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Warners Wiseguys: All 112 Films That Robinson, Cagney and Bogart Made for the Studio Illustrated Edition
- ISBN-100786432624
- ISBN-13978-0786432622
- EditionIllustrated
- PublisherMcFarland & Company
- Publication dateNovember 13, 2007
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions7 x 0.74 x 10 inches
- Print length372 pages
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Product details
- Publisher : McFarland & Company; Illustrated edition (November 13, 2007)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 372 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0786432624
- ISBN-13 : 978-0786432622
- Reading age : 18 years and up
- Item Weight : 1.78 pounds
- Dimensions : 7 x 0.74 x 10 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #7,367,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,948 in Film & Television
- #4,057 in Movie Guides & Reviews
- #7,463 in Reference (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Scott Allen Nollen is a historian, musician and occasional filmmaker who has written and edited over 40 books on the history of the cinema, popular music and literature. He received his BA in Film and Honors History and MA in United States and Modern European History from the University of Iowa. His two books on Hollywood icon Boris Karloff are considered definitive: "Boris Karloff" (McFarland, 1991) was written with the participation of Karloff's widow, Evelyn, while "Boris Karloff: A Gentleman's Life" (Midnight Marquee, 1999), is an authorized biography written with the full collaboration of Karloff's daughter, Sara Jane. Nollen's other books include studies of Laurel and Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, and the Robin Hood Legends. He also has co-written books on Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Peter Cushing. His 2001 book, "Jethro Tull" (McFarland), written with the participation of the band, was nominated as Best Rock/R&B book by the Association for Recorded Sound. His book "Paul Robeson: Film Pioneer" (McFarland)is the first book-length study of the groundbreaking cinema work of this famed Renaissance Man. Nollen's most recent books are "Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond" (McFarland, 2013) and "Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hardboiled Dame" (Midnight Marquee; forthcoming in 2014). Nollen began making amateur films in 1976, at the age of 13. In 2005, he co-starred, wrote, produced and directed the feature film "Lofty" with Ryan C. Baumbach. Among the cast are L.A. actors Larry Laverty and Amelia Beaugard. Nollen's continued interest in Boris Karloff is reflected in "Kreating Karloff" (2006), starring and directed by actor Conor Timmis, whose documentary film, "Finnigan's War" (2013) features another screenplay co-written by Nollen. Nollen's main interests are Hollywood film, classical, jazz, blues, folk and classic rock music, United States and British History, and the Civil Rights era.
Scott Allen Nollen is a historian, musician and occasional filmmaker who has written and edited over 40 books on the history of the cinema, popular music and literature. He received his BA in Film and Honors History and MA in United States and Modern European History from the University of Iowa. His two books on Hollywood icon Boris Karloff are highly regarded: "Boris Karloff" (McFarland, 1991) was written with the participation of Karloff's widow, Evelyn, while "Boris Karloff: A Gentleman's Life" (Midnight Marquee, 1999), is an authorized biography written with the full collaboration of Karloff's daughter, Sara Jane. Nollen's other books include studies of Laurel and Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, Abbott and Costello, and the Robin Hood Legends. He also has co-written books on Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Peter Cushing. His 2001 book, "Jethro Tull" (McFarland), written with the participation of the band, was nominated as Best Rock/R&B book by the Association for Recorded Sound. His book "Paul Robeson: Film Pioneer" (McFarland) is the first book-length study of the groundbreaking cinema work of this famed Renaissance Man.
Nollen's more recent books are "Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond" (McFarland, 2013), "Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hardboiled Dame" (Midnight Marquee, 2014), "The Making and Influence of 'I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'" (McFarland, 2016), "Takashi Shimura: Chameleon of Japanese Cinema" (McFarland, 2019), "Chester Morris: His Life and Career" (McFarland, 2019) [with his wife, Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen] and "Karloff and the East: Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and Oceanian Characters and Subjects in His Screen Career" (McFarland, 2020) [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen]. "The Body Snatcher: Cold-Blooded Murder, Robert Louis Stevenson and the Making of a Horror Film Classic" is at the publisher (BearManor Media) [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen], and two other books for BearManor are forthcoming, "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes at Universal (1942-1946)" [with Kris Marentette] and "Sons of Charlie Chan: Keye Luke, Sen Yung, Benson Fong" [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen]. He also narrates and records audio versions of his own and other authors' books.
