Resultaten voor 'james curtis'

50 resultaten
  1. Comedy is a Grim Business
    1. James , Curtis

    Comedy is a Grim Business

    It was the most audacious idea ever for a movie-four hours long, with two intermissions, a glittering all-star cast, and a world-class moviemaker-produced at a cost completely unheard of for, of all things, a comedy. And not just any comedy, but the comedy to end all comedies. To make such a film a reality, it would take a director with stature, assurance, and, most importantly, a deal that would effectively allow him to make whatever he wished. A man without fear, a man with a gambling spirit and a go-for-broke attitude. And, as it turned out, a man who had never before directed a comedy. Covering a span of more than sixty years, this is the incredible story of a movie unlike any other-from inspiration to gestation to funding, casting, production, international release, and, eventually, restoration. A picture so big an equally unique theater, the first of its kind in the world, had to be designed and constructed just to hold it. And then came an improbable afterlife that carried it well into the next century. The epic comedy that was It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered amid an explosion of hard ticket roadshow attractions, movies with overtures, intermissions, reserved seats, and extravagant running times. The cast list of Mad World read like a who's who of twentieth century comedic greatness. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jimmy Durante, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters were among the principals, as were relative civilians Spencer Tracy, Peter Falk, Ethel Merman, and Dorothy Provine. Among those appearing in supporting parts and cameos were Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Joe E. Brown, William Demarest, Andy Devine, Paul Ford, Leo Gorcey, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Don Knotts, Buster Keaton, and The Three Stooges. Minta Durfee Arbuckle, the first wife of silent clown Fatty Arbuckle, worked as an extra on the picture. Jack Benny and Jerry Lewis made their appearances without billing. The success of such a movie was in no way guaranteed. Now, for the first time, Comedy is a Grim Business tells the whole surprising story of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the three extraordinary people at the creative center of the project, the pitfalls of attempting such a thing, the timing that was critical in making it happen, and the span of events that stretched from 1951 to the year 2014. And it's a lasting tribute to screenwriters William and Tania Rose and producer-director Stanley Kramer that Mad World is still convulsing audiences wherever it is shown.

    € 33,00
  2. Between Flops
    1. James , Curtis

    Between Flops

    In the decade of the 1940s, a remarkable string of vibrant and original films captivated America. Many were commercial as well as critical successes. All bore the distinctive imprint of their maker, a man as colorful as his most memorable characters. Preston Sturges set a new standard for creativity in Hollywood. He not only wrote such films as "The Lady Eve", "Sullivan's Travels", "The Palm Beach Story", and "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek", he also directed them at the rate of two a year. He opened the door for an entire generation of writers-turned-directors and made some of the most popular comedies of the sound era. At his peak, he earned the third-highest salary in the country. He was an inventor, songwriter, actor, playwright, restaurateur, industrialist, and winner of an Academy Award. He even owned a production company with his temperamental equal, Howard Hughes. Yet, barely ten years after it all began, it was over. Alienated by his reckless zeal for perfection, the studios turned away from him. Unable to work, Sturges took his young family to Europe, where he struggled desperately in growing obscurity to work the old magic just one more time.Drawn from interviews, letters, and other primary source materials, this was the first full-length biography of a legendary American filmmaker, a man who made and lost two fortunes and whose genius shown brightly, as he put it, "between flops".

