Herbert Marshall: A Biography

by Scott O'Brien, Kevin Brownlow (Introduction)

Whether embracing the silky essence of Kay Francis in Trouble in Paradise (1932), or enduring the machinations of Bette Davis in The Little Foxes (1941), Herbert Marshall was the essence of smooth, masculine sensitivity. Dietrich, Garbo, Shearer, Stanwyck, and Hepburn eagerly awaited to be, as Shearer put it, “so thoroughly and convincingly loved” on screen.

While many knew that Marshall had lost a leg in WWI, he preferred audiences to concentrate on his acting. Even so, he volunteered hundreds of hours to hospitals encouraging amputees during WWII.

His legacy as a versatile actor, and morale booster is as compelling, as it is complicated. “Marshall’s personal story,” noted the late Robert Osborne, “is a fascinating one.”

Herbert Marshall is Scott O'Brien's seventh biography of classic cinema legends. His books received positive reviews in such publications as Sight & Sound, SF Gate, and Classic Images. Three of O’Brien’s books have made the Huffington Post’s “Best Cinema Books of the Year.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Media Tie In

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2018

About the author

Scott lives in Sonoma County, California. A native of Ogden, Utah, he graduated from Stagg High School in Stockton, California. Scott received his BA from San Francisco State and his MA (Library Science) from San Jose State University. He has authored film biographies for BearManor Media that focus on Classic Hollywood. Currently, Scott is writing a biography on Ruth Chatterton.

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A speedy, newsy read. Herbert Marshall, stalwart, relable leading man gets a nice bio from the prolific Scott O’Brien. O’Brien seems to get a book out yearly and all seem to have something linking them, 6 degrees of separation. All his books are compact, well researched and a breezy read. I have always enjoyed Marshall’s performances and enjoyed this book examining his life.

[Noël Cades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite having a wooden leg (from a First World War injury), being forty and British, Herbert Marshall became one of Hollywood's leading male romantic heroes in the 1930s, starring with icons such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Katherine Hepburn, Claudette Colbert and Barbara Stanwyck, and marrying five times. He also did extensive charity work, including visiting young soldiers who had lost limbs in the Second World War.

Such an actor today would have been given a knighthood. Instead, Herbert Marshall is all but forgotten. I have yet to meet anyone else who has heard of him.

This fascinating biography by Scott O'Brien will hopefully remedy that. It's the first and only biography of this amazing and talented man. It spans from his family background and infancy right through to his later years. It's a wonderful glimpse into a lost era, or rather several lost eras, spanning the Victorian Age to the Space Age. Marshall, born in 1890, would have been ten years old when Queen Victoria died.

What's interesting is how well O'Brien's depiction of Marshall, drawn from a huge range of diverse sources, tallies with the impression one gets of Marshall through watching his films. Charming, intelligent, good-humoured, courteous and humble: there is something very compelling and natural about Marshall, both as an actor and as a man.

Trouble In Paradise (1932) is usually held up as one of Marshall's greatest films. It is a wonderful movie, but some of its nuances may be less accessible without background knowledge of the Pre-Code era, social mores and so on.

For something more readily accessible to modern day viewers who aren't vintage cinemaphiles, I recommend If Only You Could Cook (1935) [available on YouTube] and Breakfast For Two (1937). Both are romantic comedies that are genuinely funny, which - with very few changes - could easily be remade today.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Scott O’Brien’s books and love how he champions actors who were well regarded in their day but fall into a lower tier than the likes of Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant – the ones who have already been the subject of multiple biographies. As a long time film buff, I have been familiar with all of O’Brien’s subjects, but knew little of their lives and it’s always an enjoyable journey getting to know his subjects. In this latest volume about Herbert Marshall we learn about his actor parents in England, his service in WWI where he lost a leg, and how, while despondent over his disability, was given the opportunity to return to the stage. The book covers Marshall’s stage and film career, his marriages and friendships and is packed with photos spanning his entire life. I had already seen several of Marshall’s films, (the delightful “Trouble in Paradise” multiple times), but sought out others as I read the book, making the experience a personalized film class. I liked the conversational tone and the fact that the narrative didn’t get bogged down in over-writing or too many details. A must read for classic film fans.

[Krista Lawler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Scott O'Brien books and this one was excellent! Must read to learn more what I consider to be a very underrated actor!