Thalberg

Life and Legend

By: Bob Thomas

Narrated by: John Landis

More than 85 years after his untimely death at just age 37, Irving Thalberg (1899-1936) remains a legendary Hollywood figure. Called the “Boy Wonder of Hollywood,” Thalberg quickly climbed the ranks at MGM studios to become one of the most powerful and high-profile producers of the time, elevating filmmaking to an art form.

In this definitive biography, Bob Thomas brings Thalberg's legend to life, recounting how the producer's remarkable talent for developing stars and scripts led to the creation of beloved movies such as Ben-Hur, Mutiny on the Bounty, A Night at the Opera, Grand Hotel, Romeo and Juliet, The Good Earth, and Camille.

©2000 Bob Thomas (P)2000 Phoenix Books, Inc.

master Production

Bob Thomas depicts a thorough account of the life and work of Irving Thailburg. Mr. Thomas truly brings the man to life for the listener

A neglected Hollywood great

I only knew of Thalberg through the Academy award given in his name. As I’ve read more about Hollywood in the 1920s and ‘30s, I’ve learned what a central figure this man was. With a desire for creative excellence and a lack of ego, among producers of his era (and since) he may have been one of a kind. John Landis did an adequate job. Read Hollywood: An Oral History for superb narration.