Forgotten Hollywood: Recent Episodes
JLJ Media
Producer/Creator/Host Doug Hess takes you on a journey back in time and shares with you pieces. of Hollywood you may or may not have known about!
IN this episode I spoke with Meyer Lansky grandson, Meyer Lansky II about his new book "The Lansky Lagacy: The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky". Written by Meyer Lansky’s grandson, this definitive portrait of the legendary “Mob’s Accountant” chronicles the singular life of the business entrepreneur who built a gambling empire, perfected money laundering, established a more efficient Mafia, and changed the course of organized crime forever—featuring never-before-seen personal letters, photographs, and firsthand stories.
James Young Deer (born James Young Johnson; 1876–1946) was one of the earliest Native American filmmakers in American cinema and a true pioneer of the silent film era. He was an actor, director, screenwriter, and producer at a time when the motion picture industry was still in its infancy. Although he was long identified as Winnebago, modern research indicates his ancestry was from the Nanticoke people of Delaware, and aspects of his public identity were later embellished for show business. Young Deer married Lillian St. Cyr on April 9, 1906, after they met in Washington, D.C. Together, they reinvented themselves as "Young Deer" and "Princess Red Wing" and performed in Wild West shows before moving into the motion picture industry. They are widely regarded as one of Hollywood's first Native American power couples
Guest host James Lott Jr spotlights the Silent Film actress.
Lillian St. Cyr's career was groundbreaking. She became one of the first Native American women to achieve star status in American motion pictures, working during the silent era alongside her husband, director James Young Deer. Although many of her early films are now lost, she remains a pioneering figure in Hollywood history and is widely recognized as one of the first Native American film star
In this episode, Warren Croom and I spoke with Tom T. Tran the actor who played Taun in the film "Good Morning, Vietnam".
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On August 5, 2026, Donelle Dadigan (Founder/President of The Hollywood Museum) The Hollywood Museum located the Historic Max Factor Building) and some of our celebrities and personalities that have performed over the past 70 years thru today, will commemorate the 64th Anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death by holding a special event surrounded by the recently unveiled 100th birthday Marilyn Exhibit. Stars of today will read letters they wrote to Marilyn. The Hollywood Museum has re-dedicated the Blondes Only Room that houses many of Marilyn Monroe’s most personal items, clothing, jewelry, shoes, her delicates & undergarments, her makeup chair & case, her million-dollar honeymoon dress worn on her honeymoon with Joe Dimaggio and to entertain the U.S. troops in Korea, and the bottles of prescription medication found on the nightstand the night she died. Other items include Marilyn's personal clothing, jewelry that Arthur Miller gave her. The Hollywood Museum offers a rare and exclusive look at personal photos of Marilyn.
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WEBSITE: www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/TheHollywoodMuseum
TWITTER: @HollywoodMuseum
INSTAGRAM: @HollywoodMuseum
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Produced/Hosted by Doug Hess!
TO date, the youngest actor nominated for an Academy Award. He co starred at 8 years old in Kramer vs Kramer.
In this episode I spoke with author Thomas "Tom" Schatz about his latest book "Power Surge: Conglomerate Hollywood and The Studio System's Last Hurrah". Between 1989 and 2004, all the old studios either merged with other media giants or were swallowed up by even bigger diversified behemoths, leading to an infusion of money and fast-tracking the digital revolution. Yet even as CGI and piles of cash fueled a new breed of blockbusters―Batman and Titanic, Toy Story and The Lord of the Rings―an indie ethos permeated the industry. And at the crossroads of commodification and aesthetic vision, auteurs ranging from Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino to Sofia Coppola and Ang Lee became household names.
In this episode, I spoke with author Andrew Wilson about his book " I Wanna Be Loved By You: Marilyn Monroe A Life In 100 Takes". Publishing one hundred years after her birth, Andrew Wilson’s biography of Marilyn Monroe is a kaleidoscopic tour of her life told through 100 captivating snapshots.
In this episode I spoke with author Kristen Lopez about her latest book "But Have You Read the Book? Romance Edition". What makes a good love story endure? Is it the courtship? The obstacles along the way? The happy endings (or in some cases, heartbreaking conclusions)? Author Kristen Lopez explores 40 beloved screen adaptations of the book world's great romances to reveal what makes these works resonate across decades.
Out on July 28, 2026
In this episode I spoke with the author and grandnephew to Greta, Scott Reisfield. Greta Garbo didn't just change film. She changed what it meant to be a woman. Long before "feminism" entered the mainstream, Greta Garbo was showing women around the world how to live, love, work, and claim independence on their own terms. Her performances felt startlingly real at a time when acting was still theatrical and restrained. Women didn't just watch Garbo. They recognized themselves in her.
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Doug Hess is the creator and producer, he shares some news with you all!
For Pride Month June 2026, James Lott JR guest stars. The film most often considered the first major film to feature an explicitly gay character/storyline is Different from the Others (Anders als die Andern), a 1919 German silent film. It starred Conrad Veidt as a gay violinist whose relationship with a male student leads to blackmail and tragedy. It was also made with sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld and is often called the first gay-rights film in history. For American/Hollywood film, it gets more complicated because gay characters were often coded for decades because of censorship. A major milestone is The Boys in the Band from 1970, one of the first mainstream American films to openly focus on gay male characters and gay life.
This is the debut of a mini episode called FH Mini Spotlight. For this one we are spotlighting Sydney Pollack (listen to Episode 439) and his time as an actor on the hit TV show Will and Grace for Gay Pride Month.
In this episode, I spoke with Patrick McGilligan who was one of the editors of the book "Sydney Pollack: Collected Interviews". Sydney Pollack was a true actor's director―a filmmaker who came up through the ranks, starting as a bit-part TV performer before turning to directing. From his debut feature The Slender Thread (1965) to his final film, The Interpreter (2005), Pollack built a reputation for intelligent, emotionally resonant storytelling.
In this episode, Warren Croom joins me for a conversation with Cindy Mitchum, daughter of John Mitchum and niece of Robert Mitchum. We also speak with Joe Cornett, who is developing a limited series about the two Mitchum brothers.
In this episode, I spoke with author Marilyn S. Greenwald about her book "Jane Fonda: There's a Great Deal to Say". Since the late 1960s, Jane Fonda has identified as an activist first and an actor second, using her celebrity as a vehicle to convey her views and her advocacy. Few stars of her stature have been as simultaneously acclaimed and vilified as Fonda.
In this episode I spoke with authors Taylor Cole Miller and Alfred L. Martin Jr. about their book "The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai". The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai is an accessible collection that explores the cultural, industrial, and historical impact of that beloved American sitcom. Edited by Taylor Cole Miller and Alfred L. Martin, Jr., this anthology brings together a diverse range of voices that model different media studies approach to researching and critically analyzing television texts.
In this epiosde, I spoke with Andrew Lampert about his book "Jackie Gleason: Library of the Paranormal". "I want to make hypnotic therapy and psychology my livelihood when I get out of this racket…And I'm going to spend as much time as possible investigating psychic phenomena." ―Jackie Gleason, Parade, 1952
In this episode, I spoke with author Samuel Garza Bernstein about his latest book "Roddy McDowall: An Actor's Life". As one of the very few naturally gifted child actors who graduated into adult roles with relative ease, Roddy McDowall exuded charm throughout a glorious Hollywood run that included film, television, and Broadway. John Ford’s 1941 classic How Green Was My Valley put Roddy on the map at 12-years-old. It won Best Picture over Citizen Kane and is Clint Eastwood’s favorite film of all time. But Roddy’s biggest claim to fame was yet to come.
The first crossover episode with the podcast Have You Heard of Me. Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about 10 episodes from TV's past that tackled Memorial Day or PTSD, casualties of war, etc. We honor the fallen who served!!
In this episode I spoke with Peter Hoffman, former CEO of Carolco Pictures, and we discussed this book "Karmic Winds: Reflections from the "Smartest Guy in Hollywood". KARMIC WINDS is a memoir of power, collapse, and reckoning by Peter M. Hoffman, a Yale-trained lawyer and Hollywood insider who once stood at the center of the independent film boom and later found himself stripped of status, freedom, and certainty.
The book will be out on June 16, 2026.
In this episode, I spoke with Michael Benson about his book "Hollywood vs Nazis: How The Movie Studios Took On Nazis Infiltrating Los Angeles". The true story of Hitler’s plot to turn Hollywood’s Dream Factory into a Nazi propaganda machine—and the Jewish moguls’ clandestine operation to sabotage the Reich’s insidious reach.
