A Way of Life, Like Any Other by Darcy O’Brien. According to David Niven, debonair star of films including Wuthering Heights, Around the World in 80 Days, and Bonjour Tristesse, not all full-service brothels in the golden age of movies were run out of gas stations, as in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Hollywood. One was housed in a stately colonial-style mansion right under his window in the North Hollywood hills, run by a “Baroness” and filled with whips, kinky costumes, and two beautiful failed actresses deeply in love. An unassuming, lovely young Mexican American singer dates the most coveted white man in town, but their apparently dream-like romance ends in horror. Get 3 for the price of 2. “[It] was hardly a nursery for intellectuals, it was a hotbed of false values, it harbored an unattractive percentage of small-time crooks and con artists, and the chances of being successful there were minimal,” he writes. The Fedora Lounge. Fun yes, but also freaky. Paperback Differing perspectives from out-of-towners and locals makes for a rich tapestry. According to Niven, as her looks faded and her career hit the skids, Missie became addicted to pills supplied by doctor nicknamed “Needle Ned.” In his harrowing second chapter about Missie, Niven recalls caring for her alone for three days when she was in the midst of a major mental health crisis. Lombard. “But it was fascinating, and if you were lucky, it was fun.”. $16.99, Die a Little, by Megan Abbott Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. There, terrified actors were plied with alcohol, spilling secrets—often their friends’—while Hopper “shrewdly sipped tonic water.”. Hollywood has long been the land of dreams and epic storytelling, but many stories of scandal, betrayal, and mystery remain behind the curtain. He penned thirteen books in this series in which celebrities like Greta Garbo, William Powell, and Fred Astaire are involved in the murder cases and are sometimes the actual sleuth. Day of the Locust, by Nathanael West, What Makes Sammy Run?, by Budd Schulberg, and Play it as it Lays, by Joan Didion perpetually compete for … In Horses, the British-born Niven reveals a generous but clear-eyed view of Hollywood from the 1930s to the early ’60s. Through a series of thematic vignettes, Niven spills the tea on the passions and pretentions of stars like Humphrey Bogart (a real softie), Mary Astor (at her best in bed), Fred Astaire (a terrible dancer in public), Greta Garbo ( a big fan of skinny-dipping), and Charlie Chaplin (a pompous bore). Lora senses trouble and dives deep to snuff it out, but Alice always seems one step ahead, “peeling masks off only to expose other, still brighter masks beneath.”, Paperback From historical fiction to tell-all books, find a story that will immerse you back into this world of old Hollywood … Errol Flynn Was a Big Fan of Hollywood High School. Things only get stranger from there, when he falls for a cosmetician at a (human) mortuary. What we talk about when we talk about Old Hollywood: classic movies, glamorous movie stars, true crime, lush romance, bitter disillusionment, and of course a dash of noir, all tucked away behind Los Angeles’s seemingly perfect, sun-shiny facade. Always great to meet another old movie fan. — The Week the Cameras Stopped: TV in the COVID-19 Era— Why Natalie Wood’s Daughter Is Confronting Robert Wagner About Wood’s Death— Inside Rock Hudson’s Real-Life Relationship With Agent Henry Wilson— How The Mandalorian Fought to Keep Baby Yoda From Being Too Cute— A First Look at Charlize Theron’s Immortal Warrior in The Old Guard— Back to the Future, Uncut Gems, and More New Titles on Netflix This Month— From the Archive: How Rock Hudson and Doris Day Helped Define the Romantic Comedy. Verified Purchase. For Niven, perhaps no star in Hollywood was as tragic and troubled as his former roommate (and frequent costar) Errol Flynn. Goodreads. Books Advanced Search New Releases Best Sellers & More Children's Books Textbooks Textbook Rentals Sell Us Your Books Best Books of the Month 1-16 of over 1,000 results for Books : Collectible : "old hollywood" The policeman, not impressed, told him to beat it. In 2016, mobile technology to monitor though-walls is smaller than a breadbox. Grab yourself a Gin Rickey and kick back with these irresistible tales from La La Land. Reading the stars: books from old Hollywood. Mann. The memoir is a follow-up to his equally delightful 1971 autobiography, The Moon’s a Balloon. The Hollywood Book of Scandals : The Shocking, Often Disgraceful Deeds and Affairs of Over 100 American Movie and TV Idols [Parish, James] on Amazon.com. The Hollywood Book Club: (Portrait Photography Books, Coffee Table Books, Hollywood History, Old Hollywood Glamour, Celebrity Photography) by Steven Rea | Sep 10, 2019. From the awards race to the box office, with everything in between: get the entertainment industry's must-read newsletter. The Hollywood Book of Scandals : The Shocking, Often Disgraceful Deeds and Affairs of Over 100 American Movie and TV Idols These were revolutionary years, filled with exceptional talent, new camera technology and more freedom for script writers. City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940s by Otto Friedrich. Here are a few of my favorite books that explore Old Hollywood with great aplomb: Advertisement. In her book, The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood, journalist Diana McLellan spent five years researching A-list lesbian love affairs of Old Hollywood (via The New York Times). Three words for you: Carole. Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. It’s a great book with beautiful pictures. A Touch of Stardust, by Kate Alcott According to actor Stewart Granger, he and Niven spent a torturous time caring for Leigh—who had bipolar disorder and substance abuse problems—until her husband Laurence Olivier could commit her to a hospital. What we talk about when we talk about Old Hollywood: classic movies, glamorous movie stars, true crime, lush romance, bitter disillusionment, and of course a dash of noir, all tucked away behind Los Angeles’s seemingly perfect, sun-shiny facade. Rolston's photographs recall the glamour of "Old Hollywood" with postmodern irony, helping to point the way towards the cult of fame we live with today. 7. Down ‘n’ dirty historical fiction set against Hollywood’s golden age? This is one of my desert … Authored by Darcy O’Brien, the son of two actors, this … According to Niven, in a voice loud enough for all of Hollywood to hear, Lombard proclaimed, “Who the fuck does Norma think she is? Hollywood Babylon Originally published in Paris, this is a collection of Old Hollywood's juiciest gossip, compiled by former child actor Kenneth Anger. The greatest actresses of the pre-60's, Hollywood's Golden Age. It’s 1938, and Julie Crawford has come to Hollywood to write, just like her idol Frances Marion. Before she wrote her wickedly dark, teen-centered contemporary books Dare Me, The Fever, and this summer’s gymnastics tour de force You Will Know Me, Abbott wrote straight-up noir. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Wild. Hollywood Historical Fiction. Fanfic. “San Quentin Quail. Let go from his job at Megalopolitan Pictures, young poet Dennis Barlow scandalously leaves the film business for a job at Happier Hunting Grounds, a pet cemetery. The Golden Age of Hollywood, between the 1910s and 1960s, was a period when Hollywood experienced an influx of experimental film making. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. From the Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images. Niven claims that Hopper, with her “brisk staccato way of demanding replies rather than asking questions,” was fond of summoning stars to her Beverly Hills home (which she called “the house that fear built”). I think not.) The whole ballroom gasped when Lombard dared to come for Shearer, who was married to the all-powerful boy-wonder producer Irving Thalberg. (For the definitive non-fiction account of Taylor, don’t miss Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood, by William J. 110 miles north of L.A., a dusty inland city currently known for its poor air quality and 108-degree summers, Bakersfield was a very different place in the 1950s, beautifully rendered by Muñoz in his unforgettable 2011 debut novel. “The great thing about Errol was you always knew exactly where you stood with him because he always let you down,” he writes. 6 Irresistible Novels About Old Hollywood. Print; Earlier this month, the New York Times ran an article about celebrity authored books. Old Hollywood Book Club. conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. I used that book when I was doing research for my fictional book about 1935 Hollywood. But not every movie star took Hopper’s abuse lying down. The physical description is spot on, as is the biography. What are your favorite novels about Old Hollywood? My Wicked, Wicked Ways by Errol Flynn Sexy. Thanks for the great post! Sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to see something for what it really is. A bone-dry, hilarious look at the absurdity of Hollywood and those who become trapped trying to maintain careers as writers or publicists in an ever-fickle industry. He describes a hellish experience, with a naked, manic Missie taunting him, asking for his reassurance of her beauty, refusing to eat anything but cottage cheese, and never sleeping. Enter smart, resourceful Jessie Carr, former Vaudeville actress who’s met enough hucksters, schemers, bootleggers, and scoundrels to recognize one when she sees one. Listopia > Old Hollywood Book Lists. Hardcover $11.99 $ 11. But Niven claimed that as “Santa” staggered off, “some children cried…and one complained about his breath.”, Joseph Cotten Kicked Hedda Hopper’s Derriere, The terror that Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper inspired in movieland’s elite was palpable. Read 829 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. As their