Explorer, war hero, filmmaker, and cinema pioneer Merian C. Cooper-the adventurer who created King Kong-was truly larger than life. "Pictures cannot be made from an executive's desk," "Coop" declared, and he did more than talk the talk-he walked the walk to the far corners of the globe, with a motion picture camera in tow, in an era when those corners were truly unknown, untamed, and unforgiving. Cooper's place in history is assured, thanks not only to the monstrous gorilla from Skull Island but because the story of Kong's ...
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Explorer, war hero, filmmaker, and cinema pioneer Merian C. Cooper-the adventurer who created King Kong-was truly larger than life. "Pictures cannot be made from an executive's desk," "Coop" declared, and he did more than talk the talk-he walked the walk to the far corners of the globe, with a motion picture camera in tow, in an era when those corners were truly unknown, untamed, and unforgiving. Cooper's place in history is assured, thanks not only to the monstrous gorilla from Skull Island but because the story of Kong's creator is even bigger and bolder than the beast he made into a cultural icon. Spellbound since boyhood by tales of life-threatening adventure and exotic locales, Cooper plunged again and again into harrowing expeditions that took him to places not yet civilized by modern man. Cooper was one of the first bomber pilots in World War I. After the war, he helped form the famous Kosciuszko Squadron in battle-torn Poland. He then turned his attention to producing documentary films that chronicled his hair-raising encounters with savage warriors, man-eating tigers, nomadic tribes, and elephant stampedes. In addition to producing King Kong, he was the first to team Fred Astaire with Ginger Rogers, arranged Katharine Hepburn's screen test, collaborated with John Ford on Hollywood's greatest Westerns, and then changed the face of film forever with Cinerama, the original "virtual reality." He returned to military service during World War II, serving with General Claire Chennault in China, flying missions into the heart of enemy territory. This book is a stunning tribute to a two-fisted visionary who packed a multitude of lifetimes into eighty remarkable years. The first comprehensive biography of this unique man and his amazing time, it's the tale of someone whose greatest desire was always to be living dangerously.
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Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $11.56, fair condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard.
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Fair. Used book-May contain writing notes highlighting bends or folds. Text is readable book is clean and pages and cover mostly intact. May show normal wear and tear. Item may be missing CD. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $12.58, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard.
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Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $39.99, very good condition, Sold by Aladdin Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Fullerton, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard Books.
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Very Good+ in Very Good jacket. 8vo-over 7¾-9¾" tall. 1st Printing. Near fine, no markings, no bookplate and no remainder mark. In very good or better price-clipped dust jacket with no chips, no tears. Suitable for gift-giving.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $43.50, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper to cart. $63.35, good condition, Sold by BookHolders rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gambrills, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard Books.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $66.19, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper. to cart. $75.00, Sold by Ira Joel Haber rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard Books.
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The life story of the Hollywood adventurer and the creator of King Kong among others. This is the first comprehensive bio. Illustrated throughout the text with photos. Bound to become scarce.
Add this copy of Living Dangerously: the Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, to cart. $76.84, new condition, Sold by GridFreed rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from North Las Vegas, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Villard.
Originally, I bought this book specifically because I love the original King Kong and am always hungry to read anything and everything I can get my hands on written about it. I was sure surprised with this book. I found myself completely engrossed in the life of a truly extraordinary human being, Merian C. Cooper. Starting with his childhood and going into his WWI experiences and beyond, this is more than a mere "man behind a movie" biography. After reading this book, I think that this man's life would make three or four spectacular films, because there is too much to tell in just one movie! The author, through interviews, journal entries, and the like gives you the feeling of looking over Mr. Cooper's shoulder and being with him in that particular time period. You actually start to feel this man's thirst for adventure! His disdain for "civilization" and all things soft is from a bygone era. Here was a man whose motto was "Keep it...dangerous" He thrived on danger, hence the title of the book. While I have never been into books about explorers, this made me want to learn more about the places and experiences that Mr. Cooper experienced. Not to be overly dramatic, but this is the first book I've read in a long time where I truly felt inspired upon finishing it. I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. This is a must read for fans of classic movies and especially King Kong. But don't think of this as a "King Kong book." It is much, much more than that. Once you read this you will want to see the films that he made other than Kong, such as Grass, Chang, and the Four Feathers (which also featured Fay Wray). Spectacular read.