In this episode, I spoke with author Tony Lee Moral about his book "A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy". For over a century, Alfred Hitchcock has remained one of the cinema's most influential directors. Known as the Master of Suspense, this visionary filmmaker directed more than fifty films over six decades. His thriller The Lodger (1927) marked the start of his signature style, which was later exemplified in classic films like Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).
The book will be out on June 9, 2026.
In this episode I spoke with actress Kathy Garver who played "Cissy" in the television show "Family Affairs". The sitcom ran from 1966-1971 and Terre Haute, Indiana is the established hometown on Cissy, Buffy, and Jody Davis. Kathy has also written 5 books and also down voice acting and audiobooks.
Guest Host James Lott Jr, spotlights the first soap opera created for Radio, Painted Dreams and its successor Todays Children. Irna Philips created both and changed the course of dramas forever!
In this episode I spoke with William Bernhart about his latest book "The Superman Wars: A Battle For Truth, Justice, and An American Icon". Almost everyone knows about the man from Krypton who, disguised as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent working with the fearless Lois Lane, fights for the vulnerable and the oppressed. But few know the truth about this indelible character’s creation.
In this episode, I spoke with author Mayukh Sen about his book "Love Queenie: Merlie Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star". A beautiful reclamation of a pioneering South Asian actress captures her glittering, complicated life and lasting impact on Hollywood.
In this episode, I spoke with author Joseph Hulihan about his book "Vietnam on the Big Screen: How the Vietnam War Changed Hollywood". America, it is said, deals with its trauma through the medium of Hollywood, and few experiences have been more traumatic than its involvement in the Vietnam War. As the last US helicopters fled the American Embassy compound during the fall of Saigon, they left behind a country devastated by twenty years of death and destruction.
In this episode, I spoke with author Robert Guffey about his Book "Hollywood Haunts the World". In Hollywood Haunts the World: An Investigation into the Cinema of Occulted Taboos, Robert Guffey deconstructs the most powerful taboos of the twentieth century (and the initial decades of the twenty-first century) by analyzing how disturbing and transgressive ideas involving Theosophy, Gnosticism, Freemasonry, Darwinian Evolution, Surrealism, Freudian and Jungian psychology, race relations, paranoia, UFOs, xenophobia, political conspiracies, the JFK assassination, virtual reality, and alternate dimensions have been reflected in films―both American and foreign―throughout the past one hundred years.
In this episode, I spoke with author Carl Rollyson about his book "Marilyn Monroe Day by Day: A Timeline of People, Places and Events." From hefty biographies and fact-based novels to photograph collections and memoirs, more books have been written about Marilyn Monroe than any other female over the past century
In this episode, I spoke with author Matt Browning about his latest book "Gilmore Girls: Pop Culture Reference Guide". Finally understand every single pop culture joke, obscure reference, and witty one-liner that makes Gilmore Girls one of the most reference-packed shows in television history.
IN this episode I spoke with author Kathleen Brady to discuss one of her favorite Lucille Ball films Stage Door. A boardinghouse for female theater actresses gets a new arrival in the form of Terry Randall (Katharine Hepburn), an upper-class woman pursuing her dreams against her wealthy father's wishes. At first, her status makes her unpopular with the other boarders, particularly her roommate, Jean (Ginger Rogers). As Terry becomes better acquainted with the other girls and their shared ambitions, rivalry -- both professional and romantic -- explodes among them
In this episode Robert Ray comes on to discuss Ben-Hur (1959) in 4K for the Easter season.
In this episode I spoke with author Rachel Walther about her book "Born To Lose: The Misfits Who Made Dog Day Afternoon". This is the plot of Dog Day Afternoon, the 1975 film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino, John Cazale, and Chris Sarandon. It remains a high-water mark of New Hollywood, where the best acting talent of the day came together on a film that was truly exceptional.
In this episode I spoke with author Karen M. Spence about her recent book "The Companion Guide to The Godfather Trilogy: Betrayal, Loyalty, and Family". The Companion Guide to The Godfather Trilogy: Betrayal, Loyalty, and Family offers a fresh perspective, going beyond the surface to uncover the real-life context and historical inspirations behind the story.
James Lott Jr is the guest host.
In the golden age of Hollwyood, Actors could not be openly NOT straight. But onscreen, different ways to let that out happened!
Guest host James Lott Jr does something a little contraversial and goes to the newest technology that is spreadung thruout the world, Chat GPT, and asks it: What Is Forgotten Hollywood?
Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about some Oscar winners from the 1970s that may have been forgotten. Congrats to all the latest winners of 2025!
In this episode I spoke with author Kathleen Brady about the 75th Anniversary of I Love Lucy. The 75th anniversary of I Love Lucy is October 15, 2026. The iconic sitcom, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, originally premiered on CBS on October 15, 1951. Doug Hess is the host and producer!
In this episode, I spoke with author Chris Enss about her latest book "Daughters of Daring: Hollywood Cowgirl Stunt Women". Discover the untold stories of the bold women who rode harder, roped faster, and stole the spotlight in early Hollywood. Since the famous “first” western movie, The Great Train Robbery, starring Broncho Billy Anderson, made its debut in 1903, cowboy heroes have continued their easily won dominance—but little has been written about the cowgirl stars and their fans.
In this episode I spoke with authors Kathy Fuller and Frank Thompson regarding their book "The First Movie Studio in Texas: Gaston Melies's Star Film Ranch". In 1910, the Méliès Star Film Company of Manhattan set up a moving-picture studio outside San Antonio, the first in Texas. Determined to make the most authentic Westerns possible, the company filmed there for a little over a year. In that brief time, it created more than seventy single-reel films, leaving a lasting mark on moviemaking.
In this episode I spoke with author William J. Mann about his latest book " Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood". The brutal murder of Elizabeth Short—better known as the Black Dahlia—in 1947 has been in the public consciousness for nearly eighty years, yet no serious study of the crime has ever been published.
In this episode I spoke with Suzy Miles, the widow of the late filmmaker Christopher Miles. To be a filmmaker, Miles had to sidestep parental plans to enrol him in the family steelworks. He had already been filming in communist China and Argentina when he escaped to Paris where he made his first professional film.
In this episode I spoke with Anthony Taylor about his book "Classic Monsters, Modern Art." Explore the groundbreaking (and terrifying) pantheon of monsters from the 20th century’s greatest films and fiction interpreted by the world’s most exciting contemporary artists and illustrators in Classic Monsters, Modern Art!
Ethel Barrymore: Shy Empress of the Footlights unveils the captivating duality of one of America's most revered theatrical legends. Known for her poise, talent, and commanding presence on stage, Ethel Barrymore was paradoxically a woman of deep reserve and quiet introspection. This richly detailed biography offers an intimate portrait of the First Lady of the American Theatre, tracing her journey from the gilded footlights of Broadway to the screens of early Hollywood. This book explores how Barrymore's quiet strength shaped a dynasty―and how her shy soul reigned behind the curtain of fame. A must-read for lovers of theater, classic film, and untold stories of iconic women.
In this episode, I talk about my three favorite films regarding Abraham Lincoln to support "President's Day'. They are from 1939 "Young, Mr. Lincoln, 140 Abe Lincoln in Illinois and from 2012 Lincoln.
In this episode I spoke with Susan Morrison about her book "Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live". Over the fifty years that Lorne Michaels has been at the helm of Saturday Night Live, he has become a revered and inimitable presence in the entertainment world. He’s a tastemaker, a mogul, a withholding father figure, a genius spotter of talent, a shrewd businessman, a name-dropper, a raconteur, the inspiration for Dr. Evil, the winner of more than a hundred Emmys—and, essentially, a mystery
In this episode I spoke with author Brian Raftery about his book "Hannibal Lector: A Life". Drawing from exclusive interviews and previously unseen archival materials, this one-of-its-kind biography of Hannibal Lecter documents the cannibal’s journey from terrifying villain to unexpectedly adored antihero
We are talking about the Defiant Ones with Sidney Poitier.
James Lott Jr is the guest host this episode!
In this episode, I spoke with author Anthony Uzarowski about his latest book "Lauren Bacall: The Queen of Cool'. Lauren Bacall (1924–2014), or Betty, as she was known to friends, was one of the last great movie stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Her career spanned seven decades and was one of the longest and most distinguished in the history of show business. Yet it wasn’t easy.
Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world . . . not one is better than hosting at home.
Filled to the brim with history, heart, and hard-crafted drinks, this cocktail book will bring the spirit of Casablanca to life for its legions of fans. Historically accurate recipes, contemporary reinventions, and Moroccan-inspired small bites find common ground rooted in film trivia. Plus, a "bar crawl" through unearthed props and archival material, and rendered in high-resolution photography, will give this classic cocktail book an interactive feel.
n this episode I spoke with author Paul Fischer about his book "EP 397 The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola * Lucas * Spielberg and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema". The untold, intimate story of how three young visionaries Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg revolutionized American cinema, creating the most iconic films in history while risking everything, redefining friendship, and shaping Hollywood as we know it.
On sale February 10, 2026. Pre-order your copy today.
In this episode, I spoke with author Robert Hofler about his latest book "A Star Is Born". Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the 1976 classic film version starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, a riveting, juicy exploration of the history and popularity of Hollywood’s favorite story about itself, from its 1937 technicolor drama starring Janet Gaynor and the 1954 version with Judy Garland, through 2018’s blockbuster Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper remake.
The book will be out on January 27, 2026!
Guest host James Lott Jr talks about the highest paid and most known Hollywood Stars of Asian descent in the 1940s to 1960s and what they had to endure by the studio system.
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Guest host James Lott Jr tells you the Number 1 Movies of January 1940, 1950, and 1960. These films reached the Top spot of the US Box Office.
Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon.
Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about the highest paid actors in Hollywood in the 1940s, both Black and White.
In this episode I spoke with Jeffrey Paul Thompson (one of three authors of the book "Twentieth Century Fox: A Century of Entertainment". Here it is the first-time look at the remarkable American multinational mass media empire and its century of entertainment the story of Twentieth Century Fox (1915–2015). Or, to borrow the title of a classic 1959 Fox film, The Best of Everything.
Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook!
It's the end of 2025 and Creator/Producer/Host Doug Hess takes a look back with JLJ Media CEO on the almost 6 year old show. Thank you everyone in making this show a huge hit!
In this episode I spoke with author Stephn Rötzsch Thomas about his book "Disney's Animated Classics: A Comprehensive Guide." In Disney's Animated Classics, Stephen Rötzsch Thomas explores the iconic features from the studio's first 100 years, from Snow White to Wish. A love letter to storytelling and collaboration, each chapter takes readers behind the scenes of a different movie, uncovering the hidden secrets, creative geniuses, and surprising connections that will enthrall die-hard Disney fans and casual viewers alike.
Guest Host James Lott Jr picks one of his heros to talk about.
Flip Wilson: The Groundbreaking King of 1970s Television Clerow “Flip” Wilson Jr.
Born: December 8, 1933
Died: November 25, 1998
Profession: Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer
Claim to Fame: First Black TV superstar and highest-paid performer of his era Flip Wilson wasn’t just a comedian — he was a cultural shift. He opened doors, redefined representation, and proved a Black entertainer could dominate primetime television on his own terms.
In this episode, I spoke with author Thom Shubilla about his latest book "King Kong vs Godzilla -"The Most Colossal Conflict the Screen Has Ever Known". Popular culture in 1962 experienced many notable firsts. That year, The Beatles released their debut single “Love Me Do” in England, The Beach Boys first LP, Surfin’ Safari, was stocked on record store shelves, The Rolling Stones played their first shows, Dr. No marked the opening James Bond adventure to hit theaters, Marvel Comics’ “The Incredible Hulk” was splashed on the pages of comic books—and two of the greatest movie monsters, King Kong and Godzilla, clashed on the big screen.
In this episode, I spoke with author Scott Eyman regarding his book "Joan Crawford A Women's Face'. Film historian and acclaimed New York Times bestselling biographer Scott Eyman has written the definitive biography of Hollywood icon Joan Crawford, drawing on never-before-seen documents and photos from the Crawford estate.
Guest Host James Lott JR remembers the ground breaking role of Dominque Devereaux on the 80s hit soap Dynasty and the actress who played her.
In this episode I spoke with author Jeffrey Paul Thompson about his latest book "Miracle on 34th Street: The Making of a Christmas Classic ". Despite having been made into three TV movies, a radio drama, a stage play, a Broadway musical, a feature-film remake in color, and a book adaptation, the 1947 black-and-white film of Miracle on 34th Street still remains the favorite version of this modern Christmas classic.
Forgotten Hollywood Fav Christmas Movies is on Amazon.com
In this episode I spoke with Mark Malkoff about his book "Love Johnny Carson". A wildly entertaining book by one of the world’s most obsessed and informed fans of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host.
Doug Hess is producer and host
Forgoten Hollywood is on Facebook.
The Books are on Amazon
In this episode I spoke with Richard Kirshenbaum about his latest book " The Hollywood Fix". This masterful and sweeping novel is based on true stories from the studio system era and PR machines which have not only created legends but exposed the dirty business of keeping the stars shiny and clean.
In this episode, I spoke with author Todd James Pierce about his book "Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of a Classic Film". Making Mary Poppins reveals the extraordinary true story behind the creation of one of the most beloved films of all time―and the two little-known songwriters who helped make it possible.
Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about Butterfly McQueen!
Butterfly McQueen was an African American actress and dancer, best remembered for her role as Prissy in the classic 1939 film Gone With the Wind. Her distinctive, high-pitched voice and expressive personality made her unforgettable to audiences — but her legacy extends far beyond that one film.
Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook.
The books are on Amazon.
Guest Host James Lott Jr talks On Dangerous Ground (1951), directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino:
* Release year: 1951.
* Runtime: 82 minutes.
* Genre: Film noir / crime drama.
✅ Critical & Audience Reception* On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a Tomatometer rating of 89% (based on 19 Critics). * On Metacritic, its score is listed as “Generally Favorable” with a score of 78. * The film is appreciated for its striking visuals, contrasting urban and snowy rural settings, and its score by Bernard Herrmann.
📌 Notable Production & Artistic Details* Produced by John Houseman for RKO Radio Pictures. * Screenplay by A. I. Bezzerides (based on the novel Mad with Much Heart by Gerald Butler). * Music composition by Bernard Herrmann, known for his evocative style that enhances the film’s emotional tone. * Cinematography by George E. Diskant.
🧮 Additional Notes* The film’s structure: It begins in a gritty urban setting and transitions into a snowy countryside — a rare shift in classic noir for that era. * Though well-regarded now, contemporary reception was mixed; for example, critic Bosley Crowther of the New York Times gave it a less favorable review upon release.
In this episode I spoke with author Chris Yogerst about his latest book "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Few lines of movie dialogue have had greater impact than the most famous line from John Ford’s 1962 masterpiece The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” Although critics of the day did not realize its magnitude, with time The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance has become cemented in our popular culture. This film connects to nearly every Western before or after, from Ford’s own Stagecoach (1939) to Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992).
In this episode I spoke with author Steve Basford about his book "Breaking Away: The Quintessential Underdog Movie". Breaking Away, released in 1979, is the quintessential underdog movie, earning numerous award nominations and ranking in multiple Top Ten lists. Why is it so popular, to this day?
What is Breaking Away about, a bike race? The race is the climactic ending of the movie, but a small portion. It's a story about class differences, honesty, pride, family, relationships, romance, and changing attitudes. In other words, it's about life.
Larry Namer is an American entertainment entrepreneur, television visionary, and media innovator best known as the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Namer began his career as a cable TV engineer before moving into programming and business leadership roles across the industry. In 1990, he and his partner developed the idea for what became E!—a 24-hour network focused on Hollywood, pop culture, and entertainment news. The network grew into a global brand that forever changed how audiences consume celebrity and entertainment coverage. Following E!, Namer continued launching and consulting for media ventures worldwide. He co-founded Metan Global Entertainment Group, which specializes in developing Western-style content for Asian markets, including China. Throughout his career, he has remained a key figure in shaping entertainment media around the world. Namer is widely regarded for his pioneering vision, strategic media insights, and for helping bridge international entertainment markets in today’s global content economy. Doug Hess talks to him about all of that! Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon.com
In this episode I spoke with Barry M. Putt, Jr about his book "Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel's Greasy Spoon". Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel’s Greasy Spoon (A Guide to the Feature Film, the TV Series, and More) takes you behind the scenes of one of television’s most beloved sitcoms. It all started with Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award–winning film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Learn how the movie and series were developed, peruse the fact-filled episode log, and test your Alice trivia knowledge with a fan quiz featuring over 120 questions.
