Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer

by Scott Eyman

Lion of Hollywood is the definitive biography of Louis B. Mayer, the chief of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- MGM -- the biggest and most successful film studio of Hollywood's Golden Age. An immigrant from tsarist Russia, Mayer began in the film business as an exhibitor but soon migrated to where the action and the power were -- Hollywood. Through sheer force of energy and foresight, he turned his own modest studio into MGM, where he became the most powerful man in Hollywood, bending the film business to his will. He made great films, including the fabulous MGM musicals, and he made great Garbo, Gable, Garland, and dozens of others. Through the enormously successful Andy Hardy series, Mayer purveyed family values to America. At the same time, he used his influence to place a federal judge on the bench, pay off local officials, cover up his stars' indiscretions, and, on occasion, arrange marriages for gay stars. Mayer rose from his impoverished childhood to become at one time the highest-paid executive in America. Despite his power and money, Mayer suffered some significant losses. He had two Irene, who married David O. Selznick, and Edie, who married producer William Goetz. He would eventually fall out with Edie and divorce his wife, Margaret, ending his life alienated from most of his family. His chief assistant, Irving Thalberg, was his closest business partner, but they quarreled frequently, and Thalberg's early death left Mayer without his most trusted associate. As Mayer grew older, his politics became increasingly reactionary, and he found himself politically isolated within Hollywood's small conservative community. Lion of Hollywood is a three-dimensional biography of a figure often caricatured and vilified as the paragon of the studio system. Mayer could be arrogant and tyrannical, but under his leadership MGM made such unforgettable films as The Big Parade, Ninotchka, The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, and An American in Paris. Film historian Scott Eyman interviewed more than 150 people and researched some previously unavailable archives to write this major new biography of a man who defined an industry and an era.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Film, History, Media Tie In, Biography Memoir, Business

608 pages, Hardcover

First published April 19, 2005

About the author

Scott Eyman has authored 11 books, including, with Robert Wagner, the New York Times bestseller Pieces of My Heart.

Among his other books are "Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer," "Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford," "Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise," and "The Speed of Sound" (all Simon & Schuster) and "John Ford: The Searcher" for Taschen.

He has lectured extensively around the world, most frequently at the National Film Theater in London, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Moscow Film Theater. He's done the commentary tracks for many DVD's, including "Trouble in Paradise," "My Darling Clementine," and Stagecoach.

Eyman has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune, as well as practically every film magazine extinct or still extant.

He's the literary critic for the Palm Beach Post; he and his wife Lynn live in Palm Beach.

Reviews

[Luke Devenish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a behemoth - both in man and book. I loved this. So absorbing. So many other books about the people who passed through MGM during the golden years invariably do a hatchet job on old LB - pick up any book on Gable, Garland or Harlow, for example - but this exhaustive biog redresses the balance. The Mayer that emerges here is a compelling individual. Flawed, yes. Manipulative and ruthless, undoubtedly. But also compassionate, loyal, generous and brilliantly gifted in the business of making of movies. A true visionary and a great leader, brought undone by hubris and a refusal to acknowledge changing times. As well as being the definitive book about Mayer, this is also the definitive book about MGM. I've not read a better one on the fabled studio. It strips away the legendary gloss of the MGM product to show just how that gloss was applied - and conceived. MGM's dizzying rise in LB's hands and its protracted decline without him is a textbook rags to riches to rags story, in this case told on a grand scale, impacting the lives of thousands. A true tragedy. LB was the man who had everything, the mightiest fish in his pond, but when the pond dried up, his rage and grief and, ultimately, his total bewilderment at what befell the world he so loved, are very human. And very moving. This is the great strength of this book. Legendary figures are made recognizable human beings - humble factory workers, in fact. Highly recommended for scholars of Old Hollywood.

