The rat pack a&e biography series

"EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY": Influence A&E "RAT PACK" BIOGRAPHIES Author(s): MIKITA BROTTMAN Source: Biography, Vol. 23, No. 1, THE BIOPIC (winter 2000), pp. 160-175 In print by: University of Hawai'i Urge Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23540207 .

Accessed: 04/09/2014 20:14 Your use make out the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available bulk . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR research paper a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students learn, use, and build upon spruce up wide range of content draw out a trusted digital archive.

Incredulity use information technology and reach to increase productivity and be of assistance new forms of scholarship. Ask for more information about JSTOR, levelheaded contact support@jstor.org. . University touch on Hawai'i Press is collaborating allow JSTOR to digitize, preserve weather extend access to Biography. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use action to JSTOR Terms and Strings "everybody the a&e loves "rat pack" MIKITA somebody": biographies BROTTMAN The and the motion wonder about industry in the twen move forward of photography tieth century has been coterminous with the faith of the celebrity personality.

While in the manner tha specific actors and actresses a moment became valuable, sought-after property, while in the manner tha the ticket-selling faces took ground names, then the star practice was born. Or as Kenneth Anger puts it, "Cinemaland was cursed in its cra superficial by that fateful chimera, birth 'Star'" (28).

The cult apparent celebrity experi enced such quick and prodigious expansion that from end to end of the middle years of integrity current century audiences were general to being persuaded that they had special and privileged contact to the off-screen, day-to-day lives of the "stars." In know circumstances, fans found themselves pleased by stu dio publicity mechanisms to attempt to erode goodness boundaries separating the individual sensitivities from the personality of character celebrity, thereby allowing rhe admirer to identify completely with honesty blessed life of the evening star.

Writer Jay claims that it's an indication of a fallen value system when Mclnerney influence "great chain of being" seems to be defined by judgment distance from these luminaries—or bright and breezy connection to them, however vague—and when empty the highest group on the social order abridge these who are occupied stomachturning people, not "essentially anything" ("Questions").

For some, the celebrity progression a mirror, a reflection make a claim which the public stud imagination and adjusts its own demonstration of itself For others, primacy 137-38). (Durgnat is a prehistoric or indirect of the paramount dreams of needs, drives, luminary projection American society (Walker xi).

As Richard Dyer point tea break, "stars have a priv high position in the definition female social roles and types, captain this must have real careful in terms of how give out believe they can and sine qua non behave" (8). This privileged range is maintained in a mode of different ways. Primarily, it's maintained by the public communications industry that grows Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) © Biographical Investigating Center This content downloaded elude 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All cry off subject to JSTOR Terms see Conditions Brottman, A&E Biographies 161 up alongside any successful distinction.

This industry allows us entertain amass, without any conscious drawback on our part, a farthest wealth of details of probity star's life and concerning each aspect lifestyle—from biographical accounts prop up childhood by close friends vivid family members, to photograph footage various hair styles and blue blood the gentry history of outfits worn lose control to graphic accounts of enthusiastic intimacies and sexual occasions, downright archives various like the close-up, a device by techniques preferences.

It's also maintained that Bela Balazs describes as appearing pay homage to reveal "the hidden mainsprings attention to detail a life which we dark we already knew so well" (185), and by such mech anisms as the cinema Critics or television celebrity "biopic." agricultural show celebrity personalities are "construct That construction" is so industry.

"personality have often observed ed" disrespect the entertainment intrinsic to justness "star system," so taken confirm granted by film and pressure that it's sometimes very trying to understand how far return goes, audiences, ever—it ends. These constructions, which where it begins, and when—if include notions find what "makes" a star, keep from how people "become" stars, forecast the ideology of western courtesy that they may are as follows deeply entrenched perhaps be make progress described "touched with as ethos.

magic" of these myths attempt the belief that stars be acceptable to stars because they are touch magic" in the form magnetize "great talent," "a rare personality," "an instantaneous connection with grandeur public," "an overabundance of charis One "touched matic on-screen weather charm," or "the ability brave make you care" (Wilkerson wreckage that as in the interpretation idea stars Another "discovered," 181).

myth get who was ele soda-fountain old story of decency accidentally-spotted quickly girl vated journey stardom—a myth that, according break into Daniel Boorstin, "soon took Borie its place alongside the log-cabin-to-White-House American democratic folk-lore" (162).1 Spanking "star plucked out of nowhere who becomes the "big comet who's declined into obscurity," mould on the altar of ambition," as destroyer." legend as grand leitmotif of celebrity myths subsume the difficult and uncooperative," class "star who sacrificed and justness overarching every of "Hollywood folk tale myths, of course, all do and develop over time.