Doug Hess is the Producer/Host. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon!
In this episode, I spoke with Danny Reid about his latest book "Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood's Untamed Era, 1930-1934". With unparalleled freedom in the Golden Age of Hollywood, movies produced during the “pre-Code” era between 1930 and 1934 boldly confronted a wide range of provocative subjects, including sexual freedom, the glorification of outlaws, racial taboos, and class consciousness. Films of the period include beloved classics likeGrand Hotel(1932) and King Kong(1933) but also lesser-known gems like I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang(1932) and Ann Vickers (1933). These films, produced at the height of the Great Depression, pushed the limits of contemporary social norms at a time when Hollywood studios were desperate to attract audiences—by any means necessary.
Doug Hess is the Producer/Host. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon
In this episode, I spoke with author Thomas Hischak about his book "Bringing Song and Dance to the Screen! Directors of Golden Age Hollywood Musicals". The role directors have played in American cinema cannot be overstated, particularly how they shaped and developed the medium during Hollywood's golden age. Little appreciation has been paid though to the individual directors' accomplishments with regards to the musical film, a genre that remains popular today. When the first film musicals were made, there were no experienced movie directors for the new genre. Instead of recruiting stage directors, Hollywood turned to the seasoned directors currently under contract and assigned them to make talkies with song and dance.
In this epiosde, I spoke with one of the co-authors, Wheeler Winston Dixon about his book "A Short History of Film, 4th Edition". This updated and expanded edition of A Short History of Film provides an accessible overview of the major movements, directors, studios, and genres from the 1880s to the present. Succinct yet comprehensive, with more than 250 rare stills and illustrations, this edition provides new information on contemporary horror, comic book, and franchise films; issues surrounding women and minority filmmakers; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on movies worldwide; the shift from film to digital production; the rising use of artificial intelligence in cinema; and the impact of streaming on the industry.
In this episode, I discuss with author Stephen Rebello his book "Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock’s Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train". Take a deep dive into the shadows and light of one of the most subversive, corrosively funny, and beloved suspense thriller masterworks as author Stephen Rebello unravels for the very first time the tense and drama-filled story of the making Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.
In this episode, I discuss with author Jennifer Ann Redmond about her book "Too Fast, Too Short: The Life of Diana Barrymore". American actress and socialite Diana Barrymore (1921–1960) was a figure often overshadowed by her famous lineage and tragic narrative. In Too Fast, Too Short: The Life of Diana Barrymore, author Jennifer Ann Redmond illuminates Barrymore’s complex world, revealing a woman caught between the glittering facade of Hollywood and the dark shadows of her personal struggles.
Doug Hess is the Producer and host!
Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon.
In this episode, I spoke with author John Malahy regarding his book " Rewinding The ’80s: Cinema Under the Influence of Music Videos, Action Stars, and a Cold War". The movies were flying blind in 1980. “New Hollywood” was over and the era of auteur-driven, personal films that had defined moviemaking since the late ‘60s came to a symbolic end withHeaven’s Gate (1980),replaced by a new world of multiplex blockbusters supported by massive marketing campaigns.
In this episode I spoke with Neil O'Brien about his book "After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Media Company". The untold succession struggle at Walt Disney Productions following the death of its founder, and the generational transformation which led to the birth of the modern multibillion-dollar animation industry.
In this episode I spoke with author Mark Archuleta about his boo; "The Reel Thrilling Events of Bank Robber Henry Starr: From Gentleman Bandit to Movie Star and Back Again". In 1921 headlines across the country announced the death of Henry Starr, a burgeoning silent film star who was killed while attempting to rob a bank in Harrison, Arkansas. Cynics who knew the real Starr were not surprised. Before becoming a matinee idol, Starr had been the greatest bank robber of the horseback bandit era.
In this episode I spoke with author Jennifer O'Callaghan about her book "Rear Window: The Making of a Hitchcock Masterpiece in the Hollywood Golden Age." The definitive, in-depth look inside Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window—the all-time classic of voyeurism, paranoia, and murder that became one of Hollywood’s greatest achievements and turned generations of viewers into “a race of Peeping Toms.” A must-read for film buffs, Hitchock fans old and new, and fans of classic movies and Hollywood insider history.
Out on September 30, 2025.
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In this episode, I spoke with author Gary Wigglesworth about his book "The Movie Lover's Quiz Book". Whether you want to challenge yourself or someone else, The Movie Lover's Quiz Book is perfect for any cinephile. Inside you'll find a fun range of rounds and an eclectic mix of questions, all designed to give you hours of entertainment. Doug Hess is the host! Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon!
It's out in Great Britain and will be released in the U.S. on Tuesday, October 7th .
In this episode I spoke with author Maggie Hennefeld about her latest book "Death by Laughter: Female Hysteria and Early Cinema". Can you really die from laughing too hard? Between 1870 and 1920, hundreds of women suffered such a fate―or so a slew of sensationalist obituaries would have us believe. How could laughter be fatal, and what do these reports of women’s risible deaths tell us about the politics of female joy?
In this episode, I discuss with author Kristen Lopez about her latest book " Popcorn Disabilities: The Highs and Lows of Disabled Representation in the Movies that will be released on November 13, 2025. You can learn a lot from the movies-about sex and relationships, about business, about history. Sure, there's a fair amount of fantasy, wish fulfillment, and glorious hair to exaggerate everything, but for better or for worse, films remain one of the most important ways that viewers around the world learn about other people and cultures. And almost since the dawn of the medium, movies have shaped the public's understanding of and assumptions about disability.
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Thank you guest Author Bernard D Dick
In this episode, I spoke with Tracey Goessel about her book "The First King of Hollywood: The Life of Douglas Fairbanks". Douglas Fairbanks was the greatest leading man of his generation—the first and the best of the swashbucklers. He made some of the greatest films of the silent era, including The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro. With Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, and his wife, film star Mary Pickford, he founded United Artists.
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In this episode, I spoke with author David M. Stewart about his book "There's No Going Back: The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme". Jonathan Demme, one of the most influential and dynamic directors of the twentieth century, was a fearless and radical filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer―a compassionate artist, advocate, and humanist who was compelled to tell the stories of marginalized communities. His intense passion and appreciation of music, culture, and art were interwoven throughout his life and extraordinary body of work.
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Guest host James Lott Jr talks about a Store, Counterpoint Records and Books, in East Hollywood that has grea rare finds. He showcases two of the things he found.
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Executive Producer -Doug Hess
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In this episode I spoke with author Sheri Chinen Biesen about her book "Through a Noir Lens: Adapting Film Noir Visual Style".
Shadows. Smoke. Dark alleys. Rain-slicked city streets. These are iconic elements of film noir visual style. Long after its 1940s heyday, noir hallmarks continue to appear in a variety of new media forms and styles. What has made the noir aesthetic at once enduring and adaptable?
In this episode, I spoke with author Samuel Garza Bernstein about his book "Cesar Romero: The Joker Is Wild". Dynamic and debonair, Cesar Romero was best known for creating the role of the Joker in the 1960s Batman television series. As the first actor to play Batman and Robin's villainous nemesis, Romero established the character's giddy, manic tone and the distinctive laugh that subsequent actors like Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix would use as the starting points in their own Oscar-nominated (Nicholson) and Oscar-winning (Ledger and Phoenix) performances. As a closeted gay man of Latin American descent, Romero gracefully faced many personal challenges while maintaining his suave public image and starring opposite legends ranging from Shirley Temple to Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda to Frank Sinatra, and Kurt Russell to Jane Wyman.
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The Apple. Last Starfighter. Weekend At Bernie's.Night of the Comet. Knight Rider. Hotel. Sins. The Outer Limits. Law and Order and Days of Our Lives. Catherine Mary Stewart goes down memory lane with Guest Host James Lott Jr. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook!
In this episode, I spoke with author Mitchell Hadley regarding his book "Darkness In Primetime". Darkness in Primetime: How Classic-Era TV Foresaw Modern Society’s Descent into Hell reveals how television shows of the 1950s and 1960s, with shocking accuracy, envisioned a world of 24/7 surveillance, thought control, disinformation, persecution, and the loss of freedom—a world disturbingly similar to our own.
