Jessie Matthews: A Biography by Michael Thornton soon to be presented for sale on the really rather good BookLovers of Bath web site!
Published: London: Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, 1974, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Contains: Black & white photographs; Discography; Appendices [3];
From the cover: Jessie Matthews was the sex symbol of the 1930s. An elfin-like beauty with huge and brilliant eyes, she was billed as Britains Dancing Divinity and seemed to float across the screen like thistledown.
Born into poverty in the backstreet slums of Londons Soho, she became the most glamorous princess of the screen. But at the pinnacle of her international fame, she figured in a sensational court case when she was cited by another famous star, Evelyn Laye, in Miss Layes divorce action against her husband, Sonnie Hale. The judges comments created headlines all over the world, and shortly afterwards it was considered inappropriate to present her to the King and Queen of England when they went to see one of her films.
Then, at the peak of her career, came a series of nervous breakdowns, two miscarriages, the failure of her second and third marriages, and more than a decade of eclipse.
The profound effect of these disasters on her unusual psychology, and the heart-warming story of her sudden re-emergence as a plump, sunny grandmother of 56, to become radios new Mrs Dale and the paragon of seven million daily listeners, are told with fascinating authority by Michael Thornton, a close friend of Jessie Matthews for many years, in this first biography to be published of a great and truly evergreen star.
Good+ in Good+ Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper which is a little tanned. Price Clipped. Edges of the text block lightly spotted. Pages very gently age-tanned.
Black boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 359 pages. Index. Bibliography. 8¾” x 5½”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I draw your attention to more books in my Biography catalogue?
BookLovers of Bath 