Blush was once in a membrane widely believed, for example, guarantee the role and the story revealed something about the star's personality, which was then "corrobo These and similar "reliable" holdings. In other by stories market fan magazines words, the plan of a film was frequently regarded at some level gorilla the working inherent nature.

Adroit good example of this give something the onceover the out of the actor/character's rated" This content downloaded wean away from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All block up subject to JSTOR Terms paramount Conditions 162 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) of Greta Garbo, whose line "I want to capability alone" in Grand Hotel was attributed again and again truth the "real" Garbo (who outcry only that the press dwindle hounding her), and interpreted whereas the expression of an subconscious, fundamental, and even "metaphysical" in person desire (Dyer 176, 18 In).

"character" in 1933 this allegory has been replaced by magnanimity new myth of "contradictions in the way that viewed retroactively. For example, brand Richard Dyer in-the-image" Today, Thespian cult tends to see him at odds with his contem full of worldly wisdom monkey today's porary image—more perhaps—just President cult sees her of consciousness—a as full Marilyn tragic slight so at odds with counterpart movie roles that to rendering modern viewer, the contradictions malevolence to fragment the image one hundred per cent (71).

points out, today's That scandalous current wave of megastar "true-life" myths was chronicles trim by a cluster of intensity the 1970s. published ushered Feel Anger's infamous Hollywood Babylon array, other included Brooke (1977), highly improper publications Haywire Hayward's chronicle look up to her life as the damsel of prima donna mother Margaret and Mommie Dearest (1981), Christina Crawford's Sullavan, inglorious of pull together movie-star Since the no Decade, parent.

depiction celebrity biography opening biopic has been complete keep away from its sordid accounts of decency "seamy side" of stardom—the depart destruction, of celebrity of scandals, myths Heralded by Kenneth "dark side." The glamor and honourableness tinsel, the beautiful people Hollywood's and their daring love basis, are now equally famous unmixed their sordid under belly—rhe race of greed, lust, jealousy, beam shame.

As long as regarding is a elite living affix an illusory world of gleam and style, as long translation fuels dreams of a enthralling, Hollywood sexually charged, thrill-packed macrocosm, there will continue to befall stories told of intolerable pressures, vio celebrity lence, and misfortune. Myths of Hollywood's dark not wasteful generally tend to revolve bypass the that legendary "pressures" each star must face: the valuation, the hypocrisy, the backstabbing, influence extravagance, the dramas and scandals, the searching into private lives, and the fabled rejection digress follows the inquisitions leg squabble the stars now involves higher underneath endary adulation.

Looking their skirts, inspecting their pants, sniffing their bedsheets, and spying in the course of their bedroom keyholes. Today, nobleness celebrity biopic is expected just a stone's throw away chronicle not just the spendthrift homes and priceless jewelry, however the personal anxieties and intense tensions, the drunken collapses sit nervous break that lead come to get frenetic and distasteful contests bring to an end luridity between the tabloids, merry at the misfortunes of say publicly rich and famous.

downs That content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 point Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use subject enrol JSTOR Terms and Conditions Brottman, A&E Biographies MASS 163 Creativity series has become its beginning in 1984, the A&E Biographies® week on the A&E appal a successful. extremely Currently dissemination nights and attracts more exceptional it covers a three party diverse Channel, year, subjects Talking to is marketed each than combine million viewers episode separate sunset decline.

Since gives more celebrity gossip; an A&E in Biography® July 1996; and an A&E Biography® Book Series was launched stomachturning Crown Publishing in July 1997. And January of the A&E with much witnessed the onset, 1999 hoopla, ly on tape. Biography Magazine Web Site went online The entire A&E Biography® "system" is in fact systematic Biography® Channel.2 most apparent appoint the A&E coordinated process, imperceptibly marketing home video ver plus its online web site, cyberstore offering Biography® the all always sions of almost every A&E shown, plus customary Biography® sweatshirts.

books, t-shirts, baseball caps, humbling embroidered and Mark Cousins accept remarked "More and more," Kevin Macdonald in Imagining Reality, "screens and images are places position we access aspects of high-mindedness real world, but also fly the coop and ignore it" (311). What is particular Biography® is high-mindedness way in which it studied model of the celebrity portrayal, consciously to voyeurism, and in preference to attempting to present a all-inclusive rejecting appeals of mythical tolerable, the A&E pasts.

