Stephen Tropiano – författare

In 1973, Cabaret walked away with eight Academy Awards, including gold statues for director Bob Fosse and for its stars, Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Based on the long-running Broadway musical, with a memorable score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cabaret is a landmark film that broke new cinematic ground by revolutionizing the Hollywood musical through its treatment of adult themes and art house sensibility. With an introduction by Joel Grey, the book chronicles the history of Cabaret from Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories to the stage and film versions of John van Druten's play I Am a Camera through the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical for the big screen. Readers will get an insider's look into the making of the film, the creative talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes, and why this divinely decadent musical continues to captivate audiences.

8-page color photo insert

In 1973, Cabaret walked away with eight Academy Awards, including gold statues for director Bob Fosse and for its stars, Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Based on the long-running Broadway musical, with a memorable score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cabaret is a landmark film that broke new cinematic ground by revolutionizing the Hollywood musical through its treatment of adult themes and art house sensibility. With an introduction by Joel Grey, the book chronicles the history of Cabaret from Christopher Isherwood''s Berlin Stories to the stage and film versions of John van Druten''s play I Am a Camera through the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical for the big screen. Readers will get an insider''s look into the making of the film, the creative talent in front of the camera and behind the scenes, and why this divinely decadent musical continues to captivate audiences.

This entertaining and insightful book is the first devoted exclusively to the films that have earned a special place in motion picture history by pushing the “cinematic envelope” with their treatment of provocative subjects and themes. Obscene, Indecent, Immoral & Offensive: 100+ Years of Controversial Cinema chronicles the history of Hollywood censorship and the films that were banned, censored, and condemned by the Production Code Administration and the Legion of Decency. Stephen Tropiano offers readers insightful and accessible analysis of films that were branded “controversial” at the time of their release due to explicit language, nudity, graphic sex, violence, and their treatment of “adult” subject matter and themes.The films profiled include The Birth of a Nation, Anatomy of a Murder, Who''s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Baby Doll, Blackboard Jungle, Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, A Clockwork Orange, Natural Born Killers, Caligula, Rosemary''s Baby, Life of Brian, The Last Temptation of Christ, and The Passion of the Christ.

Television history was made on April 30, 1997, when comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her sitcom alter-ego Ellen Morgan, “came out” to her close friends and 36 million viewers. This groundbreaking episode represented a significant milestone in Amerian television. For the first time, a TV series centered around a lesbian character who was portrayed by an openly gay actor. The millions of viewers who tuned in that historic night were witnesses to a new era in television. THE PRIME TIME CLOSET offers an entertaining and in-depth glimpse into homosexuality on television from the 1950s through today. Divided into four sections, each devoted to a major television genre, this unique book explores how gay men and lesbians have been depicted in over three hundred television episodes and made-for-TV films. These include medical series, police/detective shows, situation comedies and TV dramas. THE PRIME TIME CLOSET also reveals how television''s treatement of homosexuality has reflected and reinforced society''s ignorance about and fear of gay men and lesbians. At the same time, it celebrates programs like Ellen and Will & Grace that have broken new ground in their sensitive and enlightened approach to homosexuality and gay-related themes. This book is witty and insightful, accessible and illuminating, a look into what has become an integral part of American media culture.

Television history was made on Saturday, October 11, 1975, at 11:30pm (ET), when Chevy Chase welcomed America to the first episode of a new late-night comedy series. With its cutting edge satire and cast of young, talented performers, Saturday Night Live set a new standard for television comedy while launching the careers of such comedy greats as John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey.Saturday Night Live FAQ is the first book to offer the show''s generations of fans everything they ever wanted to know (and may have forgotten) about SNL. Beginning with the show''s creation in the mid-1970s by Lorne Michaels and the Not Ready for Prime Time Players, SNL FAQ takes you through the show''s history with an in-depth look at all thirty-eight seasons.It''s all here – the comedic highlights and low points, memorable hosts and musical guests, controversial moments, and, of course, the recurring characters and sketches, catch phrases, and film shorts that have made SNL the epicenter of American comedy for nearly four decades. SNL FAQ also examines the show''s influence on American culture and includes profiles of over 100 SNL cast members, along with a comprehensive guide detailing every episode.