Nollen began making amateur films in 1976, at the age of 13. In 2005, he co-starred, wrote, produced and directed the feature film "Lofty" with Ryan C. Baumbach. Among the cast are L.A. actors Larry Laverty and Amelia Beaugard. Nollen's continued interest in Boris Karloff is also reflected in "Kreating Karloff" (2006), starring and directed by actor Conor Timmis, whose documentary film, "Finnigan's War" (2013) features another screenplay co-written by Nollen. He also has provided commentaries for restoration releases of classic films, included several for the blu-ray releases of Abbott and Costello comedies. Among Nollen's main interests are classic Hollywood and Japanese films, classical, jazz, blues, folk and classic rock music, United States, British and Asian History, and the Civil Rights era.
Nollen's original music, which he began writing and recording in 1978, is now being released in several formats (streaming, MP3 and CD). These collections include his extensive work with flutist-guitarist Craig Nance and guitarist-songwriter Todd Jacobsen. The liner notes from the first release (from BearManor Music), "Celtic Chronicles (1989-2015)":
In 1977, future historian Scott Allen Nollen began working as a musician, playing for local theatrical productions and gigging with regional club and dance bands in the Midwest. Inspired by a lifelong interest in the culture of the British Isles and Ireland, he began writing and recording his own compositions, occasionally collaborating with fellow musician, flutist-guitarist Craig Nance. This collection from 1989-2015 features some of that material, reflecting the influence of such folk-rock groups as Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull, with whom Nollen would also collaborate on his book "Jethro Tull: A History of the Band" (1968-2001). Several of these selections feature Nollen playing a custom Scottish bass guitar designed by Fairport-Tull bassist-mandolinist Dave Pegg.
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Bottom line? If you enjoy these three "Wise Guys", treat yourself to a lot of fun by reading this book.
As a huge classic movie fan, I have seen every one of the films that the three actors played in. But I learned even more about them and their roles in these movies than I thought I already knew after reading this wonderful book.
The book is a bit pricey, but well worth the investment if you're a fan of Bogie, Cagney and Robinson and the classic gangster film genre, as I am.
So when I saw the recent McFarland Publishing book "Warner's Wiseguys," it caught my interest. I had known Virginia Mayo for many years and her leading man in many gangster films, including her most favorite, "White Heat," was James Cagney, so I knew that he'd be included. A young Bogart also got his start in these type of films and Warner's round out of tough guys would have to include Edward G. Robinson. All three were featured in this wonderful new book.
These wise guys who rounded off Warners' top leading men are now synonymous with the studio's era of gritty gangster films. This book is complete with commentary from the author and other film buffs. Warner's was not my favorite of studios, and MGM being most people's favorite was not either. I loved 20th Century Fox, but Warner Bros. Studios cranked out an amazing amount of work out of their actors, which is why Bogart and Bette Davis were so excellent in their roles in movies. Bette said, "You never got a chance to get lazy. There were always movies being made."
But this book not only brings out the truth of the Warners system but it chronicles all 112 movies that the three actors aforementioned starred in. The book also showcases some rare and amazing photographs of many Warners stars and is edited to precision. Anyone can pick the book up, finish a chapter or two and then start again later and feel like you know the story. The author's style of writing commentary is one that I enjoy doing and also love reading. My favorite chapter is titled "Playing All the Angles." It is how Warner Bros was run and how actors who became huge stars at the studio were forced to comply with. Cagney probably understood it better than most, Robinson seemed to enjoy it most, while Bogart was an accidental star but truly the biggest the studio has had. Even though he languished for years in Purgatory, but not in this book, there's a wonderful and well researched chapter called Bogie in Purgatory.
The book is easy to read, but not overly simplistic. The cover very catching and that's important in today's marketing. I enjoyed seeing some of the old movie posters as well featured in this book. Mr. Nollen has done a great job and I give this read four out of five stars. It's a book that has a definite niche audience, but for any old Hollywood buff, this book is readable and suggested reading as well.
Review by Canyon News Editor, Tommy Lightfoot Garrett
I couldn't agree more with Mr. Garrett's Review.
Jason.