In this episode, I spoke with Ed Robertson about his book "Men of Action: Behind-the-Scenes of Four Classic TV Series". An in-depth look at The Untouchables, Run for Your Life, The Magician and Harry O four classic series that helped define the landscape of American television as we know it today. Each entry features a detailed episode guide and behind-the-scenes interviews with the actors, writers, producers, and directors who made these shows enduring, action-adventure classics.
In this episode, I spoke with Roberta Smoodin regarding her book "Horses of Hollywood". In Horses of Hollywood, Roberta Smoodin gives equine film stars the credit and recognition they have long deserved. Smoodin goes behind the scenes to feature the trainers, actors, and directors who brought some of our favorite horses into the spotlight.
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Guest Host and JLJ Media CEO James Lott Jr talks about Hollywood that is forgotten and why this show exists. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook.
In this episode we discuss with author Jennifer Selway her book "The Godfather of Horror Films: Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee". Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: three middle-class Englishmen whose names are synonymous with the history of the horror movie. Karloff was born in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and Lee, the youngest, died in 2015, when Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch.
Its Episode 350! Guest Host James Lott Jr! Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook! Go follow!
JLJ is talking about the late 80s with the Pet Shop Boys reinvented the music careers of Liza Minelli and Dusty Springfield!
Sidney Arnold Franklin (March 21, 1893 – May 18, 1972) was an American film director and producer. Franklin, like William C. deMille, specialized in adapting literary works or Broadway stage plays.His brother Chester Franklin (1889–1954) also became a director during the silent film era, best known for directing the early Technicolor film The Toll of the Sea.Franklin's work on radio included directing The Screen Guild Show in 1939.
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Juliet Prowse: Born to Dance: The Extraordinary Life Story of My Aunt
In this episode, I discussed with Juliet Prowse regarding her book about her Aunt Juliet Prowse. Juliet Prowse was a young South African dancer and entertainer who burst into the international spotlight in her first Hollywood movie, Can-Can. Considered talented and exotic, she caught the media’s attention and her engagement to Frank Sinatra fuelled their fascination further. But was it love and what did Sinatra make of Juliet’s relationship with Elvis during G.I. Blues? Unhappy with 20th Century Fox, Juliet broke out of her contract, created her own company and became one of the highest paid dancers of her era on a $1 million Las Vegas contract in the mid-1970s.
In this episode, I spoke with author Chris Nashawaty about his recent book "The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982". In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of one another. E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior changed the careers of some of Hollywood's now biggest names―altering the art of movie-making to this day.
July 29th is the release of the paperback.
In this episode, I spoke with Scott Brogan about his book "Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM". A Definitive Celebration of Hollywood's Iconic Musical Star and Her Legendary CareerMore than 100 years after her birth, Judy Garland remains the gold standard by which all movie musical leading ladies are judged.
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creator/host Doug Hess tells you whats going on with the show for the upcoming months. Forgotten hollywood is on Facebook.
In this episode, I spoke with Barton Palmer, on of the editors of the book " Mervyn Leroy Comes To Town". Mervyn LeRoy Comes to Town is the first book devoted to the career of one of the director/producers who in the early years of sound cinema was instrumental in establishing the Hollywood model of production that would endure for more than half a century. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook!
In this episode, I spoke with Howard Smith regarding his book "My Friend Johnny: The Last 20 Years of a Beautiful Life with Johnny Carson and Friends". In My Friend Johnny, Smith paints an intimate portrait of the man behind the iconic desk: funny, kind, and generous, yet deeply complex. From tennis matches to quiet moments, their bond lasted until John's passing.
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In this episode, I spoke with Ben Model about his book "The Silent Film Universe". The storytelling and characters of these movies can only exist in the Silent Film Universe, where a purely visual cinematic language commingles with the viewer's imagination.
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In this episode, I spoke with Alan K. Rode regarding his book "Blood On The Moon". Of the movies that writers and historians call "Noir Westerns," none is more celebrated than 1948'sBlood on the Moon. The comingling of the Western genre and the noir style crystalized in this extraordinary film, in turn influencing Westerns in the 1950s to become darker and more psychological. Produced during the height of the post-World War II film noir movement, Blood on the Moon is a classic Western immersed in the film noir netherworld of double crosses, government corruption, shabby barrooms, gun-toting goons, and romantic betrayals.
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In this episode, I spoke with Todd S. Purdum regarding his book "Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television". An illuminating biography of Desi Arnaz, the visionary, trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball’s beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a remarkable legacy that continues to influence American culture today.
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Host Doug Hess chats with Veteran Screenwriter Kirk Ellis about his book "Ride Lonesome". It's the story of the 1959 Western film. Available on Amazon and where books are sold. Forgotten hollywood is on Facebook.
In this episode, I discuss with author Bruce Handy his book " Hollywood High: A Totally Epic, Way Opinionated History of Teen Movies". From a longtime Vanity Fair writer and editor, a delightfully entertaining, intelligent, and illuminating history and tribute to teen movies—from Rebel Without a Cause to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and on to John Hughes, Mean Girls, The Hunger Games, and more.
What influence did Francis Ford Coppola have on George Lucas’s American Graffiti? And Lucas on John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood? How does teenage sexuality in Fast Times at Ridgemont High compare to Twilight? Which teen movies pass the Bechdel test? Why is Mean Girls actually the last great teen film of the 20th century?
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Its Gay Pride Month (June), and guest host James Lott Jr talks about the first gay characters in TV!
Host Doug Hess talks about the life of Ray Taylor, a famed Movie Director (b.1888-d.1952)
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In this episode, I spoke with Tom Salinsky about his book "Star Trek: Discovering the TV Series: The Original Series, The Animated Series and The Next Generation". In 2022, a devoted science fiction enthusiast embarked on a two-year journey to watch every piece of Star Trek media, offering insights into the series' evolution, trivia, and cultural impact, essential for fans and TV history buffs alike.
How well do you know Star Trek?
Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook. Doug Hess is the Creator/Producer and Host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Michael Seth Starr regarding his latest book "Nothin' Comes Easy: The Life of Rodney Dangerfield". Rodney Dangerfield’s fidgety delivery, self-deprecating humor, and catchphrase “I don’t get no respect” made him a comedy icon in nightclubs, on television, and in movies.
In this episode, I discuss the life of Director Edward Cline.
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JLJ takes over for Doug on this episode and talks about the iconic 60s tv hit The Beverly Hillbillies.
In this episode, I spoke with Thomas J. Slater about his book "June Mathis: The Rise and Fall of a Silent Film Visionary". After more than a decade of stepping onto stages across the US, she moved into the burgeoning film business and behind the camera to begin a prolific career as a screenwriter and producer for profound movies like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) and Blood and Sand (1922). With her expert use of melodrama and masterful technique, Mathis would eventually become the first female head writer at Metro Pictures. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook! Doug Hess is the Creator/Producer and Host!
In this episode, I discuss with Christopher Shaw Myers his book and uncle "Robert Shaw: An Actor's Life On The Set Of JAWS and Beyond". Just in time for the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’sJaws, an intimate and richly-told portrait of the iconic actor and writer Robert Shaw, from his portrayal of the legendary shark hunter Captain Quint and beyond, written lovingly but honestly by his nephew. Doug Hess is the host and follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I spoke with Mary Mallory about her book "First Women of Hollywood: Female Pioneers in the Early Motion Picture Business". Largely created by immigrants, the film industry evolved over its first few decades thanks to the work of people outside the traditional ruling class—
immigrants, people of color, women—partly as a result of elites denigrating the fledgling field. As the moving picture industry transitioned from neophyte to powerhouse, young and ambitious rebels energized its output. follow Forgotten Hollywood on Facebook!
In this episode, I spoke with Elias Savada bout his book "Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning, Hollywood’s Master of the Macabre ". One of the most original and unsettling filmmakers of all time, Tod Browning (1880–1962) began his career buried alive in a carnival sideshow and saw his Hollywood reputation crash with the box office disaster–turned–cult classic Freaks. Penetrating the secret world of “the Edgar Allan Poe of the cinema".
In this episode, I discuss with author Rick Penn-Kraus and his book "Steve McQueen The Last Interview". The inspiring true story behind Steve McQueen's last interview.
