I Used to be in Pictures: An Untold Story of Hollywood

'I Used to be in Pictures' is is a collection of unpublished correspondence between English born brothers, Austin and Howard Mutti-Mewse and some of the most celebrated and iconic film stars from the silent and 'golden' era of film-making.

The brothers' foray into this glamorous world began with a simple fan letter to Lillian Gish, followed by another to Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. This gave rise to a wealth of letter writing. Yet, the most interesting part of this story is that these letters were written retrospectively, as raised on a diet of black and white movies, Austin and Howard's unique relationships with these screen legends developed long after the height of their celebrity, a quarter of a century after the cameras had stopped rolling, at a time when they were able to reflect back on lives lived in the spotlight.

During the nineties, the brothers were entertained by stars, including Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor who, thrilled at this late recognition, invited them into their homes in Hollywood, Palm Springs, Malibu, Glendale and Santa Barbara; to reminisce over afternoon tea.

Accompanied by many intimate and candid photographs of screen icons both at the height of their stardom and in later years, this is a collection for anyone looking for an insider glimpse into arguably Hollywood's finest hour; a time when stars were made in black and white, when all that glittered was the sequins and the gold, a time of magic and some amazing memories. In this book Howard and Austin have captured it all...beautifully.

AUTHOR:
Austin Mutti-Mewse trained in Graphic design. He has been writing for various British newspapers for the past 20 years, specialising in film obituaries for The Daily Telegraph, the more obscure, the better! A PR man for many years, since 2008, Austin has held the position of Curator for a number of British Heritage Brands owned by fashion group Li and Fung including Hardy Amies, Kilgour and Kent and Curwen. Austin lives in Surrey with his wife Joanna and son Nathan.

Howard Mutti-Mewse began his career as a PR consultant before joining TCM (Turner Classic Movies). The millennium saw Howard move into the luxury lifestyle and fashion PR arena working for such brands as The Crown Estate and Pal Zileri. In December 2007 he joined Levi Strauss and Co. in Brussels to become the PR Manager for Dockers Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. His expertise and passion has since awarded him further promotion. Howard and his partner Ferhat divide their time and work between their homes in Brussels and Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2002, Austin and Howard curated the show Worth Exposing Hollywood, showcasing the work of Hollywood's first paparazzi photographer Frank Worth, in London and LA and a book followed.


SELLING POINTS:
A fascinating insight into the Golden Age of Hollywood, the public and private face of an industry rarely explored in such an intimate fashion

20 colour and 380 b/w photographs

ISBN: 9781851497539
Author: MUTTI-MEWSE, AUSTIN
Format: Hardcover
Publication date: 01/04/2014
RRP: $75.00
Pages: 304
Dimension: 300mm X 237mm
Imprint: ACC Editions