- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (10 Aug 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1578068371
- ISBN-13: 978-1578068371
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 16.3 x 2.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,317,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Zachary Scott
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Product Description
Product Description
Throughout the 1940's, Zachary Scott was the very model of the sophisticated and debonair Hollywood villain in films such as "Mask of Dimitrios". He also earned critical praise for his performance in Jean Renoir's "The Southern", along side Joan Crawford. In "Zachary Scott", Davis takes us through the defining moments in Scott's life, from his privileged upbringing in Texas, his work in English provincial theatre, filming with Warner Studios, and ultimately his death from a brain tumour in October 1965. Davi's exemplary biography brings to life a talented actor rarely given the opportunity to shine on screen.
About the Author
Ronald Davis is a professor of history at Southern Methodist University and author of several books on historical Hollywood.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Zachary Scott not only grew up with money, but he came from American aristocracy on both sides of his family. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Zachary Scott not only grew up with money, but he came from American aristocracy on both sides of his family. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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4 reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
A Forgotten Leading Man
19 April 2006
Format:Hardcover
I have always been curious about what happened to Zachary Scott - he just seemed to disappear after several years as a leading man. This biography was very informative about his life, albeit, a little slow in the childhood and beginnings but it picked up nicely. It was interesting to know that he came from a very prominent and wealthy family in Texas. His personal life was chronicled in a thorough way and I felt the book was very much worth reading. I bought it and put in my library of Hollywood memorabilia and history.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Great Scott
5 Jan 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ronald Davis wrote a previous book about Van Johnson, the still living star of the boy next door type whose sexuality was much whispered about in the 1940s. But, as Davis says of himself, as an author he's no scandalmonger, so much of what makes Van Johnson interesting was absent from Davis' biography, and I imagine Zachary Scott was more interesting than the dapper cipher presented here.
Obviously something went wrong at every stage of Scott's life, though his parents never let him down and supported him financially through his last days. He failed to become a topflight Hollywood star, even though he went West at a time when, as Van Johnson discovered too, the war, the draft and simple patriotism had emptied the movie capital of nearly all male competition, and the studios were in dire need of leading men. (Davis theorizes that Zach's dad, a well connected Texas doctor, may have pulled some strings and had his son released from the ordinary citizen's responsibilities). Scott's first marriage collapsed when his life left him for John Steinbeck, and his second marriage was an extraordinary pileup of Gothic egos. Add two "daughters" to the pack (one who Davis interviewed and who winds up coming off as sincere and stable, the other who eluded him who gets the demon treatment), a drinking problem shared by nearly everyone else in the book, and a suspect earring borne steadily in his ear as a defiant badge of "pirate" sexuality, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Yet he did make A MASK FOR DIMITRIOS, MILDRED PIERCE, RUTHLESS, THE YOUNG ONE, THE SOUTHERNER, and (on stage) he played Gavin Stevens in Faulkner's REQUIEM FOR A NUN in London and New York, so who knows, there are grounds for a fullscale Zachary Scott revival. I don't know if Ronald Davis really likes him though.
Physically, the book itself is printed on ultra creamy paper (though I kept hoping for a photo of Scott's sister and or children, in fact there weren't enough photos in general or what there were aren't well chosen.) If I had to die and come back as a book I hope it would be one as sturdy, elegant and pleasing as one of these "Hollywood Legends Series" from the University Press of Mississippi.
Obviously something went wrong at every stage of Scott's life, though his parents never let him down and supported him financially through his last days. He failed to become a topflight Hollywood star, even though he went West at a time when, as Van Johnson discovered too, the war, the draft and simple patriotism had emptied the movie capital of nearly all male competition, and the studios were in dire need of leading men. (Davis theorizes that Zach's dad, a well connected Texas doctor, may have pulled some strings and had his son released from the ordinary citizen's responsibilities). Scott's first marriage collapsed when his life left him for John Steinbeck, and his second marriage was an extraordinary pileup of Gothic egos. Add two "daughters" to the pack (one who Davis interviewed and who winds up coming off as sincere and stable, the other who eluded him who gets the demon treatment), a drinking problem shared by nearly everyone else in the book, and a suspect earring borne steadily in his ear as a defiant badge of "pirate" sexuality, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Yet he did make A MASK FOR DIMITRIOS, MILDRED PIERCE, RUTHLESS, THE YOUNG ONE, THE SOUTHERNER, and (on stage) he played Gavin Stevens in Faulkner's REQUIEM FOR A NUN in London and New York, so who knows, there are grounds for a fullscale Zachary Scott revival. I don't know if Ronald Davis really likes him though.
Physically, the book itself is printed on ultra creamy paper (though I kept hoping for a photo of Scott's sister and or children, in fact there weren't enough photos in general or what there were aren't well chosen.) If I had to die and come back as a book I hope it would be one as sturdy, elegant and pleasing as one of these "Hollywood Legends Series" from the University Press of Mississippi.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A Very Suave, Sophisticated Movie Star
10 Nov 2006
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Zachary Scott, what more can I say! A beautiful man, a great actor and one of the five top "film noir" actors in my opinion. Unfortunately, he was "tagged" as a villain in most of his films. He has a most interesting background coming from a very well to-do family, but fortunately for his fans he chose to become a movie star. A very good book if you want to get to know Zachary Scott, and I did!
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