Gene Marshall: Girl Star

New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2000. Hard cover. Very good in very good dust jacket. Gene Marshall: Girl Star Hardcover IN DUST JACKET October 18, 2000-FIRST EDITION BOOK-Having sprung full bloom from the brilliant mind of renowned artist (and avid doll collector) Mel Odom, the Gene Marshall fashion... Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 192 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. Gene Marshall: Girl Star Hardcover IN DUST JACKET October 18, 2000-FIRST EDITION BOOK-Having sprung full bloom from the brilliant mind of renowned artist (and avid doll collector) Mel Odom, the Gene Marshall fashion doll is fast becoming one of the worlds most desired collectibles. With one million sold since her inception in 1995, shes giving Barbie a real run for her money. Peppered with first-person reminiscences of real and imagined celebrities, and filled with line drawings, memorabilia, and stunning photographs of Gene in her drop-dead outfitsincluding two costumes that are displayed here for the first timet his classic star is born story will enthrall Genes growing cadre of fans hungry for the details of her spectacular ascent. BOOK REVIEW; This is a very entertaining and beautifully illustrated story of the rise of Gene Marshall. Anyone who has enjoyed reading Hollywood history and movie star biographies will love this. The story is told in snippets from studio memos, a gossip column, and excerpts from the biographies of Madra Lord, Trent Osborn, Eric Von Sternberg and others. It all begins with Gene's childhood and ends with the debut of her first film "Blonde Lace". There are some new characters introduced into Gene's story such as Trent Osborne, an aging actor who has dated Madra Lord and Ivy Jordan, a character actress who becomes Gene's friend. The photographs are cleverly done and the illustrations are wonderful. Anyone who has studied Hollywood lore will see the similiaries to real life stories and situations and that makes it all the more fun. The only reason I don't give the book 5 stars is because it ends too early. An entire synopsis of Gene's career would have been welcome. It really leaves you wanting more. BOOK REVIEW. This is a terrific book. I am a big fan of Gene-as well as the way she is presented. The use of shadow and light in the wonderful photography makes her looks very real. In addition, the thing that makes Gene special is that she has a whole story-of how she was discovered and became an actress. They have interviews with various friends, enemies and family, again, making her become very real. Two thumbs up!