Called the most beautiful woman in movie history, Gene Tierney starred in such 1940s classics as Laura, Leave Her to Heaven and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Her ­on-­screen presence and ability to transform into a variety of characters made her a film legend. Her personal life was a whirlwind of romance (she married a count, was engaged to a prince, and was courted by a future president) and tragedy (her first daughter was born with severe retardation and Tierney herself struggled with mental illness). After years of treatment, including electroshock therapy that erased portions of her life from her memory, she triumphantly returned in one of the biggest comebacks in Hollywood history. This first complete biography since the actress’s death includes a foreword by her daughter, Christina Cassini, an extensive filmography, and many rare photographs.

Film historian Michelle Vogel lives in Victoria, Australia. Her popular blog can be found at mvozus.wordpress.com.

Michelle Vogel
Foreword by Christina Cassini
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 247
Bibliographic Info: 119 photos, filmography, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011 [2005]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6442-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5832-5
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii

Preface      1

1. Brooklyn to Broadway      3

2. Hollywood Beckons      20

3. Hollywood—Take Two      29

4. Bride to Be      38

5. Belle Tier      49

6. Hollywood at War      62

7. It’s a Girl!      77

8. Laura      89

9. Heaven and Heartbreak      97

10. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir      111

11. Cassini vs. Hughes      137

12. From Countess to Princess?      152

13. The Darkest of Days      161

14. The Ledge of Insanity      169

15. Home, Howard, Happiness…      174

16. Back to Work      181

17. The Final Curtain Call      191

Filmography      199

Bibliography      227

Index      231

“Michelle Vogel is a very good writer…the images are superb, even breathtaking. Beautiful…extraordinary”—Classic Images; “extensive filmography…memorable quotes…rare photographs”—Turner Classic Movies; “big screen worthy of a biopic”—Canyon News.