Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.14 (709 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0670871559 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 480 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2013-01-12 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
A wonderful read. I couldn't put it down A wonderful read. I couldn't put it down.. Details Beyond the Usual Lore Edward M. Reilly Billy Haines stories crop up occasionally in the legends of Hollywood, but just as tales of his quips or conquests. "Wisecracker" filled in the details of an extremely interesting and ultimately inspiring life. I agree with other reviewers who were put off by the author's conjecture, but the later chapters of the book rely more on interviews from surviving friends and acquaintances - some quite well-known. Haines' ultimate creative achievements and his enduring relationship with Jimmie Shields are impressive. I would recommend this book to anyone with interest in the early year. "Things you can tell just by skimming through it" according to J. Rose. This book is very informative and full of eye-opening photographs. It reflects an issue that needs to be addressed much, much more. I already knew much about this silent star, and have learned more just by simply skimming through Mr. Mann's excellent survey. I definitely recommend it as I also recommend another of the author's books, which I am currently reading as well, "Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1910-1969."
Offscreen, protected by a careful collaboration between studio and press, he was openly gay with reporters and studio chiefs alike. In 1930 William Haines was Hollywoods #1 box-office draw - a talented, handsome, wisecracking romantic lead. With a cast of characters running from Tallulah Bankhead to Betsy Bloomingdale, from Clark Gable to William Randolph Hearst, Wisecracker is an astounding peice of newly discovered gay history, a chronicle of high Hollywood, and - at it's heart - a great and enduring love story.. Wisecracker sweeps from gay pool parties to the excitement of early talkies to Haines's infamous encounter with gay-bashing white supremicists in 1936. He survived the scandal to emerge as a top interior decorator to the stars and to such clients as Nancy Reagan and Walter Annenberg, who employed him for t
Mann perceptively links Haines's story to shifting attitudes in the movie industry, the gay community, and America as a whole. . Journalist William J. William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, playing cocky but sympathetic wise guys in movies such as Brown of Harvard. He also paints a tender portrait of the actor's love for Jimmie Shields, his companion from 1926 until Haines's death in 1973. He was as self-assured in real life: dropped by the studio in 1933 because he refused to hide his homosexuality, Haines became a successful interior decorator