British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to Sean Connery

British stars and stardom is a collection of 17 essays and a detailed introduction which deals analytically with the topic of the great film stars (and some thought-provoking lesser ones) of the British cinema, from Alma Taylor and Ivor Novello in the silent period, up to the present day. British stars – even the most famous such as James Mason, Margaret Lockwood, Deborah Kerr, Sean Connery, Gracie Fields, and Julie Andrews – have been a seriously neglected area of film history and star studies. This work looks both at stars who attained worldwide fame through the Hollywood cinema, and those whose contribution is primarily to the national cinema. The essays and introductory discussion range over the whole history of British stardom from circa 1910 onwards, and the many types of British stars produced, including great character actors like Flora Robson and Sir Alec Guinness, foreign actors in the British cinema like Anton Walbrook, the “blonde bombshell” Diana Dors, and even the pornographic star Mary Millington. Shedding light on household names, and rescuing lesser-known figures from obscurity, this work should appeal equally to teachers, students and enthusiasts.