Summary: Traces the successes and setbacks of 19-year-old Tommy Post, aspiring screenwriter, as he climbs his way through the ranks at Coronet Studios during the silent era of Hollywood. Along the way, Tommy learns that the “stars” that seem to shine so bright from a distance often lose their luster the closer one approaches.
Bloch: “A great deal of time and effort went into Colossal, a saga of silent-screen Hollywood during the twenties which ended with the advent of sound.
Success or failure in writing, as in many other fields of endeavor, is often dependent on timing, and mine was bad. The nostalgia boom wasn’t “in,” film historians were just beginning to probe the past, and biographies of stars and directors had yet to attain best-seller status. As a result I was stepping up to bat with three strikes already against me, and nobody wanted to play ball. In the end, it took a dozen years for the book to reach print in paperback. Even then the publishers disguised its contents by changing my title to The Star Stalker, with a deliberately misleading blurb and cover art to match. I was not informed in advance, let alone consulted, and can only offer a belated apology to all four of the readers who purchased it.”
Note: The book originally was planned to be the first in a trilogy that would take the characters through succeeding decades. The plan was dropped after the disappointing reception of Stalker.
Bloch: “A great deal of time and effort went into Colossal, a saga of silent-screen Hollywood during the twenties which ended with the advent of sound.
Success or failure in writing, as in many other fields of endeavor, is often dependent on timing, and mine was bad. The nostalgia boom wasn’t “in,” film historians were just beginning to probe the past, and biographies of stars and directors had yet to attain best-seller status. As a result I was stepping up to bat with three strikes already against me, and nobody wanted to play ball. In the end, it took a dozen years for the book to reach print in paperback. Even then the publishers disguised its contents by changing my title to The Star Stalker, with a deliberately misleading blurb and cover art to match. I was not informed in advance, let alone consulted, and can only offer a belated apology to all four of the readers who purchased it.”
Note: The book originally was planned to be the first in a trilogy that would take the characters through succeeding decades. The plan was dropped after the disappointing reception of Stalker.
Bibliography
US: Pyramid Books; pb 1968
Portugal: Ibis; pb 1969
France: Editions Pac ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1979
Germany: Kelter ("Du verdammtes Hollywood"); pb 1983
France: NEO ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1985
France: 10-18 ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1989
US: Underwood-Miller (Screams omnibus); hc 1989
France: Alvik ("Le Crespuscule des Stars"); pb 2008
France: Payot et Rivages ("Le Crespuscule des Stars"); pb 2011
Portugal: Ibis; pb 1969
France: Editions Pac ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1979
Germany: Kelter ("Du verdammtes Hollywood"); pb 1983
France: NEO ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1985
France: 10-18 ("Le Crépuscule des Stars"); pb 1989
US: Underwood-Miller (Screams omnibus); hc 1989
France: Alvik ("Le Crespuscule des Stars"); pb 2008
France: Payot et Rivages ("Le Crespuscule des Stars"); pb 2011