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| == Screenplays and Hollywood == | == Screenplays and Hollywood == | ||
| Lambert became a notable screenwriter of the Hollywood studio era. In 1954, while still living in England, he wrote his first ], ''Another Sky'', about the sexual awakening of a prim English woman in ]. In 1955, he also directed ''Another Sky'' in ]. This was followed in 1958 by the Hollywood screenplay, ''Bitter Victory'' and in 1960 by ''Sons and Lovers''. The latter, for which Lambert gained an ] nomination, is based on a novel by ]. |
Lambert became a notable screenwriter of the Hollywood studio era. In 1954, while still living in England, he wrote his first ], ''Another Sky'', about the sexual awakening of a prim English woman in ]. In 1955, he also directed ''Another Sky'' in ]. This was followed in 1958 by the Hollywood screenplay, ''Bitter Victory'' and in 1960 by ''Sons and Lovers''. The latter, for which Lambert gained an ] nomination, is based on a novel by ]. ], adapted a novella by ] on the affairs of an older actress with a young Italian ]. Some critics say that there is a ] subtext in this film, as in one scene the actress overhears herself being referred to as a "chicken hawk", a gay ] expression for an adult homosexual who is attracted to much younger men. As, from the 1920s through the late 1960s, homosexuality was rarely portrayed on the screen, gay screenwriters like Lambert learned to express their personal sensibilities discreetly between the lines of a film. It was not until 1965 that Lambert adapted his own Hollywood insider novel ''Inside Daisy Clover'' (1963) for the screen. ''Clover'' tells the cautionary tale of a teenage movie star involved in the Hollywood studio system of the 30's and her unhappy marriage to a closeted gay leading man (in the film version he was not fully identified as gay). Another of Lambert's screenplays was ''I Never Promised You a Rose Garden'' (1977), based on a novel by ] and regarded as one of the best lay descriptions of a ]'s ]. Later, the author also wrote the scripts for some TV movies such as ''Second Serve'' (1986) on ] ] player ] and ''Liberace: Behind the Music'' (1988) on gay performer ]. In ], he contributed to ]'s film ''A Personal History of British Cinema''. He was heavily quoted in William J. Mann's book ''Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969.'' | ||
| == Books and Final Years == | == Books and Final Years == | ||
| Lambert was also an accomplished biographer and novelist. He wrote biographies on some Hollywood stars, such as ''On Cukor'' (1972) on homosexual ] ] and ''Norma Shearer: A Life'' (1990) on the Canadian actress and ], ]. His book, ''Nazimova: A Biography'' (1997) was the first full-scale account of the private life and acting career of the great Hollywood ] ]. He was the author of the memoir ''Mainly About ]'' (2000) and wrote seven ]s primarily with Hollywood settings, among them ''The Slide Area: Scenes of Hollywood Life'' (1959), a collection of seven short stories that portray a bevy of tinsel-town lowlifes, ''Inside Daisy Clover'' (1963), ''The Goodbye People'' (1971) about Hollywood's beautiful people, and ''Running Time'' (1982), a portrait of an indefatigable woman from child starlet to screen goddess, but also a unique life history of the American film industry. His final work, ''Natalie Wood: A Life'' (2004) supplied an insider's look at actress ] and chronicled everything concerning her life, as Lambert was a Wood friend for 16 years. The book includes interviews with the people who knew Wood best, for instance, ], ], ], and ] and describes her affairs with many Hollywood stars. |
Lambert was also an accomplished biographer and novelist. He wrote biographies on some Hollywood stars, such as ''On Cukor'' (1972) on homosexual ] ] and ''Norma Shearer: A Life'' (1990) on the Canadian actress and ], ]. His book, ''Nazimova: A Biography'' (1997) was the first full-scale account of the private life and acting career of the great Hollywood ] ]. He was the author of the memoir ''Mainly About ]'' (2000) and wrote seven ]s primarily with Hollywood settings, among them ''The Slide Area: Scenes of Hollywood Life'' (1959), a collection of seven short stories that portray a bevy of tinsel-town lowlifes, ''Inside Daisy Clover'' (1963), ''The Goodbye People'' (1971) about Hollywood's beautiful people, and ''Running Time'' (1982), a portrait of an indefatigable woman from child starlet to screen goddess, but also a unique life history of the American film industry. His final work, ''Natalie Wood: A Life'' (2004) supplied an insider's look at actress ] and chronicled everything concerning her life, as Lambert was a Wood friend for 16 years. The book includes interviews with the people who knew Wood best, for instance, ], ], ], and ] and describes her affairs with many Hollywood stars. It is stated that Wood frequently dated gay and bisexual men in Hollywood circles including director ] and actors ], ], ], ] and ]. Lambert also says that he had affairs with Ray and Natalie Wood at the same time and that Wood supported homosexual playwright ] in a manner that made it possible for him to write his play, ] (1968). | ||
| Gavin Lambert became an American citizen in ]. From 1974 to 1989, he chiefly stayed in ]. He spent the final years of his life in ], where he died of ] on July 17, 2005. He left behind a brother, niece and nephew. He named Mart Crowley executor of his estate. | Gavin Lambert became an American citizen in ]. From 1974 to 1989, he chiefly stayed in ]. He spent the final years of his life in ], where he died of ] on July 17, 2005. He left behind a brother, niece and nephew. He named Mart Crowley executor of his estate. | ||
Revision as of 21:24, 22 July 2005
Gavin Lambert (born July 23, 1924 - died July 17, 2005) was a British-born screenwriter, novelist and biographer who lived for much of his life in Hollywood.
