Jon Krampner
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Publishers Weekly, in its June 19, 2006, issue, says "Kim Stanley is vividly brought to life in this biography," adding, "Krampner lays out the facts but stops short of passing judgment"; it calls the book "a well-researched account of a scandalous icon." In the May 22, 2006, issue of The New Yorker, drama critic Hilton Als says, "The demons that pursued Stanley throughout most of her career -- alcoholism, impossibly high standards -- are given ample play in Jon Krampner's uneven but crucial new biography, "Female Brando." *** In its April 1, 2006, issue, Kirkus Reviews describes "Female Brando" as "a look at the genius, madness, cruelty and sensitivity of an acting legend," and "a thoroughly documented account of the actress's career," concluding that the book is "a steadily turning kaleidoscope of vivid, unsettling images." *** |
Events"Female Brando" has received an honorable mention in the "biography and autobiography" category of the 2007 New York Book Festival. If you didn't already have an incentive to go out and buy a cartload of this unique and distinctive contribution to contemporary American non-fiction, you now do. **************************************************** ** SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ** Wednesday, May 30, 2007 -- The UCLA Film and Television Archive hosted a tribute to Kim at its new Billy Wilder Theater at the Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood. We screened Kim's 1957 appearance on TV's "Playhouse 90" in "Clash By Night," the Clifford Odets play about a Staten Island housewife, married to a cloddish husband (E.G. Marshall), who falls in love with the husband's seductive friend (Lloyd Bridges). After the screening, I moderated a panel including SALOME JENS, who appeared with Kim on Broadway in "A Far Country" (1961); GRAEME CLIFFORD, who directed Kim in "Frances" (1982); and BROOK ASHLEY, who appeared with Kim as a child actress in "The Traveling Lady" (1954). The event was well-attended, and the audience asked lots of good questions. This will probably be the last event for the book, which has been out for a year now. This site will exist for another year or so, then will presumably go to the elephants' graveyard of internet websites. ***** ***** **************************************************** ** SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ** THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2006 -- Today was my reading in the Board Room of the Los Angeles Central Library. It's high up on the fourth floor (ordinarily, no public access), and while it almost took a trail of bread crumbs to find the place, it was a very classy joint with a wonderful view of the interior of the library. Seventeen people attended, including Librarian Extraordinaire HELENE MOCHEDLOVER, and STEVE SIPORIN, who appeared with Kim (and Lillian Gish!) in a 1954 stage version of "The Trip to Bountiful" in the Midwest. We didn't have the bomb threat, stifling 110-degree weather or erratic former docents that made a hash out of my July reading at the Library, so a reasonably good time was had by all. **************************************************** ** SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ** SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2006: This afternoon I had a reading at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena. 20 intrepid souls braved the 100-plus heat to hear me talk about Kim (my car indicated it was 106 degrees outside when I arrived at Vroman's shortly before the 4 p.m. reading and 109 degrees when I left an hour and a half later). Among the audience were two of Kim's classmates from the Pasadena Playhouse in 1945: BARBARA TURNER DOUBLE, who provided me with a helpful interview for the book, and BASIL TELLOU. I was introduced by capable Vroman's staffer ROBYN CAMIMURA. Outside, it felt like being in a sauna -- the hot, humid air wrapped itself around your lungs like a boa constrictor. Inside, though, all was cool and air-conditioned and Kim. **************************************************** ** SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ** SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2006: This afternoon's reading and booksigning at Duttons Brentwood was attended by (among others) Academy-Award-winning director DELBERT MANN, producer/ We originally planned to hold the reading outside, but the broiling Southern California sun drove us indoors to semi-air-conditioned comfort. **************************************************** ** SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ** FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2006: Today was my lunchtime reading at the Los Angeles Central Library. It was going well until there was a bomb threat and the library had to be evacuated. We never got back in and I didn't sell many books -- it was one of those days. In the spirit of "the show must go on", I did finish the reading on the sidewalk in front of the Fifth Street entrance, signed the few books that had already been bought, answered a few questions, and then people drifted away. This event may be re-scheduled; watch this space for further news. (Kudos nonetheless to HELENE MOCHEDLOVER for her gracious introduction and to SHERYN MORRIS for spotting my missing folder and causing it to be retrieved.) **************************************************** ** NEW YORK ** MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2006: The panel discussion with SHIRLEY KNIGHT, MICHAEL TOLAN and ELIZABETH WILSON At the Drama Bookshop in Manhattan went very well. We had a good crowd: they had to add a row of chairs in the front, and people were standing in the aisle and out the back door.  Before the panel discussion started. Michael Tolan chats with audience members while Elizabeth Wilson looks on; yr. humble moderator reviews what he's going to say. Shirley Knight arrived a few minutes after this picture was taken. .jpg) Here I am signing books after the panel discussion. In the background, from left to right, are my father, Uncle Herb (who enlivened the panel discussion by saying that I wasn't speaking loud enough), cousin Alison, and Michelle Bredeson, my copy editor. ****************************************************  While in New York for the Drama Bookshop event, I participated in a rally in support of Lieutenant Ehren Watada of Hawaii, a courageous young man who is the first officer in the U.S. military to refuse to deploy to Iraq on the grounds that the war is illegal. |
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