Customer Reviews (12)

cagney by cagney
disappointed that I was charged for shipping twice, when they arrived together. I ordered them both from the same seller so I could save shipping for two. I was still charged twice

Required Reading For Cagney Fans
Right from the horse's mouth! Told in Cagney's rat-a-tat-tat style of speech. Even on paper I could hear his voice in my head as I read.Okay, okay, he starts the book off rambling about his childhood exploits. Sounded like a man anxiously reminiscing about the years that made him who he has become. He does so in a hurry, thus leading the reader into a tailspin. But, he does settle down after awhile.

Once he hits the point in the book where his entertainment years begin, boy oh boy, hold your hat for an exciting ride. What great stuff. Even better to me as an amateur actor and movie fanatic is the behind the scenes stories Cagney shares from his first person point of view. We're talking early Hollywood stuff, like the fact Clarke Gable, Cagney and many others thought movie making would be a fad. WOW! They all predicted the big Hollywood bust similar to what happened to the Dot Com era in its infancy.

Better yet are his many stories, some hilarious while others profound about his take on actors and directors of his day. Cagney pulls no punches when offering his opinions about the people and the movie business during his active years and his take on what he calls movie slop being dished out starting in the 70's. Grumpy old man syndrome? Perhaps, but it's stimulating just the same.

Finally, in his later years the rough and tough Cagney turns philosopher. His love of nature and art and life are inspiring to say the least.Even though I just finished reading my copy yesterday I think I'll read it again starting right now.

Awesome and Entertaining!

As George M would tell it.
As I started reading this book, in my mind I was listening to it. Each time I read a page I was 'listening' to James Cagney's narating voice from Yankee Doodle Dandy. It became his George M Cohan character reminiscing about a wonderful life full of rich experiences with normal people who just happend to be the greatest stars of their time, or perhaps all-time. Nothing but thorough enjoyment from a man who experienced first hand the Golden Age of Hollywood. As a kid growing up in the 50's, all of his movies were a staple of Million Dollar Movie on a local NY station, WOR-TV. I'd watch the same movie over and over for the week they ran so needless to say, his movies left an indeliable mark on me, Yankee Doodle Dandy being the most implressive. Who today can say that of a musical produced by and for their PARENTS generation? Reading his personal biography has done the same, bringing me back to my early childhood, reading every word and just enjoying hearing that those untouchable Hollywood icons were more normal than I could have imagined as a kid.

Maybe not for everyone but this book was for me and a lot of others based on the majority of high-star reviews.

Cagney By Cagney
Cagney By Cagney Is such an enjoyable book not only about James Cagney himself but also gives insight into the film industry of the time.
We learn how he grew up in poverty, about his parents and siblings, his education and how he came to be an actor. His memories of his childhood friends and not so friendly people and how he used these memories in many of the characters he played on screen. The man he became and how he got to that point is just plain good reading and answered the questions, the many questions I had about this wonderful actor.

cagney on cagney
Not well written.Jumps around a lot. Expected more from this great actor than he revealed in his book ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (15)

Cagney
Excellent BIO learned things about Cagney that I didn't know and found the book very interesting and insightful into the man. A very enjoyable read would recommend to anyone wanting to understand the Great Actor.

Cagney is still my favorite actor
I loved the biography of James Cagney.I especially loved the chapter dedicated to "Yankee Doodle Dandy", which has been one of my favorite movies since I was a child.

INVASION OF MR CAGNEYS PRIVACY
I think that Mr. McCabe betrayed Mr. Cagneys trust by submitting personal and private matters that Mr. Cagney worked so hard to conceal.I respect James Cagney b/c he was a wonderful actor and I'm always entertained by his movies.I stopped reading this book b/c it was so personal.This book is perfect for all the psycho tabloid readers who are too wrapped up in other peoples lives than their own.If there is any respectable people left in this world...there are few...I would recommend the book that Cagney wrote himself, Cagney by Cagney.I am ashamed that I bought this.

a faraway fella...
this autobiography by the ghostwriter of Cagney by Cagny is a fine, loving and detailed portrait of an artist with humility, integrity and boundless talent. One of the finest autobiographies I've read. Cagney the man is so much more interesting then Cagney the actor and Cagney the actor was one hell of a talented soul. The writer makes us understand Jim Cagney so well and develop so much empathy for the man that it's like he's sitting across from you and telling his own life story.

A Yankee Doodle Dandy of a Bio!

Seen the Movies? Read this book!

A great bio of one of Filmdom's Gods.

You will learn alot about the man as actor, and human being, and about Hollywood in the Golden Age here.

Like many Leading Men of the Golden Age there was a lot of There THERE in that pretty little head of his, in the performance of his craft, and in his personal life, and we are fortunate to have had him performing on screen into is old age.

Fantastic! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Films of James Cagney by Homer Dickens
The rendition begins with a short biography of James Cagney
depicting the actor at one, as a teen, as a member of the Yorkville
Nut Club, as a clerk in Wanamaker's, in a classic vaudeville act
and as Mr. and Mrs. James Cagney. The work contains Cagney in
almost every classic pose including a scene near a fountain and
a fighter's portrait. There are numerous photos in "City for Conquest" , "The Bride Came COD" and "Captains of the Clouds".
This volume would be perfect for film students everywhere. It is
worth the cost for the extensive research presented.

