- Hardcover: 431 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday (Mar 1 1988)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385174047
- ISBN-13: 978-0385174046
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 14.2 x 3.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 590 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,392,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
The actor's stylish, gently humorous autobiography recreates Hollywood in its early glories, but it is even more appealing as the story of an extraordinary life and career. Fairbanks, son of the screen's definitive swashbuckler and stepson of Mary Pickford, "America's Sweetheart," relates incidents that deeply affected him after his parents' divorce in 1917 when he was seven. There are stories about the author's famous friends (Olivier, Edward G. Robinson, Noel Coward, etc.) and lovers (Gertrude Lawrence, Marlene Dietrich and others), as well as a portrait of his first wife, Joan Crawford. It is particularly interesting to follow the steps related here in Fairbanks' career, starting in the silents of the 1920s (Stella Dallas) and continuing in the talkies that brought him starring roles in Little Caesar, The Prisoner of Zenda, Gunga Din and other epics of the 1930s. The book ends with the author's enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1940 at age 30with the promise of a second volume that readers will welcome. Photos.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This first volume of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s autobiography (it recounts his life story through 1941) shows him to be virtually identical with his public persona. Fairbanks is a dandya witty, intelligent ladies' man (and sometimes a bit of a cad), with an avid craving to be one of the rich and famous. All but the most ardent Anglophile will be bored ultimately with the account of yet another country weekend with some lord and lady and hangers-on, but Fairbanks's story of his life in Hollywood more than compensates. He strikes a successful balance between candor and discretion in telling of his affairs (with Marlene Dietrich, among many others) and his early marriage to Joan Crawford. John Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Manalapan, N.J.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Save your money,
By
This review is from: Salad Days (Hardcover)
I can honestly say this the worse biography I have ever read, maybe I have been spoiled by the fact I had previously read David Nivens Moons a Balloon and Bring on the empty horses (both highly reccomended).David Niven had a rare gift of telling a story in a funny way,although not always accurate as he often admitted, but it was entertaining. Mr Fairbanks has written a follow up to this poor effort, I can only hope it was ghost written for him.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing Autobiography,
By Nelson Aspen "Author/Journalist" (Los Angeles & NYC, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Salad Days (Hardcover)
Other than dishing some dirt on his first wife, Joan Crawford, there is very little about this autobiography that pulls you in...and it's unfortunate because I'm sure that the dashing Fairbanks could have REALLY let 'er rip. The normally down to earth gentleman comes off as a bit of a poseur and, unfortunately, this effort only covers his early life ("Salad Days"). This book could have used more attention from the editor.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hollywood history by someone who was there when it counted.,
By Patrick Perreault (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Salad Days (Hardcover)
Did I read a lot of Hollywood autobiographies? You bet! This one is a real pleasure to read: full of good taste, no ugly gossip, well written. Fairbanks Jr. knew a lot of them: Pickford, Fairbanks Sr., Crawford, Leslie Howard, etc... A good read! And an important one: this book is part of many other books where there is an extensive bibliography. Don't miss it!
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