50th anniversary ofBus StopStanley's greatest triumph A documentary,The Needs of Kim Stanley, is in production and expected to release in 2006 Oscar nominations forFrancesandSeance on a Wet Afternoon Tony award nominations forA Touch of the PoetandA Far Country Emmy award forCat on a Hot Tin Roof The first major biography of a great star, meticulously researchedauthor conducted more than 225 personal interviews Like icons Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, Stanley's talent was matched by her self-destructiveness A compelling tale of triumph and tragedy Elizabeth Taylor and Joanne Woodward were inspired by her work. Arthur Penn called her the American equivalent of Eleanora Duse. She was the greatest stage actress of a generation that included Julie Harris, Geraldine Page, and Colleen Dewhurst. Between 1949 and 1964, Kim Stanley created starring roles in twelve Broadway productions, including Cheri, the nightclub singer inBus Stop. Then, after fifteen years of stardom, Stanley walked away from the theater, never to return. What happened?Female Brandoanswers that question with a meticulously researched, empathetic biography that traces Stanley's childhood, her early training, her stardomand her tragic descent into alcoholism and loneliness. Much more than a mere cautionary tale,Female Brandois a clear-headed examination of Kim Stanley's brilliance that places her in the pantheon of great American artists.