Bøger udgivet af BearManor Media

As pointed out in Jeff Tonda's book Famous Little People, the size and importance of one's achievements is not necessarily relevant to the physical size of the individual. Famous Little People presents an informative, engaging and affectionate look at those who might be small in stature but large in talent. Tonda's book offers not just incisive entertainment biographies but references the accomplishments those of diminutive height have made throughout history, from Biblical times onward. While Little People were featured in roles during the silent era and into early Hollywood talkies, perhaps the first film to highlight and bring audience awareness to these unique individuals was the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, wherein dozens were cast as the citizens of Munchkinville. Tonda also examines how Little People were exploited in cinema, such as in the Jed Buell musical western The Terror of Tiny Town. Little People have been featured in hundreds of motion pictures and television programs throughout the decades, these roles providing welcome employment, but often frustration and disappointment because of restrictive typecasting. The stories presented in Tonda's book feature both triumph and tragedy, focusing on the personal and professional highs and lows experienced by Little People working in show business. From early screen performers like Billy Curtis, Jerry Maren and Billy Barty to Gary Coleman, Herve Villechaize and Warwick Davis, the book is an honest and sensitive account of how they navigated their lives and careers, sometimes to success, other times to a sad finale. Some of the stories are humorous, others poignant. Famous Little People recognizes and indeed celebrates the courage of those who did not surrender to their physical limitations and went on to form professional careers. Just as importantly, Tonda's book serves as an inspiration - to people of all sizes that even against difficult odds, the rainbow is not always beyond reach.

As pointed out in Jeff Tonda's book Famous Little People, the size and importance of one's achievements is not necessarily relevant to the physical size of the individual. Famous Little People presents an informative, engaging and affectionate look at those who might be small in stature but large in talent. Tonda's book offers not just incisive entertainment biographies but references the accomplishments those of diminutive height have made throughout history, from Biblical times onward. While Little People were featured in roles during the silent era and into early Hollywood talkies, perhaps the first film to highlight and bring audience awareness to these unique individuals was the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, wherein dozens were cast as the citizens of Munchkinville. Tonda also examines how Little People were exploited in cinema, such as in the Jed Buell musical western The Terror of Tiny Town. Little People have been featured in hundreds of motion pictures and television programs throughout the decades, these roles providing welcome employment, but often frustration and disappointment because of restrictive typecasting. The stories presented in Tonda's book feature both triumph and tragedy, focusing on the personal and professional highs and lows experienced by Little People working in show business. From early screen performers like Billy Curtis, Jerry Maren and Billy Barty to Gary Coleman, Herve Villechaize and Warwick Davis, the book is an honest and sensitive account of how they navigated their lives and careers, sometimes to success, other times to a sad finale. Some of the stories are humorous, others poignant. Famous Little People recognizes and indeed celebrates the courage of those who did not surrender to their physical limitations and went on to form professional careers. Just as importantly, Tonda's book serves as an inspiration - to people of all sizes that even against difficult odds, the rainbow is not always beyond reach.

What's a Guyver? What's a Zoanoid? And what is a crew of young, relatively new filmmakers to do with a niche licensed property from Japan? For the first time, author Dom O'Brien delves deep into the Guyver film archives to get detailed insights from the talented cast and crew and explore what it took to make The Guyver and Guyver: Dark Hero. It is a tale about a ragtag group of friends and filmmakers who, through creative experimentation, ingenuity, and persistence, would overcome low budgets and numerous challenges to make a duo of cult classics that continue to inspire a new generation of filmmakers and fans more than 30 years on. Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films includes: Over 200 photos ranging from never-before-seen images, rare production sketches, design concepts, and deleted scenes. Over 40 interviews from key members of the cast and crew, including Screaming Mad George, Brian Yuzna, Steve Wang, Ted Smith, and Wyatt Weed. Plus, a foreword by actor/screenwriter David Hayter and an afterword by the co-director of The Guyver and director of Guyver: Dark Hero, Steve Wang.

