Francis X. Bushman had a life like no other. He was the screen's first great romantic idol, a bodybuilder, an artist's model, a Broadway and stock company actor, a husband (four times), a father (six times), a dog breeder, a songwriter, a vaudeville headliner, a radio performer, a television personality, a senior citizens' advocate. He lived an exaggerated life, both as a free-spending multi-millionaire star and a bankrupt has-been. After all the accolades and criticisms, he was that rare kind of man who had no regrets. This is his story ...
KING OF THE MOVIES: FRANCIS X. BUSHMAN
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enthralling, Insightful, and Comprehensive,
This review is from: King of the Movies: Francis X. Bushman (Paperback)
This masterfully written account of the silver screen's first male romantic idol is a gem. Lon and Debra Davis have captured the spirit of an individual born with exceptional talent and drive, who through his own confidence evolved from an ordinary child to become a silent film star capturing the title King of the Movies. But the title was short-lived, and the individual spent the remainder of his dynamic life doing whatever was necessary to emulate his early role in cinematic history, despite never regaining the crown. A life unparalleled, Francis X. Bushman's journey is extremely intriguing and told in a manner that makes the reader appreciate the actor's humanity while simultaneously scorning his ego. This combination makes the content both riveting and insightful. Although the book was conceived years after Bushman's demise, it is written in a style that eliminates the passage of time and makes the reader experience a oneness with Bushman. Amazingly, the authors were youngsters when Bushman died in the mid-1960s. This fact is not evident in the prose, which is brilliant and convinces the reader that the authors were there first-hand, witnessing every aspect of Bushman's colorful life. Supplemental to the story is a wonderful collection of rare photos, from every era of Bushman's 80+ year life. Also included is a chronology summarizing the ups and downs of the actor's career and family, and an extensively researched filmography chronicling the multitude of familiar and lost film appearances. Clearly, this book is a labor of love. If you are a silent film fan or historian - or someone just wanting to learn more about Francis X. Bushman - this book is for you. A truly magnificent entry from the team of Davis and Davis!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Well Balanced Account of a Life,
By YogaLaura "YogaLaura" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: King of the Movies: Francis X. Bushman (Paperback)
Lon and Debra Davis do a wonderful job in bringing a silent film superstar
to light in their recent book, "King of The Movies", a biography of Francis X. Bushman, best known to film fans as the original Massala in the original "Ben Hur." The authors draw on a vast amount of resources, including their friendship with Mr. Bushman's late widow, and access to his private memorabilia. They provide just the right amount of detail in fleshing out the exciting lifestory of this talented, vain, passionate and compelling man. What I enjoyed most was the vibrant picture Lon and Debra drew of Bushman's time, from his childhood in Baltimore, his early theater days, to his heyday in motion pictures. It was almost like stepping back in time. A delightful, moving and fascinating book, and I strongly recommend "King of the Movies" for the bookshelf of every classic film fan.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Absolutely Fabulous Book!,
By Barbara (Burkowsky) Underwood (Tumut, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: King of the Movies: Francis X. Bushman (Paperback)
This is the most exciting and enjoyable book I've read in a long time, and it is not often that one can say that about a biography. But then again, the subject of this biography was no doubt an exceptional person, full of vigor and love of life, namely Francis X. Bushman - the first great movie star. Although his career spanned six decades and over 200 roles, the first hundred or more are from the infant years of cinema, namely 1911 to 1914. Long before Rudolph Valentino, it was Francis X. Bushman who was the screen's first Great Lover, male sex symbol and heart-throb, attracting huge crowds of swooning women wherever he went. For those years at the height of his fame, he lived a luxurious, extravagant lifestyle, only to lose everything and be completely broke - and that more than once in his long life. This rollercoaster career would in itself already be an exciting and fascinating read, but the authors have presented not only a legendary celebrity but a real person in this very impressive project that began in the early 1980s. Gleaning information about the great man from Bushman's widow and also his ex-wife and former regular co-star, Beverly Bayne, as well as many other sources, authors Lon and Debra Davis have done a stupendous job of putting all these bits of information together coherently so that the reader can simply enjoy the thrill ride that was the life of Francis X. Bushman.
Many personal details make this biography very colourful and alive so that it feels more like reading a great story about a larger-than-life personality working in the entertainment industry. There is drama and intrigue when Bushman made a life-long enemy out of film mogul, Louis B Mayer, romance with his co-star and later two other wives, comedy in the many quotes by Bushman that reveal a healthy sense of humor, and fascinating details about his greatest passion besides acting: animals. I read with much pleasure and interest how Bushman began keeping a menagerie of animals already as a boy, and at the height of his fame enjoyed keeping company with many Great Danes, fine breeds of horses and rare birds, to name a few. But most of all, the message this book conveyed to me is of a person who had great love and enthusiasm for life, wanting to try everything, do everything and live life to the fullest at all times (which often led to his financial troubles). It is this aspect of his character which I found inspiring, and his sense of humor makes him rather endearing, despite other flaws he may have had. For silent film enthusiasts in particular, many parts of this book give accounts of what was happening in the early years of cinema in both Hollywood and on the east coast, and the detailed accounts of the making of Ben-Hur in 1925 are most exciting and impressive. This book is beautiful in appearance, and the entire contents are also pleasing in every way, with two sections of many good pictures, and a detailed filmography, as well as a helpful chronology and bibliography at the back. This is a very highly recommended book for not only movie fans and silent film enthusiasts, but for anyone at all because the life of Francis X. Bushman is in itself a great story, made even more enjoyable to read by such skilled and talented authors.
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