Kirjahaku

The pioneers of the motion picture industry were a group of uncommonly talented men, women, and children. Many of their films have now vanished or disintegrated, and the only evidence of them is in the memories of their creators. The twelve men and women featured in this collection of interviews share their memories of the early days of filmmaking, from the technicalities of lighting and production, to celebrities they encountered. The interviewees include Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Virginia Cherrill, child star "Baby Peggy," director Andrew Stone, and original "Our Gang" member Jean Darling. Their stories of what it was like to make a movie in the silent era are illuminating glimpses into an era that fades with every passing year. Each interview is accompanied by a comprehensive filmography, and dozens of photographs of these celebrities and their associates are also included.

This is the first book of its kind to include interviews with 22 of the famous opera stars whose careers began in the late 1940's right up through the 1970's and beyond. Opera lovers and fans of music in general get a rare glimpse into the world of opera and how the landscape has changed since these pioneers started out on their illustrious careers. The singers represented in this book recall their memories of having either studied or performed with opera legends including Maria Callas and Rosa Ponselle, Beniamino Gigli, Aureliano Pertile, Lydia Lipkowska, Leonard Bernstein and Leonard Warren, among others. Was it easier back then to establish an operatic career? What were the pitfalls these singers faced? The experience of George Shirley, the first African-American tenor to perform on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, is illustrative of the challenges faced by him and others in the industry. Shirley's is only one such story in this book, which documents the careers of singers from this period and their challenges (and victories) on the American stage and abroad.