In 1979 Los Angeles, a teenage high school journalist set out to do the impossible: land an interview with movie legend Steve McQueen, a man known for avoiding reporters and dodging the spotlight. What followed was a mix of bold determination, awkward courage, and a surprising yes from the King of Cool himself. It was an exclusive interview that Rolling Stone, Time, Life, Newsweek and many other magazines could not get. It turned out to be McQueen's last.
In this episode, I discuss with author Rick Penn-Kraus and his book "Steve McQueen The Last Interview". The inspiring true story behind Steve McQueen's last interview.
In 1979 Los Angeles, a teenage high school journalist set out to do the impossible: land an interview with movie legend Steve McQueen, a man known for avoiding reporters and dodging the spotlight. What followed was a mix of bold determination, awkward courage, and a surprising yes from the King of Cool himself. It was an exclusive interview that Rolling Stone, Time, Life, Newsweek and many other magazines could not get. It turned out to be McQueen's last.
In this episode, I spoke with film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum about his latest book "Travel In The Cities of Cinema". Jonathan Rosenbaum stands as one of the most eminent film critics in the English-speaking world. After working for Sight and Sound and Monthly Film Bulletin in London in the 1970s, he served for two decades as chief film critic for theChicago Reader. Hailed as "one of the best" by Jean-Luc Godard, who compared him to James Agee and André Bazin, Rosenbaum is known for his incisive, thought-provoking polemics, which have inspired generations of writers while reshaping how we think about cinema.
In this episode, I spoke with author Nat Segaloff about his book "The Rambo Report". The ultimate guide to the Rambo phenomenon—from bestselling novel to Hollywood blockbuster to all-American hero, legend, and icon—written with the full cooperation of Rambo’s creator, bestselling author David Morrell . . .
Little House On the Prarie's Alison Arngrim, who played the infamous Nelly Olsen, chats with Doug about life!
In this episode, I spoke with author Tom Santopietro about his book " Audrey Hepburn: A Life Of Beautiful Uncertainty". This is the definitive tribute to the glamor and character of a beloved icon, including rarely published details, photographs and stories about the lasting impact of Audrey Hepburn's remarkable life.
Academy Award-winning actress, fashion icon, ethereal beauty, wife, mother, World War II resistance activist, UNICEF champion— Audrey Hepburn transcended her era and became a global idol whose appeal continues to soar in the twenty-first century.
In this episode, we discuss one of the world's most underrated Academy Award-winning actresses, Jennifer Jones. She was not only an American actress but also a mental-health advocate. She was cast in her first leading role in The Song of Bernadette (1943). Her intense and sincere portrayal of a French peasant girl (St. Bernadette of Lourdes) earned Jones an Academy Award.
In this episode, I spoke with author Robert B. O’Connor about his book "Jeep shows, and Jeep Show – A Trouper at the Battle of the Bulge". An untold WWII story—where courage wasn’t just tested in battle, but on makeshift stages at the front and on the home front.
In this episode, I spoke with Christopher McKittrick about his latest book "Vera Miles: The Hitchcock Blonde Who Got Away". Captivating, talented, and beautiful, Vera Miles was destined for fame. Within a few years of making her way to Hollywood in 1949, she starred in such films as The Rose Bowl Story (1952), Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955), and Wichita (1955). Her frequent television performances so enthralled Alfred Hitchcock that he chose her to be Grace Kelly's successor for roles in The Wrong Man (1956) and the iconic film Psycho (1960). She also starred in John Ford's The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Miles's illustrious film and television career spanned nearly fifty years in Hollywood, and yet she is still considered one of the most unsung film actresses of her era.
The entire episode of "Medic" that Chris talks about is available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icO5-I4e0SQ
In this episode, I talk about Indiana native Robert Keith.Rolland Keith Richey (February 10, 1898 – December 22, 1966), known professionally as Robert Keith, was an American stage and film actor who appeared in several dozen films, mostly in the 1950s as a character actor.
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In this episode, I spoke with Dafydd Jones about his latest book "Hollywood Confidential". Hollywood: Confidential is the latest collection of beautifully timed photos from bestselling society photographer Dafydd Jones. Formerly of Tatler and Vanity Fair, Jones is a serial capturer of intimate moments during high-society functions. As famous Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter puts it, when it comes to party photographers, ‘Dafydd Jones is the sniper’s sniper – the best of the best.’
In this episode I discuss the Producer Hal B. Wallis. He is best known for producing Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and True Grit, along with many other major films for Warner Bros. featuring such film stars as Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Bette Davis, and Errol Flynn.
In this episode, Warren Croom and I spoke with Bentley Mitchum the grandson of Robert Mitchum about his grandfather. Bentley is also an actor and musican. Follow Bentely on ig @mitchumontop
Also Saturday March 22nd at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, showing of the film Out of the Past/The Killng staring Robert Mitchum.
In this episode, I discuss screen writer Charles Brackett. He co-wrote Ball of Fire (1941), The Lost Weekend (1945), and Sunset Boulevard (1950) to name just as few films.
In this episode, I spoke with author Diane Kiesel about her latest book "When Charlie Met Joan: The Tragedy of the Chaplin Trials and the Failings of American Law". Charlie Chaplin, the silent screen’s “Little Tramp,” was beloved by millions of movie fans until he starred in a series of salacious, real-life federal courtroom dramas.
In this episode, I discuss the work of Director, Producer and actor Sam Wood.
Directed eight Oscar Best Picture nominees: The Good Earth (1937) (uncredited), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), Gone with the Wind (1939) (uncredited), Our Town (1940), Kitty Foyle (1940), Kings Row (1942), The Pride of the Yankees (1942) and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943).
In this episode, I discuss with Mallory O'Meara and her latest book "Daughter of Daring: The Trick-Riding, Train-Leaping, Road-Racing Life of Helen Gibson, Hollywood’s First Stuntwoman". Helen Gibson was a woman willing to do anything to give audiences a thrill. Advertised as "The Most Daring Actress in Pictures," Helen emerged in the early days of the twentieth-century silent film scene as a rodeo rider, background actor, stunt double, and eventually one of the era’s biggest action stars.
In this episode, I spoke with author Chris Alexander about his latest book "Art! Trash! Terror! Adventures in Strange Cinema". From filmmaker, former Fangoria editor-in-chief, and Corman/Poe author Chris Alexander comes ART! TRASH! TERROR! Adventures in Strange Cinema, a treasure trove of in-depth essays and edifying interviews that celebrate some of the most eccentric and unforgettable movies in cult cinema history.
The book will be released in the US on March 15, 2025, until then go ahead and pre-order your copy today.
In this episode, I spoke with author William Elliott Hazelgrove regarding his book " Dead Air: The Night That Orson Wells Terrified America". On a warm Halloween Eve, October 30, 1938, during a broadcast of H G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, a twenty-three-year-old Orson Welles held his hands up for radio silence in the CBS studio in New York City while millions of people ran out into the night screaming, grabbed shotguns, drove off in cars, and hid in basements, attics, or anywhere they could find to get away from Martians intent on exterminating the human race.
In this episode, I spoke with Professor Lisa Haven about her recent book "Early Buster Keaton: From the Vaudeville Stage to Comique Films 1899-1920". Since nearly every aspect of Keaton’s story and work has been written about in some form, it is the goal of this book to present a new perspective on Keaton’s early life in the entertainment business, beginning before vaudeville and moving through the Comique films, Keaton’s first foray into the industry.
Pre-order her book on Amazon or another bookstore. Book is scheduled to be release on March 30th. Order today!
James Lott Jr has a message for listeners. And Thank You Doug Hess for ALL of your hard work.
Intro and Outro song- Dazzle In the Spotlight by the North Inglewood Jazz Symphony Orchestra (written by James Lott Jr for Lefthanded Taurus Music 2025)
In this episode I spoke with author Catherine Curzon about her book "The Real Bogie and Bacall". Chronicles the turbulent Hollywood love story of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, navigating fame, adversity, and enduring passion against all odds.
In this episode, I spoke with Professor Patrick Keating about his book "Film Noir and the Art of Lighting". More than any other set of films from the classical era, the Hollywood film noir is known for its lighting: the cast shadows, the blinking street signs, the eyes sparkling in the darkness. Each effect is rich in symbolism, evoking a world of danger and doppelgangers. But what happens if we set aside the symbolism? This book offers a new account of film noir lighting, grounded in a larger theory of Hollywood cinematography as emotionally engaging storytelling.