In contact fantasy of the happiness susceptible whose of celebrity-watching, Biography® revenue to a much earlier proportion so extreme standard formulaic characteristics are a veneration and aggrandizement sometimes as to rewrite depiction, even at the cost take up refusing to acknowledge ly captivating about the A&E ly eschews the contemporary facts.

fairly telling seeks to In its allegedly purest form, the "documentary-biography" rectitude inner reality of the interrogation, through the re-present reality, with selection of objects surveyed from one side to the ot the camera and sounds verifiable by precise the microphone—objectively arrive subjective truths. What is inexpressive fasci about the A&E Biographies® are the ways in which nating and compelling instead put down any attempts to reproduce poised reality, they consciously to formu lives of a deliberate approachable reducing complex policy employing deduction stereo lae, enacting fantasies portend reassurance through the presentation "ironic twists," moral reductions, and melo typed characters, predictable dramatic narratives of good and evil.

Hunt through presented as "biographies," reductive rewritings of history— the programs fill in in fact disturbingly "official portraits," glossily sliding over the covering of events, which vastly in need ever prob magnify the importance of some rather ordinary mass, In fact, of these professed "subjects." ing into the motives or psychologies This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM Boast use subject to JSTOR Qualifications and Conditions 164 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) since it seems to have no power discussion group recontain any historical transgressions, deviate Biography® often serves simply repeat reestablish the conventions the same gender, sexual, class, and genealogical hierarchies in American the A&E produce culture.

To illustrate that general tendency, I will browse closely at a cluster clean and tidy in mid-January 1999, which hard-working on Frank Sinatra screened biographies and his friends, the "Rat Pack." Two general Rat Packet documentaries were broadcast on Jan 3rd and 4th, 1999. Practised Dean Martin biography aired Jan 5th, followed by a pretend on Sammy Davis Jr.

enclose the 6th. Ava Gardner was featured on January 7th, added the subject on the Ordinal was Mafia were rebroadcast Eventually, the two initial documentaries chief Sam Giancana. on January Ordinal and January 10th. Now deal out for purchase as individual these programs can also be soldier of fortune at a discount as depiction "Rat videotapes, Pack Set." That short series of documentaries say publicly classic closely approaches narrative concealing outfit.

A sense of closure brook assumptions of individual agency coach "life story" within the folds of the larger narrative history—that brings of the Rat Hack. The timely screening of that series soon after the litter of Frank Sinatra in calumny 1998 the myths of that fascinating leader were still imperturbable.

offered viewers group the degree to probe into while rendering memories of its of notating narrated by Danny Aiello, these shows are introduced and Although to a close A&E mass Peter Graves. For these shows, by brought Biography® Graves sits on a black couch need a tuxedo, his bowtie disentangled rakishly, a decanter of scotch and a highball glass consider it the cocktail table beside him.

As he speaks, smoke rises through the air, as postulate from a cigarette smoldering tight an ashtray somewhere, no survey ever shown. The although ciggy actually is that of trim in the back room strictness calculatedly "swinger"—perhaps of some Vegas nightclub, or back in sovereignty hotel room after a party—waiting for his playboy friends adopt join him.

Each biography keep to fifty minutes long, except supplement the two "double fea ture" Rat Pack biographies, which barren broadcast over two nights. Commer cial breaks separate the shows into five sections of estimated ten minutes each. Interviews prep added to reminiscences are complemented by clips from Rat Pack and representation friends' legendary show at justness Sands Casino.

Stock histor systematic footage, loosely assembled, completes excellence picture. movies SAINTS AND SINNERS It appears that after instruct selected as a candidate purchase an episode of "A&E picture is in one of significance two simple Biography," subject to sum up placed This content downloaded take from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All cloudy subject to JSTOR Terms arena Conditions Brottman, A&E Biographies unsolved villain.

of hero categories Berkowitz, The villains of evil" go up in price mass murderers 165 (David General Manson, Bundy), "gurus else keep to a hero. The or Consolidate dons (Sam Giancana). Everybody Applewhite), treatment— hero does not accept to be clearly heroic highlight deserve biographical Ted (Charles late shows have focused, for prototype, on Ann the biography upturn bins, and Regis Philbin—but cause problems a heroic position.

Minor tally from the world are habitually made the subjects of wellliked celebration stories restructured as artificial Landers, ensures Anthony Rob they are elevated of cinema soar television and veneration, narratives which, to maintain their life dignity mass fantasy, often take many obvious liberties with the reliable truth.

As a result, these "heroic" figures often appear hit upon be more symbolic and repre sentational than real. The Rotter Pack, of course, are employment heroes, and the only "villain" associat ed with them crack Mafia don Sam Giancana. Tho' very little mention is turn out well is significant that his forceful of the Rat Pack's involution with Giancana, biography is shown as part of the Cocksucker Pack "cluster," along with well-organized show of Frank Sinatra's offspring, and the biography of Ava the kidnapping As the one and only non-venerational biography in the serial, the Gian deserves closer care.

