The podcast devoted to Old Hollywood
World War II changed the course of culture. While plenty of events defined the twentieth century, few wrought such a toll on a generation not only physically and emotionally, but … Continue Reading Hollywood Victory: The Movies, Stars and Stories of World War II (Review)
We all know the iconic music cue. In fact, you can probably hear the sweeping, majestic bit of musical delightfulness in your own head right now. With the passage of … Continue Reading 20th Century Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio (Review)
When one is a fan of classic television, most know there are levels of recognition when remembering the shows of yesteryear. There are the deep cuts, the series many of … Continue Reading Tied Up in Knotts (Review)
Hayley Mills is one of those personalities who for some of us, has always been there. It’s difficult to triangulate the first time I discovered her work. Pollyanna and The … Continue Reading Forever Young: A Memoir (Review)
Okay, we’re coming quickly toward the end of summer, but the lure of the summer movies is strong with this Beach Party fan. There’s so much joy in the sunshine, … Continue Reading Interview: John Malahy Talks TCM, Summer Movies and Jacques Tati
Nat Hinken is a figure who has always been with me, even if I didn’t always know his name. I’ve often recounted my childhood spent reveling in the joy of … Continue Reading King of the Half Hour: Nat Hiken and the Golden Age of TV Comedy
I’ve had Cynthia and Sara Brideson’s biography of Gene Kelly on my shelf for way too long, and if this pandemic has done anything it’s that I have no excuse … Continue Reading He’s Got Rhythm: The Life and Career of Gene Kelly
In 2016 author (and friend of the site) Jeremy Arnold would publish The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies And Why They Matter, a fantastic crash course in the most important classic … Continue Reading 52 More Must-See Movies And Why They Matter
I’ve talked about how great Scott Eyman’s books are before. You might remember me waxing poetic about his amazing biography on John Wayne that turned this Wayne hater into someone … Continue Reading Book Review: Cary Grant – A Brilliant Disguise
If you follow the world of classic film biographies you probably know that acclaimed author Scott Eyman — author of the brilliant John Wayne: The Life and Legend — has … Continue Reading CONTEST: Win a Copy of ‘Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise’
There are many arguments made with regards to the greatest film year ever. Authors Stephen Farber and Michael McClellan are the latest to make the case that 1962 is one … Continue Reading Interview: Author Michael McClellan Talks New Book
With the global pandemic keeping us all in our homes now is a great time to take up a book! I’d been hearing about Christina Lane’s biography on Hitchcock’s collaborator … Continue Reading Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock
There have been several fictionalized “exposes” of Hollywood, from Day of the Locust to The Carpetbaggers. But none have been properly contextualized through the lens of women, many of who … Continue Reading I Lost My Girlish Laughter
I always enter into celebrity autobiographies with a fair bit of trepidation. I know getting information straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, is the best way when it … Continue Reading Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years
There’s a reason author Jeanine Basinger’s books are so thick: they’re filled with classic film knowledge and analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Whether it’s deconstructing star personas or the … Continue Reading The Movie Musical
There’s something inherently compelling about people who have died on-stage. The ultimate proof of dying for one’s art, so to speak. As authors Jeff Abraham and Burt Kearns lay out … Continue Reading The Show Won’t Go On
Ticklish Business 