New Biography LEE MARVIN: POINT BLANK to Hit Bookstores in February

Iconic actor Lee Marvin is best known for violent, tough guy roles -- from his chilling villain opposite John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" to the platoon leader in Samuel Fuller's epic "The Big Red One" -- but little is known of his personal life, his family background and his combat experiences as a Marine in World War II. "Lee Marvin: Point Blank" (Schaffner Press, February 2013) by veteran Hollywood writer Dwayne Epstein digs beyond the entertainment reporting of earlier books and offers an authoritative, detailed look at Marvin's astonishing career as an actor, and his tremendous impact in modern cinema -- not only as one of the all time great character actors, but also in his pivotal role in shaping the portrayal of violence in film and TV today.

Described by BooklistOnline as "the biography that Marvin deserves," "Lee Marvin: Point Blank"will be heavily featured during a special "Starring Lee Marvin" national television tribute by Turner Classic Movies (TCM) beginning Thursday, Jan. 31. With introductions by Robert Osborne, four Marvin classics will be telecast on TCM, including "Cat Ballou" (8 p.m. ET) and "Monte Walsh" (10 p.m. ET) followed by "The Dirty Dozen" (midnight ET) and "Point Blank" (2:45 a.m. ET) on Friday, Feb. 1.

After years of research and dozens of interviews with those closest to Marvin, Epstein provides a full understanding of the acting titan's place in the Hollywood pantheon. The first full-length biography of the star in over 30 years, "Lee Marvin: Point Blank" includes firsthand accounts from Marvin's fellow actors, writers and directors of the making of such iconic films as "Bad Day at Black Rock," "The Killers," "Cat Ballou," "The Professionals," "Point Blank" and "The Dirty Dozen." With insight gained from Marvin's letters to his family during World War II and intimate correspondence between his parents, Epstein examines Marvin's personal and family life and delves into his relationships with his two wives, the groundbreaking palimony suit filed by his ex-companion Michele Triola and his ongoing battles with alcoholism, rage and depression occasioned by PTSD.

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