Reel Characters: Great Movie Character Actors (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

"Reel characters" refers to character actors, a dozen of whom are admiringly profiled. For film buffs, some of the subjects will be familiar (e.g., Beulah Bondi, Elisha Cook, Sam Jaffe), but others such as Anita Garvin and Feld are more obscure. Photographs are copiously spread throughout the text, and the filmography for each actor is very detailed, including unbilled bits and even some appearances as an extra. The body of the book is based on interviews Young had with his subjects, and while it reads easily enough, on the whole the book is shallow. The book isn't bad, but John Kobal's People Will Talk ( LJ 1/86) offers more interviews for the money. Movie Entertainment Book Club main selection. John Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Freehold, N.J.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Scientific American

A fastidiously researched book... Young is an affectionate chronicler with a good instinct for the revealing anecdotes and thoughtful reflections of these individuals who were, after all, serious actors in their own right... A special dividend of "Reel Characters" is the scrupulousness of Young's filmographies.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Past Times Publishing Co. (September 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094041080X
• ISBN-13: 978-0940410800
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,813,389 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Short bios. on 12 well known faces of the 1930's onward, July 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Reel Characters: Great Movie Character Actors (Paperback)

A collection of biographies based on interviews with the 12 actors concerned . The 12 are : Elisha Cook , Iris Adrian, Sam Jaffe , Beulah Bondi , Fritz Feld , John Qualen , Charles Lane , Anita Garvin , John Carradine , Rolfe Sedan , Byrt Mustin and George Chandler . The names are not always familiar but I'll bet you'll recognise at least 10 of the 12 straight away . The details of a character actors life are a bit thin , it would have been more interesting if details of pay and conditions were enlarged upon . But since books like this are uncommon , this is as good as you can get .

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Know who your reel friends are, June 2, 2007

By	bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: Reel Characters: Great Movie Character Actors (Paperback)

You see them everywhere but do you really know them? Here is an opportunity to put a name with the face and maybe find a new old movie or two. More fun is the emergence of TV programs on DVD. Now you do not only know Sam Jaffee from "Shangri-La", but also as Dr. Zorba in "Ben Casey"

The book is inclusive of twelve actors form our past: Elisha Cook , Iris Adrian, Sam Jaffe , Beulah Bondi , Fritz Feld , John Qualen , Charles Lane , Anita Garvin , John Carradine , Rolfe Sedan , Byrt Mustin and George Chandler. We get a general bio and filmography on each character with several black and white photos that include other characters on their periphery. This is a more in depth concentration than the "Filmfax" magazine.