    € 25,10
  3. W. C. Fields
    1. James , Curtis

    W. C. Fields

    The legend of W. C. Fields has persisted for more than half a century--the gin-guzzling misanthrope about whom Leo Rosten famously said, "Any man who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad." But there was another Fields, the man behind the character of the red-nosed card sharp, who wrote, directed, and performed in some of the most enduring comedies of all time, including "It's a Gift," "My Little Chickadee," and "The Bank Dick." Fields' career spanned the whole of the 20th Century--first in burlesque, then vaudeville, the legitimate stage, silent pictures, talkies, radio, books, and recordings, and only death prevented him from moving into the promising medium of television, where he found an entirely new audience in the turbulent 1960s and 70s. He was one of the cultural icons surrounding The Beatles on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." In 1980 he was honored with his own postage stamp. Now James Curtis reveals the man behind the myth, telling the story of Fields' life and work as it's never been told before. With exclusive and unrestricted access to the Great Man's papers and manuscripts, he shows us the passion and intellect that fueled Fields' creative drive, and the broken family that gave such a bitter edge to his comedy. Drawing from interviews with over 50 friends and co-workers, as well as the comedian's own recently-discovered notes for his autobiography, Curtis vividly details Fields' Philadelphia childhood, his first tentative steps as a performer, his arduous climb to the very pinnacle of show business, and his struggle to regain his footing once talking pictures had seemingly put an end to his career. He also shows the evolution of one of the world's most recognizable figures, whose nasal voice and shifty mannerisms helped make him, in the words of James Agee, "the toughest and most warmly human of all screen comedians." "W. C. Fields" is a singular work of research and scholarship that is certain to stand as the definitive biography of one of America's greatest humorists.

    € 26,20
  4. Spencer Tracy
    1. James , Curtis

    Spencer Tracy

    The definitive biography of one of Hollywood's greatest actors, illustrated with 124 rare photographs. Also included are complete stage and screen chronologies, notes and sources, and a selected bibliography.

    € 34,00
  5. Government and Religion of the Virginia Indians; Volume 13
    1. Herbert Baxter , Adams
    2. James Curtis , Ballagh
    3. Edson Leone , Whitney

    Government and Religion of the Virginia Indians; Volume 13

    This book provides a fascinating look at the government and religion of the Virginia Indians prior to the arrival of Europeans. The authors draw on a wide range of sources, including accounts from early explorers, to paint a picture of a complex and sophisticated society. This is an essential book for anyone interested in the history of Virginia and the Native American cultures that once thrived there. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

    € 29,00
  6. The South in the Building of the Nation
    1. Walter Lynwood , Fleming
    2. James Curtis , Ballagh

    The South in the Building of the Nation

    This comprehensive history of the Southern states explores their contributions to the building of the United States. From the character and genius of their people to their achievements and progress, this book provides a rich and detailed look at the South's role in shaping the nation. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

    € 30,00
  7. The South in the Building of the Nation
    1. Walter Lynwood , Fleming
    2. James Curtis , Ballagh

    The South in the Building of the Nation

    This comprehensive history of the Southern states explores their contributions to the building of the United States. From the character and genius of their people to their achievements and progress, this book provides a rich and detailed look at the South's role in shaping the nation. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

    € 41,00
  8. Memoir of the Geological Survey of the State of Delaware: Including the Application of the Geological Observations to Agriculture
    1. James Curtis , Booth

    Memoir of the Geological Survey of the State of Delaware: Including the Application of the Geological Observations to Agriculture

    This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

    € 31,00
  9. Government and Religion of the Virginia Indians; Volume 13
    1. Herbert Baxter , Adams
    2. James Curtis , Ballagh
    3. Edson Leone , Whitney

    Government and Religion of the Virginia Indians; Volume 13

    This book provides a fascinating look at the government and religion of the Virginia Indians prior to the arrival of Europeans. The authors draw on a wide range of sources, including accounts from early explorers, to paint a picture of a complex and sophisticated society. This is an essential book for anyone interested in the history of Virginia and the Native American cultures that once thrived there. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

    € 39,50
  10. The Letters of Richard Henry Lee Volume - II 1779-1794
    1. James Curtis , Ballagh

    The Letters of Richard Henry Lee Volume - II 1779-1794

    € 29,00
  11. Japanese-English and English-Japanese Dictionary
    1. James Curtis , Hepburn

    Japanese-English and English-Japanese Dictionary

    € 26,50
  12. Elements Of Chemistry: For The Use Of Colleges, Academies, And Schools; Volume 2
    1. Victor , Regnault

    Elements Of Chemistry: For The Use Of Colleges, Academies, And Schools; Volume 2

    € 33,00