Still a highly visible figure, Joan Baez has long been known for social activism and her support of people victimized by poverty and political misfortune. To trace her career is comparable to tracing the social history of her time, and it is often difficult to separate the political activist from the musician. This volume is a comprehensive reference guide to her life and career. A biography concisely summarizes her achievements, while annotated entries detail her work in music and film. Entries provide critical commentary, and a bibliography cites and annotates additional...

Ann Sheridan came to Hollywood in 1933 as a finalist in a beauty contest, a publicity stunt for Paramount's Search for Beauty. Of the 30 contestants who appeared in the picture and the 6 finalists whom Paramount put under contract, she was the only one to achieve stardom. Her films included Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), They Drive by Night (1940), Kings Row (1942), and Come Next Spring (1956). Through the years, she appeared on stage and on many radio and television programs. As with her film career, her broadcasting work was diverse, including...

People today remember Jayne Mansfield as a famous Hollywood movie star. However, she starred in only three American movies before moving to low-budget European films. She was a master of publicity who appeared in newspapers across the nation almost daily. The media focused on her figure and her stormy love life. Through her constant exposure in the press, she gave the public the false impression that she was a major movie star.

This book charts the captivating life and career of Jayne Mansfield. A biography overviews her rise to fame, her three marriages and five children, and her death...

William Shatner is one of the most readily-recognized people in the world. While most people immediately think of him as Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek, few realize that he began his professional acting career at the age of eight and has appeared in Shakespearean festivals, regularly-scheduled radio roles, university and regional playhouses, live television drama, and more than 50 motion pictures. This book provides a short biography and a detailed record of all his performances.

Shatner's acting credits range from intense drama to lighthearted comedy, and from biting social...

From the early days of his stage career in the decades before World War I through his unparalleled comeback after World War II, Al Jolson was billed as The World's Greatest Entertainer. This book provides an insightful sketch of Jolson's life and a comprehensive record of his extensive career. The volume begins with a biography which discusses the factors that shaped Jolson's development as a performer. A chronology of the chief events in his life follows. Chapters are then devoted to his stage, film, recording, and broadcast career. Each of these chapters contains annotated entries for...

Born in 1916 in La Jolla, California, Gregory Peck took up acting in college on a lark that would lead to a career. In his early years, he appeared in a series of summer stock engagements and Broadway shows. He became a star within a year after arriving in Hollywood during World War II, and he won an Academy Award nomination for his second film. From the 1940s to the present, he has played some of film's most memorable and admired characters.

This volume provides complete information about Gregory Peck's work in film, television, radio, and the stage. Entries are included for all of his...

Though starring in only some twenty films and two engagements on Broadway, Audrey Hepburn earned her reputation through the quality of her work rather than the quantity of her performances. She was never driven by her career, and took years off between movies to spend with her family. As a child growing up in Arnhem when the Nazis invaded Holland, Hepburn witnessed the tragedy of war first-hand, and the impact of her experiences led her to a strong devotion to humanitarian causes.

This book chronicles the career of Audrey Hepburn and sheds light on her private and enigmatic...

One of the most dynamic figures of the entertainment industry, Fred Astaire's career spanned most of the twentieth century. For some, he brings to mind the world of Broadway. For others, he represents the golden age of the movie musical, particularly because of his eleven-film collaboration with Ginger Rogers. Virtually all of his fans will long remember his effortlessly graceful dance routines. International dance giants have credited his work with inspiring their careers and giving them a model of excellence. His innovations as a choreographer, dance director, and creator of musical...

Though chiefly remembered as the dance partner of Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers had many other significant achievements in the entertainment world. She was a dancer, singer, comedienne, and Academy Award winning dramatic actress, as well as the highest paid Hollywood star in 1942. Miss Faris provides a detailed record of Ginger Roger's life and career, painting a picture of her as one of the most versatile performers in the United States.

The volume begins with a short biography of Ginger Rogers, along with a succinct chronology of the major events in her life and career. These portions...

Just to say the name Vivien Leigh invokes two quick images to anyone familiar with motion pictures--Scarlett O'Hara and Blanche DuBois. Yet, Vivien Leigh did not want to be remembered wholly for her screen performances in "Gone with the Wind" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."

This book is comprised of a biography describing Leigh's life, work, and travels. A chronology contains the important events and dates in her life and the people who were part of it. The stage appearances list cast and crew credits as well as the theater's in which a play was presented and the dates. The filmography,...