Issue: Winter 2012-2013

Last Page: Fascinating Fireside Reading

The Hollywood Canteen was the jewel in the crown of World War II Hollywood. From 1942 to 1945, over three million servicemen came through its doors on their way to fight in the Pacific - some never to return. There, in a converted barn in the heart of Hollywood , soldiers were fed, entertained by and danced with some of the biggest stars in the world. The Canteen was free to all servicemen or women, regardless of race, inviting them to jive to the music of Kay Kyser and Harry James, laugh at Bob Hope's jokes, be handed sandwiches by Rita Hayworth, or dance with Hedy Lamarr. Knowing they were so appreciated, the soldiers were armed with the kinds of hope and encouragement that would help them win a war. "The Hollywood Canteen: Where The Greatest Generation Danced With The Most Beautiful Girls In The World" is the only complete history of the Canteen. Meticulously researched, by authors Lisa Mitchell and Bruce Torrence, it is filled with exclusive interviews and over 160 evocative photographs that preserve the memories that would otherwise be lost. (Amazon)

 

The Long Shadows is the inspiring true life story of Jack Earle, who overcame crippling shyness and the physical challenges of a giant’s eight-foot, six-inch frame to earn widespread acclaim for his multi-faceted artistry.  In his evocative and touching true-life novel, Andrew Erlich provides a fascinating glimpse of a bygone era through the eyes of a sensitive soul in a larger-than-life body.

In the words of Diana Serra Cary, “Jake was cast as a villain in many of the 2-reel comedies I made when I was a three year-old child star ‘Baby Peggy.’ Later, when I learned that Jake had become a sideshow circus freak, I sadly envisioned my gentle giant trapped inside that cruelly demeaning existence. Six decades later, I’m astounded to learn the miraculous ways Jake changed his fate. He was a uniquely courageous soul who provide to be a giant in more ways than one.”

 

Film Noir: The Directors  Noted film noir historians Alain Silver and James Ursini, acting as editors, concentrate in this work on the thirty key directors of the classic noir period. These include well-known luminaries, such as Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Nicholas Ray, and Joseph Losey as well as lesser-known lights of noir, such as Gerd Oswald, Felix E. Feist, Ida Lupino, and John Brahm. Each article will include a short biography of the director, a list of their major noir films, as well as a deep analysis of the films themselves. The book boasts over two dozen collaborators from the world of film history and criticism. Lavishly illustrated with high-resolution photos illustrating the points made by the authors, this book is a must for any aficionado of the American style of film noir. (Limelight).

 

Browse for these books and others at Holywood’s own Hennessy+Ingells (see Shopping Around) or on Amazon.com.