In this episode, I discuss with Ed Kalegi regarding his book "It Was Great To Say Hello To......... A Curious Radio Host's Conversation with Actor's, Authors and Newsmakers". This engaging book is much more than a collection of celebrity interviews; it's a journey through pop culture, history, and the art of conversation.
In this episode I spoke with Jim Fredrick about his book "Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops". In a world where movie marketers are the stars of the story, Opening Weekend: An Insider's Look at Marketing Hollywood's Hits and Flops recounts Jim Fredrick’s journey through the realm of movie marketing. Fredrick offers readers exclusive access to behind-the-scenes anecdotes and firsthand accounts of working with studio executives and navigating relationships with famous movie stars and directors.
In this episode, I spoke with Professor Joe Fortunato regarding his course "Hollywood Rebels
In this epiosde I spoke with Jacqueline T. Lynch about her book "Christmas in Classic Films". The average person, unlike devoted classic film fans, may not recognize images of Clark Gable or know who James Wong Howe was, or be able to tell you why 1939 was such a spectacular year for films. But when yuletide rolls around, they rejoice with Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, and of course, White Christmas.
In this episode, I spoke with Esther Zuckerman about her latest book "Falling In Love at the Movies: Rom-Coms from the Screwball Era to Today. Romantic comedies have had an incredible influence on popular culture, shaping everything from how we think of relationships to fashion. Often swept aside in film history, these movies are thought of as pure comfort viewing.
In this episode, I spoke with author Joseph McBride about his 25th book he has written "George Cukor's People: Acting for a Master Director". "The director of classic films such as Sylvia Scarlett, The Philadelphia Story, Gaslight, Adam’s Rib, A Star Is Born, and My Fair Lady, George Cukor is widely admired but often misunderstood. Reductively stereotyped in his time as a “woman’s director”―a thinly veiled, disparaging code for “gay”―he brilliantly directed a wide range of iconic actors and actresses, including Cary Grant, Greta Garbo, Spencer Tracy, Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, and Maggie Smith. As Katharine Hepburn, the star of ten Cukor films, told the director, “All the people in your pictures are as goddamned good as they can possibly be, and that’s your stamp.”"
In this episode, I interview Herbie J, Pilato about his latest book "Christmas TV Memories: Nostalgic Holiday Favorites of the Small Screen. For most of us, fond memories of the Christmas season are inseparable from TV’s holiday presentations.
In this episode, I spoke with author Jason Colavito regarding his book "Jimmy, The Secret Life of James Dean". Although he died at a heartbreakingly young age and appeared in only a handful of movies, James Dean revolutionized American manhood. As a celebrity and icon, he melded vulnerability with determination, sensitivity with strength, in a way that offered a bracing and—for some—threatening new vision of masculinity.
In this episode, I spoke with Nightmare on Film Street co-hosts Kimberley Elizabeth and Jonathan DeHaan about their book "Cocktails From The Crypt".
Curate the ultimate horror movie night with 60 chilling cocktails that are sure to sate even the most bloodthirsty killers. Nightmare on Film Street co-hosts Kimberley Elizabeth and Jonathan DeHaan have carefully crafted each hair-raising recipe to pair with the most iconic movies the genre has to offer.
In this episode, I spoke with Joel Brokaw about his book "Driving Marilyn: The Life and Times of Legendary Hollywood Agent Norman Brokaw".
Norman Brokaw was CEO and Chairman of the William Morris Agency from 1989 to 1997, but his legacy may lie in his ascent from mail room clerk to Marilyn Monroe’s personal driver to agent for some of Hollywood’s most iconic figures of the late 20th Century: Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Elvis (and Colonel Parker), Natalie Wood, Loretta Young, Clint Eastwood, Danny Thomas, Dick Van Dyke, Berry Gordy, Bill Cosby, Donna Summer, Brooke Shields plus many more.
In this epiosde, I spoke with author Julie Gilbert about her book "Giant Love: Edna Ferber, Her Best-selling Novel of Texas, and the Making of a Classic American Film". A book that explores the great American novelist and playwright Edna Ferber, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Ficton, whose work was made into many Academy Award-winning movies; the writing of her controversial, international best-selling novel about Texas, and the making of George Stevens’ Academy Award winning epic film of the same name, Giant.
In this epiosde I spoke with Kyle Bandujo and Rick Bryson about their book "Movies With Balls: The Greatest Sports Films of All Time, Analyzed and Illustrated". Movies with Balls celebrates and analyzes more than two dozen of the greatest sports films of all time, with expert play-by-play and color commentary on the movies themselves and the athleticism they portray. You’ll be transported into fictional arenas, stadiums, gyms, fields, and golf courses to relive the climactic moments.
In this episode I spoke with author Joseph Dougherty about his book "Rod Serling at 100: One Writer's Acknowledgement. The year 2024 marks the centenary of Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Emmy-winning writer Joseph Dougherty (thirtysomething, Pretty Little Liars) picked this special anniversary to reflect on Serling and his contributions to television drama.
In this episode, I spoke with author Tripp Whetsell regarding his book "Norman Lear: His Life and Times". Beginning in the 1970s, writer and producer Norman Lear forever altered the television landscape with such groundbreaking situation comedies as All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, and One Day at a Time.
In this episode I discuss with Emily C. Hughes her book "Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch". A smart, funny crash course in 25 iconic horror movies, from Psycho to Hereditary, for people who love getting the reference but hate being scared.
In this episode, I spoke with author Christopher S. Connelly about his recent book "Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziefeld's Last Star". An emotive soprano voice, heartrending melodies about unrequited love, and a draped-over-the-piano persona made Helen Morgan (1902–1941) the original torch singer, but she was so much more. The versatile actress appeared on Broadway, in film, and on radio. In a number of stage revues, she danced, sang, and excelled in sketch comedy.
In this episode, I spoke with Bethan Jones about her book "The Truth Is Still Out There: 30 Years of the X-Files". In September 1993, a TV show like no other appeared on our screens, asking us to consider the essence of truth and belief, to think about the nature and roles of science and humanity, and to question what we were told by those in power. Combining horror, science fiction, drama, crime, and comedy with cinematic filmmaking, The X-Files transported the paranoia of the sixties and seventies to the technologically savvy nineties as it followed two iconic characters, FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.
In this episode, I spoke with Justin Owen Rawlins about his book "imagining The Method". Only one performance style has dominated the lexicon of the casual moviegoer: “Method acting.” The first reception-based analysis of film acting, Imagining the Method investigates how popular understandings of the so-called Method—what its author Justin Rawlins calls "methodness"—created an exclusive brand for white, male actors while associating such actors with rebellion and marginalization. Drawing on extensive archival research, the book maps the forces giving shape to methodness and policing its boundaries.
James Lott Jr introduces you to the Forgotten Hollywood Reference Book Collection. All can be found on Amazon.com as kindle or paperback!
In this episode, I spoke with author Burt Kearns about his book "Shemp! The Biography of The Three Stooges Shemp Howard, The Face of Film Comedy". Shemp Howard not only had one of the most distinctive faces of the twentieth century, but was also one of its most accomplished, influential comic actors and showbiz personalities. Along with his brother Moe and comedy violinist Larry Fine, Shemp was an original member of the comedy team that became known as the Three Stooges before he quit and set off on his own in 1932.
In this episode, I spoke with author Samuel Garza Bernstein about his book "Starring Joan Crawford". Joan Crawford: the name has an enduring fascination. Forty-five years after her death, Crawford remains a familiar icon in pop culture and the entertainment world. Certainly, the camp bathos of Mommie Dearest have played a part in her continued relevance. But it is ultimately her work and career themselves that account for her remarkable longevity in the culture
In this episode, I discuss some of the upcoming topics/books we will be discussing in the coming weeks. goto Facebook @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I spoke with John DiLeo about his latest book "Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances" which is out on October 10, 2024. John DiLeo's Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performancesputs the focus on some shockingly neglected achievements. James Stewart indeed won an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story (1940) while Cary Grant―every bit as funny as Stewart but in a different way―wasn't even nominated! Fredric March won his second Oscar for The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) while Myrna Loy, the other half of the film's peerless reunion scene, wasn't even nominated! From Charles Farrell in 7th Heaven (1927) to Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies (2015), DiLeo grapples with why such exceptional performances didn't make the final ballots.
Pre-order your copy today!
In this episode I spoke with Herbie J. Pilato about his two books on Elizabeth Montgomery and the upcoming Blue Ray "Bewitched: The Complete Series – 60th Anniversary Special Edition" which is scheduled for a February 2025 release.