[Karie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been curious to read a really good book about Mayer. The problem that I often encounter with film related biographies is that they either canonize or demonize their subjects, offering only one side of what is always a very deep, multi-layered complicated person’s life. Many of these books also tend to be very poorly researched, which I find annoying. To me, the same standard of research, accuracy and integrity should be applied to a star bio that say gets applied to a bio of someone like Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill for example. Often though, that is not the case. Many star bios I’ve read tend to be conjecture, gossip, lies and often wildly unsubstantiated claims. Fortunately this biography of Louis B. Mayer is a great one that is incredibly well researched and a compelling read. Being that I love film history, I’ve often read many rumors and stories about Louis B. Mayer in various other biographies. Lion of Hollywood goes to great lengths to present an accurate and balanced portrait of the man.

The book chronicles Mayer’s impoverished childhood and his humble beginnings as a junk dealer. He began at the very ground floor of the film business at a time when it was all just developing and being formed as an industry. He was a great showman with an eye for talent and a relentless drive for success. As the head of M-G-M, he put quality first and often did so at great expense. That is certainly not done as often today. The book goes beyond his career achievements and into the complexities of his mind, personality and background. One of the M-G-M stars once referred to Mayer as “the best actor on the lot” and they weren’t kidding. In spite of his reputation as a ruthless titan, Mayer could produce tears and even sobs on a moment’s notice in order to persuade an actor to take a role or to leverage a deal. He had a flair for melodrama that would put almost any performer to shame. Mayer valued the idea of America and good clean family films. It becomes clear that Irving Thalberg was the true artistic force behind the studio in the early years and was far more interested in taking risks. The book also chronicles Mayer’s difficult and often fractured relationships with his wives, daughters and co-workers. The book also provides interesting perspectives on what various actors thought of him. There are some who loved him dearly and others who swore that he was the devil incarnate.

I wondered upon starting the book how I would feel about Louis B. Mayer after I had finished reading it. Having finished, I can only say that I have mixed feelings. I do however agree with a quote in the book from filmmaker Richard Brooks, “So, MGM gave me opportunity after opportunity for seven and a half years there I paid my dues and I learned my craft. And I learned it from some great people. The Mayers and the Warners and the Cohns--the did some terrible things, but they loved movies. I can’t say that about many film executives nowadays. They don’t even like movies.”

I think his sentiment says it all. If you are looking for a great Hollywood bio, I highly recommend Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer. It is well written, brilliantly researched and a fantastic read.

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Realpolitik en la industria del cine-

Género. Biografía.

Lo que nos cuenta. Acercamiento a la vida y figura de Louis B. Mayer, hombre que se hizo a sí mismo desde sus orígenes como humilde inmigrante ruso llegado a Canadá hasta convertirse en el último de los hombres fuertes (pero fuertes de verdad, casi omnipotentes en su campo) de Hollywood y, por ende, del cine mundial.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com....

[Samantha Glasser]

Eyman has a good sense of humor that permeates the scholarly writing. "...and-- perhaps the least enticing title in the history of motion picture properties-- 'Volunteer Organist.'"

Author Scott Eyman will be doing a book signing at the Columbus Moving Picture Show in Columbus, Ohio in May 2022.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong Movie lover,the history of Hollywood ,(as in the Beginning)has always been something I am still drawn to.The tremendous creativity and talent,making what was considered a passing fad,motion pictures,(read :T.V. in the 50's)into the art form of the 20th century.Louis B Mayer was one of the founding fathers.One of maybe 5 or 6 who changed the face of American culture,Louis is considered,as in M.G.M.s lion logo "King of the pack."
Scott Lyman has written an exaustively researched book that shows the previously much maligned 'monster' to be a brilliant street savvy emotional, genius.He believed people wanted to see themselves as human beings with a moral code.Good people,as we all want to be,but fall short of.That's why his choice of Actors became Stars.He knew who we would like and want to emulate.This was not totally manipulative but something he believed in in the depths of his soul.Author Eyman skillfully avoids scandal ,for the most part,and concentrates on Mayer and M.G.M.,to his credit.

