“It's amazing that he never killed a man -- as far as we know!” NOIR CITY magazine reviews new Lawrence Tierney book

“A 432-page rap sheet! An index of awfulness

that focuses more on perps than performances…. 

If Tierney’s life tells us anything, 

it’s that toxic masculinity is real -- 

and it’s spectacular!”

NOIR CITY, the quarterly journal of the Film Noir Foundation and the Bible for film noir aficionados, is featuring a review of Burt Kearns’ book, Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood's Real-Life Tough Guy, in its latest issue.

The magazine’s contents are not posted online, so we show the review below.

Meanwhile, it’s  easy to get on the Film Noir Foundation mailing list -- do it here -- and by making a small donation, you can subscribe to the essential magazine (available in print version here).

In the words of the founder, Czar of Noir Eddie Muller:

“Who would have thought that movies based on desperation and alienation would bring so many people together around the world?”

(click image to expand)

Lawrence Tierney is much tougher and scarier than Prince Harry; so is new Tierney book.

Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy is scaring off the competition 

in bookstores and sales sites. 

Book information at LawrenceTierneyBook.com

(along with Tierney film clips and latest coverage and appearances).

UPDATE: American CInematheque’s Instagram photos of the Lawrence Tierney double feature and book launch

Burt Kearns at work

The evening’s host and moderator, screenwriter and producer Larry Karaszewski

The official Reservoir Dogs Joe Cabot 12” action figure

LawrenceTierneyBook.com

LarryEdmunds.com

AmericanCinematheque.com

INSIDE THE AERO: American Cinematheque & Larry Edmunds Bookshop launch new bio, 'Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood's Real-Life Tough Guy'

\

(SANTA MONICA, CA, December 16, 2022) A large and enthusiastic crowd turned out at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre on Friday evening for the official launch of the first biography of legendary and notorious actor Lawrence Tierney.  Author Burt Kearns was on hand to sign copies of his book, Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy (published in December by the University Press of Kentucky - Screen Classics series). Acclaimed screenwriter and producer Larry Karaszewski  (Dolemite Is My Name, The People V O.J. Simpson, Ed Wood, Man on the Moon, The People vs Larry Flynt, Big Eyes, Auto Focus, 1408, Problem Child) hosted a doube feature screening of the Tierney film noirs Born to Kill and Shakedown, and conducted a very entertaining Q&A with the author. Jeff Mantor of the Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard sponsored the book signings.

AUTHOR BURT KEARNS (right) with JEFF MANTOR OF THE LARRY EDMONDS BOOKSHOP

DAVID DEL VALLE, FILM HISTORIAN & TIERNEY’S FRIEND, WITH TIERNEY NEPHEW TIM TIERNEY.

JEFF MANTOR OF LARRY EDMUNDS BOOKSHOP, BURT KEARNS & JEFF ABRAHAM, 

KEARNS’ CO-AUTHOR ON THE SHOW WON’T GO ON.

LARRY KARASZEWSKI LEADS Q&A WITH AUTHOR BURT KEARNS

BORN TO KILL

SHAKEDOWN

KEARNS & WIFE ALISON HOLLOWAY (WITH NOIR FILTER)

PRESS RELEASE: American Cinematheque welcomes back Lawrence Tierney after ‘streaming’ scandal

 

Lawrence Tierney Book Launch: ‘Born to Kill’ and ‘Shakedown’ double feature & book signing hosted by acclaimed screenwriter Larry Karaszewski Friday Dec 16

It’s a double-feature, book launch, book signing and special Q&A at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica!

Burt Kearns’ acclaimed new biography of the notorious and pugnacious actor Lawrence Tierney made its  official debut on December 6, 2022.  Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy was published by the University Press of Kentucky, as part of its Screen Classic series.

Jeff Mantor of the Larry Edmunds Bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard, with author Burt Kearns and some Tierney
swag, arranged the event and is selling signed first edition copies of Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy.

And two screen classics will launch the action-packed bio: a special one-night-only screening of Tierney’s 1947 classic film noir Born to Kill and the 1950 newspaper crime film Shakedown at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, California. Sponsored by the Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood and the American Cinematheque, the evening will feature book signings by author Kearns and a Q&A discussion with acclaimed screenwriter and producer Larry Karaszewski -- who was Tierney’s next-door neighbor early in his own career.

 

“The last time Larry Tierney came to see ‘Born to Kill’ at the American Cinematheque he sat in the back rown & pissed in a popcorn bucket,” Karaszewski tweeted on December 7 (read Czar of Noir Eddie Muller’s account here). “But they are saluting him anyway 12/16 - I’ll Q&A the author of the new book on his life to get even more crazy stories.”

Larry Karaszewski (r) and his screenwriting and producing partner 
Scott Alexander both recount tales of Tierney in the new book.

What a line-up!

What a night!

What a book!

Order tickets here.

Order a signed copy of the book here.

And thanks to Jeff Mantor at Larry Edmunds Bookshop.