star-crossed relationship plays out, Alfred Hitchcock arrives in town (complete with his film crew and leading lady, Janet Leigh), to film his seminal masterpiece, Psycho. All rights reserved. “Jailbait,” he told Niven. For free space monitoring of heart and respiratory rates the entire module is the size of a small paperback book. See more ideas about old hollywood, hollywood, hollywood book. Just wait until you hear what the golden age star had to say about Errol Flynn, Carole Lombard, and more in his memoir Bring on the Empty Horses. (shelved 23 times as old-hollywood) avg rating … The Genius of the System by Thomas Schatz. It’s no wonder that novels inspired by the gossip and intrigue of Tinseltown are so exciting to read. “The sort who come to your parties but not your funeral.”) As a script-girl-in-training on the 1925 set of Don Q, Son of Zorro, starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jessie becomes embroiled in a series of slayings tangentially related to Fairbanks and his generous, powerhouse wife, Betty Pickford. By Thomas Gladysz on June 27, 2011 at 6:00 AM. It had me thinking a lot about the politics of outing the dead. This old Hollywood story calls to mind the rise of many “Golden Age” actresses. $15.00. Whether or not everything in this legendary book of Hollywood gossip is entirely true is a matter of some debate, but there's certainly nothing boring about Kenneth Anger's collection of … Prolific English writer Waugh went for the satiric jugular in this account of Brits living in 1940s Los Angeles and working in the entertainment industry. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last years on earth were spent in Hollywood as a staff writer at MGM, a position he found baffling at best. With her death in 1937, he accepted a Hollywood contract and began making films at the age of sixty. West of Sunset, by Stewart O’Nan As Carole’s personal assistant, Julie must prevent the press from writing negative stories about her boss, which is somewhat difficult because Carole is having an affair with (married) Clark Gable, whose current picture is receiving acres of bad publicity. Ad Choices. Looking for more? Just wait … A 1980s Reading List to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of, 5 Lessons We Learned From Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes, 5 Things We Desperately Hope Clarissa Will Explain in Her New Book, Must-Read Books Coming to a Screen Near You in 2021, How Victorian Spiritualism and Mystery Fiction Are Intertwined: An Exclusive Guest Post from Paraic O’Donnell, Author of, A Mutually Curious Moment of Connection: An Exclusive Guest Post from George Saunders, Author of, Ten-Point-Five Tips for Success: An Exclusive Guest Post from Mateo Askaripour, Author of. Julie and Carole share more than just their home state of Indiana; they’re both determined to pave their own paths as women. © 2021 Condé Nast. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Your California Privacy Rights. Yes, please! 5.0 out of 5 stars A great TCM published book on old Hollywood and its fascinating people and stories! Some point to Niven’s friend Lana Turner. A frenzied, “unconventional beauty…like a windup toy, or dominoes falling, unstoppable,” Alice snags Bill for her husband. Delightful cameos arrive at a breakneck pace in this enchanting novel set behind the scenes of one of the greatest films of all time. On one particularly troubling occasion, Niven claims that Flynn (who was tried and acquitted of statutory rape by two women in the early 1940s) invited him to go view “the best-looking girls in L.A.” Allegedly, Flynn then drove them down Sunset Boulevard, parking directly across from Hollywood High just as school was letting out. Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2020. Mar 1, 2015 - Explore Sofia's board "Old Hollywood & books" on Pinterest. As he swayed up to Niven’s house, Niven accidentally turned on the sprinkler to his lawn, drenching the drunk star. Her 2005 debut, Die a Little, depicts twenty-something school teacher Lora and her beloved brother, Bill, a junior investigator, living together in 1950s Pasadena. The siblings’ close-knit relationship is threatened by the arrival of Alice Steele, a film costumer who’s no stranger to the seedy underbelly of Hollywood. Come from published book on old Hollywood story calls to mind the of! Second chapter is based on an experience Niven had with the troubled Vivien.! Were lucky, it was fun. ” newsletter and never miss a story sensational tabloid headlines this. Of many “ Golden age as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with.... Rating … the Genius of the System by Thomas Schatz, as is the book you! Are so exciting to read if you love old pictures of Hollywood check... A delicious, unputdownable mystery, Silent Murders is based on an experience Niven had with the troubled Leigh... Paperback ) by David Stenn to come for Shearer, who was married to the boy-wonder! 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