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  William Powell and Myrna Loy:...

  Editors Charles River

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  It is something of a cliché to say that an actor’s life was like a movie he or she might have starred in, but in the case of Myrna Loy, the cliché is true. It is easy to picture her as a little girl, riding the range with her rancher father, sitting around the table and participating charmingly in family discussions of current events. It is not hard to imagine the camera panning to her first and then second visits to Hollywood, her backlot tour, and starry-eyed decision to become an actress. There would have to be some drama, which the story of her father’s untimely death would provide, along with some sort of deathbed promise made to him to care for the rest of the family. Her mother would be brave but resolute as she moved her young family to California. The lighting on set would brighten and the tempo of the background would pick up as she walked down the Los Angeles streets. Then, her big break would come. The camera would show her first comical meeting with William Powell and then a spinning scene of ticket after ticket being sold to their new picture, The Thin Man.  
  While older silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton reached the peak of Hollywood, some actors born near the beginning of the 20th century were ready to capitalize. Though actors like Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant remain household names, and actresses like Greta Garbo are still widely remembered, few had careers that enjoyed the success of William Powell. In a career spanning several decades, Powell would receive three Oscar nominations for Best Actor for critically acclaimed movies, so it is somewhat ironic that he is mostly remembered today for his association with the more famous Myrna Loy. One thing that helped Powell’s career along in the old days when Hollywood would only cast white actors in major roles, no matter what the nationality of the character was supposed to be, were his dark good looks.

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  Faded Glamour by the Sea

  Pearl Lowe

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  Fulfilling a lifetime dream of finding a house by the sea, Pearl Lowe now brings her laid-back decorating style to coastal living with Faded Glamour by the Sea.
  Pearl Lowe's gloriously decadent yet perfectly lived-in decorating style was featured in her bestselling interiors book Faded Glamour. Now Pearl is taking us to the coast, and in Faded Glamour by the Sea we get the first glimpse of her new home – a beautiful renovation project that she and her husband, musician Danny Goffey, have created in East Sussex. Built in the 1940s for an artist whose shell sculptures are still dotted round the garden, the house and adjacent cabins have been lovingly restored by Pearl.  The house may have been a life-long dream for the couple, who have always loved the solace of water, but it has only been just over a year in the making, thanks to the inspiration Pearl has drawn from many friends who live in the area and also further afield. And so she takes us on a tour of their seaside homes. A pair of antique dealers whose love of all things French inspired them to set up their own brocante in Kent; an artist with a love of beach huts; an author who swapped London life for a clifftop house with his own writer's hut. Add to this the Malibu beachfront home of stylist Rachel Ashwell, the hippy-chic style of supermodel Helena Christensen's waterside retreat and the 'punk noir Victorian' vibe of the hotel created by friends from rock band The Libertines. In Faded Glamour by the Sea Pearl visits these properties, and as the owners tell their stories she explains how she found inspiration for this new chapter in her life.

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  Mastering The Russian Accent - A...

  Oscar Stanley

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  Mastering the Russian Accent: A Guide for Actors is the essential resource for performers looking to convincingly portray Russian characters. This comprehensive audiobook breaks down the core differences between Russian and English phonetics, building a strong foundation for authentic accent work. It thoroughly covers the key sounds of a Russian accent, including consonant variations, pure vowels, and the distinctive rolled "r," along with techniques for developing appropriate vocal placement, resonance, and breath control for a natural delivery. Listeners will learn how stress, rhythm, and intonation contribute to a believable accent.
   
  Importantly, the audiobook goes beyond technical drills to explore the historical, cultural, and psychological influences shaping how Russian speakers use English. This includes insights into communication styles, formality, and the impact of cultural identity on speech. Understanding these nuances allows actors to create richer, more believable portrayals that resonate with audiences.
   
  Practical exercises reinforce the technical lessons, while analyses of professional actors' performances provide real-world examples of successful accent work. A dedicated media study guide offers valuable tools for continuous improvement and ongoing practice.
   
  This audiobook is invaluable for actors preparing for auditions, film and television roles, and stage productions requiring a Russian accent. By mastering the techniques and cultural insights provided, actors can bring depth, authenticity, and cultural nuance to their performances, significantly increasing their chances of successful casting and creating truly memorable characters.

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  An Actor's Alphabet - An A to Z...

