John Garfield

One of the most gifted actors of the 1930s and 1940s, John Garfield is too little remembered today. His gritty, true-to-life performances in 35 films, including Body and Soul, which was one of the first movies to raise the ugly specter of race relations in the United States, and in 16 Broadway productions were all highly acclaimed.

Garfield is best recalled, by some, for having been targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee for his liberal political beliefs. Garfield was one of many Hollywood stars blacklisted by Senator Joseph McCarthy and his cronies. "Acting is my life," he said in a speech in 1939. Deprived of that opportunity, he died in 1952. This generously illustrated work examines the actor's personal and professional life, recounting a bygone era of Hollywood and American history.