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Reach for the Top

The Turbulent Life of Laurence Harvey

Reach for the Top cover

Reach for the Top

The Turbulent Life of Laurence Harvey

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Description

The popular screen and stage star Laurence Harvey (1928-1973) is best remembered for his stellar performance in the film The Manchurian Candidate_a 20th century classic. Of his 50 films, Room At the Top not only brought sexual permissiveness to American and British screens and an Oscar nomination, but it also branded him a heartthrob sensation. For all his fame and fortune, Harvey's short life was riddled with controversy, demonized by critics, and fraught with tragedy. In this revealing biography by Harvey's sister-in-law, readers are provided a close-up view of his career, his three marriages and his longtime sexual affair with one of his male producers. It also details his battle with cancer and his failure to acknowledge its seriousness. Packed with personal anecdotes, more than twenty black and white photographs, and a filmography, Reach for the Top: The Turbulent Life of Laurence Harvey will fascinate film students, scholars, and fans of the actor.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Acknowledgments
Chapter 2 1 A Lithuanian Childhood
Chapter 3 2 Growing Up White in South Africa
Chapter 4 3 The Youngest South African Soldier
Chapter 5 4 The Scorned Alien Learns His Craft in England
Chapter 6 5 Becoming Laurence Harvey: The First Films
Chapter 7 6 A Biting Tongue, Adoring Fans, and Trips to Paris
Chapter 8 7 Averting a Potential Scandal
Chapter 9 8 Enter Hermione Baddeley, "A Rather Splendid Old Girl"
Chapter 10 9 Enter James Woolf, and Fame, Fortune, and Friendship
Chapter 11 10 Shakespeare and Margaret Leighton
Chapter 12 11 Romeo and Juliet
Chapter 13 12 Coming Home to Mother-Briefly
Chapter 14 13 Marriage, but Not Togtherness
Chapter 15 14 Room at the Top Brings International Stardom
Chapter 16 15 The Alamo and Butterfield 8
Chapter 17 16 Scandal and Divorce
Chapter 18 17 The Manchurian Candidate
Chapter 19 18 "The Hottest Star in Town"
Chapter 20 19 The Death of James Woolf-Enter Paulene Stone
Chapter 21 20 Marriage to Joan
Chapter 22 21 Promises to Paulene, Married to Joan
Chapter 23 22 Aftermath
Chapter 24 Laurence Harvey's Films
Chapter 25 Bibliography
Chapter 26 Index
Chapter 27 About the Author

Product details

Published 09 Feb 2007
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 402
ISBN 9780810859142
Imprint Scarecrow Press
Dimensions 210 x 136 mm
Series The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

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