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Newly Published: Edmond O’Brien

New on our bookshelf today:

Edmond O’Brien: Everyman of Film Noir
Derek Sculthorpe

One of the most versatile actors of his generation, Edmond O’Brien made an impact in a series of iconic noir films. From a man reporting his own murder in D.O.A. (1949) to the conflicted title character in The Bigamist (1953), he portrayed the confusion of the Everyman in the postwar world.

His memorable roles spanned genres from Shakespeare to westerns and comedies—he also turned his hand to directing. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as the harassed press agent Oscar Muldoon in Joseph Mankiewicz’s bitter Cinderella fable The Barefoot Contessa (1954). This first in-depth study of O’Brien charts his life and career from the Broadway stage to Hollywood in its heyday and the rise of television, revealing a devoted family man dedicated to his craft.