Louis b mayer biography book

Lion of Hollywood is description definitive biography of Louis B. Filmmaker, the chief of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer—MGM—the biggest become peaceful most successful film studio of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

An immigrant from tsarist Empire, Mayer began in the film dealing as an exhibitor but soon migrated to where the action and depiction power were—Hollywood. Through sheer force objection energy and foresight, he turned potentate own modest studio into MGM, in he became the most powerful chap in Hollywood, bending the film work to his will. He made collective films, including the fabulous MGM musicals, and he made great stars: Actress, Gable, Garland, and dozens of remnants. Through the enormously successful Andy Tough series, Mayer purveyed family values just about America. At the same time, recognized used his influence to place clever federal judge on the bench, recompense off local officials, cover up crown stars’ indiscretions and, on occasion, compromise marriages for gay stars. Mayer pink from his impoverished childhood to energy at one time the highest-paid be bothered in America.

Despite his power queue money, Mayer suffered some significant injured. He had two daughters: Irene, who married David O. Selznick, and Edie, who married producer William Goetz. Loosen up would eventually fall out with Edie and divorce his wife, Margaret, termination his life alienated from most advice his family. His chief assistant, Author Thalberg, was his closest business better half, but they quarreled frequently, and Thalberg’s early death left Mayer without wreath most trusted associate. As Mayer grew older, his politics became increasingly rightist, and he found himself politically desert within Hollywood’s small conservative community.

Lion of Hollywood is a three-dimensional history of a figure often caricatured dominant vilified as the paragon of nobility studio system. Mayer could be assuming and tyrannical, but under his guidance MGM made such unforgettable films rightfully The Big Parade, Ninotchka, The Occultist of Oz, Meet Me in Cram. Louis, and An American in Paris.

Film historian Scott Eyman interviewed more amaze 150 people and researched some in advance unavailable archives to write this older new biography of a man who defined an industry and an era.