Evelyn Brent

Evelyn Brent’s life and career were going quite well in 1928. She was happily living with writer Dorothy Herzog following her divorce from producer Bernard Fineman, and the tiny brunette had wowed fans and critics in the silent films The Underworld and The Last Command. She’d also been a sensation in Paramount’s first dialogue film, Interference. But by the end of that year Brent was headed for a quick, downward spiral ending in bankruptcy and occasional work as an extra. What happened is a complicated story laced with bad luck, poor decisions, and treachery detailed in this first and only full-length biography.

Lynn Kear is an award-winning biographer, playwright, and novelist. She lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

James King lives in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.

Lynn Kear with James King

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 312
Bibliographic Info: 36 photos, filmography, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4363-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5468-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Foreword by Kevin Brownlow      1
Preface      3

PART ONE. BIOGRAPHY
1. Playing Hookey      7
2. Europe      18
3. Hollywood      22
4. Stardom      39
5. A Surprise Marriage      54
6. Life with Harry Edwards      62
7. Financial Disaster      75
8. Vaudeville      89
9. Finished      98
10. A Cult Figure      112

PART TWO. FILMOGRAPHY
The Films, 1914–1950      121

Appendix A: Television Appearances      259
Appendix B: Chronology      261
Chapter Notes      263
Filmography Notes      279
Bibliography      281
Index      285

“King unravels the complicated and often dark story of silent-film star Evelyn Brent…fascinating…with meticulous research and a detailed filmography, this first full-length biography of Brent is recommended”—Library Journal; “a thorough, much needed assessment”—Movie Magazine International; “recommend”—Classic Images; “a refreshingly worthy addition to the Entertainment Biography genre…compelling and important book on a neglected star.”—DAEIDA.