Early Life
Lambert was educated at Cheltenham and Oxford. At Oxford he founded, together with his friend Lindsay Anderson, the short-lived but influential journal, Sequence. From 1949 to 1955 he co-edited, together with Anderson, the periodical Sight and Sound. He also wrote film criticism for The Sunday Times and The Guardian. In 1957 he moved to Hollywood in order to work there as a screenwriter and personal assistant to director Nicholas Ray, whose movie Bitter Victory (1957) he co-wrote. He became Ray's lover for a period of time.
Screenplays and Hollywood
Lambert became a notable screenwriter of the Hollywood studio era. In 1954, while still living in England, he wrote his first screenplay, Another Sky, about the sexual awakening of a prim English woman in North Africa. In 1955, he also directed Another Sky in Morocco. This was followed in 1958 by the Hollywood screenplay, Bitter Victory and in 1960 by Sons and Lovers. The latter, for which Lambert gained an Academy Award nomination, is based on a novel by D. H. Lawrence. The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), adapted a novella by Tennessee Williams on the affairs of an older actress with a young Italian gigolo. Some critics say that there is a homosexual subtext in this film, as in one scene the actress overhears herself being referred to as a "chicken hawk", a gay slang expression for an adult homosexual who is attracted to much younger men. As, from the 1920s through the late 1960s, homosexuality was rarely portrayed on the screen, gay screenwriters like Lambert learned to express their personal sensibilities discreetly between the lines of a film. It was not until 1965 that Lambert adapted his own Hollywood insider novel Inside Daisy Clover (1963) for the screen. Clover tells the cautionary tale of a teenage movie star involved in the Hollywood studio system of the 30's and her unhappy marriage to a closeted gay leading man (in the film version he was not fully identified as gay). Another of Lambert's screenplays was I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977), based on a novel by Hannah Green and regarded as one of the best lay descriptions of a teenager's schizophrenia. Later, the author also wrote the scripts for some TV movies such as Second Serve (1986) on transgender tennis player Renee Richards and Liberace: Behind the Music (1988) on gay performer Liberace. In 1997, he contributed to Stephen Frears's film A Personal History of British Cinema. He was heavily quoted in William J. Mann's book Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969.
Books and Final Years
Lambert was also an accomplished biographer and novelist. He wrote biographies on some Hollywood stars, such as On Cukor (1972) on homosexual film director George Cukor and Norma Shearer: A Life (1990) on the Canadian actress and gay icon, Norma Shearer. His book, Nazimova: A Biography (1997) was the first full-scale account of the private life and acting career of the great Hollywood lesbian Alla Nazimova. He was the author of the memoir Mainly About Lindsay Anderson (2000) and wrote seven novels primarily with Hollywood settings, among them The Slide Area: Scenes of Hollywood Life (1959), a collection of seven short stories that portray a bevy of tinsel-town lowlifes, Inside Daisy Clover (1963), The Goodbye People (1971) about Hollywood's beautiful people, and Running Time (1982), a portrait of an indefatigable woman from child starlet to screen goddess, but also a unique life history of the American film industry. His final work, Natalie Wood: A Life (2004) supplied an insider's look at actress Natalie Wood and chronicled everything concerning her life, as Lambert was a Wood friend for 16 years. The book includes interviews with the people who knew Wood best, for instance, Robert Wagner, Warren Beatty, Paul Mazursky, and Leslie Caron and describes her affairs with many Hollywood stars. It is stated that Wood frequently dated gay and bisexual men in Hollywood circles including director Nicholas Ray and actors Nick Adams, Raymond Burr, James Dean, Tab Hunter and Scott Marlowe. Lambert also says that he had affairs with Ray and Natalie Wood at the same time and that Wood supported homosexual playwright Mart Crowley in a manner that made it possible for him to write his play, The Boys in the Band (1968).
Gavin Lambert became an American citizen in 1964. From 1974 to 1989, he chiefly stayed in Tangier. He spent the final years of his life in Los Angeles, where he died of pulmonary fibrosis on July 17, 2005. He left behind a brother, niece and nephew. He named Mart Crowley executor of his estate.