Bob Thomas (1) (1922–2014)

An unflinching look at the movie mogul, which shows both his good and innovative points, as well as his petty cruelties and short-sightedness. A lot of the material is pretty familiar, but the book in general is a solid read.

I was four years old when Walt Disney rereleased Fantasia in 1956. Mom took me to a fancy downtown Buffalo theater to see it. It is one my earliest and most vivid memories. And I do believe it influenced my love of classical music.

In 1991 Disney released Fantasia on VCR and I bought it for our son, who was—yes—four years old!

I watched The Mickey Mouse Club and Walt Disney Presents. I was smitten by Sleeping Beauty and had the Madame Alexander Sleeping Beauty doll that also came out in show more 1959. I enjoyed all the fun family movies with my younger brother. And all the new feature length cartoons that came out during our son’s childhood.

Sometimes I forget the impact Walt Disney had on my life, but reading this biography was such a nostalgic trip through my childhood, I was ready to cry when Walt dies at the end.

The Disney executives had found two previous writers’ biographies of Walt unsatisfactory when they approached Bob Thomas. Thomas had worked with Walt in 1956 when he was asked to write a book about animation. “I want to give credit to the guys who have made these picture for me,” Walt told him. In 1965, Thomas wrote a biography of Walt for children.

Thomas offers a complete treatment of Walt, from his life story to the products of his creative genius. We see the best of Walt, and his not so great moments. But overall, Walt emerges as a man driven by his vision of what could be, who put the excellence of his product foremost, who literally was Mickey Mouse.

I delighted in reading every page. show less

William Holden is one of my very favourite actors, and during his lifetime, he was one of Hollywood’s favourites too. During the 1950s, he was a huge box-office draw, and the many films he made include such classics as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Sunset Blvd., Network and Stalag 17 (for which he won an Academy Award). Handsome, masculine and talented, William Holden nevertheless struggled with chronic alcohol addiction for much of his life. This book is a respectful biography of the show more great actor, and I enjoyed reading it very much, although it was hard not to feel sad at the damage that he was doing to his body and by extension, his career and his personal relationships.

The book is an easy read, and is never dull. However, in some aspects, it was more of an overview of events – for instance, Holden’s childhood and adolescence is covered in a couple of short chapters, although as Holden was a private man, he might have preferred it that way. Some of his film also didn’t even get a mention, although all of the high points in his career are covered. I loved reading about his career, and the various films he made, both successful and less so. He came across as I have always imagined him to be – a very gifted actor, with a strong sense of right and wrong (no, he wasn’t perfect, but why should we expect him to be?). There is no escaping the effect of his addiction however, and it would probably be impossible to tell his life story without it.

I did feel a sense of sadness while reading, probably because I knew how it would end – with Holden’s death at the age of 63, when he slipped on a rug in his home and hit his head. His body was not immediately discovered, and this is something that always saddens me when I watch his films or read about him. I am glad that the book dedicated time to his career and the fine work he did in films, rather than being exploitative.

As far as biographies go, this was a good read, which I would recommend to fans. As mentioned earlier, it is thin on detail in some parts, but overall, a well-rounded story of a fascinating life. show less

Here is an entertaining insight into Howard Hughes' life from his chief executive and assistant. Wealth, talent, and opportunity squandered in megalomania and mysophobia (germophobia) in a swirl of skirt-chasing and pipe dreams like movie epics and the Hughes H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose". (I saw the H-4 display in the '80s.) This former CPA's insight made for some interesting asides, such as how part of the outcome of Hughes' pointless battle with Long Beach over land resulted in that show more community acquiring the Queen Mary and the seeking for political favor led to an ill-conceived loan to Vice President Nixon's brother. The resulting scandal sounds something like a trial run for the ITT affair, which some think a motivation for Wategate. show less