PUBLISHED/Beaufort Books film
In the Company of Legends
Joan Kramer and David Heeley
with an Introduction by Richard Dreyfuss
Before there was A&E Biography or PBS’s American Masters, there were the bio-docs of Joan Kramer and David Heeley. With no thought of ever becoming the number one TV biographers of Hollywood’s Golden Age stars, that’s exactly what they became. And with In the Company of Legends, Kramer and Heeley take readers into the homes and lives of the biggest names ever to grace the silver screen.
Their first two documentaries—on Fred Astaire, who made it very clear that he did not want them made—were nominated for Emmy Awards, winning for “Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance.” Their boss at PBS was so thrilled that the first thing he said was, “So, who are you going to do next?” It became a running gag for the next 25 years as Kramer and Heeley managed to convince the most difficult Hollywood stars to let them into their homes and lives and pasts. The wonderful documentaries they produced were filled with never-before-seen home movie footage, archival footage of films thought lost, and the kind of on-camera interviews that made for compelling viewing every single time. Kramer and Heeley set the Gold Standard for every televised bio-doc to follow.
And what personalities they met and worked with! Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Jane Fonda, Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Richard Dreyfuss, Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, Olivia de Havilland, studio mogul Lew Wasserman, and many others. In their inimitably charming and witty style, Kramer and Heeley detail the roller-coaster ride of putting their award-winning documentaries together—from convincing the stars to participate, taming the outsized egos with chairs and whips, and all steps along the way. Together with photos from the authors’ personal collection, In the Company of Legends will be compelling reading for any film fan!
And here's what people are already saying:
"Thank you, David Heeley and Joan Kramer for giving us one of the best reasons ever for curling up with a book. After their treating us to some of the best, most literate and entertaining hours of television (including “Katharine Hepburn: All About Me,” “Bacall on Bogart,” “The John Garfield Story,” “The Adventures of Errol Flynn” and numerous other TV specials) they now offer us a book I never wanted to end, chock-full of constant surprises. In The Company Of Legends is a king’s ransom of fascinating stories about colorful, bigger than life people we know but don’t know. The big bonus is that it’s a book about dazzling personalities told by people who actually knew the celebrities they write about, worked with them and, further, socialized with them, aware of the their foibles and strengths from first-hand knowledge, not hearsay. That’s something both rare and refreshing in books today. This one deserves a high spot on your “must read” book list for the year."
--Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies
"This delicious account of the greatly talented and productive Kramer and Heeley’s adventures, misadventures, headaches and thrills among their illustriously famous subjects is a joy to read. The quirks and maddening eccentricities of such greatly gifted giants as Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, et al., are all here on delightfully entertaining -- and often startling -- display. In the Company of Legends is so hard to put down I ate with one hand while reading it."
--Dick Cavett
"A treasure trove of untold stories, culled from more than thirty years of candid conversations and unguarded moments with America's brightest stars and most powerful politicians. In the Company of Legends serves up one startling revelation after another."
--John Berendt, author of the NY Times bestseller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
"I've been involved in many of Joan's and David's projects over the years and they've told me fascinating stories about the many celebrities they've worked with, shedding new light on people I thought I knew. Now they are sharing these stories publicly for the first time. Anyone who goes to the movies, the theater, and watches television will treasure this book as much as do."
--Joanne Woodward
Their first two documentaries—on Fred Astaire, who made it very clear that he did not want them made—were nominated for Emmy Awards, winning for “Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance.” Their boss at PBS was so thrilled that the first thing he said was, “So, who are you going to do next?” It became a running gag for the next 25 years as Kramer and Heeley managed to convince the most difficult Hollywood stars to let them into their homes and lives and pasts. The wonderful documentaries they produced were filled with never-before-seen home movie footage, archival footage of films thought lost, and the kind of on-camera interviews that made for compelling viewing every single time. Kramer and Heeley set the Gold Standard for every televised bio-doc to follow.
And what personalities they met and worked with! Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Jane Fonda, Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Richard Dreyfuss, Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, Olivia de Havilland, studio mogul Lew Wasserman, and many others. In their inimitably charming and witty style, Kramer and Heeley detail the roller-coaster ride of putting their award-winning documentaries together—from convincing the stars to participate, taming the outsized egos with chairs and whips, and all steps along the way. Together with photos from the authors’ personal collection, In the Company of Legends will be compelling reading for any film fan!
And here's what people are already saying:
"Thank you, David Heeley and Joan Kramer for giving us one of the best reasons ever for curling up with a book. After their treating us to some of the best, most literate and entertaining hours of television (including “Katharine Hepburn: All About Me,” “Bacall on Bogart,” “The John Garfield Story,” “The Adventures of Errol Flynn” and numerous other TV specials) they now offer us a book I never wanted to end, chock-full of constant surprises. In The Company Of Legends is a king’s ransom of fascinating stories about colorful, bigger than life people we know but don’t know. The big bonus is that it’s a book about dazzling personalities told by people who actually knew the celebrities they write about, worked with them and, further, socialized with them, aware of the their foibles and strengths from first-hand knowledge, not hearsay. That’s something both rare and refreshing in books today. This one deserves a high spot on your “must read” book list for the year."
--Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies
"This delicious account of the greatly talented and productive Kramer and Heeley’s adventures, misadventures, headaches and thrills among their illustriously famous subjects is a joy to read. The quirks and maddening eccentricities of such greatly gifted giants as Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, et al., are all here on delightfully entertaining -- and often startling -- display. In the Company of Legends is so hard to put down I ate with one hand while reading it."
--Dick Cavett
"A treasure trove of untold stories, culled from more than thirty years of candid conversations and unguarded moments with America's brightest stars and most powerful politicians. In the Company of Legends serves up one startling revelation after another."
--John Berendt, author of the NY Times bestseller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
"I've been involved in many of Joan's and David's projects over the years and they've told me fascinating stories about the many celebrities they've worked with, shedding new light on people I thought I knew. Now they are sharing these stories publicly for the first time. Anyone who goes to the movies, the theater, and watches television will treasure this book as much as do."
--Joanne Woodward
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Joan Kramer, born in Chicago, was a ballet dancer and assistant choreographer before her career in film and television. She was a talent co-ordinator for ABC’s THE DICK CAVETT SHOW, associate producer for a CBS CANDID CAMERA SPECIAL, and wrote several PBS LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER programs, hosted by Robert MacNeil.
David Heeley was born in England, graduated from Oxford University, and began his career at the BBC in London, where he directed LATE NIGHT LINE UP, HOW IT IS (both broadcast live), and MUSIC NOW. He moved to New York in 1969 and is now a citizen of the USA.
With an entertainment career spanning more than four decades, Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss has been one of America’s most versatile and individualistic actors. He is also Founder and President of The Dreyfuss Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to revitalizing America’s civic culture. He serves on the American Bar Association’s Education Committee, the Board of the National Constitution Center, and was Senior Research Advisory Member of St. Antony's College, Oxford University.
David Heeley was born in England, graduated from Oxford University, and began his career at the BBC in London, where he directed LATE NIGHT LINE UP, HOW IT IS (both broadcast live), and MUSIC NOW. He moved to New York in 1969 and is now a citizen of the USA.
With an entertainment career spanning more than four decades, Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss has been one of America’s most versatile and individualistic actors. He is also Founder and President of The Dreyfuss Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to revitalizing America’s civic culture. He serves on the American Bar Association’s Education Committee, the Board of the National Constitution Center, and was Senior Research Advisory Member of St. Antony's College, Oxford University.