Even if you only have a passing interest in bygone Hollywood,this book will open your eyes to what was a wonderful and exciting time in history.
We need people like Louis B Mayer today.Of course people like him cannot exist in today's world.More's the pity.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times, this book felt insurmountable to read to finish -- a massive and fascinating (and at times, impossibly long-winded) tome of the movie icon Louis B. Mayer. Despite its length, I was captivated by LB's story and his historical significance on the movie-making industry. This is likely not a book that you can finish over a weekend, nor will you want to, to truly immerse yourself in his world, but you will enjoy it for its broad and comprehensive characterization of the "Lion of Hollywood" and his relationships with some of the biggest names in movie history and how he came to be -- the star-studded name dropping of the bygone, glamorous era of movies is Hollywood gossip at its best and an added pleasure!

[M.R. Bowers · Rating 3 out of 5]

An astonishingly well-researched, and yet undeniably slanted and biased, look at one of the men who made Hollywood. This book is frustrating; it's filled with hundreds of incredible details, facts, and anecdotes that are gold for anyone interested in film history, yet also includes nearly as many distortions, false equivalencies, and apologies for the behavior of its protagonist. Recommended, but be aware you'll need to bring a healthy skepticism and wade through a lot of troubling (and at times downright misogynistic) observations and snide asides.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a thorough biography of Louis B. Mayer, it was very entertaining and fascinating to read. With so many different people interviewed it definitely gave the impression and Mr. Mayer was a complicated individual who was different things to different people. I felt I had a well-rounded impression of his life as well as his family's. Highly recommend it!

[Graceann · Rating 5 out of 5]

In-depth biography of one of the most powerful, and divisive, figures in Hollywood. Everyone had or has an opinion on Louis B. Mayer and most of them are included here. Also included is his life story and his background machinations. Revealing and fascinating.

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, thorough, and balanced account of the life of Louis Mayer. Probably packed with more anecdotes than is strictly necessary, but they aren’t dull.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging. Great stories from behind the senes of the dream factory. Only biography endorsed by the Mayer family.

[Tony Siciliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was exhaustive and exhausting. There is so much that is repeated over and over again, and the many and various anecdotes are often misplaced chronologically. So many observations made by the author and intended to be ironic slip past this reader since the author assumes you have the same knowledge about Mayer that he has. The transitions from one subject to the next are often abrupt, with the use of lots of pronouns that refer to no one. It's difficult to know who the writer is talking about. After all that negative commentary, I can still say the book is tremendously entertaining and enlightening. The author seems to have gone to the core of Louis B. Mayer and displayed all of Mayer's strengths, weaknesses, fears, and hypocrisies. I think the author was fair to Mayer, and in the end, I must admit my admiration for him. He was an enormously talented man with worldly-wise skills and boundless energy. He created a motion picture studio that is still the envy of the world and which created some of the most respected and entertaining films ever. I clearly enjoyed this biography and would recommend it to anyone interested in the history of American film-making.

[Donald Trump (Parody) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncle Roy used to tell me that while all communists were Jews, not all Jews were communists. This is one of the good ones. He supposedly ran Hollywood, back when they made decent movies that you take everybody to go see. The last time I took Barron to see a movie, it was this movie with blue aliens raping dragons with with ponytails, and in 3D! GROSS! But that oversensitive weirdo loved it, which should tell you something about the movies they're making today: they're taking advantage of kids who maybe have some problems like Barron, and in the name of entertainment they're leaving the parents with the results. I tell ya, the fire I walked through for that fuckin' kid. He ain't been the same since. Anyway, if you wanna know about a time when Barron shoulda been watching movies, even though they woulda made me put him in a hospital back then, THIS is the book for you! MAZELTOV!

[Christine Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography of one of the giants of Hollywood. It seems as though Louis B. Mayer was either loved or hated by everyone; there was no middle ground. Well-researched and well-written, full of star anecdotes and photos, this book gives a fair, even-handed look into the life of a man who was larger than life and, at the same time, beset with all-too-human faults. As Joe E. Brown says at the end of Some Like It Hot, "Nobody's perfect."

[Estelle Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An incredible amount of research has clearly been laboured over this book. An insightful look at early Hollywood. However, there is some detail within that left me saying 'really?' But hey, Hollywood isn't exactly a normal place is it?

