(born 1941), is a Celebrity Biographer , Catholic theologian and former monk. He is best known for sensationalist biographies of Hollywood figures such as Alfred Hitchcock , Laurence Olivier , Tennessee Williams , Ingrid Bergman , James Dean , Elizabeth Taylor , Marlene Dietrich , Marilyn Monroe , and Audrey Hepburn .
Spoto received M.A and PhD degrees in Theology ( New Testament Studies ) from Fordham University . He then taught theology, Christian Mysticism , and Biblical Literature before turning to writing about Hollywood stars in 1976.
Recently, he has alternated between the celebrity biographies and accounts of such religious figures as Jesus and St. Francis Of Assisi .
He has published 22 books.
- ''The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures'' (1976), Brodart Co (2nd edition, Anchor, 1991)
- ''Stanley Kramer, Film Maker'' (1978), Putnam
- ''Camerado Hollywood'' (1978), Plume
- ''The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock'' (1983), Little, Brown & Co
- ''The Kindness of Strangers: The Life of Tennessee Williams'' (1985), Little, Brown & Co
- ''Falling in Love Again: Marlene Dietrich'' (1985), Little, Brown & Co
- ''Lenya: A Life'' (1989), Little, Brown & Co
- ''Madcap: The Life of Preston Sturges'' (1990) Little, Brown & Co
- ''Laurence Olivier: A Biography'' (1992) HarperCollins
- ''Blue Angel: The Life of Marlene Dietrich'' (1992), Doubleday
- ''Marilyn Monroe: The Biography'' (1993), Harpercollins
- ''A Passion for Life: The Biography of Elizabeth Taylor'' (1995) Harper Collins
- ''The Decline and Fall of the House of Windsor'' (1995; aka ''Dynasty: The Turbulent Saga of the Royal Family from Victoria to Diana''), Simon and Schuster
- ''Rebel: The Life and Legend of James Dean'' (1996), HarperCollins
- ''Diana: The Last Year'' (1997), Random House
- ''Notorious: The Life of Ingrid Bergman'' (1997), HarperCollins Publishers
- ''The Hidden Jesus: A New Life'' (1998), St Martins Press
- ''Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life'' (2000), St Martins Press
- ''Reluctant Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi'' (2002), Viking
- ''In Silence: Why We Pray'' (2004), Viking
- ''Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn'' (2006), Harmony
- ''Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint'' (2007), HarperSanFrancisco
- ''Otherwise Engaged: The Life of Alan Bates'' (7 Jun 2007), Century
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