Product Description

David Niven recalls his time in Hollywood during its heyday. He recounts stories and anecdotes of the stars, producers, directors, tycoons and oddballs, many of whom were his friends.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #278511 in Books
• Published on: 1977-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Sunday Telegraph
'Hilariously readable'

Review
'Hilariously readable' (Sunday Telegraph )

'So bring on the empty horses and fill their saddles with shades of Cooper, Gable, Fairbanks and Flynn. This time David Niven is riding a winner' (Irish Times )

'He is nothing if not an individualist: a raconteur of style and sophistication and a writer with imagination and a sense of pace . . . It adds to his stature' (Coventry Evening Telegraph )

'BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES is a delight from start to finish. With shrewdness and warmth . . . Niven brings us to Hollywood in its golden prime, from the early '30s to the age of TV. Above all, he brings us them - the outstanding stars, producers, directors, writers, tycoons and oddballs, many of whom were his friends . . . An inspired mix of descriptions, impressions, and anecdotes.' (Publishers Weekly )

'Might easily be the best book ever written about Hollywood.' (New York Times Book Review )

New York Times Book Review
'Might easily be the best book ever written about Hollywood.'

Customer Reviews

Solid Gold!
There is something about the way in which David Niven writes about other people where you just know they would approve. David Niven always seemed to play the good guy, the hero, the sort of person to whom we would all wish to aspire. Writing about those people with whom he worked and came into contact was, however, a serious departure from acting - and could easily have gone so horribly wrong.

In this book, however, he confirms his credentials as a writer and pours his own brand of humour onto each and every encounter he describes. Not once does he stoop to the level of gossip monger, not once does attack another person.

Instead, we have a first hand account of that golden age of Hollywood written by a master wordsmith who has also mastered the art of writing humour.

Was it me, or did I detect a certain disappointment from within his own relationship?, or was it that David Niven was far too much the perfect gentleman to describe such things.

If you are a fan of the olden days - the golden days of Hollywood, you will enjoy this book. If you simply want a damned good read, you will enjoy this book. In fact, I cannot think of anyone who would not enjoy such an excellent product.

NM

Solid Gold!
There is something about the way in which David Niven writes about other people where you just know they would approve. David Niven always seemed to play the good guy, the hero, the sort of person to whom we would all wish to aspire. Writing about those people with whom he worked and came into contact was, however, a serious departure from acting - and could easily have gone so horribly wrong.

In this book, however, he confirms his credentials as a writer and pours his own brand of humour onto each and every encounter he describes. Not once does he stoop to the level of gossip monger, not once does attack another person.

Instead, we have a first hand account of that golden age of Hollywood written by a master wordsmith who has also mastered the art of writing humour.

Was it me, or did I detect a certain disappointment from within his own relationship?, or was it that David Niven was far too much the perfect gentleman to describe such things.

If you are a fan of the olden days - the golden days of Hollywood, you will enjoy this book. If you simply want a damned good read, you will enjoy this book. In fact, I cannot think of anyone who would not enjoy such an excellent product.

NM

The book that started me off reading biographies
I could not have chosen a more colourful biog to start my interest in this type of book. I have never laughed out so loudly in any other book in the following 16 years. Obviously the stories were found to have been attributed to other movie stars after the book was published but, that aside, if only part of it was Niven then it is still worth anyone's time to read this fabulous insight to Hollywood in its heyday. He comes across with all the style, panache and feeling that we have become accustomed to in his long and distinguished career.

Read this and remember - not all books will be this good. Unless you count 'The Moon's a Baloon' of course!