New Biography LEE MARVIN: POINT BLANK to Hit Bookstores in February
By: Caryn Robbins Jan. 10, 2013
Iconic actor Lee Marvin is best known for violent, tough guy roles -- from his chilling villain opposite John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" to the platoon leader in Samuel Fuller's epic "The Big Red One" -- but little is known of his personal life, his family background and his combat experiences as a Marine in World War II. "Lee Marvin: Point Blank" (Schaffner Press, February 2013) by veteran Hollywood writer Dwayne Epstein digs beyond the entertainment reporting of earlier books and offers an authoritative, detailed look at Marvin's astonishing career as an actor, and his tremendous impact in modern cinema -- not only as one of the all time great character actors, but also in his pivotal role in shaping the portrayal of violence in film and TV today.
Described by BooklistOnline as "the biography that Marvin deserves," "Lee Marvin: Point Blank"will be heavily featured during a special "Starring Lee Marvin" national television tribute by Turner Classic Movies (TCM) beginning Thursday, Jan. 31. With introductions by Robert Osborne, four Marvin classics will be telecast on TCM, including "Cat Ballou" (8 p.m. ET) and "Monte Walsh" (10 p.m. ET) followed by "The Dirty Dozen" (midnight ET) and "Point Blank" (2:45 a.m. ET) on Friday, Feb. 1.
After years of research and dozens of interviews with those closest to Marvin, Epstein provides a full understanding of the acting titan's place in the Hollywood pantheon. The first full-length biography of the star in over 30 years, "Lee Marvin: Point Blank" includes firsthand accounts from Marvin's fellow actors, writers and directors of the making of such iconic films as "Bad Day at Black Rock," "The Killers," "Cat Ballou," "The Professionals," "Point Blank" and "The Dirty Dozen." With insight gained from Marvin's letters to his family during World War II and intimate correspondence between his parents, Epstein examines Marvin's personal and family life and delves into his relationships with his two wives, the groundbreaking palimony suit filed by his ex-companion Michele Triola and his ongoing battles with alcoholism, rage and depression occasioned by PTSD.
Beginning with supporting roles in now-classic films like "The Big Heat" (1953), and despite recognition from critics and fans, by the late 1950s his film career never reached a level to his satisfaction, until, at the urging of his agent, Marvin reluctantly signed on to star in the TV series "M Squad," which ran from 1957-1960 and made Marvin a household name.
During the 1960s Marvin was in high demand, and the theme of violence was often predominant in his chosen roles. Dwayne Epstein expounds on this recurring motif in Marvin's life and films and makes the argument that the brutality he brought to such scenes reflected his need to convey the true reality of violence to his audience. After winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the comedy-Western "Cat Ballou" (1965) and the 1967 release of the World War II-era action film "The Dirty Dozen" -- the highest grossing film of the year and the sixth highest in MGM's history -- Marvin became the number one male film star in America.
Complete with rare photographs and spanning Marvin's entire life and career, "Lee Marvin: Point Blank" isn't only an in-depth biography of a movie star -- it's a picture of Hollywood, a look at popular culture and the evolution of film throughout the second half of the 20th century as viewed through the life of one of the greatest male action stars of our time.
About Schaffner Press
Tucson-based Schaffner Press, Inc. has been a publisher of fiction, biographies, and creative non-fiction that deal with a broad range of themes of social concern.
Lee Marvin: Point Blank (ISBN: 9781936182404) is available for sale in all bookstores and online vendors and via Independent Publishers Group at: 1?800-888-4741 or www.ipgbook.com orhttp://www.schaffnerpress.com/books/detail/15.
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