A great little book tracing the career of a great little man
This marvelous book was originally published in 1972 but updated in 1989 to include Cagney's final years (he died in 1986). The first thirty pages are devotd to biographical information including pictures of Cag's life from ages 1 to 72. This is followed by a charming section entitled 'Rogues gallery' and features many of Cag's publicity stills. The rest of the book is devoted to the films and stagework featuring cast, credits, synopsis, critical analysis of the time and the author's own opinion. The book also encompases the shorter, promotional and behind the scenes films as well all the stage appearances. All of the greats are here as well as the lesser known films; from 'Sinner's Holiday' in 1930 to Cagney's final wheelchair bound appearance in the 1984 TV movie 'The Terrible Joe Moran'. This is one of many books in the Citadel film series tracing the careers of Hollywood's greats and this is a useful and concise accompaniment to the career of one such great. I look forward to reading others in the series. ... Read more

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The study of James Cagney's screen persona is far more than a profile of a great beloved star. It is a meditation on over a half-century of social history. From Cagney's early days to such successes as Yankee Doodle Dandy, Schickel follows the star's spectacular career. A great dancer who became a great actor, James Cagney could play George M. Cohan or Public Enemy No. 1 with equal ease and conviction. This book explains how. (Richard Schickel is chief cinema critic of Time Magazine.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not a Biography!Not really.
Richard Schickel published this book in 1985, a few years after making a documentary about James Cagney that was released around the time of the actor's last theatrical feature, "Ragtime." Schickel interviewed Cagney for the documentary as "Ragtime" was being filmed in 1980, and he based this book on that and other conversations with the actor late in Cagney's life.

Although this long essay contains a great deal of information about Cagney's life and film career, Schickel did not set out to write a conventional biography.His main topic is the development of Cagney's screen persona, the "tough guy" character that Cagney (and Warner Brothers) created, played, and refined in more than sixty film roles. Schickel is interested in the way that this cinematic character reflected many of the country's social concerns during the 1930s, Cagney's first decade in the movies, and after.He traces that development from the actor's first major starring role in "The Public Enemy" (1931) through his last major gangster role in "White Heat" (1949).He also shows how that persona emerged, or was altered, in other Cagney films, notably "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942), for which Cagney received his only Academy Award.Schickel notes that Cagney was a little ahead of his time when, in 1943, he left Warner Brothers and established his own production company (and made a rather undistinguished string of pictures); and he traces how Cagney's character fared in the late 1940s and 1950s, a time that saw Cagney's star fade until his "retirement" in 1961.The actor came out of retirement in 1980 to appear in "Ragtime" in a small but crucial role; his last film was a rather dreary TV movie made in 1984, by which time Cagney was so frail his lines had to be dubbed by another actor doing a Cagney imitation.

Schickel also is interested in Cagney's reluctance to talk about his film career in creative terms (save for a handful of fondly remembered films, such as "Yankee Doodle Dandy"). Cagney seems to have placed very little value on the work he did in the 1930s, on the character he created, perhaps because Cagney's "tough guy" was so at odds with the real man.Like many actors, Cagneydid not intellectualize about what he did on the screen; his art was instinctual, visceral, not cerebral.Cagney thought of himself as a lucky song-and-dance man who found a relatively easy way to make a very good living when he was in his early 30s.With few exceptions, each role he played was "just a job" to Cagney, no matter how much those roles enthralled and thrilled his admirers.

One might say that this book is less about Cagney and more about Schickel's own reaction to Cagney's screen persona and career.It's definitely more a work of criticism than biography or history.(There is, however, enough biographical information here to provide a good introduction to Cagney for those who know little or nothing about his career. There are also many good photos.)But for those who admire Cagney's work, Schickel has written a valuable assessment of just why this exceptional actor -- and quiet, gentle man offscreen -- was, and is, such a treasure to American cinema.

Long-winded and Incomprehensible
This book was terribly long-winded! This was not about the man Cagney. I felt like I was reading some engineering book. The language was usually incomprehensible and boring. Instead of talking about Cagney (which I assumed this book was about) the actor, he went into the psychological and philosophical aspects of Cagney's acting and the way the public responded to this in the golden movie age. In other words, if you are looking for a decent biography about James Cagney, I do not suggest this book. The only redeeming quality that this book possesses is the group of pictures. Looking for something a little more revealing about the man James Cagney, try to get your hands on "Cagney by Cagney", the autobiography. (Although it is his autobiography, Mr. Cagney seems to be uncomfortable speaking about himself). I have purchased a copy of John McCabe's (close friend of J. Cagney) biography titled "Cagney". I'll be writing a review as soon as I finish reading this particular book. ... Read more

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Nice Day for Murder takes a Tommy gun to contemporarynotions of poetry and feminism. In his gangster films, Cagney mashesfruit into the face of his love interests, snaps wet towels at them,kicks the chair out from under them and otherwise abuses them, andthey always come back for more.

