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The Name Below the Title: 65 Classic Movie Character Actors From Hollywood's Golden Age
AN AMAZON BESTSELLER!
"It’s a magnificent book – and wonderfully written too. Rupert Alistair has a clever turn of phrase that made “The Name Below the Title” an extremely entertaining read."
- David Wills, author of Hollywood in Kodachrome and The Cinematic Legacy of Frank Sinatra
During the golden age of American cinema, the character actor’s contribution often goes unacknowledged or, though perhaps not forgotten, underappreciated; the unsung heroes. Hollywood studios had large stables of contract and stock players from all walks of life and in all shapes, sizes and ages. This great population of personalities formed the league of character actors. They played the sidekicks and best friends of the stars who headlined the movies in which they appeared. They also portrayed parents, grandparents, oddball relatives, wise-cracking neighbors, smart-aleck store clerks and loveable barkeeps. Lest we forget the sinister side of this society, villains also claimed a stake in this assembly of saints, sinners and every type in between. These colorful personalities were usually one-dimensional, someone to whom the star could confide secrets or vent frustrations. In many cases they carried the same persona over from one film to the next, perfecting their stereotype so that audiences knew what to expect from them in a positive and affectionate way, collecting their beloved favorites over the years.The Name Below the Title features 65 of the best and most fun examples of the Hollywood character actor during Hollywood's most famous era from the 1930s through the 1950s.
"It’s a magnificent book – and wonderfully written too. Rupert Alistair has a clever turn of phrase that made “The Name Below the Title” an extremely entertaining read."
- David Wills, author of Hollywood in Kodachrome and The Cinematic Legacy of Frank Sinatra
During the golden age of American cinema, the character actor’s contribution often goes unacknowledged or, though perhaps not forgotten, underappreciated; the unsung heroes. Hollywood studios had large stables of contract and stock players from all walks of life and in all shapes, sizes and ages. This great population of personalities formed the league of character actors. They played the sidekicks and best friends of the stars who headlined the movies in which they appeared. They also portrayed parents, grandparents, oddball relatives, wise-cracking neighbors, smart-aleck store clerks and loveable barkeeps. Lest we forget the sinister side of this society, villains also claimed a stake in this assembly of saints, sinners and every type in between. These colorful personalities were usually one-dimensional, someone to whom the star could confide secrets or vent frustrations. In many cases they carried the same persona over from one film to the next, perfecting their stereotype so that audiences knew what to expect from them in a positive and affectionate way, collecting their beloved favorites over the years.The Name Below the Title features 65 of the best and most fun examples of the Hollywood character actor during Hollywood's most famous era from the 1930s through the 1950s.
264 pages, Paperback
Published September 14, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 28, 2025
4.5
My dear friend Betsy who, like me, is also a Golden Age of Movies buff told me about this book and I got it immediately. So glad I did.
The character actors were the backbone of film and are those people whose faces you recognize but don't know their names. Most of them worked steadily for years and had wonderful careers. Others had hoped to become "stars" but didn't quite get to their goal and slipped into supporting/character roles But they were stars in their own right. Several of them went on to early television with success.
The author provides each entry with a picture of the actor and a short but well done summary of their lives and careers. So many faces we know from Edward Everett Horton to Barry Fitzgerald to Una Merkle to Franklin Pangborn, etc. There were several of my favorites who were not included and I hope that the author releases another book to pick of the slack.
It is a great second book for bedtime or lunch reading and I recommend it to the "old movie" fan.
My dear friend Betsy who, like me, is also a Golden Age of Movies buff told me about this book and I got it immediately. So glad I did.
The character actors were the backbone of film and are those people whose faces you recognize but don't know their names. Most of them worked steadily for years and had wonderful careers. Others had hoped to become "stars" but didn't quite get to their goal and slipped into supporting/character roles But they were stars in their own right. Several of them went on to early television with success.
The author provides each entry with a picture of the actor and a short but well done summary of their lives and careers. So many faces we know from Edward Everett Horton to Barry Fitzgerald to Una Merkle to Franklin Pangborn, etc. There were several of my favorites who were not included and I hope that the author releases another book to pick of the slack.
It is a great second book for bedtime or lunch reading and I recommend it to the "old movie" fan.
October 15, 2023
Whether it’s the current system of movie stars or the great silver screen idols of cinema’s golden age, most people can recognize the famous actors and actresses. But what about the supporting players who always seemed to steal the film away from the names-above-the-titles? This book provides an extensive look at sixty-six character actors and actresses from the best decades of Hollywood. Each person is given a biography plus the various roles they performed on the big screen and even their later time on the telly. The reader may be pleasantly surprised to find themselves eagerly looking forward to discovering who made the cut into this pantheon of movie studio supporting “stars”.
