Customer Reviews

Golden Images: 41 Essays on Silent Film Stars

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This wonderful book contains 41 short (5-6 pages each) biographies of silent film actors and actresses. Some like Clara Bow, William Haines, and Rudolph Valentino have been covered more in-depth by other biographers. However, there is no other book that covers the life and careers of Marie Prevost, Milton Sills, Arthur Johnson, Clarine Seymour, Harrison Ford (not Indiana Jones), Pearl White, and Wallace Reid. Even famous personalities who just made a few film appearances like May Irwin and Ormer Locklear are covered. Many of these performers died before the silent era was even over, which is why they are virtually unknown today. These essays were originally written for CLASSIC IMAGES magazine, but have been updated for the book. Ms. Golden's bios are well researched and very easy to read. If you are interested in silent film performers, you will want this book!

This book provides 4-5 page biographies of many silent film stars. Some are very familiar to film buffs such as Rudolph Valentino, the Talmadge Sisters, etc. but others are not as familiar such as Martha Mansfield, Milton Sills, etc. Golden's writing style is so easy to read and she has done a great deal of research. Many of the biographies left you wanting to read a great deal more about many of these people. I would recommend this for all silent film buffs!

This is a wonderful book. The author has done her homework and her picks from the famous to the forgotten were excellent choices. If she couldn't confirm a rumor, rather than speculate, or worse yet, sensationalize, she plainly stated the answer would probably never be found.

I recommend this book for all lovers of the silent era. I only wish that Ms.Golden could do full length bios on these people.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I had been aware of some of the actors, but learned some new things about them. There were some that I had not known about and was glad to round out my knowledge about the days of silent pictures. Ms. Golden chose a wonderful variety of people to write about, from the very famous to some that did not last very long.

I love reading about the movies and stars of the "old" days - they had imagination and courage in a brand new industry and everything they did was done for the first time. They did not have the technology of today and, therefore, had to figure out how to do everything that we take for granted today.

I ordered Platinum Girl (bio of Jean Harlow) by Eve Golden - I received it yesterday and am looking forward to curling up and devouring it.

Anyone who is interested in the history of movies should add Golden Images to his/her collection.

Eve Golden as always does her homework on her subjects, and then brings them to life wth insight and warmth. A great collection of Hollywood's known and lesser-known characters-- briskly written, it's a good read.

The chapter on Kathlyn Williams is wrong on many issues: the year of her birth, her early life, and the name of her first husband. She was born in 1879, and her mother was born in Norway and not her father as the author states. She is listed on the 1880 Montana Census as being a year old. She was called Katie when she was little, and she attended Montana University in the late 1890s. Her father, Joseph Williams, was the parent who was of Welsh heritage. Her first husband was named Otto H. Kainer, and they married in October 1903. I have done extensive research on this actress, and I also have a copy of a New York Supreme Court document from 1905 when she sued her first husband.
Otherwise, great book!

Before I read Eve's books, I couldn't tell Buster Keaton from Michael Keaton. I kept confusing Anita Page and Doris Hill with Anita Hill. This woman knows more about Virgina Bradford than Bradford herself. Her book has opened my eyes to the wonderful genre that is The Silent Movie. Eve has taught me not to laugh at the name Richard Dix. She's explained that Charlie Chaplin doesn't wear that moustache and glasses because he's in the Witness Protection Program.

I could go on forever about this book, but I think I'll leave you all with a quote from my favorite silent movie: " ".