American silent film actress Mabel Normand (1892-1930) appeared in a string of popular movies opposite stars like Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle before dying of tuberculosis at 37. Her brief but remarkable career--which included directorial and writing credits and heading her own studio and production company--was eclipsed by scandal when police connected her to the unsolved 1922 murder of director William Desmond Taylor.Tracing her life from humble beginnings on Staten Island to the heights of world superstardom, this book highlights Normand's substantial yet largely overlooked contributions to film history and popular culture.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"Lefler's affectionate reappraisal recognizes Mabel Normand, the silent film actress, screenwriter, director, and producer, as the holder of many firsts...this retrospective shows Normand as exuberant, flirtatious, bookish, and generous...enlightening"-Library Journal "Lefler writes, 'the time for a reassessment of [Normand's] life and career is overdue.' His detailed, carefully researched account fits the bill and is written with the enthusiasm of a devoted fan...The book's epigraph features Normand's own words, 'I had no precedent, nothing to imitate. I had to create my own standard of fun.' This lively and entertaining biography tells just how she did it."-Booklist Reviews from first edition: "Offers a great deal of insight, understanding, and appreciation to one of cinema's most significant pioneers. Lefler's book is deep, enlightening, informative, and fulfilling. One of the finest books ever written on an actor or filmmaker...most passionately recommended"-Examiner "very welcome...[this book] has set a new standard"-Silent-ology "a worthwhile introduction...a look at the great early comedian"-The Huffington Post/I> "the book takes us back to the silent film era and one of its major though short-lived comedy stars...Lefler outlines the basics of her film career from her first "shorts" in 1910 through her final films in 1927"-Communications Booknotes Quarterly.
Auflage
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Interest Age: From 18 years
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
88 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Maße
Höhe: 254 mm
Breite: 178 mm
Dicke: 13 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-4766-8758-2 (9781476687582)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Timothy Dean Lefler is an author, artist, teacher and co-designer of The Beach Boys Historic Monument in Hawthorne, California. He lives in Rancho Cucamonga.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments deletevi
Preface
Introduction
?1?*?Hello Mabel
?2?*?Over the Garden Wall
?3?*?Staten Island Girl
?4?*?Venus Model
?5?*?The Griffith Touch
?6?*?Hide and Seek
?7?*?Keystone Mabel
?8?*?The Fun Factory
?9?*?Mabel at the Wheel
10?*?Tillie
11?*?Ice Cream for Breakfast
12?*?Mabel in Close Up
13?*?The Clock Strikes 12
14?*?New Woman
15?*?Mabel Inc.
16?*?Goldwyn Girl
17?*?Mickey
18?*?Mabelescent
19?*?Back to Mack
20?*?Gates of Babylon
21?*?Different Names
22?*?Her Story
23?*?The Edge of Murder
24?*?Fatal Tales
25?*?Sail Away
26?*?To Live Through Pain
27?*?Final Frames
28?*?A Tender Goodbye
Epilogue
Appendix A: Filmography
Appendix B: Last Will and Testament of Mabel Normand
Appendix C: Transcript of Coroner's Inquest, William Desmond Taylor Murder Case, February 4, 1922
Appendix D: Transcript of Mabel Normand's Testimony at Arraignment of Horace Greer, aka Joseph Kelly, January 22, 1924, Los Angeles Courthouse
Appendix E: How to Be a Comedienne
Appendix F: Mabel's Clothes and Possessions
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