The book is set up alphabetically, starting with Dame Judith Anderson and ending with Dame May Whitty. As one reads along, it’s fun to have the thrill of recognition when viewing the next chapter’s photograph, leading one to remember the movies featuring these players. Edward Everett Horton made me think of Fred Astaire, Cary Grant and all those wonderful art-deco movies from the 1930s, where everyone seemed to live a life on expensive transatlantic cruises while the rest of the world struggled in the Depression. And Marjorie Main! She was famous as Ma Kettle but I have never seen those films, instead realizing I had just seen her in an episode of the television show, Wagon Train. Claude Rains is included in this book, although if he was a supporting actor, he must then be considered the greatest of character actors, for he was a star in his own right. Thelma Ritter was always so good as the comedic foil in the 1940s and 1950s, I could pick her out the lineup fairly quickly.
I also enjoyed reading the brief biographies of each performer. The British Raj, for instance, was well-known in Hollywood, but it never occurred to me that several of them stayed in California for good and died here, instead of returning to Britain. Then there’s the strange life of Laird Cregar, who played villains because of his huge height and size (300 lbs). In an effort to change his roles and in a bid for stardom, he went on a very strict crash diet, eating less than 500 calories per day. It resulted in a fatal heart attack, a lesson for those who couldn’t be satisfied with “B” rather than “A” status.
This book looks like it’s self-published, which would normally push me off reading it. But it has been put together quite professionally with nice research on the part of author Rupert Alistair. More importantly, I perceived his passion for each character actor and actress, that admiration coming across each page. There isn’t any nastiness or backbiting, which made reading this book very refreshing. I would definitely suggest it to any movie buff who wants to learn more about those hard-working folks who made the golden age of films sparkle, even if their names weren’t as well-known as the big stars.
Book Season = Summer (popcorn and streaming)
The book is set up alphabetically, starting with Dame Judith Anderson and ending with Dame May Whitty. As one reads along, it’s fun to have the thrill of recognition when viewing the next chapter’s photograph, leading one to remember the movies featuring these players. Edward Everett Horton made me think of Fred Astaire, Cary Grant and all those wonderful art-deco movies from the 1930s, where everyone seemed to live a life on expensive transatlantic cruises while the rest of the world struggled in the Depression. And Marjorie Main! She was famous as Ma Kettle but I have never seen those films, instead realizing I had just seen her in an episode of the television show, Wagon Train. Claude Rains is included in this book, although if he was a supporting actor, he must then be considered the greatest of character actors, for he was a star in his own right. Thelma Ritter was always so good as the comedic foil in the 1940s and 1950s, I could pick her out the lineup fairly quickly.
I also enjoyed reading the brief biographies of each performer. The British Raj, for instance, was well-known in Hollywood, but it never occurred to me that several of them stayed in California for good and died here, instead of returning to Britain. Then there’s the strange life of Laird Cregar, who played villains because of his huge height and size (300 lbs). In an effort to change his roles and in a bid for stardom, he went on a very strict crash diet, eating less than 500 calories per day. It resulted in a fatal heart attack, a lesson for those who couldn’t be satisfied with “B” rather than “A” status.
This book looks like it’s self-published, which would normally push me off reading it. But it has been put together quite professionally with nice research on the part of author Rupert Alistair. More importantly, I perceived his passion for each character actor and actress, that admiration coming across each page. There isn’t any nastiness or backbiting, which made reading this book very refreshing. I would definitely suggest it to any movie buff who wants to learn more about those hard-working folks who made the golden age of films sparkle, even if their names weren’t as well-known as the big stars.
Book Season = Summer (popcorn and streaming)
May 5, 2019
Warning: Rupert Alistair’s The Name Below the Title is for movie buffs only. I can’t imagine a casual reader getting much enjoyment out of it. A series of sixty-five short biographies of movie character actors of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, most readers would not have a clue as to whom these people are, except in the very few cases like Margaret Hamilton, the famous Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz or maybe Frank Morgan, the wizard himself. The others will only be familiar to those who have seen the product of the Golden Age of Hollywood. That being said, the book is a semi-treasure. These actors were extremely competent, very talented, and their portrayals well-liked. Many toiled almost nameless in the countless films the studios churned out, while others gave such stellar performances they were awarded nominations and even Best Supporting Actor/Actress trophies from the Motion Picture Academy. For us old codgers, steeped in old Hollywood, Alistair’s book is mildly fun. I say mildly because an author, faced with saying the same things sixty-five times, can only vary his words so much. Of the sixty-five, it seemed that most of them were in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Well, probably only eight or ten of them, but the film does get mentioned constantly. And it had to be hard to write a he/she was born, lived, made these movies, then died scenario for each of these actors and vary the format significantly. But Alistair does a fairly good job of doing so, and the book is a good addition to a film buff’s bookshelf. Sadly, the book could have benefitted from a good copy edit. There are numerous comma errors, and I saw at least four or five sentences that had contradictory statements. And there was the egregious “return back,” which any copy editor would have flagged, for those two words say the same thing. And sadly, the large print title of Mike Mazurski’s bio has the “s” left out of his last name. That, at first, threw me for a loop for I could not, for the life of me, remember any actor named Mike Mazurki. But I am quibbling. If you’re a movie buff, read the book. You’ll enjoy it.
