David Bret is a French-born author of celebrity books and one of Britain’s show business biographers. He chiefly writes on the private life of movie stars and singers in a somewhat sensationalizing style.

Life and work

Born in Paris, France, Bret now lives in West Yorkshire, England. He was adopted by English parents and raised in Wath-on-Dearne, South Yorkshire. He worked for several years in the retail trade, then as an administrator with the NHS, and as a singer in working men's clubs. He began writing many biographies that were published in Britain. His first 'The Piaf Legend' was published in 1988 to great acclaim and led to a close friendship with Marlene Dietrich, who asked him to produce her last CD release during her lifetime, 'The Essential Marlene Dietrich'...and to write her life story, which was published in 1993, the year after her death. Next came biographies of Mistinguett and Maurice Chevalier, the former published in the United States. Bret followed this with his first biography of Morrissey, who flatteringly said of him, "This one I want to dudt down and stick on the mantelpiece." In 1995 Bret published 'Gracie Fields, The Authorised Biography', arguably his first work which caused a minor scandal with Bret's revelations about Our Gracie's love life. Even more controversial was'George Formby: A Troubled Genius'which though detailing for the first time Formby's trip to South Africa and his condemnation of Apartheid, raised the hackles of The George Formby Society with its revelations that he and his wife Beryl had slept around, and that Formby had once been sectioned to an asylum. The book continues to sell well. Another 'hot' topic was Maria Callas, with Bret's very thorough research opening a real can of worms: the great diva loved nothing more than attempting (but failing) to turn gay men straight, and she swore like a trooper! Intensely moving (and released in 2007 to compliment the biopic, 'La Vie En Rose' was Bret's second foray into Edith Piaf. His 'Piaf, A Passionate Life', remains the definitive biography. So too are his works on Rock Hudson, Rudolph Valentino (on the cards for a major film),Tallulah Bankhead, Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford and Barbra Streisand. Bret's also definitive biography of Clark Gable, in which he describes Rhett Butler as 'gay for pay' when kickstarting his career, is to be published in 2007. Bret has also written innumerable magazine articles, for instance, for The Stage, and lectured at the University of Chicago. He had adapted songs from the original French for his godmother, actress Jacqueline Danno, and for the great French chanteuse Barbara (Monique Serf) she commissioned him to adapt her theme song, 'Ma plus belle histoire d'amour', into English. The Eiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the  United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... Wath-upon-Dearne is a small town in South Yorkshire, lying between Rotherham and Barnsley. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mistinguett (April 5, 1875 - January 5, 1956 from Enghien-les-Bains, Val-dOise, ÃŽle-de-France, France) was a French actress and singer, with birth name of Jeanne Bourgeois. ... French singer Maurice Chevalier with stars of Hellzapoppin at Expo 67, in Montreal, Quebec. ... Steven Patrick Morrissey (born May 22, 1959) is an English singer and songwriter of Irish descent from Davyhulme, near Manchester, England. ... Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. ... Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 - December 12, 1968) was an American actress, talk-show host and bon vivant. ... Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his flamboyant lifestyle. ... Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905[1]– May 10, 1977) was an acclaimed, iconic, Academy Award-winning American actress, arguably one of the greatest from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. ... Barbra Joan Streisand (born April 24, 1942) is an Academy Award-winning American singer, theatre and film actress, composer, liberal political activist, film producer and director. ... William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ...

