James Mason

James Mason broke into British films in 1935 after working several years on the stage. For the rest of the decade, he alternated unsuccessful theatre ventures with increasingly important movies. Though he was a conscientious objector, he became one of England's biggest stars during the World War II era. When he moved to Hollywood after the war, success initially eluded him. But he eventually won an Academy Award nomination for A Star is Born (1954), and he had steady work as an actor in nearly 50 films between 1963 and his death in 1984. During that time, he earned two additional Academy Award nominations and was voted Cinema Actor of the Century by a panel of international critics in 1967. This reference book provides comprehensive coverage of his life and career. The volume begins with a brief biography and chronology, followed by an extensive annotated bibliography of works by and about him. The entries that follow detail his individual performances in film, television, radio, and the stage.