Book Description

One of the most enchanting figures of the silver screen, Ronald Colman appeared in such classic films as Beau Geste, The Prisoner of Zenda, Lost Horizon, and A Tale of Two Cities. He was nominated four times for the Academy Award, which he won for a spectacular performance in A Double Life. His voice was unrivaled, and he had a brilliant career as a radio star. A charismatically photogenic performer, he was voted the handsomest actor in Hollywood on several occasions. His superior skills, his dashing visage, and his resonant speech made him one of the most sought after and acclaimed stars of his day. In spite of his enormous talent and supreme achievements, Ronald Colman has strangely been overlooked. This immensely detailed reference book brings Colman's life and career into sharp focus, corrects misleading information about him, and comments on the critical response to his work. The heart of this expertly researched volume is a series of chapters with entries for Colman's many hundreds of performances in film, radio, and television. Entries provide full production information, plot synopses, excerpts from reviews, and valuable commentary. An extensive annotated bibliography summarizes and assesses material written about Colman, and the author scrupulously debunks the many myths that have been written about Colman in previous publications.