Robert J. Lentz

Lee Marvin did not receive his first starring film role until he was 40, but in three short years--following the successes of Cat Ballou (for which he won the Academy Award as Best Actor), The Professionals and especially The Dirty Dozen--he was the most popular film actor in America. Marvin was a fascinating man, a loving husband and father, and one of the most natural, effective actors of his time. This is a comprehensive reference of the Oscar-winning actor's work. It includes biographical information on Marvin, an analysis of each of his 64 movies, chapters on his two television shows (M Squad and Lawbreaker), a listing of his television appearances, and a complete filmography (which includes video availability). The work is supplemented with dozens of photographs and film stills.

A marvelous actress, Gloria Grahame (1923-1981) was also an iconic figure of film noir. Her talents are showcased in several classic motion pictures of the 1940s and 1950s, including It's a Wonderful Life, Crossfire, In a Lonely Place, The Greatest Show on Earth, The Big Heat, Oklahoma!, and The Bad and the Beautiful, for which she earned an Academy Award. This comprehensive overview of Gloria Grahame's life and work examines each of her feature films in detail, as well as her made-for-television productions, her television-series appearances and her stage career. Also discussed are the varied ways in which Grahame's acting performances were affected by her tumultuous personal life--which included four marriages, the second to director Nicholas Ray and the fourth to Ray's stepson Anthony.

The Korean experience changed the way Americans viewed war. The lack of a clear-cut victory inspired filmmakers to try to make sense of fighting another country's civil war and risking American lives for an unpopular cause. This filmography details more than 90 English-language films. Each entry includes complete cast and credit listings, a plot synopsis, evaluation, review snippets, and notice of video availability. This book places each film in its historical context, assesses the essential truthfulness of each film and evaluates its entertainment value, and discusses how--and why--Korean War films differ from other Hollywood war genres. Four appendices list the films by chronology; production company and studio; level of historical accuracy; and subject and theme. Additional appendices list films with incidental references to the Korean War; documentaries on the Korean War; and South Korean films about the war. Photographs, a bibliography, and an index are included.