Women take the towels back in the poems, exploring the dangerousliberation and erotic appeal that movie violence can have forwomen. Lines begin to blur between fiction and reality as thenarrative confuses Cagney's street-tough movie persona with his gentleoff-screen demeanor.

Inevitably, as in all the great movies, this romance ends in murder. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 230 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The hairstyles, slang terms, advertising jingles, pop music sensations, and all else described as popular culture is covered in this five-volume reference. Arranged chronologically by decade and by broad topics within each decade, this set focuses solely on the popular culture of the twentieth century, offering more detailed information on trends and fads than any other resource. Major topics include products and brands, toys and games, music and dance, holidays, shopping, sports, movements, and much more. ... Read more

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Cover red whtie and blue drawing of James Cagney. Also starred Joan Leslie, Walter Huston and Richard Whorf. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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As three of the most prominent actors of the early studio system, James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and Humphrey Bogart played an unparalleled role in the rise of the Warner Brothers Studio. These "Warners Wiseguys" are now virtually synonymous with the studio's era of gritty gangster films. This study of their interwoven studio-contract careers highlights the similarities of their personalities and their struggles with harsh typecasting. It details and comments critically on each of their combined 112 Warners films. Complete with commentary from the author and other film buffs. An appendix provides a filmographic guide to the films discussed, including lists of primary actors, release dates, directorial credits, and running times for each film. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Canyon News Editor Tommy Lightfoot Garrett Loves This Book
Being an avid reader I did know who Scott Allen Nollen was. The author of 16 books was educated in Film and History at the University of Iowa. He is currently on staff at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas, Texas.

So when I saw the recent McFarland Publishing book "Warner's Wiseguys," it caught my interest. I had known Virginia Mayo for many years and her leading man in many gangster films, including her most favorite, "White Heat," was James Cagney, so I knew that he'd be included. A young Bogart also got his start in these type of films and Warner's round out of tough guys would have to include Edward G. Robinson. All three were featured in this wonderful new book.
These wise guys who rounded off Warners' top leading men are now synonymous with the studio's era of gritty gangster films. This book is complete with commentary from the author and other film buffs. Warner's was not my favorite of studios, and MGM being most people's favorite was not either. I loved 20th Century Fox, but Warner Bros. Studios cranked out an amazing amount of work out of their actors, which is why Bogart and Bette Davis were so excellent in their roles in movies. Bette said, "You never got a chance to get lazy. There were always movies being made."

But this book not only brings out the truth of the Warners system but it chronicles all 112 movies that the three actors aforementioned starred in. The book also showcases some rare and amazing photographs of many Warners stars and is edited to precision. Anyone can pick the book up, finish a chapter or two and then start again later and feel like you know the story. The author's style of writing commentary is one that I enjoy doing and also love reading. My favorite chapter is titled "Playing All the Angles." It is how Warner Bros was run and how actors who became huge stars at the studio were forced to comply with. Cagney probably understood it better than most, Robinson seemed to enjoy it most, while Bogart was an accidental star but truly the biggest the studio has had. Even though he languished for years in Purgatory, but not in this book, there's a wonderful and well researched chapter called Bogie in Purgatory.

The book is easy to read, but not overly simplistic. The cover very catching and that's important in today's marketing. I enjoyed seeing some of the old movie posters as well featured in this book. Mr. Nollen has done a great job and I give this read four out of five stars. It's a book that has a definite niche audience, but for any old Hollywood buff, this book is readable and suggested reading as well.

Review by Canyon News Editor, Tommy Lightfoot Garrett

I couldn't agree more with Mr. Garrett's Review.
Jason.

The Best Book Of It's Kind!!!
Author Scott Allen Nollen Has Written The Definative Book On The Topic of Warner Brothers Gangster Films. This Book Is An In Depth Study Of James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, And Humphrey Bogart And The Great Gangster Classics They Made For This Studio. This Book Studies In "Major" Depth The Combined 112 Films These Great Actors Made. This Book Includes Commentary From This Great Author Plus Thoughts And Comments From Other Film Buffs Too. Everything Is Covered In This Great Book Including Not Only The Films Discussed And Actors Roles But Also Detailed Information About Release Dates, Directoral Credits, And The Running Times For Each Film Studied. This Book Is A "Must Have" As The Best Book Ever Published On This Topic. Highly Recommended!!! Five Stars!!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Like the Actor Himself, Much More Than Meets the Eye
Relive the unforgettable films Jimmy Cagney made during a career that spanned a half century.This biography goes beyond his most well-known films, in which the actor starred as a punk gangster, examining such diverse roles as a patriotic dancer and singer (Yankee Doodle Dandy), for which he won an Oscar.In fact, remembering his own tough upbringing in Manhattan, he never felt comfortable in his hoodlum roles, knowing full well the grief such men caused.Cagney also led studio walk-outs championing actors' rights and bred horses.Minty Clinch documents all this and more in this thorough biography. ... Read more