Poisonous Biographies

[Hal Erickson]

I have been unfair to Scott Eyman and I apologize.

I maintain that everyone is a bastard to someone. And one man's bastard is another man's scamp.

It likewise bothers me when writers bring in the "everybody is gay" agenda, usually based on heresay and fourth-hand evidence, or just wishful thinking.

[Richard M Roberts]

I have been unfair to Scott Eyman and I apologize.

I maintain that everyone is a bastard to someone. And one man's bastard is another man's scamp.

It likewise bothers me when writers bring in the "everybody is gay" agenda, usually based on heresay and fourth-hand evidence, or just wishful thinking.

Spoke like a Gentleman Sir! And I hope Scott doesn't see me saying he's the best we've got around. Must keep the Boy humble, for his own good you know.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Brooksie]

I just came across an interesting anecdote about the book that started this thread (Irving Shulman's execrable Jean Harlow biography) from Anita Loos. It's quoted in John Kobal's interview book, 'People Will Talk'.

According to Loos, USC asked her to donate her correspondence with Aldous Huxley to their collection, and having been appalled by his Harlow book, she asked whether Schulman was still on their staff (he had been, but had since left). Schulman then tried to sue her, alleging that she had attempted to 'extort' USC by threatening to withhold the Huxley papers over his employment there. How bizarre.

Ironically, USC now has Shulman's own papers. Whatever 'research' he did on the Harlow book certainly could be interesting, particularly any correspondence with Jean's former agent, Arthur Landauer, whose participation Shulman used as proof of the veracity of his book (Loos claimed that Landauer had fallen on hard times by the time Shulman got to him, and was willing to say anything if there was a cheque involved).

[sepiatone]

Anything by David Bret- don't even TOUCH his books or the stink will cling to your fingers

David Bret is the man!, in a fun twisting of facts kind of way. Truth, I don't know what to believe when I pick his material up. He is supposed to have entered into a covenant with Elizabeth Taylor to write the say-all of say alls on the actress only after her death. So I guess Brets take on the actresses life is coming down the pipes in the future.

[sepiatone]

Graham and Gao Hodges biography of Anna May Wong is informative but is the trashing of Tod Browning and Marshall Neilan necessary or accurate. The general insinuation was that Browning was this evil guy but he wouldn't have been Tod Browning if it wasn't for his quirks, background or personality. Neilan was a known alcoholic but a brilliant director. Browning's alledged affair with Wong, if it was sexual was wrong on his part as she was underage at the time and it could've netted him some jail time. But it takes two to tango as it were. The authors nearly end the book by saying "Tod Browning and Marshall Neilan the two men who caused her the most grief in her life". Please!, Anna was making a good deal of money at a time when there were almost no existing female stars in Hollywood silents.

[missdupont]

It does not always take two to tango, especially when someone is underage. The older person can bully, threaten, or force them into it, as a person of power, Which it many ways is rape. The sex scandals in the Catholic Church, with Jerry Sandusky, etc., did NOT take two to tango.

[FrankFay]

Anything by David Bret- don't even TOUCH his books or the stink will cling to your fingers

David Bret is the man!, in a fun twisting of facts kind of way. Truth, I don't know what to believe when I pick his material up. He is supposed to have entered into a covenant with Elizabeth Taylor to write the say-all of say alls on the actress only after her death. So I guess Brets take on the actresses life is coming down the pipes in the future.

His works should depart down the pipes as well- if they were composted they'd probably kill plants. I wouldn't eat food that his shadow passed over.

[JFK]

REMOVED FOR COPYRIGHT VIOLATION

[mndean]

David Bret is the man!, in a fun twisting of facts kind of way. Truth, I don't know what to believe when I pick his material up. He is supposed to have entered into a covenant with Elizabeth Taylor to write the say-all of say alls on the actress only after her death. So I guess Brets take on the actresses life is coming down the pipes in the future.

His works should depart down the pipes as well- if they were composted they'd probably kill plants. I wouldn't eat food that his shadow passed over.

You two are making me want to read one of his books to see what all the fuss is!

[entredeuxguerres]

It does not always take two to tango, especially when someone is underage. The older person can bully, threaten, or force them into it, as a person of power, Which it many ways is rape. The sex scandals in the Catholic Church, with Jerry Sandusky, etc., did NOT take two to tango.

No, of course not always, & coercion--which no one has defended--is possible in ANY relationship. But what is "underage"? The legal abstraction that blatantly ignores the plain biological fact of puberty? Was just reading that Eleanor Powell was born to a 16-yr old mother, & to her name could be added dozens of other celebrities born to "underage" mothers. Belle Bennett gave birth to her "brother" at the age of 12 or 13. Speaking of 13, who around in the '50s can forget the celebrated marriage of rockin' Jerry Lee Lewis to his cousin at that same age?

[FrankFay]

My Great Grandmother was married at 15- husband only slightly older. By my father's account both of them were no-nonsense Germans & there is no way she was Coerced. Of course, it was back in 1900. He'd moved to the US to avoid mandatory army service, and she came over to marry him. The two of them had seven children survive to adulthood.

[entredeuxguerres]

My maternal grandmother was wont to boast that she & my mother were sometimes mistaken for sisters--I'm rather dubious, but it's not impossible, either, as there was only a 14 year, & some months, age difference; but they were dumb Oakies to whom "underage" probably only implied "still playing with dolls."