Simon Louvish has written eleven works of fiction and four previous movie biographies of Hollywood's star comedians: W. C. Fields, the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, and Mack Sennett. He lives in London, is married, and holds forth occasionally at the London Film School.
"Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background." --The Independent (UK)"This is the fifth of
Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of celebrated comic
figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style is jaunty, and
as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often of their own
creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and sifting the
conflicting evidence on the page." --Observer (UK)"If you
appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a straightforward,
readable style . . . then Louvish's book will delight you."
--Scotland on Sunday"Lovingly researched." --Daily News on Stan and
Ollie"Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy,
unlike most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble
making the transition to sound." --The New York Times on Stan and
Ollie"Louvish's wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple,
forthright, and hardworking desire to please will bring down the
house." --Kirkus Reviews (starred) on Stan and Ollie"Thanks to a
lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great clowns at
work." --Dallas Morning News on Stan and Ollie"Brims with affection
and still preserves an honest, unbiased view of their creativity
and personal traumas." --Publishers Weekly on Stan and Ollie"This
definitive treatment is recommended." --Library Journal (starred)
on Stan and Ollie
Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background. "The Independent (UK)" This is the fifth of
Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of celebrated comic
figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style is jaunty, and
as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often of their own
creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and sifting the
conflicting evidence on the page. "Observer (UK)" If you appreciate
a wealth of facts delivered in a straightforward, readable style .
. . then Louvish's book will delight you. "Scotland on Sunday"
Lovingly researched. "Daily News on Stan and Ollie" Louvish is at
his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike most of the
great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the transition
to sound. "The New York Times on Stan and Ollie" Louvish's
wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple, forthright, and
hardworking desire to please will bring down the house. "Kirkus
Reviews (starred) on Stan and Ollie" Thanks to a lively,
affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great clowns at work.
"Dallas Morning News on Stan and Ollie" Brims with affection and
still preserves an honest, unbiased view of their creativity and
personal traumas. "Publishers Weekly on Stan and Ollie" This
definitive treatment is recommended. "Library Journal (starred) on
Stan and Ollie""
Praise for "Mae West"
"Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background."
---"The Independent "(UK)
"This is the fifth of Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of
celebrated comic figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style
is jaunty, and as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often
of their own creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and
sifting the conflicting evidence on the page."
---"Observer "(UK)
" "
"If you appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a
straightforward, readable style . . . then Louvish's book will
delight you."
---"Scotland"" on Sunday"
Praise for "Stan and Ollie"
"Lovingly researched."
---"Daily News"
"Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike
most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the
transition to sound."
---"The New York Times "
"Louvish's wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple, forthright, and
hardworking desire to please will bring down the house."
---"Kirkus Reviews "(starred)
"Thanks to a lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great
clowns at work."
---"Dallas"" Morning News "
"Brims with affection and still preserves an honest, unbiased view
of their creativity and personal traumas."
---"Publishers Weekly"
" "
"This definitive treatment is recommended."
---"Library Journal" (starred)""
Praise for "Mae West"
"Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background."
---"The Independent "(UK)
"This is the fifth of Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of
celebrated comic figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style
is jaunty, and as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often
of their own creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and
sifting the conflicting evidence on the page."
---"Observer "(UK)
" "
"If you appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a
straightforward, readable style . . . then Louvish's book will
delight you."
---"Scotland"" on Sunday"
Praise for "Stan and Ollie"
"Lovingly researched."
---"Daily News"
"Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike
most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the
transition to sound."
---"The New York Times "
"Louvish's wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple, forthright, and
hardworking desire to please will bring down the house."
---"Kirkus Reviews "(starred)
"Thanks to a lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great
clowns at work."
---"Dallas"" Morning News "
"Brims with affection and still preserves an honest, unbiased view
of their creativity and personal traumas."
---"Publishers Weekly"
" "
"This definitive treatment is recommended."
---"Library Journal" (starred)""
Praise for "Mae West"
"Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background."
---"The Independent "(UK)
"This is the fifth of Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of
celebrated comic figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style
is jaunty, and as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often
of their own creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and
sifting the conflicting evidence on the page."
---"Observer "(UK)
" "
"If you appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a
straightforward, readable style . . . then Louvish's book will
delight you."
