Starring Miss Barbara Stanwyck, 1st Edition

by Ella Smith

Since the Beginning of her Career more than forty years ago, Barbara Stanwyck has been one of the most revered of American actresses, praised and adored by her colleagues, and worshiped by legions of fans around the world. Now, in a new, enlarged edition of the first major book to deal with with Stanwyck, Ella Smith presents every side of the famous woman at work, revealing how she tackled each role; how she felt about her profession; how actors, directors, and technicians who have worked with her evaluate her outstanding ability; and why she has maintained her eminence in a profession best described as precarious.

Every stage pf the star's ascent to fame is fully chronicled. The entire panorama of her Hollywood career is brought vividly to life: the scores of films she made (including BALL OF FIRE; STELLA DALLAS; DOUBLE INDEMNITY; SORRY, WRONG NUMBER; and THE LADY EVE); the great directors who guided her superb performances (Frank Capra, John Ford, King Vidor, Howard Hawks, and Billy Wilder); and the producers who selected her to star in many of their most important pictures (Hal B. Wallis, Cecil B. Demille, Samuel Goldwyn, and Daryl F. Zanuck).

Ella Smith discusses, in chronological order, each one of the Stanwyck films and provides a wealth of photographs that will delight all Stanwyck admirers. The star's television work, including her Emmy-winning performance in THE THORN BIRDS, is also fully covered, and a complete filmographyis attached for easy reference. In addition, there are extensive critical reviews.

Starring Miss Barbara Stanwyck is a book that will prove fascinating to everyone who has been captivated by the actress's great beauty, her ability to move audiences, and her total freedom from artifice or pretense. It is a stunning tribute to a woman who is noted not only for her fairness and cooperativeness, her steady and straightforward personality, but for her with, warmth, energy, and charm as well.

important info about this edition:
Check out the follow up edition from 1985 which has additional pages of writing.

Genres: Biography, Film

340 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.

A Graduate of the Yale School of drama, Ella Smith has been associated with the New York and Los Angeles theatre and film at various universities, including Emerson and the University of Connecticut.
She is also an author, including, Starring Miss Barbara Stanwyck (1974, 1985 expanded edition).

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive book on the life of Barbara Stanwyck has yet to be written, but for anyone interested in her professional career this is the book to buy. Every film that she worked on is touched on in written word and with high quality pictures. From the dozens of glowing comments that Ella Smith collected it becomes crystal clear why Barbara was so well respected in the film community as a true professional.

[Madame Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive collection of Barbara Stanwyck's illustrious career. Sill amazed that she never won an Oscar! Her performances were always solid if not richly complex. Her body of work spanned for 50 years. A once in a lifetime classic actress.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE biography to end all others... at least when it comes to Barbara Stanwyck. Amazing book.

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A richly detailed look at the roles of an exceptional actress. Entertaining and well-illustrated.