Sandra Grabman

Interesting book about actor Albert Salmi - a face familiar to all from films and tv but who is probably more well known for killing his wife and then himself. The book consists of some passages from an unpublished autobiography by Salmi, interviews with Salmi's children, neighbors, and co-workers. Salmi appeared to be an easy-going, well-liked individual who was particular about his craft and enjoyed stage work more than films or television. Salmi was married twice - his first marriage to child star Peggy Ann Garner to which he had one daughter. His second wife, to whom he had two daughters, seemed to be concerned with money and making a show of having the best of everything. It appeared that she was abusive to his daughter by Garner as well as her youngest daughter. I won't give the book away but it was interesting. I loved that the author provided a chapter letting us know what happened to his children. So many biographers talk about those who had great influence on their subject but never follow through as to what happened to them. There was a good filmography in the back but I would have liked more information on the references and quotes provided by everyone as to where/when these quotes were obtained. The book had extensive quotes from those who worked with Salmi and it would have been nice to have footnotes accompanying the quotes. The book also had many good photos in it.… (meer)

Very well researched and written biography, Spotlights & Shadows told the surprising true story of the life of Albert Salmi, a Finnish-American actor, and his struggles both in his career and in his personal life. I had never known much about his story until I received this book from LT Member Giveaways, and as very interested to find out about his childhood, rise to fame, and the eventual illness that led to his death. I believe Sandra Grabman did an excellent job researching and linking Salmi's autobiographical passages together, although I would have liked to read more about his film career. I would recommend this to anyone interested.… (meer)