Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramon Novarro by André Soares is the biography of the first Latin American to become a superstar in Hollywood. Indeed, Ramon Novarro was for years one of Hollywood's top actors tarring in now-classic films, including The Student Prince, Mata Hari, and the original version of Ben-Hur.
One of MGM's biggest box office attractions, he shared the screen with the era's top leading ladies, such as Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Joan Crawford, and Norma Shearer, and became Rudolph Valentino's main rival in the "Latin Lover" category
Despite his considerable professional accomplishments, Novarro’s most enduring claim to fame is his tragic death–his bloodied corpse was found in his house on Halloween 1968 in what has become one of the most infamous scandals in the vast lore of Hollywood.
Novarro was a lifelong bachelor who had carefully cultivated his image as a man deeply devoted to his family and to his religious convictions. His murder shattered that image as news reports revealed to the general public that the dashing screen hero had not only been homosexual, but had been killed by two young male hustlers. Since then, his death has achieved near mythic proportions.
Soares presents a full picture of the man who made motion picture history. Including original interviews with Novarro's surviving friends, family, co-workers, and the two men convicted of his murder, this biography provides unique insights into an early Hollywood star.
André Soares,is the author of several screenplays and is the chief editor of Alternative Film Guide. Beyond Paradise is now available from UPM.
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