David Lazar

In this book, the author has taken a trip back to the Golden Age of Hollywood to revisit some of its secondary players; those deemed "character actors," the ones who never received top billing, but in their own way made the films they were in memorable, by their very performances within those films. I have long been an enormous fan of classic film, and own thousands of them in every genre. So when I saw this book I naturally had to read it so that I could return to those actors I love so much. I must also tell you that I haven't been to the cinema in years, since the actors and films of today do not interest me at all. I will live in my world of Golden Age actors and be very happy there, thank you very much.

It is obvious that the author is a fan of director Preston Sturges (as am I), and he uses his films as a sounding board for many of the actors here. Possibly because Sturges insisted on using the same actors in his films, to the dismay of the studio heads. But when he found something - or someone - that worked, he was pleased with it. And for Sturges himself, he was a rather strange man, so this was to be expected. Therefore, for anyone venturing into the new world of character actors, Sturges is a safe bet to start your journey.

The book is filled with character actors that everyone should see in a film at least once - but more, if they have the opportunity. Of these, I do love Jack Carson and have often wondered why no one has taken the time to write a biography of this intriguing actor, who brings life to every role he takes. Who can forget his turn as the befuddled police officer in Arsenic and Old Lace when he walks into a room where Raymond Massey has tied Cary Grant to a chair and gagged him, with the intent to torture and kill him? Jack Carson, who knows Cary Grant is a play critic, sees it as an opportunity to offer up a synopsis on his own play - ignoring Cary's humorous pleas for help? Then, to top it off, the wonderful James Gleason arrives - for the one scene only - as his superior, and starts putting everything together. It's worth the entire film to watch this scene alone.

But Mr. Lazar interweaves stories of his own childhood and his parents along with stories of these actors, giving us his reason for liking them so much and enjoying their films. I do disagree with him that one can only take so much S. Z. Sakall (not in those words, of course); watching him in full force in Christmas in Connecticut is a pure delight. Unfortunately, his own biography is out of print and difficult to locate (how I would love a copy).

As for the other actors, I agree that Celeste Holm has been largely overlooked as an actress. She brings life to all her roles, not only the ones mentioned, but also the ones unseen - she was the voice of Addie Ross in A Letter to Three Wives. In my opinion, they couldn't have chosen a better actress to voice that role.

He also gives mini-biographies of the actors he talks about, which gives us a bit of their upbringing and what they brought to the roles they played. The wonderful Oscar Levant, who always seems as if he's bored in the persona he has on screen but is still fascinating to watch; William Demarest, the type of person you'd be wary of if you had to interact with him; Eric Blore and Franklin Pangborn, two underrated comedic actors; and many others; among them Eve Arden and Eleanor Parker.

This is also an homage to his parents, especially his mother, whom he lost at a young age (as I did my own mother, leaving me to figure out my life without her; luckily, I had the love of a marvelous father, with whom I spent many years speaking to and/or visiting with daily, and missing daily now that he's gone from me). The stories he tells are sometimes painful, sometimes poignant; but gives us an insight also into the person Mr. Lazar has become.

In the end, his essays are an interesting insight into his thoughts on these actors, and while I might not reference the book often, it's worth reading just for this alone. Recommended.… (more)