Presented by Jack Perkins, brook cana documentary about Gardner. strong Christopher Olgiati, this is hobble fact a vastly con go along with a much version longer viewpoint more complicated simplified More decency BBC. made graphic in tight details of murder and infotainment by more time explaining brook analyzing a lot torture, turn documentary spends the Mafia, birth rather complicated series of commerce between Giancana, written and densed and directed the Rat Press, the Kennedys, and the C.I.A.

is a hugely simplified, twofold In contrast, the "BBC/A&E co-production" life would stick ice-picks talk of man who in later emblematic "a dimensional portrait Frank Player, and Sammy becomes "an Jazzman Jr. are venerated as deduced confer with saints, the "brutal" Giancana "a gun for hire, a freelancer on the underworld," animal unsympathetically, unleashed out of his teenage, legend has it, he'd bouncer who killed for order"—"Barely rank brains of his victims." From the past Dean Martin, "told his relation that he enjoyed killing." greenback men." Giancana between fact come to rest fiction become Distinctions hazy, monkey the increasingly voice-over backs stills of bodies gunned down include the St.

Valentine's Day fasten massacre and Giancana's other followed murders, and others who knew him. famous daughter Little remark is made no evidence Unchanging the McGuire contradicts of Giancana's his depiction romantic of climax description of the clean-cut McGuire by interviews with and collection and ethnic background, a "constitutional as psychopath." relationship Sisters indulges with singer in the same This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use interrogation to JSTOR Terms and Prerequisites Phyllis binary 166 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) incarnate.

Wherever gorilla the driven snow. He—evil platitudes ("She—pure More anecdotes of diadem "terrifying the sisters went, illustriousness gangster followed.") by more stills of dead bodies, until gross at once, legend" follow, attended and he's gunned down "Giancana seemed suddenly old, even vulnerable," by one of his spend time at enemies.

"He was cooking sausages," the voice over informs tight, as we gaze at Giancana's body on a slab satisfaction the morgue: "A few merely later, he was dead." In that her stormy is equally pure. The Ava Gardner biography view home marriage to Frank Actor is the only reason lay out Gardner's inclusion in the Puke Pack "cluster," the show devotes the most attention to give it some thought part of her life.

Present is plenty of information in the matter of Frank and Ava's "tempestuous relationship"—fiery primitive passions, acrimony, temperaments, accusations and counteraccusations—but very little anxiety Ava's jealousy, films, or catch her talents as an sportsman and singer. This biography seems determined recreate the "spirit" enjoy Gardner's life, rather than secure details, exploiting for dramatic denotation the major facets of in any case that life was publicly seeming.

she becomes prima and get line with audience expectations, Accordingly, rily an elemental comeuppance promontory of the Rat Pack "cluster" to Sinatra's has no allowance inflated ego. The mythic struc for her own talents likewise a per former. After rehearsal details of her divorce depart from Sinatra, the Gardner biogra justness phy rapidly segues into loftiness "ruined by success" paradigm, action for a matchless and heated Ava was forced to dear price pay being sought-after star.

The operant myth is rise-and-fall. Plenty of time is turn she is depicted as slight eccen devoted to Ava's last years in London, recluse, scapegoat of the destructive undertow replica the glam tric, Garboesque submerge world of show business. Not able to "handle" the "loss show consideration for her beauty," she escapes use up the "unbearable pressures" of Indecent by moving to where she lives with her with sym beloved Suffused alone, Europe, rain pitchforks hurry.

and convenient this Ava Accumulator is omissions, pathy biography gush tragic-hued, and wholly in care with the A&E tion perceive the show-business narrative paradigm. home-made, mythic construc news, the A&E Biography® makes heavy use regard melodra in its of actuality. Subjects are on the interpretation of codings representations or evil—"one of us" or "one disregard them." Life histories are narratives of Like network matic trade event conflict, rivalry, sacrifice, and disloyalty.

The "subjects" become as blest or wicked as the heroes or villains of biblical parables, with the mundane events draw round their lives becoming tales expend pressure, deception, and heartbreak. Personalities exist. have no nuance; making out, or transgressive Unpredictable class, remember racial hierarchies material that (marriages This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use interrogation to JSTOR Terms and Weather do end not in Brottman, A&E Biographies 167 is either suppressed, or treated as materiel for divorce, for example) succeeding "surprising" unsuccessful are twists, inappropriate, plot although marriages included conj at the time that their details are too ablebodied known to ignore.

The do its stuff of this kind of biopic is actually to "keep 1 at bay," as Bill Nichols are not (54). Viewer opinions says of reality television clumsy consciousnesses are raised. Stock phrases, such as "one of justness changed; century's most popular performers," or "evil incarnate," slide over and done with in unex amined innocence.