[W. Frazier · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has tons of fascinating information on MGM and the Louis B. Mayer dynasty but the Kindle version seems way off in formatting, it’s very distracting. The sequencing, the nonsensical jumps from one paragraph to the next, there are a lot of disjointed parts. My guess (my hope) is that it was scanned in and spell-checked for Kindle but nobody thought to re-read the lengthy manuscript. The choppy narrative reads like a giant stack of notecards, I had trouble getting through more than 30 pages at a time. The book offers some great insights, some good historical perspective, it also captures the public relations flair of that era, the original hardback has to be better.

[Carol Niehaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written, interesting and entertaining biography. It is extensively researched and a balanced moral inventory of both virtues and imperfections. I love a rags to riches story and L.B.Mayer is an American Dream. He started as a poor, Jewish, Russian immigrant child. He hustled for scraps, pressed his nose to the glass of fine restaurants, and found magic backstage at a local theater. I found myself compulsively reading to discover more and more. Who is this man? How did he become a Bel Air mogul and do I even like or respect the guy? As I hoped there are plenty of gems about the stars of the era. What kept me engaged in the story however, is that the main character is presented as complex and multi-faceted. L.B. Mayer could be grand, magnanimous, idealistic, deep feeling and intuitive and a great salesman and executive with an eye for talent and a gift for delegating. He could also be deeply insecure, cut throat, petty, vindictive, immature and foolish. LB's primary drive may have been survival and the bottom line. He was power hungry and money mad. Yet, he also seemed genuinely interested in making good movies. He took pride in his product. Ultimately, I can't help but admire someone who left a legacy of film as rich as MGM's Golden Years.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louis B. Mayer has been a character in a number of recent television shows, and I wanted to get to know more about the real man. He was a fascinating character, with all the good and bad that being a captain of industry entails. It's amazing that Mayer, as well as the other founders of the big Hollywood studios, told the story of America and its people, even though they themselves were immigrants to this country. The MGM studio no longer really exists, but as long as people watch classic movies, L.B. Mayer's legacy will endure.
Scott Eyman takes a very literary approach to the book, which, although it is well researched, is not footnoted. (He saves his annotated list of sources for the end). My only complaint with the writing style is that he seems to go from one great yarn to the next, and often there's very little connecting the two. But that's a relatively small annoyance, and well worth putting up with to enjoy this tale of a larger than life man who build an empire, only to lose it when he lost touch with the changing tastes of an America that suddenly wanted their entertainment served up for free on 19 inch blurry screens.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a monster--the whole time I was reading it, the only thing people said to me was, "Wow, that's a big book!" But the size shouldn't frighten anyone. It's large because it's exhaustively researched, and Scott Eyman had access to mountains of personal papers and to some of the "famous Hollywood stars" Louis B. Mayer made famous. The rise of Louis B. Mayer really parallels the rise of the Hollywood machine as we know it today; in fact, the entire Hollywood system as it is today wouldn't exist if it weren't for Mayer. They didn't call MGM of the 1930's and 1940's the dream factory for nothing! MGM made movies people wanted to see and to escape into, and they made stars that people either wanted to be or wanted to be with. Many of those stars were hand-picked by "LB" and groomed to stardom by his hand. Eyman's book offers a great look into the history of what we now take for granted, and also illuminates a fascinating man whose legacy has been mostly forgotten.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for fans of old Hollywood and Turner Classic Movies. The studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer was the gold standard of Hollywood production values and boasted more stars than there were in the universe. Here is LBM in all of his power. There was a certain comfort level afforded Mayer's roster of stars in the security and safety of his paternalistic control. That smothering control also had it's negative side, and eventually power slipped from LBM's fingertips. This is a Hollywood rags to riches story, and from the summit of power the fall is sharp indeed. For fans of Turner Classic, this book is a reference and an entertainment.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book….! So much info…I have another one in my collection on Mayer…I am sure it won’t be as detailed as this one.

My original view on Mayer was of dislike…..and I had thought of Thalberg as the good guy. This book has changed my view. Apparently the info in this book shows that Thalberg was quite money hungry.

This book was well done…I came away with a better idea of the man…he was not as BAD as I thought to my precious Judy Garland…  And I believe no one will EVER care about a movie the way he did.