What's a Guyver? What's a Zoanoid? And what is a crew of young, relatively new filmmakers to do with a niche licensed property from Japan? For the first time, author Dom O'Brien delves deep into the Guyver film archives to get detailed insights from the talented cast and crew and explore what it took to make The Guyver and Guyver: Dark Hero. It is a tale about a ragtag group of friends and filmmakers who, through creative experimentation, ingenuity, and persistence, would overcome low budgets and numerous challenges to make a duo of cult classics that continue to inspire a new generation of filmmakers and fans more than 30 years on. Budget Biomorphs: The Making of The Guyver Films includes: Over 200 photos ranging from never-before-seen images, rare production sketches, design concepts, and deleted scenes. Over 40 interviews from key members of the cast and crew, including Screaming Mad George, Brian Yuzna, Steve Wang, Ted Smith, and Wyatt Weed. Plus, a foreword by actor/screenwriter David Hayter and an afterword by the co-director of The Guyver and director of Guyver: Dark Hero, Steve Wang.

"They said it"-Entertainment's Biggest Stars Speak by Kelley Simms is a fun collection of interviews conducted for various newspapers and online publications. Thoughtful and straightforward questions evoke delightful and humorous answers from 33-top-list actors, comedians and musicians, including Larry the Cable Guy, Paul Reiser, Leif Garrett, Steve Martin, Kristin Chenoweth and Ed Asner.

"They said it"-Entertainment's Biggest Stars Speak by Kelley Simms is a fun collection of interviews conducted for various newspapers and online publications. Thoughtful and straightforward questions evoke delightful and humorous answers from 33-top-list actors, comedians and musicians, including Larry the Cable Guy, Paul Reiser, Leif Garrett, Steve Martin, Kristin Chenoweth and Ed Asner.

At the height of World War II, Americans on the home front were making do with less in all corners of their lives, from food to cloths to cars. A recent arrival in our fair land, Kharis the Mummy of Mapleton, Massachusetts, née Prince Kharis of Egypt, also made a sacrifice: his royal lineage! During WWII, one of the responsibilities of the Office of War Information (OWI) was to ensure that nothing in Hollywood movies offended our allies or neutral countries. In 1943, when Universal proposed a third Kharis movie, The Mummy's Ghost, its pilot again had Kharis and a mad holy man committing murder in the service of Egypt's demon gods. Alarm bells sounded in Washington and the OWI's concerns were relayed to Universal. The script rewriting began, with government men and even a Washington expert on Middle Eastern affairs getting in on the act. The Mummy's Ghost tells us that the Kharis of ancient Egypt was a commoner rather than a prince, but this change did not affect the Mummy's homicidal streak, wider than ever as he seeks to bring the mummy of Princess Ananka home to Egypt. When Ananka's soul finds a new home in an Egyptian girl, Amina Mansouri, Kharis abducts the young beauty and carries her to a nearby swamp, where both have a date with destiny.

Scott Allen Nollen introduces you to: My Three Sons Lee - Jimmy - Tommy Otherwise known as THE SONS OF CHARLIE CHAN Charlie Chan has been recognized by fans and critics as one of the most famous of fictional screen detectives, achieving prominence both in the novels of creator Earl Derr Biggers and, of course, through a series of popular films made throughout the 30s and 40s: The Golden Age of Hollywood. Assisting the Chinese master detective in solving puzzling and intriguing cinematic mysteries are his Americanized Number One, Two and Three sons: each eager, well-meaning . . . and occasional bumbling. While much has been written about the movie history of Chan, Scott Allen Nollen's series is the first to focus on the actors who portrayed his key offspring: Keye Luke, (Victor) Sen Yung and Benson Fong. Through the pages of Volume 1, readers will learn about the backgrounds, early ambitions and the interesting circumstances that landed each their most famous role. In addition, Scott provides detailed information about other early screen appearances and offers a personal look into their lives away from the camera. Volume I of THE SONS OF CHARLIE CHAN is a fascinating read, an important Hollywood historical reference and an invaluable addition to any film fan's library.

Scott Allen Nollen introduces you to: My Three Sons Lee - Jimmy - Tommy Otherwise known as THE SONS OF CHARLIE CHAN Charlie Chan has been recognized by fans and critics as one of the most famous of fictional screen detectives, achieving prominence both in the novels of creator Earl Derr Biggers and, of course, through a series of popular films made throughout the 30s and 40s: The Golden Age of Hollywood. Assisting the Chinese master detective in solving puzzling and intriguing cinematic mysteries are his Americanized Number One, Two and Three sons: each eager, well-meaning . . . and occasional bumbling. While much has been written about the movie history of Chan, Scott Allen Nollen's series is the first to focus on the actors who portrayed his key offspring: Keye Luke, (Victor) Sen Yung and Benson Fong. Through the pages of Volume 1, readers will learn about the backgrounds, early ambitions and the interesting circumstances that landed each their most famous role. In addition, Scott provides detailed information about other early screen appearances and offers a personal look into their lives away from the camera. Volume I of THE SONS OF CHARLIE CHAN is a fascinating read, an important Hollywood historical reference and an invaluable addition to any film fan's library.

Straight from the drawing board of renowned artist and cartoonist, Mark O'Neill and the Mayberry mind of Gary Wedemeyer, comes a truly unique collectible! Grab your crayons, hold on to your business and help us celebrate the greatest television show of all time! Let's all take a trip back to a simpler time with THE MAYBERRY COLORING BOOK All of our friends and neighbors are here; Barney, Otis, Floyd, Gomer, Goober, The Darlings and the rest of the gang - including the Sheriff without a gun, Andy Taylor plus many, many more! It's better than a piece of Aunt Bee's fried chicken or one of Clara Edward's prize-winning pickles!

Shemp Howard was a gifted physical actor and ad-libber yet his career oddly seemed at times to fly-under-the-radar. A century ago, his onstage life began as the original Stooge for superstar Ted Healy, ultimately gracing Broadway. Alongside brother Moe Howard with Larry Fine - the nucleus of The Three Stooges - they appeared in the feature film Soup to Nuts. He went solo in 105 movies with stars like John Wayne, James Stewart, W.C. Fields and Abbott and Costello.Returning to The Three Stooges in place of ailing younger brother Jerome (Curly), Shemp saved the act from prematurely ending but sadly he died at the rather young age of 60 in 1955. A Shemp renaissance has attracted attention from gifted artists including Drew Friedman, Tristan Yonce and Darin McGowan, the latter responsible for transporting him to magical cinematic locales like Oz (see photo above). BearManor Media author and veteran Canadian journalist Geoff Dale probes his fascinating life in this first-ever Shemp Howard book. Foreword byGeri Howard Greenbaum, Jill Howard Marcus and Sandie Howard Isaac.

Shemp Howard was a gifted physical actor and ad-libber yet his career oddly seemed at times to fly-under-the-radar. A century ago, his onstage life began as the original Stooge for superstar Ted Healy, ultimately gracing Broadway. Alongside brother Moe Howard with Larry Fine - the nucleus of The Three Stooges - they appeared in the feature film Soup to Nuts. He went solo in 105 movies with stars like John Wayne, James Stewart, W.C. Fields and Abbott and Costello.Returning to The Three Stooges in place of ailing younger brother Jerome (Curly), Shemp saved the act from prematurely ending but sadly he died at the rather young age of 60 in 1955. A Shemp renaissance has attracted attention from gifted artists including Drew Friedman, Tristan Yonce and Darin McGowan, the latter responsible for transporting him to magical cinematic locales like Oz (see photo above). BearManor Media author and veteran Canadian journalist Geoff Dale probes his fascinating life in this first-ever Shemp Howard book. Foreword byGeri Howard Greenbaum, Jill Howard Marcus and Sandie Howard Isaac.

WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT "NOTHING" In the summer of 1989, aspiring 20 year old filmmaker, Rolfe Kanefsky began production on his first independent film, a horror/comedy entitled, "There's Nothing Out There". Despite the fact he was majoring in film at Hampshire College at the time, his college advisers did not want to give Rolfe any credit for making a "horror" movie because they had no respect for the genre and point-blank told him upon reading his original screenplay, "You're not going to learn anything from making this film." Rolfe was annoyed to say the least and after shooting, he wanted to prove to his college that he had learned quite a lot and thus began the writing of this book. Although it started as an assignment to get college credit, Rolfe decided to write his (mis)adventures aimed at other aspiring young filmmakers to show how he pulled it off at such a young age. Starting by giving a bit of perspective of what got him interested in making movies, Rolfe devoted much of the book to explaining the whole process of writing the script, find the money, pre-production, production stories, and all the post-production work it takes to completing a feature length film shot on Super 16mm in the late 1980s. The first pass at this book ended with the completion of the film and the hope to find a distribution deal. Rolfe did get some credit for all of his work from his college but never officially graduated. Anyway, ten years later, Rolfe and some of his friends decided to put the book on-line for a while so at the age of 30, Rolfe, now a working independent filmmaker in Hollywood, California, updated the book to continue the story of what happened to "There's Nothing Out There" from 1990-2000. Upon finally making a deal with Bear Manor Publishing in 2023, Rolfe once more updated the book to conclude (as of now) the last 23 years of "Nothing" from the perspective of a now "seasoned" filmmaker of 54 years of age with over 80 produced movies. Adding hundreds of photos, this tale now tells the story of a little film that became a "cult classic" and a footnote in the horror genre which may have inspired the Meta-universe six years before "Scream" and later "Cabin In The Woods". But that is something you can judge for yourself upon reading this book and hopefully watching the film as well. As a bonus, this book also includes Rolfe's unproduced sequel called, "There's STILL Nothing Out There". Since the passage of 35 years has made it impossible to produce this script in his opinion, Rolfe thought it might be fun for those interested to be able to see how the story might have continued. Now, this doesn't rule out that he may make another sequel one of these days and in fact, he does have a new script but that's another story for another time in another publication.

"Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives" - Daffy Duck From the 1930s-1950s, no movie show was complete without a cartoon, and no cartoon was complete without an established character like Bugs Bunny or a caricature of a celebrity, or preferably both. In the same period, Universal Studios dominated the horror genre with its Classic Monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It was inevitable that the monsters would make appearances in contemporaneous animation, and the tradition continues today in television shows like The Simpsons. Matthew Hahn, author of The Animated Marx Brothers and The Animated Peter Lorre, has found over a thousand cartoons featuring the monsters in movies, TV, commercials, music videos, computer games, and fan films, including abandoned projects, coincidences, connections, and apocrypha. The monsters' animated avatars play opposite Mickey Mouse, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Mr. Magoo, the Pink Panther, Kaibutsu-kun, Beany and Cecil, Inspector Gadget, Spider-Man, the Super Friends, Scooby-Doo, the Transformers, Ghostbusters, Muppet Babies, Garfield, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Rocko, the Fantastic Four, Freakazoid, Catdog, SpongeBob Squarepants, Patrick Star, Billy and Mandy, Squidbillies, Tom and Jerry, Doraemon, Phineas and Ferb, Cleveland Brown, Uncle Grandpa, the Venture Bros., the Incredible Hulk, Teen Titans, Mr. Bean, Rick and Morty, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Abbott and Costello. They have appeared in Mad Monster Party? (1967), the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Minions (2015), the Monster High franchise, the Groovie Goolies franchise, The Munsters franchise, the Castlevania franchise, Family Guy (1999), Futurama (1999), The Fairly OddParents (2001), Robot Chicken (2005), Mary Shelley's Frankenhole (2010). Creators include Walt Disney, Frank Tashlin, Paul Terry, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Dave Fleischer, Walter Lantz, Bob Clampett, Tom Ruegger, and Butch Hartman. Illustrated. Includes index, notes, and bibliography. This book should be on the shelf of all animation aficionados, classic movie fans, gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, history buffs, and lovers of fun facts.

"Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives" - Daffy Duck From the 1930s-1950s, no movie show was complete without a cartoon, and no cartoon was complete without an established character like Bugs Bunny or a caricature of a celebrity, or preferably both. In the same period, Universal Studios dominated the horror genre with its Classic Monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It was inevitable that the monsters would make appearances in contemporaneous animation, and the tradition continues today in television shows like The Simpsons. Matthew Hahn, author of The Animated Marx Brothers and The Animated Peter Lorre, has found over a thousand cartoons featuring the monsters in movies, TV, commercials, music videos, computer games, and fan films, including abandoned projects, coincidences, connections, and apocrypha. The monsters' animated avatars play opposite Mickey Mouse, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Mr. Magoo, the Pink Panther, Kaibutsu-kun, Beany and Cecil, Inspector Gadget, Spider-Man, the Super Friends, Scooby-Doo, the Transformers, Ghostbusters, Muppet Babies, Garfield, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Rocko, the Fantastic Four, Freakazoid, Catdog, SpongeBob Squarepants, Patrick Star, Billy and Mandy, Squidbillies, Tom and Jerry, Doraemon, Phineas and Ferb, Cleveland Brown, Uncle Grandpa, the Venture Bros., the Incredible Hulk, Teen Titans, Mr. Bean, Rick and Morty, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Abbott and Costello. They have appeared in Mad Monster Party? (1967), the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Minions (2015), the Monster High franchise, the Groovie Goolies franchise, The Munsters franchise, the Castlevania franchise, Family Guy (1999), Futurama (1999), The Fairly OddParents (2001), Robot Chicken (2005), Mary Shelley's Frankenhole (2010). Creators include Walt Disney, Frank Tashlin, Paul Terry, Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Dave Fleischer, Walter Lantz, Bob Clampett, Tom Ruegger, and Butch Hartman. Illustrated. Includes index, notes, and bibliography. This book should be on the shelf of all animation aficionados, classic movie fans, gamers, pop culture enthusiasts, history buffs, and lovers of fun facts.

John Ford (1894-1973) directed scores of memorable movies that feature countless scenes that linger in one's memory. He is the only director to have won four Best Director Academy Awards, for The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Quiet Man (1952).There have been many biographies and film studies of John Ford and his motion pictures. There has never been a single volume devoted to the stock company of actors and actresses who worked for him, some continually, many intermittently, from his silent westerns of the 'teens to his final films of the 1960s. This book spotlights 112 members of Ford's fluid repertory company and includes a mini-chapter on each member of the troupe.And it was a diverse group. One wrote three books on the Baha'i Faith religion; another boxed the heavyweight champion of the world to a draw; one eloped with Loretta Young when she was seventeen; one participated in the Yukon gold rush; a photograph of one player's ear is the club logo for a professional wrestling association; another taught Lucy how to jitterbug; one was a legendary undercover agent for the OSS in France during World War II; another was a member of the advisory board to the Bank of America concerning loans to the studios; two were rodeo world champions.All of them, from obscure bit players to barely-remembered character actors to legendary film stars, made substantial contributions to Ford's movie legacy.About the AuthorBill Levy is the author of John Ford: A Bio-Bibliography and Beyond the Beach: The Wit and Wisdom of Nevil Shute. He has been writing his "Forgotten Gems" column on films of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s for New Jersey's monthly senior publication, Fifty Plus, since 2001. He lives in Mendham, New Jersey.

Before The Twilight Zone and before The Outer Limits, there was Tales of Tomorrow, the first science fiction series on television aimed at adult viewers. Premiering on ABC on August 3, 1951, the live drama featured several actors just beginning their careers. Lee Grant, Leslie Nielsen, Cloris Leachman, Paul Newman and his future wife, Joanne Woodward, and James Dean were just some of the players starring on episodes of the series. Many of the presentations were based on short stories authored by famous science fiction writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, and Nelson Bond. Stories dealt with themes such as human mutations, nuclear apocalypse, time travel, space exploration, extraterrestrials, and alternate worlds. This book summarizes the story lines of each installment of Tales of Tomorrow and, where applicable, describes the short stories on which an episode is based. In addition, the book recounts the stories for the radio version of Tales of Tomorrow as well as some unproduced television episodes. Richard Irvin is the author of several books about television published by Bear Manor Media.

