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Overview

Gable, Tracy, Stewart, Old Blue Eyes, and the King were Hollywood gods; men wanted to be them, women just plain wanted them. As celluloid royalty and soldiers in Louis B. Mayer's box office army, the men of The Leading Men of MGM captured the hearts and imaginations of the movie-going public during a thirty-year stretch encompassing three wars and the ultimate downfall of a studio empire. While their roles onscreen are some of the most memorable ever captured, they often pale in comparison to the lives these men lived behind the scenes. The Leading Men of MGM exposes these legendary figures in all of their salacious glory — from Clark Gable's clandestine homosexual encounters in bistro ...

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Overview

Gable, Tracy, Stewart, Old Blue Eyes, and the King were Hollywood gods; men wanted to be them, women just plain wanted them. As celluloid royalty and soldiers in Louis B. Mayer's box office army, the men of The Leading Men of MGM captured the hearts and imaginations of the movie-going public during a thirty-year stretch encompassing three wars and the ultimate downfall of a studio empire. While their roles onscreen are some of the most memorable ever captured, they often pale in comparison to the lives these men lived behind the scenes. The Leading Men of MGM exposes these legendary figures in all of their salacious glory — from Clark Gable's clandestine homosexual encounters in bistro bathrooms to Elvis's pill-popping, and Sinatra and Lawford's icy post-Kennedy jousts. Also profiling such stars as Ramon Novarro, Billy Haines, and Van Johnson, the collection offers complete filmographies and insightful looks at the nature of stardom during an era when the phenomenon was being minted. Offering a warts-and-all look at fifteen-plus legendary tinsel town stars, in addition to exploring their successes as genuine Hollywood talent, author Jane Ellen Wayne has written a must-have volume for film buffs of all stripes.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The men in Wayne's book-some producers (Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg), but mostly actors (Clark Gable, John Gilbert, Elvis Presley, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, Spencer Tracy)-are, theoretically, connected because they were all big names on MGM's roster. Really, though, they're all here so that Wayne (The Golden Girls of MGM) can dish the dirt, which she does, shovel-like. The Tracy chapter delves into his long history of alcohol abuse and his decades-long relationship (of convenience, says Wayne) with Katharine Hepburn (who, Wayne reports, mothered him while putting up with constant abuse and his refusal to divorce his wife and marry her). Tracy's story is more sad than entertaining, as is the chapter on the miserable decline of Peter Lawford. More tawdry-and fun-are the sections on Gable and Sinatra, where Wayne first shows what unlikely romantic leads they each were (Gable had big ears and false teeth; Sinatra was a "skinny, unknown singer who acted like a celebrity") before getting to the real meat of their careers: who they slept with, when, and if they were any good. Although suspiciously thin on attribution-Wayne has a mysterious, Kitty Kelley-like way with the sources of her more sensational material-this is an undeniably enjoyable selection of Hollywood juice. Photos. Agent, Jeremy Robson. (Mar. 15) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Wayne (The Golden Girls of MGM) continues what she started with her earlier book, this time focusing on the male luminaries of MGM, including John Gilbert, Clark Gable, and Robert Taylor, along with studio executives Irving G. Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer. There are some interesting tidbits, e.g., Taylor's insecurity about being thought a "beautiful" man and the theory that Mayer's hatred of Gilbert led him to alter his voice in his early "talkies," which ruined his career. While readers of previously written biographies on the individual stars won't find much new here, Wayne maintains the prose style of her previous book, using an insider's point of view. She packs a lifetime of information into about 40 pages on each star, emphasizing the sensational. Libraries that purchased Wayne's earlier work might want to consider this companion volume; otherwise, recommended for public libraries needing a gossipy overview of Hollywood's golden era.-Rosellen Brewer, formerly of the Monterey Cty. Free Libs., Salinas, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Slipshod biographies of the men who roared at MGM. Given that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was one of the most successful and influential film studios during Hollywood's golden age, a take on its leading male stars is entirely in order. As actors, just how great were Tracy and Gable? What sort of masculinity emanated from two of the studio's biggest stars, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly? Look for little insight here into those or other related topics. Wayne (The Golden Girls of MGM, 2003, etc.), who has penned nine other Hollywood bios, reveals her slant early on. Interviewing the famous, she writes in her preface, is "a waste of time." The "unknown starlets" bent on revenge are much more reliable, while prostitutes who serviced the stars are even better sources, especially on their clients' penis sizes. Thus, Wayne reveals that some stars (Frank Sinatra, for example) were bigger than others (Gable, alas). Overall, it seems, Wayne spends perhaps more time in her subjects' bedrooms than she does on the sets of their pictures. She reports, for instance, that Spencer Tracy sometimes suffered impotence, Robert Taylor was rumored to be bisexual, and Van Johnson was presumed by some actors to be gay. As for the films these MGM Boys (as they were called) starred in, the author seldom has more than a word or a phrase for them: Sea of Grass, she writes, was "a miserable picture," and so on. Tossing off more cliches than there are in a shelf of romance novels, and leaning heavily on previously published accounts, Wayne goes on to rehash the tired details of the men's lives. Peter Lawford ran interference when John F. Kennedy had sex with Marilyn Monroe. Frank Sinatra was hopelessly besotted by Ava Gardner.Clark Gable broke into pictures by having sex with openly gay actor William Haines. Frankly, though, few will give a damn. MGM with lots of pulp. (Eight pages of photos)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780786717682
  • Publisher: Da Capo Press
  • Publication date: 3/28/2006
  • Pages: 478
  • Sales rank: 890,062
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

