Lew Ayres
eBook - ePub

Lew Ayres

Hollywood's Conscientious Objector

  1. 224 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Lew Ayres

Hollywood's Conscientious Objector

About this book

Lew Ayres (1908-1996) became known to the public when he portrayed the leading character in the epic war film All Quiet on the Western Front. The role made him a household name, introduced him to his closest friends, brought him to the attention of his first two wives, and would overshadow the rest of his career. To be a movie star was his first and only ambition as a child, but once he found success, he was never fully satisfied in his choice of profession. Although lacking a formal education, Ayres spent the rest of his life pursuing dozens of intellectual studies, interests, and hobbies. He even considered ended his acting career after just a few years to pursue a more "respectable and fulfilling" path as a director.

Ayres was given not one but two comeback opportunities in his acting career, in 1938 and 1945. He was cast in the film series Dr. Kildare where he showed his abilities in comedy and his unique strength at bringing a level of sincerity to even the most outlandish or idealist character. But he was willing to give up his star status to follow his moral compass, first as a conscientious objector and ultimately as a noncombat medic during World War II. To everyone's surprise, he was welcomed back to Hollywood with open arms and new opportunities despite his objector status.

Biographer Lesley L. Coffin presents the story of a man of quiet dignity, constantly searching for the right way to live his life and torn between the public world of Hollywood and secluded life of spiritual introspection.

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Yes, you can access Lew Ayres by Lesley L. Coffin in PDF and/or ePUB format. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Prologue
  7. Foreword
  8. Preface and Acknowledgments
  9. Chapter 1. Grandma’s Boy
  10. Chapter 2. Young Musician in Search of a Movie
  11. Chapter 3. The Kind of Role that Casts a Shadow
  12. Chapter 4. A New Kind of Star
  13. Chapter 5. Romantic Comedy
  14. Chapter 6. At the Helm
  15. Chapter 7. A Short Stay on Poverty Row
  16. Chapter 8. “The Comeback King of 1938”
  17. Chapter 9. Introducing Dr. Kildare
  18. Chapter 10. A Doctor, A Comic
  19. Chapter 11. Echoes of War
  20. Chapter 12. Lew Ayres, Conscientious Objector
  21. Chapter 13. A Camp in Oregon
  22. Chapter 14. “Like a Bomb Was Dropped”
  23. Chapter 15. Public Debate
  24. Chapter 16. Basic Training
  25. Chapter 17. In Search of Something
  26. Chapter 18. A Hero Returns to Hollywood
  27. Chapter 19. The Comeback of 1946
  28. Chapter 20. Awards and Affairs
  29. Chapter 21. The Return of Dr. Kildare
  30. Chapter 22. Magnificent Obsession
  31. Chapter 23. A Man of Honor and Faith
  32. Chapter 24. The Older Gentleman
  33. Chapter 25. Altars of the World
  34. Chapter 26. As Time Goes By
  35. Chapter 27. Reaching for the Butterfly
  36. Appendix
  37. Notes
  38. Filmography
  39. Selected Bibliography
  40. Index