Jean Howard's Hollywood: A Photo Memoir
by: Howard, Jean/James Watters

Hardcover. NY, Harry N Abrams, 1st, 1989, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Very Good, Hardcover, 248 pages. B&w photos throughout. Jean Howard was a small part Hollywood actress in the late 30s/early 40s whose marriage to super agent Charles Feldman gave her an entry into the top circles of Hollywood away from the studios. She carried her camera with her everywhere and thus we get hundreds of photographs of Hollywood royalty at play right up until the Sixties both at home and mixing with high society in Europe. Although not especially gifted as a photographer her access to the stars was unprecedented and her candid snaps are fascinating for students of Tinseltown at play. Thus we get the likes of Tyrone Power playing croquet with Howard Hawks and Daryl Zanuck and Jennifer Jones leading a conga line of party guests fully clothed into Joseph Cotten's swimming pool. The photographs in this coffee table sized book are accompanied by short but informative comments identifying the participants and giving snippets of fascinating gossip. Recommended for fans of Hollywood's studio era.