For decades, the Gabor dynasty was the epitome of glamour and fairy tale success. But as biographer, film historian, and Gabor family friend Sam Staggs reveals, behind the headlines is a true story more dramatic, fabulous, and surprising than their self-styled legend would have you believe . . .In 1945, after barely escaping Hitler’s invasion of Hungary followed by “liberation” of the country by the Red Army, three members of the Gabor family—Jolie, her ex-husband ...

A "highly enjoyable" behind-the-scenes history of the film noir classic about the dark side of Hollywood ( Publishers Weekly).Sunset Boulevard, a damning dissection of the Hollywood dream factory, evokes the glamour and ruin of the stars who subsist on that dream. It's also one long in-joke about the movie industry and those who made it great—and who were, in turn, destroyed by it. One of the most critically admired films of the twentieth century, ...

In "a passionate and witty behind-the-scenes exposé," the author of All About "All About Eve" takes on the 1959 Douglas Sirk film starring Lana Turner (Turner Classic Movies).Few films inspire the devotion of Imitation of Life, one of the most popular films of the '50s—a split personality drama that's both an irresistible women's picture and a dark commentary on ambition, motherhood, racial identity, and hope lo...

"From the original tale . . . to the Broadway musical . . . thoughtful film analysis and a thrilling final coup: an interview with the real Eve." — PeopleTo millions of fans, All About Eve represents all that's witty and wonderful in classic Hollywood movies. Its old-fashioned, larger-than-life stars—including Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, and Celeste Holm—found their best roles in Eve and its sophisti...

Inventing Elsa Maxwell, the first biography of this extraordinary woman, tells the witty story of a life lived out loud.With Inventing Elsa Maxwell, Sam Staggs has crafted a landmark biography. Elsa Maxwell (1881-1963) invented herself–not once, but repeatedly. Built like a bulldog, she ascended from the San Francisco middle class to the heights of society in New York, London, Paris, Venice, and Monte Carlo. Shunning boredom and predictability, El...

"A witty, insightful probe of Tennessee Williams' most famous play in all its variations" from the author of All About 'All About Eve' ( The Dallas Morning News ).Exhaustively researched and almost flirtatiously opinionated, When Blanche Met Brando is everything a fan needs to know about the groundbreaking New York and London stage productions of Williams' Streetcar...

Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard, a classic film noir and also a damning dissection of the Hollywood dream factory, evokes the glamour and ruin of the stars who subsist on that dream. It’s also one long in-joke about the movie industry and those who made it great—and who were, in turn, destroyed by it. One of the most critically admired films of the twentieth century, Sunset Boulevard is also famous as silent-star Gloria Swanson’s comeback picture.Sam Staggs’s ...

To millions of fans, All About Eve represents all that’s witty and wonderful in classic Hollywood movies. Its old-fashioned, larger-than-life stars—including Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, and Celeste Holm—found their best roles in this movie, and its sophisticated dialogue has entered the lexicon.But there’s much more to know about All About Eve. Sam Staggs has written the definitive account of the making of this fascinating movie and i...