A historically detailed work that illuminates, through extensive engagement with primary and archival resources, the evolution of on- and offscreen representations of masculinity in Hollywood's heyday and how so many persist into the present. The social tensions the author traces over time, including the production contexts for the films and publicity material he examines, make the book especially useful, as well as fascinating, for scholars and general readers alike.

Adrienne L. McLean, Professor of Film Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, USA, and Author of All for Beauty: Makeup and Hairdressing in Hollywood's Studio Era (2022) and Being Rita Hayworth: Labor, Identity, and Hollywood Stardom (2004)

Stephen Sharot's monograph makes a significant contribution to star studies and the analysis of masculinities through its comprehensive treatment of male stars and leading men – organised through cultural types – from the inception of distinct public personae c. 1911 through to America's entry into World War II. Particularly rich is his treatment of the silent era where existing scholarship is limited and confined to a small selection of the most famous stars. Throughout, Sharot carefully considers both the types of protagonists they played in the films in which they appeared and how their images were constructed by the, mainly female, writers of fan magazines. The result is a meticulously researched account that enlarges significantly our understanding of this period of stardom, analysing a range of forgotten or marginalised figures as well as providing a fresh take on many familiar figures.

Andrew Spicer, Professor of Cultural Production, University of the West of England, UK