READ THIS: George Clooney The Last Great Movie Star Revised and Updated Edition by Kimberly Potts Our Coverage Sponsored by The Cutler Salon, Official Hairstylist of Whom You Know
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Nearly all Irishmen are good looking, however, there is only one George Clooney and we'd like our turn please. If you or the boys ever need any Manhattan tips Peachy is definitely ready to show you around...when she was 8 she remembers you on Riptide. Your love of Corvettes you got from your dad has convinced us you've got great taste, your inspiring tenacity that led to the star shining brighter on ER and your fun having bets (look at the one Peachy made with Regis-he says in his book how fantastic your parties are in Italy!) make you a singular sensation the world adores. We've just had our own Perfect Storm in Manhattan called Sandy, and if a biography on George Clooney doesn't cheer you up Manhattan, we don't know what will! We cannot get enough, and Peachy Deegan decided to share him in book form (but if he comes in person be advised sharing may not be employed!) with her panelists who say:
The man in the suit fascinates us. That guy with the closely cropped hair, now salt and pepper in color, with the seductive eyes that got him "Sexiest Man Alive" as a moniker is still a mystery to most of us. Europe sees more of George Clooney that America does, since he spends so much time in his villa in Cuomo, Italy. And he's all over European television via ads for Nespresso and other products. The tv ads show a tongue-in--cheek almost true to life vision of Clooney , in a perfectly tailored suit being himself. George Clooney is almost always himself, and that's why he fascinates. How he crafted this persona and developed it into a multi-million dollar franchise is revealed in this biography. From his early days as a good ole boy to his current boyo status in a group of his own choosing, George Clooney has always been true to himself. Once in a while, when he's acting outside of the box, we get a glimpse of his scope. His range as an actor goes beyond what some of us see as his "Mayor of Hollywood" personality. The bio traces his roots, plots his projects, and reveals some of his motivation for having created a wall of mystery around himself. Less is more, to the Clooney clan, and George has preserved his personal life against all odds. Read this book for the back story, the inside story, and get to know George Clooney a bit more. His amiable self reveals nothing sordid, all good, so true to George, and what we love about him. The man in the suit still rules the roost.
I have always been a fan of George Clooney's work. I've seen many of his movies and always go back to see more. The one thing I haven't done, is read many books about Mr. Clooney. I was so happy I read George Clooney: The Last Great Movie Star--Revised and Updated Edition. While I've seen many of his movies and know some of his history in Hollywood, I still was able to learn more about one of my favorite actors. I knew he was on several episodes of "Facts Of Life", but never really knew of much else before ER. What I found most interesting was his list of the 100 greatest movies. I've only seen 3 on his list. I've now written down a few movies I want to watch from his list. If you or anyone you know is a George Clooney fan, this book is a must read.
George Clooney. Just the mention of his name evokes sighs and longing gazes - one doesn't get named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive (twice!) without making some hearts beat faster! But his name also conjures up images of a man who fights for what he believes in and joins in many political and humanitarian efforts. But who IS George Clooney? What was he doing before he hit it big with ER? Well, thanks to author Kimberly Potts, we now have a much better idea. In her bookGeorge Clooney: The Last Great Movie Star - Revised and Updated Edition, Ms. Potts traces Clooney's trajectory from a showbiz-filled childhood, tagging along with his father, Nick Clooney, to many of Nick's radio jobs, through his appearance in 2011's The Descendants, and even offers us a glimpse of what Clooney has up his sleeve for the future. Although everyone likes to believe in the "overnight success" story, Clooney's isn't quite that. In 1982, despite his parents' wishes (Nick knew firsthand how grueling and disheartening show business could be), a 21-year-old George headed out to California with $300 to his name and immediately sought out his aunt Rosemary (yes, THE Rosemary Clooney), and asked her for a place to stay. After a year, George had worn out his welcome, and moved on to staying in a friend's closet. He spent the next decade taking minor parts on t.v. shows, including The Facts of Life, Roseanne, and The Golden Girls, and was working fairly regularly, but found himself dissatisfied. His big dream had always been to be in