Product Description

"HARLOW." Her name epitomizes an era, a decade of Depression in which harsh reality created a demand for lush film fantasy and no Hollywood star was as luscious or fantastic as Jean Harlow. She was M-G-M's most bankable asset, a blonde bombshell whose bleached hair, voluptuous body, and bawdy humor inspired a fervent cult following that remains to this day.

Despite Harlow's blinding fame, the events of her life have been obscured by a fifty-year haze of secrets, lies, and silence. Until the publication of this book. After years of research, critically acclaimed biographer David Stenn unearthed the truth behind the improbable rise of this tow-headed tomboy from Kansas City, her huge success, and her tragic fall.

After fifty-six years, David Stenn persuaded Harlow's family, friends, colleagues, and employers to break their silence and provide previously sealed legal, financial, and medical records, which solved the mystery of her death. His account is confirmed by scores of exclusive interviews with eyewitness sources, including Harlow's nurses during the last days of her life.

Exhaustively researched and compulsively readable, Bombshell stands as the definitive Harlow biography. This edition contains a new UNSEEN SCENES section of never-before-seen photos of deleted scenes from Harlow's biggest hits. This book is a must-have not only for every Harlow fan, but anyone interested in a truly riveting story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1190284 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Jean Harlow (1911-1937) reigned as Hollywood's original platinum blonde sex symbol in the years before her death from kidney failure at age 26. With this crisply written, well-documented biography, Stenn ( Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild ) seeks to reveal the woman behind the screen goddess and to resolve the controversies surrounding both her death and that of her second husband, studio executive Paul Bern. Stenn's psychological portrait of Harlow focuses on her domineering mother and on the actress's unfulfilled desire for a stable family life. His account of Bern's 1932 death by gunshot wound is convincing: he agrees with the official verdict of suicide, while giving credence to reports of Bern's sexual dysfunction and bigamy. Stenn's narrative of Harlow's own death is level-headed; while he explores the impact of her alcoholism on her life, he refrains from speculating on the cause of her drinking. This skillful biography leaves one wishing only that Stenn had discussed more fully Harlow's place in film and cultural history. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This is a scholarly yet magnetically readable study of one of the silver screen's legendary stars. Stenn's admirable research has uncovered many new documents and startling facts about Harlow from those who knew her, and his analysis of this information provides the account with lasting value. Stenn tells an incredible story, highlighting Harlow's manipulative family, tragic marriages, "name" friendships and liaisons, studio intrigues, and, finally, addictions, obsessions, and mysterious and untimely death. In the end, we realize that Harlow was the star in her own life's tragedy. Although Stenn portrays her in an unabashedly sympathetic light, he is not afraid to confront unsavory events head-on or to offer keen insight into conflicting perspectives. Of special interest to circulating libraries, particularly since Stenn acted as a consultant for Turner Broadcasting's recent television documentary on Harlow. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/93.
- Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, N.J.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Rather winning life of Jean Harlow, with some revisions on the tale offered by Samuel Marx and Joyce Vanderveen in Deadly Illusions (1990)--and many fresh interviews plus a handful of new folks speaking out who have kept silent until now. Stenn (the well-received Clara Bow, 1988) gives a sympathetic, well-rounded Harlow--one immensely superior to the Harlow (1965) by Irving Shulman and Arthur Landau that prompted two scurrilous film bios back in the mid-60's--but he doesn't actually add much to the Harlow we already know. Aside from massaging the boot blows by Shulman and Landau, and cleaning up the suicide of Harlow's second husband, producer Paul Bern, this is more a refresher course than a set of discoveries. The big, definitive life is yet to be written, although most of Harlow's intimates are dead and still fresher material than Stenn's is not likely. The best qualities here are Stenn's attention to his subject's acting and the growth of her talent, and Harlow's often physical presence on the page, especially in her wacky nude scenes with studio photographers and at parties, and in Stenn's capturing of her shyness, the modesty at the core of the woman, which her nude moments only enforce. Yes, Jean Harlow, aided by her mother, would ice her breasts to a tight firmness and play scenes braless--but this was ``Jean Harlow'' the image and top moneymaker for MGM, not Harlean Carpenter, the towhead deep inside the image. The biggest villain in this bio is Mother Jean, ``who had slave-driven her [daughter] to stardom, sabotaged her marriages, squandered her money, and sacrificed her happiness.'' Harlow, going by Stenn, was marked for early death when her mother, a Christian Scientist, didn't have Jean properly diagnosed at 15 for the nephritic infection that killed her at 26. Between takes, a platinum Venus sits firmly on your lap, knitting socks. (Sixty photos) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

THE DEFINITIVE HARLOW BIOGRAPHY
David Stenn's book is a meticulously researched, superbly written biography that answers the questions that inevitably pop up when we encounter Jean Harlow's image on screen -- and simultaneously contemplate her early death: Who was she? What was she really like? Was she happy? Why did she die at 26 years old? Stenn provides the answers, some of which are quite sad, all of which are true. He is also an artist with a real feel for Harlow's achievement as an artist. This is not the standard Hollywood biography, which lists one movie and then another. Stenn provides the sweep of the brief but extraordinary life of this young woman who was easily one of the most likable and adorable human beings of the twentieth century.

Still Not "Over" This Book - It's That Magnificent
I read the paperback edition of this book at least 2 years ago. And I was stunned to learn absolutely unknown facts about the following: Jean Harlow's outstanding acting ability; her hilarious sense of humor; how beloved she was by everyone (except Joan Crawford...) including Clark Gable and virtually every guy on the set from cameramen to gaffers; she was so endearing and kind to everyone that she was called "Baby"...in the most heartrending and respectful way; she was tiny - barely 4 feet 11 inches tall and despite her incredible beauty did not take it seriously; she tried desperately to please everyone and above all perhaps she was the most loyal friend anyone could have. The end was so heartbreaking, it still makes my eyes brim.

Another incredible and beautiful Biography by David Stenn
This is just what you want from a Biography, where the research has been done carefully and pieced together so well, so it reads straightforward it just gives you what you want to know. Question that went unanswered on this beautiful star for years have now been answered and sometimes the truth can be a tragic thing to know. The words that came to myself all the way through this book "if only". You are shown in all the right words this star as being just the real person she was, full of life inner spirit on screen and the plain truth off. At 26 it finished so sudden, this is incredibly sad for someone so young "if Only" Jean Harlow could have been strong enough to break free from her mother's grip, Just to find that happiness she needed for a short while, I believe she would have found it given more time, but time tragically once again, just wasn't on her side.

This is just incredible to read, very strong, she could have been your friend someone you cared about, because you are filled with sadness by the time you reach the end. Very well written.