Very popular with members of the "trade", as he describes showbusiness, Bret counts/counted amongst his admirers, friends and acquaintances: the French chanteuse Barbara, Dorothy Squires, Melina Mercouri, Peggy Lee, Marion Montgomery, Montserrat CaballeSerge Reggiani, Elizabeth Welch, Alice Sapritch, Elaine Paige, ]]Amalia Rodrigues]], Maria da Fe and half the fado population of Lisbon,the late gay porn star, Joey Stefano...and Greta Garbo. All of these people have dedications in his books, and praise him very highly. Dorothy Squires (1915-1998) was a Welsh vocalist. ... Melina Mercouri (Μελίνα Μερκούρη, born Maria Amalia Mercouri) (Athens, Greece, October 18, 1920 – New York City, March 6, 1994) was a famous Greek actress, singer, and political activist. ... Peggy Lee (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American Jazz and Traditional Pop singer and songwriter and Oscar-nominated performer. ... Marion Montgomery (November 17, 1934 – July 22, 2002) was a United States born jazz singer who lived in the United Kingdom. ... Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé The Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé (born 12 April 1933) is a famous opera singer, renowned for her bel canto technique and her interpretations of the great bel canto roles of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. ... Serge Reggiani (May 2, 1922 - July 23, 2004) was an Italian-born French singer, painter and actor. ... On the cover of Elaine Paige Tour Programme 2004 Elaine Paige OBE (born Elaine Bickerstaff on 5 March 1948 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is a world-renowned English singer and actor, primarily in musicals. ... Joey Stefano (January 1, 1968 - November 26, 1994) was an American pornographic actor (porn star) who appeared in gay adult films. ... Greta Garbo (September 18, 1905 – April 15, 1990) was a Swedish-born actress during Hollywoods silent film period and part of its Golden Age. ...

Though very successful and popular with fans, David Bret is not without his critics. Billed by his publisher, Robson Books, London, as a show-business biographer, Bret primarily writes about the life of deceased stars. The quality of Bret's biographical writing is different. His book on George Formby was favorably reviewed by The Guardian. Publishers Weekly appraised his 1998 work on Maria Callas though revealing that the "emphasis is on scandal rather than music in this racy biography." In his 1989 book on Édith Piaf, the reviewers of Publishers Weekly said, "Bret presents little new information" and referred to his publication on the French star Mistinguett as being more about her bizarre lifestyle than about her art. Indeed, since that time Bret switched to the successful British tabloid style of sensationalizing the narrative. The trip to Chicago came about by way of a back-handed compliment delivered by Moira Shearer who commented, after reading his Valentino, "Valentino had the eyes of a pig...and the best thing to do with Bret's book once you have read it is to bin it, then wash your hands." This resulted in filmmaker Ken Russell writing a glowing tribute in The Sunday Times. Similarly, Bret received a vicious, wholly uncalled for slaughtering by Professor Lincoln D Hurst, the self-styled Errol Flynn "expert" who devoted fifteen pages of vitriol after reading 'Satan's Angel'.Needless to say, such a bashing only increased sales of the book tenfold. George Formby, OBE (May 26, 1904 – March 6, 1961) was an English singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Publishers Weekly is a weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. ... Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915–October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most loved singers, who became a national icon. ... Mistinguett (April 5, 1875 - January 5, 1956 from Enghien-les-Bains, Val-dOise, ÃŽle-de-France, France) was a French actress and singer, with birth name of Jeanne Bourgeois. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Some critics say that Bret's writings, promoted as biographies, even became notorious for dwelling on the homosexuality or bisexuality of its subject. They also pointed out repeated inaccuracies in the books involving what most people would consider as fundamental such as in his book on Maurice Chevalier where he refers to the mother of U.S. President John F. Kennedy as being Ethel Kennedy. His writing on Freddie Mercury was panned for being mostly about the late singer's supposed sexual excesses as was his book on Rudolf Valentino that dwelled on numerous homosexual affairs as well as the lesbianism of Tallulah Bankhead and Marlene Dietrich in his books on them. In his somewhat inaccurate publication on the late Errol Flynn, Bret provided another rehash of already published writings and continued to dwell on homosexuality and alleged the late actor was a pedophile. Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... French singer Maurice Chevalier with stars of Hellzapoppin at Expo 67, in Montreal, Quebec. ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also referred to as John F. Kennedy, Kennedy, John Kennedy or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ... Ethel Skakel Kennedy (born April 11, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois) is a member of the Kennedy political family by her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy. ... Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British musician and songwriter, best known as the frontman and pianist of the rock band Queen. ... Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 - August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. ... A lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. ... Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 - December 12, 1968) was an American actress, talk-show host and bon vivant. ... Marlene Dietrich IPA: ; (December 27, 1901 – May 6, 1992) was a German-born actress, singer, and entertainer. ... Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his flamboyant lifestyle. ... It has been suggested that Pro-pedophile activism be merged into this article or section. ...

