Scott Allen Nollen

Scott Allen Nollen is a historian, musician and occasional filmmaker who has written and edited over 40 books on the history of the cinema, popular music and literature. He received his BA in Film and Honors History and MA in United States and Modern European History from the University of Iowa. His two books on Hollywood icon Boris Karloff are highly regarded: "Boris Karloff" (McFarland, 1991) was written with the participation of Karloff's widow, Evelyn, while "Boris Karloff: A Gentleman's Life" (Midnight Marquee, 1999), is an authorized biography written with the full collaboration of Karloff's daughter, Sara Jane. Nollen's other books include studies of Laurel and Hardy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, Abbott and Costello, and the Robin Hood Legends. He also has co-written books on Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and Peter Cushing. His 2001 book, "Jethro Tull" (McFarland), written with the participation of the band, was nominated as Best Rock/R&B book by the Association for Recorded Sound. His book "Paul Robeson: Film Pioneer" (McFarland) is the first book-length study of the groundbreaking cinema work of this famed Renaissance Man.

Nollen's more recent books are "Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond" (McFarland, 2013), "Glenda Farrell: Hollywood's Hardboiled Dame" (Midnight Marquee, 2014), "The Making and Influence of 'I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'" (McFarland, 2016), "Takashi Shimura: Chameleon of Japanese Cinema" (McFarland, 2019), "Chester Morris: His Life and Career" (McFarland, 2019) [with his wife, Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen] and "Karloff and the East: Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern and Oceanian Characters and Subjects in His Screen Career" (McFarland, 2020) [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen]. "The Body Snatcher: Cold-Blooded Murder, Robert Louis Stevenson and the Making of a Horror Film Classic" is at the publisher (BearManor Media) [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen], and two other books for BearManor are forthcoming, "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes at Universal (1942-1946)" [with Kris Marentette] and "Sons of Charlie Chan: Keye Luke, Sen Yung, Benson Fong" [with Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen]. He also narrates and records audio versions of his own and other authors' books.

Nollen began making amateur films in 1976, at the age of 13. In 2005, he co-starred, wrote, produced and directed the feature film "Lofty" with Ryan C. Baumbach. Among the cast are L.A. actors Larry Laverty and Amelia Beaugard. Nollen's continued interest in Boris Karloff is also reflected in "Kreating Karloff" (2006), starring and directed by actor Conor Timmis, whose documentary film, "Finnigan's War" (2013) features another screenplay co-written by Nollen. He also has provided commentaries for restoration releases of classic films, included several for the blu-ray releases of Abbott and Costello comedies. Among Nollen's main interests are classic Hollywood and Japanese films, classical, jazz, blues, folk and classic rock music, United States, British and Asian History, and the Civil Rights era.

Nollen's original music, which he began writing and recording in 1978, is now being released in several formats (streaming, MP3 and CD). These collections include his extensive work with flutist-guitarist Craig Nance and guitarist-songwriter Todd Jacobsen. The liner notes from the first release (from BearManor Music), "Celtic Chronicles (1989-2015)":

In 1977, future historian Scott Allen Nollen began working as a musician, playing for local theatrical productions and gigging with regional club and dance bands in the Midwest. Inspired by a lifelong interest in the culture of the British Isles and Ireland, he began writing and recording his own compositions, occasionally collaborating with fellow musician, flutist-guitarist Craig Nance. This collection from 1989-2015 features some of that material, reflecting the influence of such folk-rock groups as Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull, with whom Nollen would also collaborate on his book "Jethro Tull: A History of the Band" (1968-2001). Several of these selections feature Nollen playing a custom Scottish bass guitar designed by Fairport-Tull bassist-mandolinist Dave Pegg.