TV Finales FAQ is the first book devoted exclusively to television's most memorable series finales. From Mary Richards' heartfelt goodbye to the WJM-TV newsroom in the classic finale of The Mary Tyler Moore Show to the puzzling conclusion of the enigmatic adventure series, Lost, to the tumultuous final hours in the life of Breaking Bad's Walter White, TV Finales FAQ takes an up close, insightful, and entertaining look at the most memorable final episodes of television's most popular prime time, daytime, and late night series.Crafting the final episode to a long-running television series can be challenging for producers and writers who want to remain faithful to the show's characters and history, yet, at the same time, satisfy the high expectations of its loyal fan base. TV Finales FAQ offers television viewers the inside story on the creation, broadcast, and aftermath of the most famous (and infamous) final episodes of over 50 television series from the 1960s through the present day.The books features such shows as Dexter, Roseanne, Will & Grace, The Office, The Sopranos, and some classic talk and late-night programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and many others.

"This is a comprehensive ticket to learning more about every aspect of the late-night comedy staple and its storied history." - Library JournalTelevision history was made on October 11, 1975, when a new generation of young performers welcomed America to the first episode of a new late-night comedy and variety show. Combining cutting-edge humor with a satirical sensibility, Saturday Night Live would go on to become the longest-running series of its kind in television history, shining a light on pop culture as well as contemporary social and political issues. It also became a launching pad for many of the leading comedy performers of the last five decades, including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Eddie Murphy, Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph, and Kate McKinnon Celebrating the show’s record-breaking 50 years on the air, The SNL Companion is a fun, fact-filled tribute to a television institution. From the show’s creation by Lorne Michaels through all of the seasons leading up to its golden anniversary, it provides an in-depth look at SNL’s comedic highlights and nadirs, its memorable hosts and musical guests, and its many controversies. Along with a complete episode guide, it explores the characters, sketches, politics, catchphrases, commercial parodies, and viral shorts that have made it a leader in American comedy for over five decades. Vastly revised, updated, and expanded since its original publication in 2013 and packed with photographs and rich encyclopedic detail, The SNL Companion is a one-stop resource for all things SNL.

"This is a comprehensive ticket to learning more about every aspect of the late-night comedy staple and its storied history." - Library JournalTelevision history was made on October 11, 1975, when a new generation of young performers welcomed America to the first episode of a new late-night comedy and variety show. Combining cutting-edge humor with a satirical sensibility, Saturday Night Live would go on to become the longest-running series of its kind in television history, shining a light on pop culture as well as contemporary social and political issues. It also became a launching pad for many of the leading comedy performers of the last five decades, including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Eddie Murphy, Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph, and Kate McKinnon Celebrating the show’s record-breaking 50 years on the air, The SNL Companion is a fun, fact-filled tribute to a television institution. From the show’s creation by Lorne Michaels through all of the seasons leading up to its golden anniversary, it provides an in-depth look at SNL’s comedic highlights and nadirs, its memorable hosts and musical guests, and its many controversies. Along with a complete episode guide, it explores the characters, sketches, politics, catchphrases, commercial parodies, and viral shorts that have made it a leader in American comedy for over five decades. Vastly revised, updated, and expanded since its original publication in 2013 and packed with photographs and rich encyclopedic detail, The SNL Companion is a one-stop resource for all things SNL.

TV Finales FAQ is the first book devoted exclusively to television''s most memorable series finales. From Mary Richards'' heartfelt goodbye to the WJM-TV newsroom in the classic finale of The Mary Tyler Moore Show to the puzzling conclusion of the enigmatic adventure series, Lost, to the tumultuous final hours in the life of Breaking Bad''s Walter White, TV Finales FAQ takes an up close, insightful, and entertaining look at the most memorable final episodes of television''s most popular prime time, daytime, and late night series.Crafting the final episode to a long-running television series can be challenging for producers and writers who want to remain faithful to the show''s characters and history, yet, at the same time, satisfy the high expectations of its loyal fan base. TV Finales FAQ offers television viewers the inside story on the creation, broadcast, and aftermath of the most famous (and infamous) final episodes of over 50 television series from the 1960s through the present day.The books features such shows as Dexter, Roseanne, Will & Grace, The Office, The Sopranos, and some classic talk and late-night programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and many others.