Hollywood Royalty: A Family in Films (hardback)

“Just when I think no more books can be written about early Hollywood and its beginning from a personal and intimate perspective, along comes Hollywood Royalty: a Family in Films. The author has taken personal letters written from the hand of a true Hollywood pioneer to his son and woven them into an illuminating view inside one of early Hollywood's most influential families. A rare and unique perspective of a man who shaped the film industry. Intimate details about the Lasky family; Lasky's complex relationship with his wife; with Adolph Zukor, Samuel Goldwyn, Cecil B. DeMille; behind-the-scenes negotiations and development of some of Hollywood's finest classics; and perhaps most interesting, fatherly advice Lasky gives his son about life in general and his son's career in films. The beauty of the book is Silver-Lasky's use of personal letters between Jesse Sr. and Jesse Jr. and her own personal recollections and anecdotes provided her by husband Jesse Jr.  Of wide appeal to fans of classic cinema. Beginnings of Hollywood and the film industry, silent films, transition to sound films, day-to-day development of a film (from adaptation to premier).”

Kevin Brownlow

Film historian/preservationist