Beyond Paradise

by Soares, Andre

• ISBN13: 9781604734577
• ISBN10: 1604734574
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-04-19
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Mississippi

Summary

The first Latin American actor to become a superstar, Ramon Novarro was for years one of Hollywood's top actors. Born Ram¢n Samaniego to a prominent Mexican family, he arrived in America in 1916, a refugee from civil wars. By the mid-1920s, he had become one of MGM's biggest box office attractions, starring in now-classic films, includingThe Student Prince,Mata Hari, and the original version ofBen-Hur. He shared the screen with the era's top leading ladies, such as Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Joan Crawford, and Norma Shearer, and became Rudolph Valentino's main rival in the "Latin Lover" category. Yet, despite his considerable professional accomplishments, Novarro's enduring hold on fame stems from his tragic death---his bloodied corpse was found in his house on Halloween 1968 in what has become one of Hollywood's most infamous scandals.A lifelong bachelor, Novarro carefully cultivated his image as a man deeply devoted to his family and to Catholicism. His murder shattered that persona. News reports revealed that the dashing screen hero had not only been gay, but was dead at the hands of two young male hustlers. Since then, details of his murder have achieved near mythic proportions, obscuring Novarro's professional legacy.Beyond Paradisepresents a full picture of the man who made motion picture history. Including original interviews with Novarro's surviving friends, family, co-workers, and the two men convicted of his murder, this biography provides unique insights into an early Hollywood star---a man whose heart was forever in conflict with his image and whose myth continues to fascinate today.

Author Biography

Andr Soares currently operates a translation business, working for numerous major American corporations. He is the author of several screenplays and is the chief editor of Alternative Film Guide.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. ix
Preface	p. xiii
Mexican Roots	p. 1
Arrival in Paradise	p. 12
Ramon's Columbus	p. 26
Ascendant Star	p. 41
"How Fate Works"	p. 66
Harrowing Triumph	p. 81
A Certain Young Man	p. 103
Crossroads	p. 126
The Singer of Durango	p. 146
Fade-Out	p. 177
Illusion of Happiness	p. 207
Comeback and Farewells	p. 230
The Last Years	p. 248
Death in the Hollywood Hills	p. 272
The Trial	p. 279
Epilogue	p. 293
Afterword	p. 298
Notes	p. 307
Filmography	p. 367
Select TV Appearances	p. 379
Select Stage Appearances	p. 380
Bibliography	p. 382
Acknowledgments	p. 387
Index	p. 391
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