A Bird of Passage: The Story of My Life

"Among the great names in the world of alpine skiing, that of Otto Lang ranks high. And not just a great sportsman, Lang was to become an important contributor to the world of American filmmaking as well. In this compelling and richly anecdotal autobiography, Lang tells his fascinating life story. "Born in Bosnia in 1908 and raised in Salzburg, Austria, Lang came to the United States in 1935 to introduce fellow Austrian Hannes Schneider's revolutionary Arlberg method of ski instruction to the New World. "During his early years in the U.S., Lang founded ski schools on Mounts Rainier, Baker, and Hood in the Pacific Northwest and eventually succeeded Friedl Pfeifer as director of the famed Sun Valley Ski School. "At Sun Valley, Lang taught many of Hollywood's elite to ski, among them the legendary Darryl F. Zanuck of Twentieth Century Fox. Through Zanuck, Lang found an introduction to the world of American cinema. From acting in and later producing ski films, he graduated to feature films, eventually directing and producing dozens of films and over 100 television programs. "His screen credits include Call Nourished 777, starring Jimmy Stewart; the 1952 James Mason thriller Five Fingers; and the Japanese sequences of Tora! Tora! Tora! Lang received four Academy Award nominations during his distinguished career. "As ski instructor and filmmaker, Otto Lang made many remarkable friends, and in these pages, he recalls in vivid detail his relationships with an international cast of characters, among them the great Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (the Shah of Iran), Russian operatic star Feodor Chaliapin, ski filmmaker Warren Miller, documentarian Lowell Thomas, plus Darryl Zanuck and a host of Hollywood notables. "With A Bird of Passage, Otto Lang offers readers a spell-binding and beautifully written tale: the riveting (and often moving) story of a life lived with courage, passion, and style...." Rick Newby, author of Old Friends Walking in the Mountains