Twentieth Century Fox: A Century of Entertainment

by Michael Troyan, Stephen X. Sylvester, Jeffrey Thompson

Here it is: the first-time look at the remarkable American multinational mass media empire and its century of entertainment the story of Twentieth Century Fox (1915 2015). Or, to borrow the title of a classic 1959 Fox film, The Best of Everything. This is the complete revelatory story bookended by empire builders William Fox and Rupert Murdoch aimed as both a grand, entertaining, nostalgic and picture-filled interactive read and the ultimate guide to all things Twentieth Century Fox. The controversies and scandals are here, as are the extraordinary achievements. Among other firsts, the book offers fun tours of its historic production and ranch facilities including never-before-told stories about its stars and creative personalities (Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, James Dean, and Shirley Temple got started there), as well as a complete company timeline stuffed with fascinating trivia. Finally, it is the first such work approved by the company and utilizing its own unique resources. The authors primarily tell a celebratory tale, but most importantly, an accurate one."

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Film

736 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2016

Reviews

[Suzi]

This gorgeous volume is decadent and dangerous. [Dangerous if you have something else on your agenda for the next few hours.]Although I would like to read through it and probably will, I keep going down rabbit holes. I started with an obscure reference in the index and spent 30 minutes flipping through, looking at photos and reading snippets. The photos are absolutely treasures, and the story is as sweeping as it ought to be. My requirements for non-fiction: well indexed; well documented; well illustrated; readable text. This fulfills those requirements in spades. Thank you Michael Troyan, Stephen Sylvester, and Jeffrey Thompson.

[Jennifer Y.]

Perfect for any movie buff, this book provides a fascinating look at one of Hollywood's most famous studios, Twentieth Century Fox. It's filled with photographs and stories that are sometimes as entertaining as some of the movies this studio has produced. There is a lot of studio history packed into this book and I learned quite a bit flipping through the pages. Fans of films will truly enjoy it.

*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Jim and Pollee Gough]

Excellent studio history...

I visited Fox many times during the 1950s. I had a close relative who worked there during this period. The book and maps brought back many memories...especially the back lot. It was Disneyland to me...a thirteen year old boy. Marilyn Monroe was the favorite at the time and very nice to me and our family. Betty Grable also ! The books maps are wonderful and important history of the area. Beautifully written details of Hollywood and the era. My wife , Pollee, purchased this book for me....I intend to read it again. James Gough

[Jessica]

An excellent look at the famous Twentieth Century Fox studios from its high-flying beginnings to current incarnation.

[Denise Morse]

This would make a great coffee table book for anyone interested in the history of the entertainment industry and especially the early days of Fox. The book features a lot of never before seen pictures of the studio and behind the scenes, plus great information about the start of the studio, the atmosphere and the celebrities. I do not recommend it in ebook format, definitely splurge on the hardcover.

[Angel Hatfield]

This was a book about the beginnings of Twentieth Century Fox movie studio. It starts from it’s beginnings up through its current success. It talks about some of the greatest actors to work there and includes great pictures. I highly recommend for any true movie buff. On one note, I would recommend and actual hard copy and not a digital copy.

[Eric Lawless]

Lots of great old photos, many never seen before, of the studio's lots and productions from the Golden Age but it just went on and on a bit too much for me.