Before The Twilight Zone and before The Outer Limits, there was Tales of Tomorrow, the first science fiction series on television aimed at adult viewers. Premiering on ABC on August 3, 1951, the live drama featured several actors just beginning their careers. Lee Grant, Leslie Nielsen, Cloris Leachman, Paul Newman and his future wife, Joanne Woodward, and James Dean were just some of the players starring on episodes of the series. Many of the presentations were based on short stories authored by famous science fiction writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, and Nelson Bond. Stories dealt with themes such as human mutations, nuclear apocalypse, time travel, space exploration, extraterrestrials, and alternate worlds. This book summarizes the story lines of each installment of Tales of Tomorrow and, where applicable, describes the short stories on which an episode is based. In addition, the book recounts the stories for the radio version of Tales of Tomorrow as well as some unproduced television episodes. Richard Irvin is the author of several books about television published by Bear Manor Media.

JULE VERNE (1828-1905) started out as a lawyer and playwright, but quickly discovered his special gift for "geographical adventures" with a strong dose of science. Journey to the Center of the Earth was his third published novel. In it, he sent three men on a bold quest hundreds of miles into the depths of the earth. As always, he stayed as close as possible to the scientific knowledge of his time. The novel is firmly anchored in 19th-century geology, palaeontology, and biology, sketched out against the background of some of the most dramatic scenes he ever wrote. The translation that forms the basis for this volume was published anonymously by George Routledge in 1876. Recently, a Verne researcher discovered the name of the translator in the Routledge archives: a woman named Jessie Campbell, who died in 1907. This text began life as the basis for an audiobook. The translation was extensively revised. There have been many corrections and changes, but it remains substantially Campbell's work, and this is the first edition of the novel that bears her name on the title page. The audio version of the text is also available. TAD DAVIS, a long-time member of the North American Jules Verne Society, is a writer and audiobook narrator. He lives in Philadelphia.

JULE VERNE (1828-1905) started out as a lawyer and playwright, but quickly discovered his special gift for "geographical adventures" with a strong dose of science. Journey to the Center of the Earth was his third published novel. In it, he sent three men on a bold quest hundreds of miles into the depths of the earth. As always, he stayed as close as possible to the scientific knowledge of his time. The novel is firmly anchored in 19th-century geology, palaeontology, and biology, sketched out against the background of some of the most dramatic scenes he ever wrote. The translation that forms the basis for this volume was published anonymously by George Routledge in 1876. Recently, a Verne researcher discovered the name of the translator in the Routledge archives: a woman named Jessie Campbell, who died in 1907. This text began life as the basis for an audiobook. The translation was extensively revised. There have been many corrections and changes, but it remains substantially Campbell's work, and this is the first edition of the novel that bears her name on the title page. The audio version of the text is also available. TAD DAVIS, a long-time member of the North American Jules Verne Society, is a writer and audiobook narrator. He lives in Philadelphia.

From the author of Marlon & Greg American Cable How Basic Cable Changed America Beyond Fake News and Unreal Reality In that media-changing era between a three TV network world and today's digital streaming, cable television came along and revolutionized our entertainment, our politics and essentially every aspect of our lives. AMERICAN CABLE tells this story. Author Joseph Brutsman ("Marlon & Greg - The Final Years of Brando & Peck") produced, wrote, directed and created cable shows from the start of the medium, from that time when it seemed that 100 new "networks" popped up overnight, nothing was on them, and creatives had to quickly figure it all out. That is just one of the many explored regions in AMERICAN CABLE.The book is as vast as its subject, and personal as well. From "The Sopranos" to "The Kardashians", the shows are explored, in both pay and basic cable. And all along the way, Brutsman takes us behind the scenes, telling us how the productions get made, how cable arrived in the first place, and how the impact of it all has changed a nation. It's television that rocked and shaped our world, all here in AMERICAN CABLE.

