When "talking" pictures first appeared in cinema theaters in the late 1920s, films about newspaper journalists quickly became a Hollywood mainstay. These were a variety of responses from working reporters, editors, and photographers. The newspaper film was a popular genre in the 1950s, and famous films such as All the President's Men (1976) and Spotlight (2015) have depicted the power of the press. Journalists have also been portrayed in films that are not specifically about newspapers, appearing in noir films like Woman on the Run (1950), Westerns such as Fort Worth (1951), comedies like The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), musicals like Wake Up and Live (1937) and historical epics like Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

A film historian and former newspaper writer, the author investigates how accurately films have portrayed journalists across the decades. The book also details what journalists thought of the depictions at the time, contributing to brief histories and analyses for each film. Featured journalist archetypes include airy reporters, screaming editors, photographers, sportswriters and war journalists. Classics, misfires, Westerns, obscure treasures and films the press both adored and detested are all included in this comprehensive here.

About the Author
Johnny D. Boggs, former newspaper writer, is an award-winning author of Western fact and fiction. He has contributed to such magazines as True West and Boys' Life. A past president of the Western Writers of America, he is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.


Book Information
ISBN 9781476679938
Author Johnny D. Boggs
Format Paperback
Page Count 293
Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
Publisher McFarland & Co Inc
Weight(grams) 522g
Dimensions(mm) 254mm * 178mm * 15mm