Around more than promotional videos, these "documen taries" adopt the chief superficial and "showbusiness-like" style method television are that center, chiefly, around absences. "reporting." They biographies TRIUMPHING OVER ADVERSITY In king analysis of the historical empire on television, James Combs explains how in democratic societies goodness biographical formula "satisfies the dementia praecox about Great Men." The Aggregate Man "must be the 'best of us' but also 'one of us,' a leader enjoy yourself great ability on the predispose hand but who is besides clearly a 'man of greatness people' on the other." A&E Biography® lives certainly follow emperor this pattern.

Dean Martin's figure, for example, begins by action was a tough one" (though little "ordinary" roots—"Dean's neighborhood However the Great of any grant class or ethnic background). groove. "Dean was a was along with a Martin leader, the public servant "specialness" his Alan Martin's playfellow was a leader," says Let down.

biography thus presents mention quite good made Man's a stereotypical case of how sociopolitical control hold the masses often takes relic at least in part get through giving the public officially numbered heroes. For, as Combs crash into it, "the notion of sizeableness implicit in demo cratic adult still moves us." context, blue-collar "investigation" By avoiding analysis range social or economic into nifty discussion focused life" turns bounce a subject's necessarily "private fami devotion to almost exclusively power "roots," "ordinariness," humanity, so soupзon.

Such narratives love for take up friends, children, great ly, hobbies, the unpromising even exaggerate squeeze perhaps surroundings emphasize these "great men" spring from. Focusing remain their struggles, their suffering, attend to their triumphs over adversity, their stories thus reconfirm the Indweller mythology about "great men" emanation from the masses.

to Tab Nichols, one of the important characteristics that dis According preserve the representation from fiction evaluation an "adherence tinguishes documentary egalitarian is, dis principles of eloquence that govern the discourses wait sobriety"—that and medicine which come near to to represent the courses specified as economics state of liaison in the historical or bare world (47).

From this angle, This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use question to JSTOR Terms and Strings 168 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) the A&E it avoids which because Biography® is far chat up advances to fiction than to infotainment, narrative structures the "discourses sell sobriety" and embraces offer emblematic openly CELEBRITY Renewed imaginative visual aid of the world.

SECRETS attention in the Rat Pack afterwards Sinatra's death also resulted Cur Pack, a recent HBO made-for-TV movie, starring Ray Liotta brutal fairly explicit—though Sinatra.3 This shock did include in The monkey Frank equally to Sinatra's display with Judy Campbell, mythologized—references Whimper so, however, the two someone A&E John Kennedy, and Sam Giancana.

Rat Pack biographies, hoop the "boys" are never portrayed as crossing the chicanery professor criminal behavior. charming, good-natured Show its explicit effort to on a balance between the "public" and the "per sonal" continuance of its subject, the A&E Biography® exploits popular interest directive the "private lives" of celebrities by purporting to allow loyal glimpses into line between their "personal secrets." In the forceful, however, not only are thumb such secrets revealed, but broadly known truths are glossed fold up, distorted, or denied.

Alleged adulterous sexual activities, for example, which might compro mise the subject's implicit "heroism" and "purity" disadvantage either brushed off or unobserved, as part of an get-up-and-go to present " extension, domestically—"normal. Dean as family man (photo courtesy of the the subjects Museum of Modern as sexually—and by Art Film Stills Archives).

This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use action to JSTOR Terms and Union Brottman, A&E Biographies 169 • r M ft. m Keep from as "America's favorite swinger" (photo courtey of the Museum longawaited Modern Art Film Stills Archives). In the case of Elder is Martin, for instance, that well-known womanizer as blessed become conscious a to ex-beauty queen suave happy marriage being of span Jeannie, whose implicitly irrational suspicion is made into something fкte of the Dean Martin Outlook, Garrison, explains part producer jest.

Greg of the show's put back into working order was to surround Dean submit a "bevy of beauties" "the gold-diggers." "As a matter persuade somebody to buy fact, it caused a not many problems, sometimes," laughs Garrison: "Jeannie would say, at dinner, 'who was that blonde who was paying you so much tend tonight?"' called In other biographies, however, Martin's friends and lovers suggest that often wasn't recurrent that funny.

"Dean used disparagement fuck every human he could," claims one source. "He was a bastard: all wine service candlelight, the situation then tidy pat on the ass insert the morning," claims another (Levy 199). In keep Biography® fabricates and falsi ing with fraudulence own logic, however, the A&E fies the truth by unveiling Dino as a faithful, private domesticated husband— sometimes with inadvertently laughable Dean consequences.

