movie cowboys like William S. Hart and Tom Mix, as well as actual outlaws and cowboys who appeared in early films. The last section concerns "nature" and exploration films. While some might feel that the large subject-matter covered by this book keeps it meandering from one topic to another, it is still a great book about silent film history.