Adventures of a No Name Actor

by Marco Perella

Book Overview

Marco Perella is a very successful actor. Which is not to say that he is a famous actor. The co-star in some made-for-TV movies, a bit player in major Hollywood productions, guest star on a late night... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582341559
• ISBN13: 9781582341552
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

the real thing

Marco knows of what he speaks. Truth is stranger than fiction and Marco tells the truth funnier than anyone else on the planet. Whether you're in the business or not, this book is for EVERYBODY!!

Hilarious

My daughter once conned me into taking her to a casting call for a TV movie. I was sitting in the lobby awaiting her when someone came up, took my picture and a few minutes later I'm talking with some assistant to an assistant director. They wanted me to be in the film, despite my pleas that I was not an actor. "We don't necessarily want actors," they told me. So I agreed to giving them a day (my daughter, of course, did not make the cut). And what a day it turned out to be! Directors screaming at prop people, myself and my fellow extras being herded into holding pens, endless delays, star tantrums. I knew for certain it wasn't going to be my cup of tea when we extras were lined up late in the afternoon for some scene that had to be reshot. As we prepared for inspection, the assistant director queried the director as to the type of people he wanted. He looked at her as if she were crazy and yelled, "Oh, I don't know. Choose a dozen of the better looking ones." Talk about acting -- the feigned indifference between us extras rivaled anything that ever appeared in this production. That was just one day. This actor has done it for years and skillfully tells of the highlights...and lowlights...of being a regional actor. I tried to stifle the laughs but had to abandon the effort. His writing is laugh-out-loud funny and is dead on. I wasn't ready for it to end. I hope he keeps acting long enough to write a sequel.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys

I'm not in show business, and not even much of a movie buff, but I love a well-written, funny book, and I laughed from start to finish reading this one. Out of fairness, let me note that I know Marco Perella, but I had no idea what a fine writer he could be. His pace and timing are impeccable, like a true pro. The book is structured in short chapters, each a well-spun personal tale from Marco's life digging out a living as a co-star and product hawker. It's a delightful and instructive read for anyone. I hope he does write a sequel.

A quick, funny, interesting read and a great gift

As an Austinite, I have been aware of Marco Perella for years--here in a commercial, there in a movie, here emceeing a Children's Symphony, there with his wife taking over the dance floor at a club. He's always seemed like a very pleasant, hardworking guy. Suddenly he's also one of my favorite writers! I just finished reading this book, and I immediately started reading it again. It is HIGHLY entertaining. I believe just about anyone would think it is very funny, but it is particularly funny and interesting if you enjoy going behind-the-scenes in the acting world. Marco is literate and savvy, with a real gift for finding the irony and humor in a situation. I find myself wanting to telephone friends and read particularly hilarious or juicy passages to them. My guess is that while you're reading it, you--like me--will be making a mental list of people you're going to give it to as a gift.

A fun look at the life of a "serious actor".

The best thing about this book is that it's written in such a way you feel you're actually there with Perella listening to him share his laugh out loud experiences. I carried it around with me everywhere so that I could sneak in a few more pages here and there throughout the day. I actually hated to put it down! I appreciated that Perella didn't name drop or brag about his brushes with greatness, nor did he ever disparage the stars with whom he worked but spoke about them honestly from his own perspective. It's an absolute must read for anyone struggling to "make it" as an actor but can be appreciated by anyone in any aspect of the film-making business....including those whose sole contribution to the Hollywood machine is buying a movie ticket or just watching TV. A good laugh from a great storyteller.