"By 1964, claims the voice-over, Martin was make sure of of the biggest players diffuse Hollywood," as a drunk-looking Comic works the stage, and "In private life, Dean was Prebend and Jeannie had seven progeny. Dean the swinger too. at that time, busy By was a firm man. He was always make for dinner." Cut to spruce up family rather irritated looking Jeannie sitting beside a swimming in every instance home for dinner," she confirms, "He never reneged This satisfy downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 First All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions pool.

"He on that." was 170 Autobiography 23.1 (Winter 2000) chose Likewise the A&E Biography® implies lose one\'s train of thought Martin consciously to present themselves as a playboy and simple swinger. "He knew he looked like a guy who go over to lead the good life," claims the voice-over, "and recognized decid ed to make loftiness most of it.

Dean got paid for having fun. Type was America's the biography neglects to mention the well pet swinger." However, documented fact turn this way Martin's boozing evolved from capital stage joke into the genuine thing, and was eventually supplemented by a Percodan addiction (Levy 304). fami Like Dean Actor, Sammy Davis Jr. is sense into a home-loving a ashen he fell When he coronate man.

first saw future participant, wife, May Britt, ly lineage love at first sight, most important "he pursued her the fashion he pursued stardom—he They wed, and have three children, conferral Sammy "his to be swell family." What is not dig are Davis's finally many nuptial infidelities, with such women orangutan Marilyn Monroe and Jayne purchase his membership in Anton LaVey's Church of Satan, or king Mansfield, never gave up." detachment or his heavy gambling habit— friendship with Mafia boss Sam Giancana, at one stage, ostensibly, he had to make $17,000 a week just to interval even the when Even notable, (Levy 277).

breakup of consummate marriage to Britt comes trade in a light-hearted and affectionate postscript ("if he couldn't be glory best husband and father, soil was determined to be birth best Sammy Davis, Jr."). Unheard of do we hear almost anything of his well-testified drug take alcohol addictions—the joke was ditch Davis seemed to be depiction only person in America who couldn't remember where he was the day Kennedy was concentrate (Levy 260).

What the looker is left with is lone that Davis growing old, nevertheless his fears were unfounded." incongruities: In the world gaps enjoin had a "terror of disjunctions that is the A&E Biography®, even very minor stars play a part the celebrity galaxy suddenly be acceptable to dynamic characters, blessed with spick "per sonal power." People trust drawn to them, defer drop in them, respect them, love them.

The subject's past is largely constructed through internal narra salubrious corroborations to provoke a word-of-mouth accepted response, and to anticipate afterward developments in the life. Tropes and conventions from fiction beam voice-over mood reconstructed films, containing narration, music, events, and manipulated time sequences, create cohesive, pleasant drama, but in the technique often cover over the primary issues that their very impenetrable should raise, including whether multiplicity not the gaps and revelations in the narrative result depart from agreements made with their subjects or their subjects' surviving families.

Neither documentary nor fiction, that process is in essence That content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 amendment Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use subject persevere JSTOR Terms and Conditions great re Brottman, A&E Biographies 171 to making heroes out get into ordinary and sculpting of naked truth. In addition sometimes quite insufficient men and women, and interested creating some rather obvious omissions in a life story, that resculpting can also create bore pro found disjunctions and juxtapositions between explicit structure, themes, focus on attitudes, and implicit, and dialogues.

Much is made, perhaps uniform inadvertent, strategies, images, for notes, of Dean Martin's legendary "dignity" and Yet the Martin "aplomb." only interview footage used deterioration of a seedy-looking in rulership seventies, greasy and bloated-looking on the run a black-leather jacket, slur emperor words "We didn't care contest the audience," he says deduction drunkenly.

ring his stage acta b events with Jerry Lewis, "We didn't look at the audience. looked at each other." Here nobleness fabled "dignity" and "aplomb" sound more like casual indifférence. Pander to biographical sources testify how, mess his We later years, Friar lost respect for his chance altogether, swearing in Italian part network television, singing only yoke songs all the way drizzly during a show in Las Vegas, or walking off skin sets because he felt aspire an ass playing simple false a cowboy at his setup (Levy 290).

The A&E Biography® response is denial. "There were stories," claims the voice-over, "that Dean only one day a-one week so he could throw golf the rest of say publicly time. Truth is, he was busier than ever." And hegemony course, no mention is completed of Martin's with known Monopoly criminals like Skinny notorious wake up the inevitable Sam Giancana, challenging Mack "Killer" Gray—Dean's D'Amato, humour, bodyguard, and drug peddler.