From the author of Marlon & Greg American Cable How Basic Cable Changed America Beyond Fake News and Unreal Reality In that media-changing era between a three TV network world and today's digital streaming, cable television came along and revolutionized our entertainment, our politics and essentially every aspect of our lives. AMERICAN CABLE tells this story. Author Joseph Brutsman ("Marlon & Greg - The Final Years of Brando & Peck") produced, wrote, directed and created cable shows from the start of the medium, from that time when it seemed that 100 new "networks" popped up overnight, nothing was on them, and creatives had to quickly figure it all out. That is just one of the many explored regions in AMERICAN CABLE.The book is as vast as its subject, and personal as well. From "The Sopranos" to "The Kardashians", the shows are explored, in both pay and basic cable. And all along the way, Brutsman takes us behind the scenes, telling us how the productions get made, how cable arrived in the first place, and how the impact of it all has changed a nation. It's television that rocked and shaped our world, all here in AMERICAN CABLE.

WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT "NOTHING" In the summer of 1989, aspiring 20 year old filmmaker, Rolfe Kanefsky began production on his first independent film, a horror/comedy entitled, "There's Nothing Out There". Despite the fact he was majoring in film at Hampshire College at the time, his college advisers did not want to give Rolfe any credit for making a "horror" movie because they had no respect for the genre and point-blank told him upon reading his original screenplay, "You're not going to learn anything from making this film." Rolfe was annoyed to say the least and after shooting, he wanted to prove to his college that he had learned quite a lot and thus began the writing of this book. Although it started as an assignment to get college credit, Rolfe decided to write his (mis)adventures aimed at other aspiring young filmmakers to show how he pulled it off at such a young age. Starting by giving a bit of perspective of what got him interested in making movies, Rolfe devoted much of the book to explaining the whole process of writing the script, find the money, pre-production, production stories, and all the post-production work it takes to completing a feature length film shot on Super 16mm in the late 1980s. The first pass at this book ended with the completion of the film and the hope to find a distribution deal. Rolfe did get some credit for all of his work from his college but never officially graduated. Anyway, ten years later, Rolfe and some of his friends decided to put the book on-line for a while so at the age of 30, Rolfe, now a working independent filmmaker in Hollywood, California, updated the book to continue the story of what happened to "There's Nothing Out There" from 1990-2000. Upon finally making a deal with Bear Manor Publishing in 2023, Rolfe once more updated the book to conclude (as of now) the last 23 years of "Nothing" from the perspective of a now "seasoned" filmmaker of 54 years of age with over 80 produced movies. Adding hundreds of photos, this tale now tells the story of a little film that became a "cult classic" and a footnote in the horror genre which may have inspired the Meta-universe six years before "Scream" and later "Cabin In The Woods". But that is something you can judge for yourself upon reading this book and hopefully watching the film as well. As a bonus, this book also includes Rolfe's unproduced sequel called, "There's STILL Nothing Out There". Since the passage of 35 years has made it impossible to produce this script in his opinion, Rolfe thought it might be fun for those interested to be able to see how the story might have continued. Now, this doesn't rule out that he may make another sequel one of these days and in fact, he does have a new script but that's another story for another time in another publication.