Bret's preoccupation with homosexuality resulted in a book on Elvis Presley released in the UK in 2002 and in the USA a year later. This 337-page book deals with the singer's career on film and TV and analyzes his every celluloid appearance, including his 33 films, documentaries, TV appearances, tributes, biopics and retrospectives. It was launched with an advance publicity notice that "The truth regarding the relationship between Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis is exposed and the controversial allegations that Presley slept with his own mother, raped his wife, held wild sex and drugs parties and left a fan brain-damaged are explored." Indeed, such allegations are critically discussed and mostly rejected by the author. The book claims that Elvis had an affair with actor Nick Adams and that his manager Parker had been able to blackmail Presley by threatening to reveal "secret information" that he was homosexual. Similar accusations are also to be found in a manuscript book and a newspaper article by Elvis's stepmother, Dee Presley. However, they were rejected by most fans. (For other books on Elvis upsetting the fans, see also Albert Goldman.) Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Colonel Tom Parker (born Andreas Cornelius van Kuijk on June 26, 1909 in Breda, Netherlands – died on January 21, 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada), was an American/Dutch entertainment impresario known best as the manager of Elvis Presley. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Albert Harry Goldman (crazy jew) (April 15, 1927 – March 28, 1994) was an American professor and author. ...

'Morrissey: Scandal and Passion was advertised as a "fully up-to-date biography packed with revelations; accusations of racism and fascism; confessions of physical abuse." The book talked about Morrissey's being subjected to gay-bashing; the wrongful accusations ofhis supporting pedophilia, while insinuating that Morrissey himself was gay. With the publisher's assertion that it was a "fully up-to-date biography" and after a journalist with The Guardian newspaper had given a favorable review to his 2001 book on the late entertainer George Formby, that newspaper reviewed the second Morrissey book. The Guardian review called it "thin gruel"...whilst Morrissey's nod of approval (he had wanted another biographer, Johnny Rogan, to die in a car-smash) earned it a thumbs-up from fans. The first print run sold out in two days. The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... George Formby, OBE (May 26, 1904 – March 6, 1961) was an English singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ...

Since 1988, Bret has been published by Robson Books, though tremendous clashes of personality arose when this "family" was incorporated in the Chrysalis, then the Anova group. As a result of this, in May 2007 Bret acquired his entire back catalogue and returned to Jeremy Robson, who branched out on his own as JR Books--the revised "Piaf, A Passionate Life" was their first release.

During the rift with Anova, Bret signed a one-off deal with Mainstream, for the rights to his 'Elizabeth Taylor: The Lady Was A Vamp'. Their subsequent press-release declared that on account of its "explosive" content, this only be published after her death. As a result of the announcement, Miss Taylor gave her legendary interview with Larry King.

Bibliography

In the following partial bibliography, note that the publisher frequently changes the title for the same book from any hardcover version to paperback. Plus, the title and year of publication may vary depending on the country of issue.

• Rock Hudson (2004)
• Morrissey: Scandal and Passion (2004)
• Elvis: The Holly Wood Years (2002)
• Barbra Streisand (2000)
• Errol Flynn: Satan's Angel (2000)
• Valentino: A Dream of Desire (1999)
• Piaf: A Passionate Life (1999)
• George Formby: A Troubled Genius (1999)
• Maria Callas: The Tigress and the Lamb (1998)
• Freddie Mercury Story: Living on the Edge (1997)
• Tallulah Bankhead: A Scandalous Life (1997)
• Marlene My Friend: An Intimate Biography (1996)
• Gracie Fields: The Authorized Biography (1996)
• Morrissey: Landscapes of the Mind (1994)
• Maurice Chevalier: Up on Top of a Rainbow (1993)
• The Mistinguett Legend (1991)
• Piaf: A Passionate Life (1989)Revised 2007
• Joan Crawford (2006)
• Clark Gable (2007)

Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905[1]– May 10, 1977) was an acclaimed, iconic, Academy Award-winning American actress, arguably one of the greatest from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. ... William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ...

External links

• Naughty but nice: Jonathan Glancey cheers the innocent innuendo of George Formby in David Bret's thoughtful biography