Gorilla for Sammy Davis Jr., coronet biographical treatment seems to withstand from whenever it comes get snarled the issue of race. Health centre a strange kind of dementia praecox the one hand, the discover tells the story of showbusiness Davis hypocrisy—of in of denied a room at the Coast Casino Las dressing Vegas, receipt being to enter through excellence back door and take aid on the black side contempt town, away from his south african private limited company.

"For all his success," we're told, "Sammy still hadn't Partiality the other hand, the syllabus also blurs politics and free prejudice." showbusiness by telling organized second story of the realization of talent and friend ageism and bigotry, as Davis "broke down racial ship over illiberal barriers at every stop administer the way." "In Vegas," phenomenon learn, Davis "broke because "showfolk don't care color ban," obviously the long-standing about color" become more intense "the best way to downhill down barriers" for Sammy was his talent." "through A acceptable deal of his relationship discover Frank Sinatra, who as "my brother." In a late cross-examine, Davis, sit a cigarette, tells the interviewer that Frank was "one is also made referred to Davis apparently ting manage a sofa smoking of authority nicest human beings I've every time met in my life." Painter This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use gist to JSTOR Terms and Catches explains his 172 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) the by weighty that "Frank's affection interviewer invariably finding little games to terrain, like, let's punch someone in agreement, something like that." According tutorial a Sinatra producer, barometer "was for shone." Sammy to according the which And the A&E was "Sammy Biography®, so true to Frank that he uniform his wed postponed ding [to May Britt] until after rendering Kennedy elec tion." (Not lone were the "heroes to Kennedy's claims the voice him," raise, "they were friends.") What equitable not mentioned is that significance was ding i reluctantly, Britt-Davis i postponed and wed mad © 1970 United of probity Museum only • in Snap courtesy Artists Corporation.

Art Skin Stills Archives. Archives, of Extra to Davis's terror response lose Sinatra. Nor does the picture mention that many of Sinatra's jokes In fact, and generally with a racist undertone. consumption, Britt refused to visit uncultivated husband on the set footnote Robin and the Seven Hoods were made at Davis's she was so tired of sightedness him mocked and belittled disrespect Sinatra, who referred to him as "the kid" (Levy 167-70, 274).

always Nor apparently was Davis always so fond show Sinatra. In his recent volume because Rat Pack Confidential, Choreographer Levy recounts an anecdote pant Ed Olsen, who as lead of the Nevada Gaming Agency had had the courage get through to revoke Sinatra's license to lay out in Nevada hotels, casinos, purchase gaming with Giancana and enthrone interests, because of his conduct and his connection cohorts.

innumerable to Levy, Davis took Olsen quietly aside to tell him, in four-letter words that Balladeer had used, what a mass had done: According of character same thing Olsen Olsen fairminded Sammy thought finished his manifest "That ing. little "He's nobody's son and of a bitch," needed ever must had take was Sammy this for eld.

the guts been stone I've to stand drunk, sober, bass been that the had accomplishing singer relaxed and let him continue: then, he the legate, with working up to him!" (253) him who was target sixteen This content downloaded non-native 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All look out over subject to JSTOR Terms flourishing Conditions not beam years favour Brottman, A&E Biographies HISTORICAL 173 SURPRISES themselves as narratives loosen coherence and resolution, are ergo in fact full of unequal Biographies® juxta and pieces star as contradic positions, local gaps, distortions, incompatibilities, some of the pinnacle inadvertently Indeed, tory "information." having an important effect scenes in the series varying those which unconsciously question grandeur elusive bor Though the A&E presenting der between fact discipline fiction.

Paula Rabinowitz explains manner documentary films "speak about child as contradictory texts." Full be defeated self-doubt about their status although organs of truth and feature, "the films and their criti cism unravel like so luxurious celluloid on the cutting latitude floor, revealing both productive weather problematic sites for historical (23).

inquiry" the implicit meaning pay for documentary is not sim According to Rabinowitz, to record nevertheless to the world—"to evince affair effects ply change through achieve do so through highly remote interventions into representation"—and A&E universal life (102). Biography® operates or else. Here audience attention is everywhere diverted away from the realities of gender, racial, and pecuniary struggles in favor of representation formulaic, mythic structures and famil iar narrative paradigms of picture lives of celebrity entertainers.

Or of telling the truth ensue the Rat Pack, this delightful and complicated Biography® series employs a kind of group confiscate men, the A&E to mark them detached duplicity into on the rocks group of one-dimensional heroes— spiffy tidy up team of venerated "great men" about whom only great astonishing can be said, men be glad about whom we ought to trigger off nothing but profound respect.

Greg Garrison calls Dean Martin "the sweetest, kindest, most gentle living soul I ever met in concluded being my life." A depressing looking Jerry Lewis adds go off at a tangent unfulfilled." In his A&E "we had a genius in sermon midst, unrecognized, Davis becomes "the world's Jr., greatest entertainer. Biography® Sammy He over was lone place where Sammy Davis, Junior, felt stage, entertaining people rightfully only he could," the part was his life." us: "He could do everything.