A definite must read for OLD Hollywood fans.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate bio of the ultimate Hollywood boss, very much relevant in these times. Charts his rise from a poor kid in Montreal to the pinnacle of wealth and power. Despite all of that along with his fierce reputation, he couldn't couldn't control everything, including his daughter's being thrown-over for one of Hollywood's up-and-coming actresses, and the total estrangement of his other one. A fascinating and complex person.

[G. Goodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good insight of Hollywood before it became Hollywierd! The man had a Midus touch in everything he attempted. He was the kind of boss everyone should have.

Hard to put down.
Lots of names to keep up with.
The man was a genius in predictions and salesmanship!

[David Putnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased I like all of Scott Eyman's work and this one's no exception. He's one of the leaders in this genre. I'd recommend this one.

[Aria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf p. 69. The author is a somewhat fair writer, but it still reads just this side of dry. There is a whole lot of detail in this book, which turned out to be too much detail for my liking. I feel like the condensed version of this book would have been a good read. (If one ever gets put out, I'll pick it up & have a go at it.) I don't have that, though; I have this full big behemoth of a book. Perhaps if I were an obsessive about the history of film studios this would be my slice of cake...I'm not though, & therefore it's not. This is, by far, also not the first book I've read about old Hollywood. None of these practices are new information to me & I'm sure that has something to do with my experience. However, I was equally uninterested in the non-familiar content as I was in the familiar, so newness did nothing to make things any more palatable. By p. 69 I should have cared about something, but I didn't, & I saw no point to continue onward, fighting the glazing over of my eyes. If it's not an interesting read there's nothing to be done about about it. Suffer or ditch it. I ditched it.

[John Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a large undertaking, which results in a less-focused bio than Eyman's later biographies of John Wayne and Cary Grant, with too much attention paid to bit players. Mayer, who immigrated to Canada from Russia as a kid, had humble beginnings selling junk. But as a young man in Massachusetts, he managed to buy one theater after another, which financed his move to Hollywood in 1918. He would form the Mayer in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1924, and remain one of the most powerful men in the movie industry for a quarter century.
The book examines Mayer's intriguing relationship with Irving Thalberg, as the two made the studio into the home of Hollywood's major stars. Mayer had a great gift of recognizing and nurturing talent, as well as appealing to public tastes. MGM led the way in producing colorful musicals and wholesome entertainment, such as the Andy Hardy series of films.
Mayer maintained his golden touch through World War II, but then the studio began losing money for the first time and its share of Oscar nominations plummeted. By the early 1950s, Mayer's instincts began to fail and what the public wanted.

[Sue Roselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding biography of Louis B. Mayer, Head of Production at MGM for 25 years. Born in Russia, Mayer's family emigrated to Canada when he was young. He supplemented his family's income by become a junk dealer, his father's profession. After moving to the United States, Louis became interested in the movies and became an exhibitor in small city in Massachusetts. After quick development of more than one theater, he moved his business to Hollywood. Eventually merged with other film makers to create MGM. In addition to being a biography of a remarkable business leader, this book provides glimpses of the early careers of many entertainers who became stars under the guidance of Mayer. This is a detailed history of the development of the movies under the MGM model. Highly recommend!

[Brian Olinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engrossing sketch of an industry titan and fascinating look at the history of motion pictures!

Just a bit of context, I am not much of a movie watcher and know little of the motion picture industry. I found this book at my local library. Every so often, I just grab a random book from the shelf and give it a read.

The author does a great job of using research and interviews to paint a three dimensional portrait of the Mr. Mayer. Equally fascinating was the history of the early motion picture industry. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an interesting biography and/or a film history buff!

[jacqueline DiDomenico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly A legend

Interesting book which include many known and unknown stories of the making of theories industry. Mayer is truly a showman and a one of kind creative individual. We will never see the likes of him again.
If u love movies you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

[Kyle Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but long

This is a very well written book. The story flows and one never loses.interest, but it would have benefit ed from a bit of editing. Many points are repeated zeveral.times, Albeit from different perspectives. I do recommend it.