The Leading Men of MGM

Wayne, Jane Ellen

ISBN 10: 0786714751 / ISBN 13: 9780786714759

Published by Carroll & Graf, 2005

Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_449588344

Synopsis:

Gable, Tracy, Stewart, Ol' Blue Eyes, the King. They were Hollywood gods; men wanted to be them, women just plain wanted them. As celluloid royalty and soldiers in Louis B. Mayer's box office army, the men of The Leading Men of MGM captured the hearts and imaginations of the movie-going public during a thirty-year stretch encompassing three wars and the ultimate downfall of a studio empire. And while their roles onscreen are some of cinema's most memorable, they often pale in comparison to the lives these men lived behind the scenes. The Leading Men of MGM exposes these legendary figures in all of their salacious glory—from Clark Gable's clandestine homosexual encounters in bistro bathrooms to Elvis's pill-popping and Sinatra and Lawford's icy post-Kennedy jousts. Also profiling such stars as Ramon Novarro, Billy Haines, and Van Johnson, the collection offers complete filmographies, photographs, and insightful looks at the nature of stardom during an era when the phenomenon was being minted. Offering a warts-and-all look at fifteen-plus legendary Tinseltown stars in addition to exploring their successes as genuine Hollywood talent, author Jane Wayne has written a must-have volume for film buffs of all stripes.

Reviews: The men in Wayne's book—some producers (Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg), but mostly actors (Clark Gable, John Gilbert, Elvis Presley, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, Spencer Tracy)—are, theoretically, connected because they were all big names on MGM's roster. Really, though, they're all here so that Wayne (The Golden Girls of MGM) can dish the dirt, which she does, shovel-like. The Tracy chapter delves into his long history of alcohol abuse and his decades-long relationship (of convenience, says Wayne) with Katharine Hepburn (who, Wayne reports, mothered him while putting up with constant abuse and his refusal to divorce his wife and marry her). Tracy's story is more sad than entertaining, as is the chapter on the miserable decline of Peter Lawford. More tawdry—and fun—are the sections on Gable and Sinatra, where Wayne first shows what unlikely romantic leads they each were (Gable had big ears and false teeth; Sinatra was a "skinny, unknown singer who acted like a celebrity") before getting to the real meat of their careers: who they slept with, when, and if they were any good. Although suspiciously thin on attribution—Wayne has a mysterious, Kitty Kelley–like way with the sources of her more sensational material—this is an undeniably enjoyable selection of Hollywood juice. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This excellent shelfmate for Wayne's Golden Girls of MGM (2003) contains stories of male movers and shakers at MGM, onscreen and offscreen, from 1924 to about 1960. Screen idols (Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, etc.) receive the most attention, but execs (Thalberg and Mayer) get their due, too. In fact, Mayer's mostly malevolent presence pervades the book. While dishing plenty of gossip, Wayne imparts filmographically important details. For instance, she dredges up a homosexual encounter by Clark Gable with fellow actor Billy Haines (twice noted as being always "the fucker, never the fuckee") that loomed large in Gable's rise to stardom and figured in why George Cukor was replaced as director of Gone with the Wind. Also prominently examined are Elvis Presley's and Frank Sinatra's metamorphoses from teen idols to movie stars. Replete with individual filmographies and discographies, as appropriate, a fine addition to the film history shelves. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Leading Men of MGM
Publisher: Carroll & Graf
Publication Date: 2005
Binding: hardcover
Condition: Very Good