Female Brando: The Legend of Kim Stanley

This work features: a documentary - "The Needs of Kim Stanley", which is in production and expected to release in 2006; Oscar nominations for "Frances" and "Seance on a Wet Afternoon"; Tony award nominations for "A Touch of the Poet" and "A Far Country"; and Emmy award for "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". Elizabeth Taylor and Joanne Woodward were inspired by her work. Arthur Penn called her the American equivalent of Eleanora Duse. She was the greatest stage actress of a generation that included Julie Harris, Geraldine Page, and Colleen Dewhurst. Between 1949 and 1964, Kim Stanley created starring roles in twelve Broadway productions, including Cherl, the nightclub singer in "Bus Stop". Then, after fifteen years of stardom, Stanley walked away from the theatre, never to return. What happened? "Female Brando" answers that question with a meticulously researched, empathetic biography that traces Stanley's childhood, her early training, her stardom - and her tragic descent into alcoholism and loneliness. Much more than a mere cautionary tale, "Female Brando" is a clear-headed examination of Kim Stanley's brilliance that places her in the pantheon of great American artists. It celebrates the 50th anniversary of "Bus Stop" - Stanley's greatest triumph. This is the first major biography of a great star, meticulously researched - author conducted more than 225 personal interviews. Like icons Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, Stanley's talent was matched by her self-destructiveness.