London: Elm Tree Books, 1977

8vo, pp. 160. Original red boards, lettered in silver to spine. Photographic dustwrapper, portraits of the author to front and rear panels. Publisher's revised price label to front flap. A near fine copy in a near fine dust jacket, with just a little light wear to top edge.

First edition, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO HER UK AGENT SARA RANDALL: 'To Sara with very, very best wishes, Bessie Love'. Introduction by the pre-eminent early film historian Kevin Brownlow.

Bessie Love [1898-1986] was an American silent movie star, and a whole lot more. She began her career being directed by D.W. Griffith in Intolerance (1916), and her last screen appearance was alongside David Bowie in Tony Scott's The Hunger (1983). In between she worked with Douglas Fairbanks, Frank Capra, John Schlesinger and Warren Beatty. Love was nominated for an Oscar for The Broadway Melody (1929), became a UK citizen in the 1960s, played Vanessa Redgrave's mother in Isadora (1968) and in 1969 graced the James Bond franchise as an uncredited baccarat player in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and it's nowhere near big enough.

A near fine copy of the story of a fabulous life, and affectionately inscribed.