December 31, 2021
Don't worry about knowing the people in this book when you first pick it up. You will soon find yourself immersed in the fascinating back stories of these amazing character actors. And you'll likely discover many familiar faces. In these pages you'll read about the tragedies, the competitors, the evil, the charming and the kind-hearted. Discover the lives of Walter Brennen, Margaret Rutherford (a stand-out jaw dropping bio), Claude Rains,Thelma Ritter, Elsa Lanchester, Una Merkel, Margaret Hamilton, Agnes Morehead, Warner Oland, and so many more. I couldn't wait to tell my friends some of the juicy tidbits I learned, such as, who was first considered for the role of the wizard in The Wizard of Oz. I now look forward to first viewing or revisiting some of the great motion pictures these creative talents appeared in. Dive into this well researched gem and enjoy!
November 24, 2022
The book is a collection of short bios (3-5 pages each) of a wide variety of supporting actors from Hollywood's Golden Age. The actors selected range from those folks with both familiar names and faces, like Margaret Hamilton, Peter Lorre, and Angela Lansbury, to those folks whose faces are very familiar, but I seldom had a clue of their name, like Harry Davenport, Gale Sondergard, and Una O'Connor. For many, they came from vaudville, music hall, or travelling stage troupe families and made their way to Hollywood (and often back to the stage), or the radio or TV.
Little in the way of earthshaking revelations, but still interesting. A lot of un-happy endings for many of those performers.
From a readers perspective, a nice book for bedtime, or for the waiting room, as the bios are short.
Little in the way of earthshaking revelations, but still interesting. A lot of un-happy endings for many of those performers.
From a readers perspective, a nice book for bedtime, or for the waiting room, as the bios are short.
April 1, 2025
As a huge fan of movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The brief biographies of the actors included a variety of interesting facts. In addition to listing the most popular movies and awards, Alistair also listed some of their obscure acting credentials. Details of their personal lives were given without a gossipy presentation, although some not without delving into scandal a little bit! Of course, each of the 65 actors is covered briefly. I loved learning about these actors that many people might not know much about. Hopefully, this book encourages readers to find more in-depth biographies on actors of interest. I will keep this book handy while watching old movies to refer back to!
July 16, 2020
Anyone who enjoys classic movies from the 1930s-40s-50s will appreciate these 3-4 page biographical sketches of (mostly) familiar character actors. Often these actors truly make a movie worthwhile, much like the presence of old, familiar friends. Unfortunately, like old friends, not every one has a perfectly agreeable background story. But classic film fans still applaud their contributions to the genre. Excellent book!
The lack of proofreading for frequent grammatical errors keeps me from giving my highest rating. So 4+ stars.
The lack of proofreading for frequent grammatical errors keeps me from giving my highest rating. So 4+ stars.
December 27, 2022
Health issues slowing me down. That said, if you like old movies then this book puts names to many faces you know and recognize but can not recall who they are. While some A listers are here, they started in small roles, or we have some big names that made a few A movies but appeared in dozens or even hundreds of films as the main supporter to the big star. Small bios give just enough to know these players and the list of books on Hollywood gives you a fuller library to use.
May 31, 2021
This is an entertaining read with a few facts that I was not aware of.However I was slightly irritated that actors who played leading roles,such as Conrad Veidt, Angela Lansbury, George Sanders and Charles Bickford were included instead of genuine character actors.Mind you much of the information is out there on the Internet.
September 21, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a very easy read of basically short stories about early Hollywood. It isn't for everyone but it was perfect for me. I love watching the old black & white movies so this book just filled in gaps for those faces I see often in the old movies.
October 21, 2023
Really for classic movie buffs. Faces and names you may or not know. If you’re a classic movie fan you’ve seen them all. Biographies of 65 actors from the golden age of Hollywood. It will be entertaining if you are a fan.
January 20, 2024
Good reference book containing vignettes of A-list supporting players from Hollywood’s Golden Era. The short biographies are a bit formulaic, and it certainly helps to know the of many of the actors in advance, through viewing experience. Reasonable addition to the bookshelf of a cinema buff.
February 7, 2019
It was lots of fun learning more about so many outstanding character actors form the Golden Age.
January 8, 2021
This is a great book to get lost in if you are a person of a certain age that grew up on classic films. Savor it and take your time and soak up the nostalgia.
July 1, 2022
I love this sort of niche Hollywood lore book so it was heaven to read. If you aren't as avid as I am your rating will be lower but it is still an interesting, informational read.
January 13, 2023
Very interesting if you like classic movies. Fast read. Sometimes biographical information was too short.
January 7, 2024
The punctuation is reprehensible, but the content is concise and charming.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews