Jeff Lenburg

JEFF LENBURG is a prolific award-winning author of more than 35 books, both fiction and non-fiction, including two national bestsellers. His work has been nominated for numerous awards, including the American Book Fest Best Book Awards for “Best Biography,” the American Library Association's (ALA) “Best Non-Fiction Award,” the Evangelical Christian Publisher Association's (ECPA) Gold Medallion Award for “Best Autobiography/Biography,” the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award for “Best Biography,” the Theatre Library Association (TLA) Award for “Best Performing Arts Book,” and the International Book Awards for “Best Biography,” and has been translated into several languages. As one of the nation's premier biographers, he has authored 18 widely acclaimed celebrity memoirs and biographies. They include: the autobiography of actor Lorenzo Lamas (of TV’s "Falcon Crest" and "Renegade" fame), "Renegade at Heart;" the eight-book "Legends of Animation" series featuring biographies of Tex Avery, Walt Disney, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Matt Groening, Walter Lantz, John Lasseter, Hayao Miyazaki, and Genndy Tartakovsky;" How to Make a Million Dollars With Your Voice (Or Lose Your Tonsils Trying)" with radio/TV legend Gary Owens; "All the Gold In California and Other People, Places & Things" with Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Larry Gatlin; "Peekaboo: The Story of Veronica Lake," the only fully authorized biography of her; "Dudley Moore: An Informal Biography;" "Dustin Hoffman: Hollywood's Antihero;" and "Steve Martin: An Unauthorized Biography." An acknowledged authority on cartoon animation, Jeff has spent three decades preserving its history. He has penned seven books chronicling this lively art: three editions of "The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons," the most comprehensive history on animated cartoons ever produced; "Who's Who in Animated Cartoons," the first-ever international guide to film and television's award-winning and legendary animators; "The Great Cartoon Directors;" and two editions of "The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoon Series," the first reference book on animated cartoons ever written. In addition, he is the author of "Career Opportunities in Animation," the most comprehensive career guide written for beginning and experienced animation professionals, for Ferguson Publishing. In 1993, for his work as an animation historian, Jeff was inducted into the "Cartoon Legends Walk of Fame" in Hollywood along with celebrated cartoon icons Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, Friz Freleng, June Foray, and Don Messick. Jeff is also a foremost expert on the Three Stooges comedy team. A close friend of Stooges Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe Besser and Joe DeRita, he co-authored three books about this wacky comedy trio: two editions of "The Three Stooges Scrapbook," indisputably the most complete history of the Stooges ever written, and "Once a Stooge, Always a Stooge," the autobiography of comedian and former Three Stooges member Joe Besser. Jeff is also the author of numerous popular references: "Reel Facts: Unbelievable Stuff About Famous Film Stars and Movies That Really Happened;" three editions of "The Facts on File Guide to Research," the most comprehensive guide ever written about writing and research; and "Baseball’s All-Star Game," a definitive game-by-game history of baseball's mid-summer classic. In addition, Jeff is an acclaimed novelist. He is the author of the classic Hollywood "whodunit," "Scared to Death: A Lori Matrix Hollywood Mystery" and hard-boiled detective mystery, "Deadly Liaisons." A popular media figure, Jeff has been a featured guest on more than 100 major-market radio and television programs around the world, including "BBC Live," "CBS Evening News," NBC's "Today Show," "Entertainment Tonight," CNN's "Showbiz Today," and "The Dennis Miller Show," and written about in major magazines and newspapers, including "USA Today," "The Los Angeles Times," "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post." He is also best known for his work an on-camera personality in such film and television documentaries as "I Know That Voice" and "Picture Perfect: The Making of Sleeping Beauty," and as a contributing producer and creative consultant of top-rated programs for ABC, NBC, PBS, and Tribune Broadcasting. In recognition of his achievements, Jeff is listed in such prominent references as Contemporary Authors and Men of Achievement and was awarded the "Journalism Alumnus of the Year Award" by his alma mater, Fullerton College. Jeff makes his home outside of Phoenix, Arizona