In today's world of instant messaging, it is rare to find a large cache of letters, and those published here span more than a dozen years, from 1982 to 1995. They were sent back and forth between Jeffrey L. Carrier, beginning when he was a 19-year-old college student, and a long-retired star of silent movies named Patsy Ruth Miller. Nearly forgotten today, Miller was very popular a century ago, receiving great acclaim for her performance as Esmeralda opposite Lon Chaney's Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). It is fascinating to read their correspondence and trace a friendship that rises and falls and rises again against the backdrop of movie star anecdotes and the challenge of working together on Miller's autobiography. Miller could be unforgiving, but she could also be nurturing and Carrier, always respectful in his letters, takes it all in his stride. Through these letters, we get to know a naïve young man who grows in wisdom and experience and a once-famous movie star at the end of her life, still trying to cling to the glory of Hollywood fame. This book is a worthwhile companion to Miller's 1988 memoir, My Hollywood - When Both of Us Were Young, available from Bear Manor Media. "I've a hunch that this book will win hearts, a testament to the power of an extraordinary cross-generational friendship, as told through the fading art of the written word." - Austin Mutti-Mewse "How fortunate we are that Jeffrey L. Carrier decided to share his correspondence with silent film star Patsy Ruth Miller. Through these letters, we get a glimpse inside their complicated, but ultimately fulfilling friendship. We are also treated to Miller's personal recollections of Rudolph Valentino, Alla Nazimova, Joan Crawford, Lon Chaney, Mae Murray and scores of other silent film luminaries. This book is a must for any fan of old Hollywood." - Michael G. Ankerich

In today's world of instant messaging, it is rare to find a large cache of letters, and those published here span more than a dozen years, from 1982 to 1995. They were sent back and forth between Jeffrey L. Carrier, beginning when he was a 19-year-old college student, and a long-retired star of silent movies named Patsy Ruth Miller. Nearly forgotten today, Miller was very popular a century ago, receiving great acclaim for her performance as Esmeralda opposite Lon Chaney's Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). It is fascinating to read their correspondence and trace a friendship that rises and falls and rises again against the backdrop of movie star anecdotes and the challenge of working together on Miller's autobiography. Miller could be unforgiving, but she could also be nurturing and Carrier, always respectful in his letters, takes it all in his stride. Through these letters, we get to know a naïve young man who grows in wisdom and experience and a once-famous movie star at the end of her life, still trying to cling to the glory of Hollywood fame. This book is a worthwhile companion to Miller's 1988 memoir, My Hollywood - When Both of Us Were Young, available from Bear Manor Media. "I've a hunch that this book will win hearts, a testament to the power of an extraordinary cross-generational friendship, as told through the fading art of the written word." - Austin Mutti-Mewse "How fortunate we are that Jeffrey L. Carrier decided to share his correspondence with silent film star Patsy Ruth Miller. Through these letters, we get a glimpse inside their complicated, but ultimately fulfilling friendship. We are also treated to Miller's personal recollections of Rudolph Valentino, Alla Nazimova, Joan Crawford, Lon Chaney, Mae Murray and scores of other silent film luminaries. This book is a must for any fan of old Hollywood." - Michael G. Ankerich

Bruce Willis first came to America's notice as a TV star on ABC's Moonlighting, playing a cocksure private eye known for his ever-present smirk, then became an international superstar as an unlikely action hero in Die Hard, a megawatt critical and box office success that redefined the action genre in the '80s and beyond. But to pigeonhole him for either breakout role overlooks the actor for the artist he was. He consistently delivered in his 30-plus year career winning, nuanced performances in starring and supporting roles across cinematic genres as diverse as comedy, drama, romance, comic-book adaptations, neo-noir thrillers and science fiction. The Films of Bruce Willis offers a definitive critical assessment of his work, taking a deep-dive look at his commitment to stretching himself creatively and thematically in some of the most celebrated films of his generation. Unafraid to take risks with his image or the size of his roles, often choosing projects without billing and at a fraction of the salary he came to command, he crafted a fascinating big-screen legacy encompassing several personas that will live on in the wake of his abrupt retirement from acting in 2022 after being tragically diagnosed with a degenerative cognitive disorder. James L. Neibaur is a film historian and scholar with more than 35 books and hundreds of articles appearing in Cineaste, Classic Images, Film Quarterly, Films in Review, Filmfax and Encyclopedia Brittanica. GARY SCHNEEBERGER is a former journalist and entertainment critic who is president of the public-relations firm ROAR, where he has advised Hollywood studios, U.S. television networks major publishing houses and international nonprofits.