Raymond Strait has built an international reputation via his numerous celebrity biographies. In addition to his books, he has written hundreds of articles covering entertainment and sports. He served the military for a total of six years between 1941 and 1951, including World War II and the Berlin Airlift. From his Depression childhood in West Virginia, he has traveled the world, speaking and promoting his work. He did not seek a literary career. His first endeavor in the wor

May 28/22 Jim Hitt interviews Ray Strait, Master Biographer to the Famous, Alan Alda, Jayne Mansfield, Bob Hope, James Garner and more.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES! He's an American legend whose wisecracks entertained us for more than sixty years. Now you can enjoy all the glamour and fun of Bob Hope's fabulous life in this intimate, wonderfully detailed biography. Discover how an English immigrant named Leslie Downs Hope became the great Bob Hope, the funniest man in Hollywood, a comedian who won our hearts … and those of thousands of American troops. Don't miss: •HIS GET-TO-THE-TOP-ANY-WAY-YOU-CAN ATTITUDE … Th

Internationally known as the star of three dozen movies and three television series, and a familiar face in TV commercials, James Garner is one of our finest actors. He is also one our funniest, but as he points out, "I don't do comedy. I do humor." And it is Garner's special brand of wry, subtle, carefully crafted funniness that has brought him widespread fame and a devoted following. Raymond Strait's pioneering biography discusses in detail Garner's movie and TV roles, taki

**This biography was originally published in 1983 and has not been updated. Any events after 1983 are not included.** Best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on the award-winning TV series M*A*S*H, Alan Alda has made his way into Hollywood’s spotlight while keeping remarkably free of its whirlwind parties and endless gossip. He remains a private man—an actor whose personal life and politics are far different from the character of the womanizing, side-cracking army doctor th

Having spent ten years as Jayne Mansfield's press secretary, Raymond Strait knows intimately both the public image and the private person that were Jayne Mansfield. Sitting through hundreds of hours of interviews and private conversations -- not only with Jayne but also with her husbands, her lovers, and her children -- gave Ray the opportunity to present a revealing portrait of the woman. He records her drive for fame and success and her overpowering need to be loved and to