Arriving in Hollywood in 1950 to launch her American film career, Jean Simmons (1929-2010) had already appeared in 18 British films and was best known for her portrayal of Ophelia in Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. She soon became a favorite female face working with some of filmmaking's greats and acted opposite many Hollywood A-listers. Two of her most popular films--Guys and Dolls (1955) and Spartacus (1960)--were international box-office hits, and in her seven decades-long career she collected numerous awards and honors including a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and two Oscar nominations as Best Actress. Despite the accomplishments and accolades, radiant beauty, and stunning versatility, Simmons is considered by many to be an underrated artist, too often handed more comfortable leading female roles than those that could've elevated her to the level of super stardom experienced by some of her peers. This, the first full-length biography of Simmons, fills a gap in film and performing arts studies, and includes extensive notes and photographs.

Before his rise to superstardom portraying Detective Steve McGarrett on the long-running police drama Hawaii Five-O, Jack Lord was already a dedicated and versatile actor on Broadway, in film and on television. His range of roles included a Virginia gentleman planter in Colonial Williamsburg (The Story of a Patriot), CIA agent Felix Leiter in the first James Bond movie (Dr. No) and the title character in the cult classic rodeo TV series Stoney Burke. Lord's career culminated in twelve seasons on Hawaii Five-O, where his creative control of the series left an indelible mark on every aspect of its production. This book, the first to draw on Lord's massive personal archive, gives a behind-the-scenes look into the life and work of a TV legend.

Written in the 1960s, at the height of Jackie Kennedy’s popularity, this book addresses the pressures that American society placed on this strong, vibrant widow. Irving Shulman details Jackie’s life leading up to and following the death of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, focusing on the despicable and intrusive behavior of the media. Shulman sees Jackie as a victim of tabloid culture and uses her case to express his contempt for the American press.

"When Andy Griffith went to Hollywood in 1960 to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, his friend Don Knotts called to ask if his sheriff could use a deputy. Together, Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife elevated The Andy Griffith Show from a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. The program was fiction, but the friendship was powerful and real."--Jacket.