Bøker av Charles Tranberg

Marie Wilson was one of the best of the "dumb blondes" of the 1930s and 1940s, but what most people don't know is that she was a highly intelligent woman who painstakingly created her persona in movies, on radio, and on television.This book includes a complete log of the classic American television series episodes in which she appeared, My Friend Irma (1952-1953).". . . an enjoyable read and something that would be welcomed by casual fans of Wilson, and those who are interested in a serious study of radio comedy and vaudeville since Wilson was a regular in Ken Murray's blackout." ¿-Radiogram

Old Time Radio fans remember William Conrad from Suspense (1947-1959), Escape (1947-1954), and Gunsmoke (1952-1961). Film Noir devotees recognize him in The Killers (1946), Body and Soul (1947),Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), and One Way Street (1950). Television viewers know him from Cannon (1971-1996) and Jake and the Fatman(1987-1992), and Nero Wolfe (1981). That he was an American World War II fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Corps with the rank of Captain and a producer-director of the Armed Forces Radio Service, as well as a film producer/director at Warner Bros., and later a singer, has never been fully revealed . . . until now. Author Charles Tranberg discloses the facts behind his feats, including Conrad's tremendous radio, film, and television credits, his memorable productions, and those that brought him from sound speakers to sound stages, including Quinn Martin, Lee Horsley, Joe Penny, Andy Griffith, Dean Hargrove, Fred Silverman, Howard McNear, John Wayne, James Arness, and Jack Webb. William Conrad. Conscientious professional. Congenial gentleman. Consumate actor. Discover his full story in the first ever richly researched biography. Illustrated. Index. Bibliography. About the author: Charles Tranberg's other works include I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead; Not So Dumb: The Life and Career of Marie Wilson; Fred MacMurray: A Biography; The Thin Man Films: Murder Over Cocktails, Robert Taylor: A Biography; Walt Disney & Recollections of the Disney Studios: 1955-1980; Fredric March: A Consummate Actor.

William Conrad (1920-1994) was one of the most prolific and recognizable voices of the golden age of radio drama on such programs as The Whistler, Escape, Suspense, Favorite Story, Lux Radio Theater, and many others, but it was his performance as Marshal Matt Dillon on the radio version of Gunsmoke that made him a radio institution. In addition to his radio work he often appeared in films and made his mark, often as a heavy, in such classic film noirs as The Killers, Body and Soul, Sorry, Wrong Number, One-Way Street, Tension, and Cry Danger. Not many people know that Conrad took a sabbatical from acting during much of the 1960's and was a producer and director at Warner Brothers creating such films as Two on a Guillotine, My Blood Runs Cold, Brainstorm, An American Dream, The Cool Ones, and Countdown. Conrad is probably best remembered today for his iconic TV roles in Cannon and Jake and the Fatman.

This is the HARDBACK edition. "Chuck Tranberg meticulously and painstakingly researched, explored, and carefully chronicled this fascinating time in history. He offers us a glimpse into early Hollywood where the studio system incubated and dominated so many stars, Robert Taylor among them."-Terry Taylor, son of Robert Taylor, in his introduction to this book.Robert Taylor was one of Hollywood's biggest stars for over thirty-years and starred in such classic films as Magnificent Obsession, Camille, A Yank at Oxford, Waterloo Bridge, Johnny Eager, Quo Vadis, Ivanhoe and The Last Hunt. He worked with the cream of Hollywood leading ladies: Irene Dunne, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Vivien Leigh,Lana Turner, Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck, who he later married, just to name a few. An open and friendly man who usually tried to avoid controversy, Taylor stepped into it when he became a so-called friendly witness appearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the height of the Washington investigations into alleged Communism in Hollywood. It has haunted his reputation to this day. A happy second marriage to actress Ursula Thiess produced two children and gave Taylor a contentment he lacked in his earlier marriage. Author Charles Tranberg takes a fresh look at the actor who was once called, "The man with the perfect profile." This book also takes a fascinating look at the Hollywood Studio system which existed during Taylor's hey-day.

This is the HARDBACK version. Fredric March (1897-1975) was one of the most dynamic and versatile actors of his time. On the screen he created memorable performances in such classic films as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Death Takes a Holiday, Les Miserables, A Star is Born, Nothing Sacred, One Foot in Heaven, The Adventures of Mark Twain, The Best Years of Our Lives, Death of a Salesman and Inherit the Wind. Along the way he was nominated five times for an Academy Award and won the coveted statuette twice. He had an equally distinguished career as a stage actor-appearing in such acclaimed Broadway productions as The Skin of Our Teeth and Long Day's Journey Into Night-winning two Tony Awards-including the very first presented to an actor. Despite this great record of success, Fredric March isn't as well remembered today as some of his peers (Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, James Stewart) because unlike them he never developed a recognizable screen persona that followed him from film to film. He was always characterizing-always hiding his own personality behind that of the character he was portraying. He was the consummate actor who richly deserves to be rediscovered.

The Thin Man films are one of the most highly regarded and successful series of films from Hollywood's classic era. This book looks at the people who populated the films, including full chapter profiles of its stars, William Powell and Myrna Loy, whose chemistry together was a huge reason for the success of the films. As Nick and Nora Charles they knocked the stereotypes of on-screen marriage out of the park and replaced the stiff and formal with fun and sexy. But not to be forgotten are the great character actors who added their own special magic to each and every film. Each chapter includes profiles of these actors as well as the creative teams behind the films. The book offers up detailed synopses of each of the films as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes and trivia. If you love The Thin Man then this is the book for you!Praise for Charles Tranberg's other books:"By virtue of its amazing output and longevity, Moorehead's career, not to mention life, would be almost impossible to contain in a single volume, but Tranberg is in command of his subject, deftly covering the wide expanse of Agnes Moorehead's world."Laura Wagner, Classic Images, review of I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead. "This is a fond look at one of the most durable and under-appreciated stars in Hollywood history."Tom Clegett, The Santa Fe New Mexican, review of Fred MacMurray: A Biography.

Walt Disney was a pioneer in the art of animation but by the mid-fifties due to the increasing costs of producing animated films, Disney began to specialize in producing live-action films. The films explored in this book include such classics as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Pollyanna, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Parent Trap, Mary Poppins and The Love Bug. But the films covered also include some wonderful, yet lesser known Disney titles such as Toby Tyler, Babes in Toyland, Miracle of the White Stallions, Savage Sam, Summer Magic, Blackbeard's Ghost-and many more. The book's main focus is on the live-action films that the studio produced from roughly 1955 thru 1980 and the people who were part of them including a solid stock company of actors who audiences identified immediately-even if they didn't always know the name of the actor. Many of those actors give their memories in this book as do several others including Fess Parker (Davy Crockett), Tommy Kirk (Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog), Ann Jillian (Babes in Toyland), Billy Mumy (Rascal), Arthur Hiller (director of Miracle of the White Stallions), Marta Kristen (Savage Sam), James Drury (Pollyanna, Ten Who Dared), Eddie Hodges (Summer Magic, The Happiest Millionaire), Peter Brown (Summer Magic, A Tiger Walks)-and many more.About the Author:Charles Tranberg has written five previous books: I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead, Not so Dumb: The Life and Career of Marie Wilson, Fred MacMurray: A biography, The Thin Man Films: Murder over Cocktails, and Robert Taylor: A Biography. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.