Warner Baxter
Rediscovering a Forgotten Star of Hollywood's Golden Age
Although Baxter came to prominence in the silent 1925 version of The Great Gatsby he made his name in talkies with The Cisco Kid, receiving an Academy Award for the follow-up In Old Arizona. Thereafter he had a string of successes and was outstanding in John Ford's The Prisoner of Shark Island as Dr Mudd. By 1938 Baxter was the highest paid actor in Hollywood. On the face of it, he had everything going for him - professional success, a stable marriage, beautiful houses, the esteem of his peers, and the dedication of his fans. Despite everything, he never found personal happiness and was beset by doubts and insecurities, not to mention a series of unfortunate accidents and brushes with death. The author's long experience as a film historian shines through. His research is impeccable and he writes with great insight and understanding, balancing admirably the professional and personal aspects of Baxter's life. The second half of the book is dedicated to an in-depth guide to his films, including valuable information about the many silents which are sadly lost. The text is adorned with numerous excellent photos throughout.
As the author acknowledges (and I know from experience) there are numerous difficulties associated with taking the road less travelled in biography and film scholarship, but long may he continue to do so. Dan Van Neste deserves the appreciation of all for bringing back to life for current and future generations an unfairly forgotten star of the Golden Age. The Accidental Star is, like his previous works, another lasting contribution to film history.
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