For two moviegoing generations, Cary Grant was class—an effortless embodiment of gentlemanly grace and humor. But Cary Grant’s greatest achievement was in creating himself and the irresistible character he became. In this savvy, fascinating portrait, McCann tracks the transformation of a life and looks closely at the sources of Cary Grant’s charms, which did not come easily. Generously filled with anecdotes about fellow actors and directors, a realistic portrait of a complicated man emerges. And although Grant was criticized for remaining in Hollywood during World War II, it now seems that he may have worked as a special agent for British Intelligence: in 1947, Grant was awarded the King’s Medal for Service in the Cause for Freedom, an honor that was not made public at the time.
One of classic Hollywood’s definitive leading men, Cary Grant was named one of the greatest male stars of all time by the American Film Institute. This biography yields a new appreciation of his work and his persona, which was at once familiar, yet always enigmatic, even to those who knew him best.
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"I very much enjoyed this book. Its focus was mainly on Grant's acting and what made him the great actor that he was - and how he created the "Cary Grant" character. Makes you want to go and watch his movies all over again." — Linda (4 out of 5 stars)
"I very much enjoyed this book. Its focus was mainly on Grant's acting and what made him the great actor that he was - and how he created the "Cary Grant" character. Makes you want to go and watch his movies all over again."
“A terrific biography that explores the origins and dazzle of Grant’s class act.”
“Writing with the low-key stylishness his subject deserves, [McCann] pays tribute to the working-class Englishman who became ‘a democratic symbol of gentlemanly grace’…A decorous account of Grant’s private life accompanies cogent descriptions of his performances.”
“Though there have been more than ten biographies of Cary Grant, McCann’s adds sensitivity, scholarship, and insight to that list. This excellent work will appeal to general readers browsing biography and film collections.”
“McCann’s outstanding achievement is his analysis of Grant’s singular and lasting appeal as a classy but classless star.”
“A delightful appreciation of the archetypal movie star…In a pleasing mix of life story and film analysis, [McCann] meditates on the idea of Cary Grant and the actual person…Neat, well researched, and witty, the book earns respect for the author and a familiar wry smile at its reincarnation of Cary Grant.”
" I loved this book almost as much as I love Cary Grant! (And that's a lot!) "
" I love reading about the lives of movies starts that I love. This was well done. I learned so much! "
" I love Cary Grant, so this was a really good book into his life. "
" This is a very well-written, and extremely well-researched, biography of one of the best stars in Hollywood history. Fair, perceptive and sensitive, it is high quality from start to finish. "
" I think this is the biography that I read, based on the summary. I know it was quite a few years ago. "
Graham McCann was educated at King’s College, Cambridge. His books include Marilyn Monroe: The Body in the Library, Woody Allen: New Yorker, and Rebel Males: Clift, Brando, and Dean. A fellow and lecturer at Cambridge for twelve years, he now writes full time.
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.
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