Mary Pickford. Marion Wong. Dorothy Arzner. Names from Hollywood's earliest days that many have forgotten or never known. This wonderful book introduces a dozen groundbreaking females from the early days of the motion picture industry, giving them credit for their skills and their courage. As the subtitle states, they were 12 Trailblazers in Front of and Behind the Camera. Whether they were actresses - Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish, Louise Beavers, Fredi Washington, Hattie McDaniel, Anna May Wong; a director - Dorothy Arzner; a screenwriter - Frances Marion, a producer - Marion Wong; a film editor - Margaret Booth; a costume designer - Clare West; or a stuntwoman - Helen Holmes - they all paved the way for those who came later.
The stories of each career are supported with photos showing various roles or scenes of the women at work behind the camera or at the editing desk, etc. As Ruth E. Carter says in her foreword, "These women did not just build Hollywood, they contributed to its longevity. They were breaking ground and breaking stereotypes. They were role models. They were a founding generation of women in Hollywood who helped future generations not only exist but have the powerful and diverse voices that they have now."
This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in Hollywood, the motion picture industry, and the role of women in popular culture. Publication date is set for May 16, just in time for some summer reading.
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