A SANDIWAY author has paid tribute to the stars of the silver screen after writing a book on one of his Hollywood heroes.

James McKay, of Hadrian Way, fell in love with Hollywood as a child, putting his lifelong interest to good use when he set about writing a book about film noir actor Dana Andrews, published in 2010.

Now, the father-of-two has put pen to paper once more in his latest book, The Films of Victor Mature.

“The desire to write and my love of old films from the golden age of cinema was instilled in me during my formative years,” said James, a chartered surveyor by day.

“The subject matter for my first foray into serious writing was of course a foregone conclusion – why not write about my silver screen heroes, the stars and their films that had sparked my imagination growing up with their cocktail of adventure, romance and mystery.

“Victor will of course be fondly remembered for such films as the John Ford western classic, My Darling Clementine, the nail-biting film noir Kiss of Death and the biblical epics, including Samson and Delilah, The Robe and Demetrius and the Gladiators.

James, who has spent most of his life collecting film memorabilia, is currently working on two further books.

He added: “I’m working on two other book projects, a filmography focusing on a British star who made it big in Hollywood and a trilogy of novels – a whimsical, romantic fantasy with a bittersweet edge.”

The Films of Victor Mature, by James McKay can be bought at all good bookstores and on Amazon.