---"Scotland"" on Sunday"
Praise for "Stan and Ollie"
"Lovingly researched."
---"Daily News"
"Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike
most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the
transition to sound."
---"The New
Praise for "Mae West"
" Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background."
---"The Independent "(UK)
" This is the fifth of Louvish' s scrupulously researched studies
of celebrated comic figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the
style is jaunty, and as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth,
often of their own creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out
and sifting the conflicting evidence on the page."
---"Observer "(UK)
" "
" If you appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a
straightforward, readable style . . . then Louvish' s book will
delight you."
---"Scotland"" on Sunday"
Praise for "Stan and Ollie"
" Lovingly researched."
---"Daily News"
" Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike
most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the
transition to sound."
---"The New York Times"
" Louvish' s wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple, forthright,
and hardworking desire to please will bring down the house."
---"Kirkus Reviews "(starred)
" Thanks to a lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great
clowns at work."
---"Dallas"" Morning News "
" Brims with affection and still preserves an honest, unbiased view
of their creativity and personal traumas."
---"Publishers Weekly"
" "
" This definitive treatment is recommended."
---"Library Journal" (starred)""
Although at least four full-length biographies have been written about Mae West since her death at 87 in 1980, Louvish (Man on the Flying Trapeze) is the first biographer to have access to the recently opened archive of West memorabilia including a 2,000-page collection of quips and jokes and the numerous revisions of the 12 plays, eight screenplays and three novels she wrote. West created and perfected her languid sex goddess persona during years in vaudeville and by serving as her own playwright, but Louvish discovers West's secret life was filled not with lovers but long nights of polishing and refining her scripts. She was almost 40 when she made her first film, but two years later, she was the highest paid performer in the U.S. Louvish's bio is appreciative and extensively detailed, focusing on West as writer. It can sometimes feel plodding as he transcribes skits and routines (although most still sparkle seven decades later, like "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted"). Summing up West's final three decades in a mere 50 pages feels rushed. But Louvish's research cements West's reputation as the definitive siren of suggestion, without whom there would never have been any Sex & the City. Photos. (Nov. 21) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
"Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and
cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and
political background." --The Independent (UK)"This is the fifth
of Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of celebrated comic
figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style is jaunty, and
as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often of their own
creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and sifting the
conflicting evidence on the page." --Observer (UK)"If you
appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a straightforward,
readable style . . . then Louvish's book will delight you."
--Scotland on Sunday"Lovingly researched." --Daily News on
Stan and Ollie"Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and
Hardy, unlike most of the great silent-film comedians, had no
trouble making the transition to sound." --The New York Times on
Stan and Ollie"Louvish's wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple,
forthright, and hardworking desire to please will bring down the
house." --Kirkus Reviews (starred) on Stan and Ollie"Thanks to
a lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great clowns at
work." --Dallas Morning News on Stan and Ollie"Brims with
affection and still preserves an honest, unbiased view of their
creativity and personal traumas." --Publishers Weekly on Stan
and Ollie"This definitive treatment is recommended." --Library
Journal (starred) on Stan and Ollie
Meticulously researched and finely crafted. Theatrical and cinematic history are skillfully related to the wider social and political background. "The Independent (UK)" This is the fifth of Louvish's scrupulously researched studies of celebrated comic figures. . . . As with its predecessors, the style is jaunty, and as all of its subjects are wreathed in myth, often of their own creation, he takes great pleasure in laying out and sifting the conflicting evidence on the page. "Observer (UK)" If you appreciate a wealth of facts delivered in a straightforward, readable style . . . then Louvish's book will delight you. "Scotland on Sunday" Lovingly researched. "Daily News on Stan and Ollie" Louvish is at his best in discussing how Laurel and Hardy, unlike most of the great silent-film comedians, had no trouble making the transition to sound. "The New York Times on Stan and Ollie" Louvish's wide-eyed love for his subjects' simple, forthright, and hardworking desire to please will bring down the house. "Kirkus Reviews (starred) on Stan and Ollie" Thanks to a lively, affectionate writer, we can glimpse the great clowns at work. "Dallas Morning News on Stan and Ollie" Brims with affection and still preserves an honest, unbiased view of their creativity and personal traumas. "Publishers Weekly on Stan and Ollie" This definitive treatment is recommended. "Library Journal (starred) on Stan and Ollie""
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