Hollywood Pioneer

The Life and Times of Hal Roach

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by Harjinder Singh

Type

Biographies

Subject

Others persons > Hal Roach

Keywords

Hal Roach, producer, silent cinema

Publishing date

2016

Publisher

Leprosy Association of Guru Nanak

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 410 pages
5 ½ x 8 ¼ inches (14 x 21 cm)

ISBN

978-1-9403900-3-1

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Book Presentation:
The author rented a room from a woman who lived across the street from Hal Roach and got to meet him one day when they were both out for a walk. They became good friends and Harry (Harjinder) spent a lot of time with Mr Roach, listing to his life story, helping him with what ever he needed, and they could talk about anything. One time Harry asked Hal why he hadn't written a book about his life, and Hal's response was I don't know how to write one. Then during one of their Sunday chats, Hal Roach said “Harry, why don't you write a book about me? So that is what he has done after many years and hours of listening to Hal fascinating stories.
I must say I did not really know much about Hal Roach before reading this book, but now I feel I have been immersed into his life and what a fascinating one it was. From poverty to becoming a famous Producer of mainly comedies from Producing “Our Gang” (aka Little rascals) to Laurel and Hardy comedies. He worked and new so many interesting actors and influential people, his life was definitely one full of action.
The chapters in the book go back and forth in time as he wrote the chapters based on a person, Charlie Chaplin, Randolph Hearst, Will Rogers, Howard Hughes, and many, many more with stories about all of their live.
This is a really fascinating read.

Book Presentation:
An enthralling journey through an astonishing life, from the frozen back roads of Alaska to the sunny climes of Southern California, Hal Roach made the quintessential American journey from a penniless nobody to the heart of american popular culture. Brash and bold, creative and sensitive, Hal Roach strode like a real-life Zelig through the early years of Hollywood, seemingly knowing everybody and working with most of them, creating some of the most enduring characters in all of the world cinema. A must-read for anybody interested in the history of the American film industry. - Martin A. Goldstein

See the publisher website: Leprosy Association of Guru Nanak

See the complete filmography of Hal Roach on the website: IMDB ...