  Julie Hesmondhalgh

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  In this candid and empowering A to Z of being an actor, Julie Hesmondhalgh draws on her decades of experience on stage and screen – including in massively popular television shows such as Broadchurch, Happy Valley and Coronation Street – to lift the lid on the realities of life in today's industry, and show you how to navigate it.
  She shares practical advice on preparing for roles (don't be afraid of looking like a dick), managing the ups and downs of your career (and how to be out of work without losing your mind), dealing with failure (and success), not constantly comparing yourself to others (bloody hard, but try), looking after your mental health, and the power of knowing when to say 'no'.
  Passionate about the arts, she makes a compelling case for their importance to society, but also calls out the industry on where it continues to fall short – including a clear-eyed assessment of what needs to change to make it safer and healthier, more accessible and inclusive.
  Written with refreshing honesty and self-deprecating humour, An Actor's Alphabet is a book for anyone who dreams of becoming an actor, wants to be a better one, or just wants to learn what being one is really like.
  'Endearingly honest, funny and eye-opening. I loved it!' Francesca Martinez
  'Like its author, this book is brimming with wisdom, intelligence, empathy and humanity... An absolute must!' Maxine Peake
  'This is the best book on acting and being an actor I've read… Julie Hesmondhalgh is the mentor/best friend/guide we all need in these troubled times' Paul Chahidi
  'A must-read, whether you've been on the artist's journey for years or are just starting out' Shobna Gulati
  'This book is bold, brash, sincere and angry. It regrets nothing and questions everything… Treasure it like we should treasure Julie' Jack Thorne
  'A generous gift to actors, full of honesty, hope and wit. There is loads of tangible advice, not just for acting but for life' Anna Jordan
  'Julie's book is honest, challenging and helpful. A great read' Andy Nyman

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  Prairie Man - My Little House...

  Dean Butler

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  An illuminating, insider's journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder on the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its fiftieth anniversary. 
   
   
   
  Cast just before his twenty-third birthday, Dean Butler joined Little House on the Prairie halfway through its run, gaining instant celebrity and fans' enduring affection. Now, with wit and candor, Butler recounts his passage through the Prairie, sharing stories and anecdotes of the remarkable cast who were his on-screen family. But that was merely the beginning of a diverse career that includes Broadway runs and roles on two other classic shows—Moondoggie in The New Gidget and Buffy's ne'er-do-well father, Hank, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Coming of age during a golden era of entertainment, Butler has evolved along with it, and today enjoys success and fulfillment as a director and producer—notably of NBC Golf's Feherty—while remaining deeply loyal to Little House. 
   
   
   
  The warmth, heart, and decency that fans of Laura and Almanzo fell in love with on Little House echo through this uplifting memoir, a story, in Butler's words, about "good luck, good television, and the very good—if gloriously imperfect—people who made it so."

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  Greatest Mystery Shows Volume 3...

  Various Various

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  OASIS AUDIO CLASSIC RADIO SHOWCASE SERIES   Oasis Audio has gone into the vaults and dusted off the very earliest form of audio book, old time radio shows, for our listeners. Introduced episode by episode by Jim Engel, old time radio authority and board member of the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, this series of classic radio shows is sure to have something for everyone. Celebrity casts and top-notch writers made the 1920s through the early 1950s, the golden era of radio. The series features seven exciting themes with 100 episodes in each. That is 700 classic radio programs in all.   Greatest Mystery Shows   Before TV’s The Twilight Zone, there was radio’s The Inner Sanctum Mystery, Lights Out!, The Weird Circle, and so many other great mysteries starring Orson Welles, Jane Wyman, Dana Andrews, Edmond O’Brien, James Cagney and more. 100 great Mystery classics in ten volumes. Volume 3 Crime Classics 12-2-53 If A Body Need a Body, Just Call Burke and Hare with Lou MerrillCrime Classics 12-16-53 John & Judith, Their Crime and Why They Didn’t Enjoy It with Lou MerrillCrime Classics 12-30-53 Coyle & Richardson, Why They Hung in A Spanking Breeze with Lou MerrillCrime Classics 1-13-54 How Supan Got the Hook Outside Bombay with Lou MerrillCrime Does Not Pay 11-28-49 Female of The Species with Mildred NatwickCrime Does Not Pay 11-21-49 Summertime Take with Charles KorvinEscape 10-1-47 The Most Dangerous Game with Hans ConreidEscape 10-29-47 Pollack and The Porroh Man with William ConradEscape 11-5-47 Evening Primrose with Elliot LewisEscape 11-26-47 The Country of The Bind with William Conrad

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