Great Britons of Stage and Screen: Volume IV, Behind the Scenes

Bryan Langley • Cornel Lucas • Terence Marsh
Oswald Morris • Peter Newbrook • Rachel Portman
Anthony Powell • Norman Spencer
Wolfgang Suschitzky • Vivienne Walker
In memoriam: Glynis Johns

Roisman Cooper’s fourth book in the series Great Britons of Stage and Screen is a treasure trove of true-life personal tales, all told from the perspective of those who worked behind the scenes. These vignettes paint a vivid picture of how the big studios and theatres were run and what it was like for some of these extraordinary people to do their jobs under pressure, whether political or professional. Through them – whether cameramen, composers, production designers, or hairdressers, you learn more about these behind the scenes artists of the twentieth century than they themselves would ever allow to be known. A remarkable and illuminating read!”
– Giles Cole, Playwright, London, May, 2024

“Behind the scenes, indeed! Entertaining and illuminating anecdotes that offer genuine insights into British show business and art. These are talented storytellers from whom the author elicits astonishingly detailed memories of the craftsmen (and of the star actors and directors they worked with), who collectively created some of cinema’s most extraordinary films. Enlightened scholarship and an absorbing read.”
– Myron Meisel, Critic/Filmmaker, Los Angeles, May, 2024

“Filmmaking is a communal process. Behind every exceptional film and great director, there’s a family of craft that works together t see that the film reaches its full potential. That talent seldom gets the attention that it should, and Roisman Cooper’s book will certainly help change that. After all, they were in the room when it happened.”
– John Ptak, Producer/Former Talent Agent, Los Angeles, May, 2024

“These extensive conversations with legendary craftspeople reveal extraordinary stories that are highly entertaining and illuminating. Featuring meticulous research and fascinating details that will have you pouring over the footnotes, Barbara Roisman Cooper’s Great Britons of Stage and Screen: Volume IV: Behind the Scenes is an important historical resource for students and scholars alike.”
– Matt Severson, Executive Vice President, Academy
Collection and Preservation, Academy of Motion Picture
Arts & Sciences, July, 2024