movies, and none of the parts he was getting would be the kind of vehicle that would take him there. Then came ER. As soon as he read the script, Clooney knew that this was the part that could get him where he wanted to be. Although some of the network executives were hesitant to take a chance on him, they were finally convinced, and they gave him the part. He got the call while he was driving in a Winnebago with a friend, and told his friend when he hung up the phone that he'd just been given a career. From then on, Clooney's fortunes turned, and he quickly became a household name. He got those movie roles he'd been dreaming of as a wide-eyed kid taking bit parts, and then some! As his career has progressed, he's also enjoyed working on movies from different angles - most notably as an actor, director and producer. Potts fills in the blanks along the way with lots of interesting tidbits and details (including Clooney's many romances), and does a wonderful job of making Clooney a real person - not just someone you read about in the tabloids, but a talented, passionate, articulate, motivated human being. Potts also makes note of his artful method of alternating blockbuster movie roles (like the Oceans) series with smaller-scale, less lucrative projects that come from his heart (such as Syriana and Good Night and Good Luck). To supplement the reading, Potts includes plenty of fabulous photos, as well as a filmography, a timeline, and a list of Clooney's 100 favorite films. Overall, it is an enjoyable and fascinating read about one of America's greatest movie stars, and an insighful look into what makes him tick.
Who doesn't love George Clooney? He is a great actor, director and is passionate about social injustices in the world and he has even won an academy award. This biography is a quick and interesting read. My inner teenager was thrilled with all of the information that was packed into the book. The pictures were also a very nice touch. It was fun to walk down memory lane while reading and looking at the pictures. I simply could not get enough of the pictures of young George. I don't usually read biographies, but this one was just entertaining. It keeps your attention and is a quick read - perfect after a long day at work. I definitely recommend this book.
George Clooney: The Last Great Movie Star is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
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He’s famous for twice being named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, for his penchant for practical jokes and his vow never to remarry, as well as for his Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated acting career. But the newly 50-year-old George Clooney’s reputation as “mayor of every movie set he’s on” belies his essential seriousness as a businessman, a humanitarian, and, of course, in his ascendancy to the Hollywood A-list.
In her revised and updated edition of George Clooney: The Last Great Movie Star (Applause Books, $19.99), entertainment writer and pop culture expert Kimberly Potts traces Clooney’s life from small-town boy to big-screen idol. She recounts how, after spending a decade languishing in failed TV series, Clooney slowly and deliberately built a résumé that took him from TV stardom on ER to a winning film career as a serious actor, writer, producer, and director. Along the way, Potts fills us in on Clooney’s early attempts to break into film, his many well-publicized romances, his political and humanitarian efforts, and his major fight with director David O. Russell on the set of Three Kings.
Later, Potts dissects Clooney’s shrewd strategy of alternating blockbuster movie roles, such as the Ocean’s franchise, with less lucrative “passion projects,” like Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck, that reflect his personal ethic and worldview. He won an Academy Award for the former and rave reviews for the latter, and continues to earn accolades and Oscar nominations for smart dramas such as Michael Clayton and Up in the Air.
With fresh interviews, essential Clooney photographs, a filmography, a timeline, and a list of his 100 favorite films, this is the Clooney book no fan will want to be without.
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Kimberly Potts, an education and pop culture writer, has written six books, including Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Chick Flick. She has written for AOL TV, TV Guide, Us Weekly, Inside TV, Movies.com, LATimes.com, MSN, Metromix.com, E! Online, Variety, iVillage.com, Teenmag.com, The Detroit Free Press, and The Cincinnati Enquirer. She blogs at TVScreener.com. Potts lives in New York.October 2011 $19.99 Paperback Original ISBN: 9781557837851
256 pages 6” x 9” Two 8-page B&W and color inserts
Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, an imprint of Hal Leonard www.applausebooks.com | onstageandbackstage.wordpress.com
