About the Book
The legend of W. C. Fields has persisted for more than half a century--the gin-guzzling misanthrope about whom Leo Rosten famously said, "Any man who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad." But there was another Fields, the man behind the character of the red-nosed card sharp, who wrote, directed, and performed in some of the most enduring comedies of all time, including "It's a Gift," "My Little Chickadee," and "The Bank Dick." Fields' career spanned the whole of the 20th Century--first in burlesque, then vaudeville, the legitimate stage, silent pictures, talkies, radio, books, and recordings, and only death prevented him from moving into the promising medium of television, where he found an entirely new audience in the turbulent 1960s and 70s. He was one of the cultural icons surrounding The Beatles on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." In 1980 he was honored with his own postage stamp. Now James Curtis reveals the man behind the myth, telling the story of Fields' life and work as it's never been told before. With exclusive and unrestricted access to the Great Man's papers and manuscripts, he shows us the passion and intellect that fueled Fields' creative drive, and the broken family that gave such a bitter edge to his comedy. Drawing from interviews with over 50 friends and co-workers, as well as the comedian's own recently-discovered notes for his autobiography, Curtis vividly details Fields' Philadelphia childhood, his first tentative steps as a performer, his arduous climb to the very pinnacle of show business, and his struggle to regain his footing once talking pictures had seemingly put an end to his career. He also shows the evolution of one of the world's most recognizable figures, whose nasal voice and shifty mannerisms helped make him, in the words of James Agee, "the toughest and most warmly human of all screen comedians." "W. C. Fields" is a singular work of research and scholarship that is certain to stand as the definitive biography of one of America's greatest humorists.
Review :
"The definitive book about America's most profound comedian. James Curtis examines all the myths and stereotypes connected with W.C., and comes up with a fascinating, sympathetic, but utterly convincing picture of a man who was generous yet stingy, who was both a dream and a nightmare to work with, who could be warm or distant, who meticulously planned each word and gesture, and yet who, whatever happened, managed to ad lib something hilarious. The book is also a riveting account of the evolution of show business, from vaudeville via Broadway to radio and film, but with the utterly unique figure of the great W.C. Fields shining throughout, sad, funny, and strangely lovable." -- John Cleese
"I can say without fear of contradiction that James Curtis has written the definitive biography of my grandfather. Thanks to an incredible depth of research and insight, we can now meet the real W. C. Fields." -- Ronald J. Fields
"Curtis, a biographer of James Whale and Preston Sturges, takes on another creative, deeply flawed protagonist, enabling readers to identify with Fields' drive, his unstable relationships and the anger that fueled so much of his humor... Showbiz struggle is never romanticized, and readers can sense and taste the unpleasantness of sleeping on trains, baggage delays and bad food, along with facing Florenz Ziegfeld, who hired comics and hated them all... Curtis' sharp intelligence and a pungent modern edge in his writing make Fields relevant to contemporary readers unfamiliar with his classic work." -- Publishers Weekly, February 10, 2003
"One of James Curtis' signal achievements in W. C. Fields: A Biography is that, without making it the central purpose of his book, he sets the record straight on those and other reputed Fieldsian foibles and attitudes. He manages to find the human being in his subject--no small task with entertainers, wrapped as they are in myths of their own and others' making... This book, a genuine 'life and times, ' is far and away the best life yet of Fields." -- Roger K. Miller, Chicago Sun-Times, February 23, 2003
"Curtis fluently traces the entire arc of Fields' messy, overstuffed life. The details are irresistible... he does an excellent job detailing the meticulous craftsmanship and relentless hard work through which Fields, who began his career as a mute juggler in vaudeville, became a comedian renowned for his verbal dexterity." -- The New Yorker, March 24, 2003
"This is by far the fullest, fairest, and finally most touching account of this sad, solipsistic life that we have yet had. Or are likely to have, given that we now live in a world wherein comedy shamelessly, endlessly sues for our affections instead of starkly alienating them." -- Richard Schickel, New York Times Book Review (cover review), March 30, 2003
"James Curtis has attempted to set the record straight in his new book, and had unprecedented access to Fields' private correspondence and notes for an autobiography, as well as other sources no other biographer has ever consulted. The result is not only definitive, but a balanced and revealing portrait of a man who (like many comedians) endured great sadness in his life." -- Leonard Maltin, LeonardMaltin.com
"Aching with real pain but never demanding sympathy, Curtis' loving evocation of W. C. Fields is fascinating, heartbreaking, and very funny indeed." -- Will Robinson Sheff, The Austin Chronicle, June 6, 2003