JANE ELLEN WAYNE is the author of Robert Taylor: The Man with the Perfect Face and eight other Hollywood star biographies, among them Lana, Gable’s Women, and Crawford’s Men. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina.

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Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews

  • Posted March 21, 2010

    Horrible Book

    This book was one of the worst written non-fiction books I have ever read.If you are a movie buff,run from this pack of lies and unproven tales.The author clearly has an agenda and or axe to grind.Wrong spelling, out and out lies,imaginary conversations,and what I would consider slander in some cases.I didn't expect a great book when I got this .I thought it would be a fun read ,light and breezy.I was wrong.It wound up being one of the most agravating reads I have ever had the misfortune of reading.Please do yourself a favor and RUN from anything this so called author has written.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 16, 2005

    MATINEE IDOLS HAD SOME PRETTY WILD NIGHTS

    During its golden years Hollywood had mega studio MGM. A wag might comment that it would be more accurate to say that MGM had Hollywood as this studio boasted the biggest, brightest stars. MGM men were top box office draws - Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, Robert Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and more. These handsome hunks had female hearts aflutter and cash registers ringing. On screen they were larger than life, stars As we learn from Jane Ellen Wayne's tell-all-in-graphic-detail expose, off screen they were often falling stars. Keeping them in line was such a challenge that Metro-Goldyn-Mayer mogul Louis B. Mayer had a cadre of over 80 police officers on duty 24 hours a day. To protect the golden images of his male idols, Mayer shelled out. 'City officials were paid well for their cooperation, discretion and silence in cases of disorderly conduct, adultery, drunken misbehavior, suicide, and even murder.' Mayer disliked homosexuals and wanted his matinee idols to be known as he-men. He went to any lengths to achieve this, even to convincing Evie Wynn to divorce her husband, Keenan, in order to marry Van Johnson. Johnson's career was saved and the pair remained married for two decades until a chorus boy won Van's heart. However, Mayer also knew that he couldn't keep his men away from houses of prostitution, so he provided one for them 'to prevent them from contracting a social disease or getting a one-night stand pregnant.' Ladies of this 'cat house' were starlets who didn't make the grade. They were checked frequently by studio doctors to ensure their health and cleanliness. For these tactics and more Mayer was detested by some and admired by others. Whatever one thought of him, his was the largest and most successful movie studio in the entire world. Devoting some 40 pages to each male star, Ms. Wayne details their career, offers a filmography, and dishes, dishes, dishes. Some of it is recycled gossip, much of it is new (at least to this reader). Most know that Elvis Presley popped pills by the palmful. How many know that he had a foot fetish and 'loved to fondle and suck women's toes'? We learn that Jimmy Stewart was shy and stuttered. At one time he was completely captivated by Norma Shearer but was too embarrassed to be seen riding around in her yellow Rolls-Royce so he always slumped down in the back. She gifted him with a gold and diamond cigarette case but, ever the picture of humility, when she asked him for a cigarette, he pulled out a crumpled pack of Lucky Strikes. What else is there to say about `Ol Blue Eyes? Plenty, according to this author. He once attempted suicide, and although worth millions when he died left his first wife, Nancy, only $250.000. And, there was the night in Indio, California, when he and Ava Gardner 'shot up' the town with his 38s. And, they said theirs was true love. Sinatra once described himself as having 'an overactive capacity for sadness and elation.' An understatement? Author Wayne has left no stone, story or starlet unturned in telling the intimate stories of 'The Leading Men of MGM.' - Gail Cooke

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

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