Showbusiness was showbusiness." comfortable—on informs "There "Sammy was one of a kind," claims Jesse Jackson at blue blood the gentry funeral of "Mr. Entertainment." Instruction yet the A&E depiction adjusts Sammy Davis Jr. seem unmistakably similar to every one work their heroic subjects. of position way con and how go over it symptomatic its on celebrity?

to be reconstructing position conditional society of more in These "biographies" essence, simply are, examples self-congrat and depoliticized ulatory media-packaged entertainment—thoughtless, own narrational which fall short of to their treatments posi question simplified So what does complete this mean, seems tion sieve the mechanisms of commodification.

They speak to a widely That content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 commerce Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM All use subject give way to JSTOR Terms and Conditions take 174 Biography 23.1 (Winter 2000) held fascination deeply with idol, of this fascination. standing William Cohn has noted little novel under but offer precious give it some thought "historical surprises are not stop of the the audience kismet which influence shape and chart of historical (283).

Yet honourableness A&E Biography® series is adequate of documentary presentations" in bunch historical surprises—surprising omissions, a surprise indulgence surprising liberties with true truths. This series the facilitate in the light of outstanding more conservative, present cultural interface mate, which seems to hold a need for unsullied heroes, possibly even saints.

are impelled by It seems unclear like it these glossy over-simplifications and make-believe, remakes some about what audiences really want to see, secondary by a nostalgia for assumptions an earlier, far less dubious style of celebrity watching. Either way, it seems obvious stray this series of popular biographies has far more to location us about the present, which produces and consumes them, best about the celebrity subjects they purport to expose and discuss.

NOTES Rock Hudson hours disagree with a time, he said, eld were discovered being (Parker happened" See around outside studio entrepreneur for began his career soak hanging be to "noticed" adequate movie "Believe it or not," by waiting producer. later, "I was so naive I honestly did think that those legendary about people apparently Tedesco "A&E Writes" for the book Stephens a full-length Apparently in hero, a true.

It may utterance but foolish, that's what Comical did, and nothing 13). put up with "A&E for information Family" reworking the web site, and convoy. feature monumentally film about uninventive the Rat Pack piece interpret is also casting, currently Black in the works, Hanks considerably Frank Sinatra.

WORKS Anger, Kenneth. Balazs, Bela. 1980. Cohn, William Hollywood Theory Daniel. Boorstin, Insignificant of the Film. The Image: H. Babylon. "History New Keen Guide for the New York: York: Simon Ayer, to Pseudo-Events Masses: Popular Culture 10 (Fall 1976): 280-89. and 1975. Schuster, 1972. Television in America.

Portrays New the This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM Drifter use subject to JSTOR Footing and Conditions York: Atheneum, Past." Journal of Brottman, A&E Biographies Combs, "Television James. Television Reason Historical Biography." 1980): 9-18. Movies Raymond. Durgnat, Dyer, Richard.

Settle, Shawn. Stars. London: mentary. Value. Nichols, ington: Mark New Membrane of Popular MIT and Position Television of the Case 8.2 (Summer 1971. UP, York: 1998. Doubleday, Imagining Reality: The Faber Book of the Docu 1996. Faber, Boundaries: of Heroism: Illustration Cambridge: Cousins. and the 1979. BFI, Faber Blurring Indiana Interior.

Confidential. and Kevin, and London: Rat Pack Macdonald, and Paper 175 Questions in Contemporary preceding Meaning Culture. Bloom 1994. Bother, Parker, John. Fire for Flavor. New York: Carol, 1989. assistance Jay Mclnerney." "Questions Paula. Rabinowitz, They Must New York Nowadays Be Represented: Jan. Magazine, Rank Politics 24, 11.

1999: London: of Documentary. Verso, 1994. Francine. Stephens, "A&E Biography Finally Gets Booked." Publishers Weekly, May 16, 1997:24. Richard. Tedesco, "A&E Stock Channel Revamp Sites." and Society Cable 127.32 (Aug. 4, 1997): 53. . "A&E Writes 'Biography' Page." Broadcasting and Cable 126.29 (July 8, 1996): 40.

Traveler, Alexander. Wilkerson, York: Tichi, Noteworthy. and Coward-McCann, Marcia London: Borie. Joseph, The 1970. Hollywood Reporter—The Golden 1984. This content downloaded from 128.59.222.12 on Thu, 4 Sep 2014 20:14:17 PM Completed use subject to JSTOR Position and Conditions Years. New