Charles McGraw

Film historian and journalist Alan K. Rode is a director of the Film Noir Foundation (www.filmnoirfoundation.com). He lives in Los Angeles.

“finally in softcover. Few books are more deserving. Rode is one of our best film historians, and this biography is sharp, well-researched, and thoroughly entertaining. Rode has written an excellent book, incorporating perceptive comments and good interviews to uncover the man and his work...terrific, fascinating...immensely readable...absolutely riveting...highly recommend this book...well-written...first-rate...sensational...a good read”—Classic Images; “amazing detail”—Canyon News; “a spellbinding account of the great noir heavy...and a must-have addition to all film-noir libraries. Deft biography and overall wild tale.”—James Ellroy; “Very little, if anything, seems to be left out...an incredible history lesson for movie enthusiasts. The only thing that confuses us is how Rode managed to fit such a wealth of information in just under 230 pages. We chalk it up to great writing!”—Gary Sweeney, The Midnight Palace; “A colorful and illuminating study of not only an actor’s saga, but Hollywood’s evolution.”—Michael Fox, SF 360; “Not only a detailed, well-researched portrait of Charles McGraw; but, a veritable who’s-who of Hollywood film noir history, including nuanced sketches of such seminal personalities as Mark Hellinger, Robert Siodmok, Bryan Foy, Johnny Rosselli, Reed Hadley, Sidney Boehm, Crane Wilbur, Walter Wanger, Daniel Mainwaring, Earl Felton, Dick Fleischer—the list goes on and on.”—Michael Guillen, The Evening Class.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgments       Foreword: The McGraw Role No One Knows (by Jim Steranko)       Prologue: Not Ready for His Close-Up      1. Child of the Heartland      2. Young Thespian      3. Hungry During the Golden Era      4. What Did You Do in the War, Charlie?      5. Bright Boy Gets a Break      6. The Watershed Year      7. The Lion Goes Black      8. In Demand      9. The Capital of Noir      10. The Other Side of the Hill      11. “Not Enough (Blood) to Suit Me”      12. The Certifiable Howard Hughes      13. The Sleeper That Almost Wasn’t      14. Missing the Brass Ring      15. RKO Studios as Andersonville      16. Freelance Actor      17. Small-Screen Evolution      18. “Where Do We Get Such Men…”      19. Family Tensions      20. Character Actor      21. Spartacus      22. “Good Evening”      23. Golden Age Dissolution      24. A Glorious Time      25. Single Actor, Needs Work      26. Cold-Blooded Comeback      27. Last Hurrah      28. Means of Descent      29. Last Call      30. A Noir-Stained Legacy      Critical Filmography      Television Credits      Chapter Notes      Sources      Index