In this episode, I spoke with authors Michael Benson and Craig Singer about their book "Moguls: The Lives and Times of Hollywood Film Pioneers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck".The sensational, lurid, and wickedly entertaining true story of the brothers who invented Hollywood to become the godfathers of cinema - movie moguls Nicholas and Joseph Schenck - studded with glamorous stars, scandals, mobsters, murders, and one legendary blond bombshell. . .
In this episode, I spoke with Emily Marinelli about her book "Comfort Sequels". Comfort Sequels is a sneaky memoir, celebrating the campiness and nostalgia that these films evoke. Every chapter is a love letter to a specific movie sequel.
In this episode, I spoke with author Kathleen Spaltro about her book "Lionel Barrymore: Character and Endurance in Hollywood's Golden Age". Once called "the most gifted character actor of our time" by Broadway theater producer Arthur Hopkins, Lionel Barrymore (1878–1954) was part of the illustrious Barrymore acting dynasty.
In this episode, we spoke with author Herbie J. Piato about his latest book "One Tough Dame: The Life and Times of Diana Rigg".One Tough Dame: The Life and Career of Diana Rigg offers a sweeping portrait of the revered performer’s life and career. Deemed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1994, Diana Rigg (1938–2020) initially found fame as super sleuth Mrs. Emma Peel in the 1960s BBC/ABC-TV espionage series The Avengers.
In this episode, we spoke with author Yunte Huang about his book "Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History". A trenchant reclamation of the Chinese American movie star, whose battles against cinematic exploitation and endemic racism are set against the currents of twentieth-century history.
In this episode, I spoke with actress Tina Cole. Many of you will remember her as Katie Miller Douglas on the sitcom My Three Sons. We talk about her career as an actress, singer, and on the stage. Plus, we talk about her book "My Three Lives".
In this episode, I spoke with author Greg Ehrbar about his book "Hanna-Barbera The Recorded History from Modren Stone Age to Meddling Kids". Featuring the first extensive Hanna-Barbera discography ever published and over 140 photos and illustrations!
Whether it’s Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, the Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, or hundreds of others, the creations of the Hanna-Barbera studio continue to delight generations worldwide. The groundbreaking company employed thousands in the art and business of animation.
In this episode, I spoke with Molly Schneider about her book "Gold Dust". From the late 1940s to the early 1960s, anthology dramas presented “quality” television programming in weekly stand-alone television plays meant to entertain and provide cultural uplift to American society. Programs such as Playhouse 90, Studio One, and The Twilight Zone became important emblems of American creative potential on television.
In this episode I spoke with author Tom Lisanti about his Dueling Harlow's: The Race to Bring the Actress's Life to the Silver Screen. We also had former actress Carol Hollenbeck who is not only discussed in the book but is friends of one of the actresses playing Jean Harlow. In recounting the making of the two films, this book (expanded from the original self-published edition) touches on Jean Harlow's life, the failed attempts to make a Harlow biopic in the 1950s, and the reviled, bestselling 1964 biography.
In this episode I spoke with author Foster Hirsch about his book "Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties: The Collapse of the Studio System, the Thrill of Cinerama, and the Invasion of the Ultimate Body Snatcher - Television". A fascinating look at Hollywood’s most turbulent decade and the demise of the studio system—set against the boom of the post-World War II years, the Cold War, and the atomic age—and the movies that reflected the seismic shifts.
His website is www.fosterhirsch.ink
Home - FOSTER HIRSCH
Foster Hirsch's latest book, Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties, has been called "the definitive book on 1950s Hollywood." Foster Hirsch will be presenting a number of films at NYC's Film Forum five-week series, 50 from the 50s, October 13 - November 16, 2023.
www.fosterhirsch.ink
In this episode I spoke with Andre Darlington about his book "Forbidden Cocktails". A stunning package for classic film buffs and drinks enthusiasts alike, all the “forbidden” fun of Pre-Code Hollywood and the Prohibition and speakeasy era meet in this stylish cocktail book.
In this episode I spoke with author Nat Segaloff about his book "The Naughty Bits: What the Censors Wouldn't Let You See in Hollywood's Most Famous Movies".
Between 1934 and 1968, no Hollywood studio could make a movie without the permission of and a seal of approval from the Production Code Administration. The Production Code was Hollywood's official censor. Screenplays, books, plays, costumes and even story ideas and songs had to be okayed by the Code before they could be filmed, and the Code monitored every stage of the production process to ensure compliance. The correspondence between the Code and the studios was confidential, and the memos within the Code office itself were even more so.
In this episode, I spoke with author Kurt Jensen about his book "Peerless Rouben Mamoulian, Hollywood, and Broadway. A proud Armenian who claimed a distant link to nobility, born in what was then part of czarist Russia, Rouben Mamoulian (1897–1987) was one of the most astonishing and confounding figures in American film and theater, directing the original stage productions of Porgy and Bess, Carousel, and Oklahoma!, as well as films including Love Me Tonight, Queen Christina, City Streets, and Silk Stockings. He was famously fired from the film version of Porgy and Bess in a dispute over publicity and quit Cleopatra after arguments over a single scene. Mamoulian’s mercurial confidence and autocratic tendencies were among the reasons he had a reputation for being uncompromising. This frustrating mix of genius and stubbornness, of critical successes and financial flops, has proven challenging for biographers.
In this episode, I spoke with Alonso Duralde about his book "Hollywood Pride". For generations, members of the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood needed to be discreet about their lives but—make no mistake—they were everywhere, both in front of and behind the camera.
In this episode, I spoke with Dean Butler about his book "Prairie Man: My Little House Life and Beyond". An illuminating, insider’s journey through the world of Little House on the Prairie and beyond, from Dean Butler, who starred as Almanzo Wilder, the man Laura “Half Pint” Ingalls married—on the iconic show still beloved by millions of fans as it reaches its 50th anniversary.
In this episode, I spoke with author Simon Lewis regarding his book "Making A Bridge To Far". A Bridge Too Far, released in 1977, was the last epic WWII movie made in the Hollywood studio system. Its ambitious goal: to recreate the Allied plan Operation Market-Garden in September 1944.
In this episode, I spoke with author Jared Stearns about his book "Pure: The Sexual Revolutions of Marilyn Chambers". The untold story of the world’s most famous X-rated star, who rose to fame as the face of Ivory Snow and the star of Behind the Green Door but struggled to find her true self in a world of sex, scandal, and shattered dreams.
In this episode, I spoke with author Scott Ryan regarding his book "The Last Decade of Cinema". Ah, the nineties. Movies were something in those days. We're talking about a decade that began with GoodFellas and ended with Magnolia, with such films as Malcolm X, Before Sunrise, and Clueless arriving somewhere in between.
In this episode, I spoke with Alexis Hunter about her book " Joi Lansing: A Body To Die For". Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For colorfully chronicles personal and intimate details of the last four years of the talented '50's "blonde bombshell" star's fascinating life. After three decades of successful TV and movie appearances and Vegas singing stardom, Ms. Lansing died far too young at just 43.
In this episode, I spoke with author A. Ashley Hoff about his book "With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of An Unintentional Camp Classic."
When she died in 1977, Joan Crawford was remembered as an icon of Hollywood's Golden Age—until publication the following year of her daughter’s memoir, Mommie Dearest.
Christina Crawford’s book was an immediate bestseller, combining the infrequently discussed topic of child abuse with the draw of Hollywood drama.
Episode 238 Kevin Winkler about his book "On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide"
In this episode, I spoke with Kevin Winkler about his book "On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide". Bette Midler today is a beloved legacy star, best known for her comic witch in Disney's Hocus Pocus (1993) and its 2022 sequel.
In this episode, I spoke with Matthew Kennedy about his book "On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide". A sweeping look at the career of a truly singular Hollywood star.
In the oceans of ink devoted to the monumental movie star/businesswoman/political activist Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (1932-2011), her beauty and not-so-private life frequently overshadowed her movies. While she knew how to generate publicity like no other, her personal life is set aside in this volume in favor of her professional oeuvre and unique screen dynamism.
In this episode, I spoke with Josh Young and Manfred Westphal about their book The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn. A riveting tell-all biography that delves into the extraordinary life of Hollywood’s most infamous private detective and “fixer” to the stars, revealing newly discovered shocking revelations from his never-before-seen investigative files.
In this episode I spoke with Michael F. Blake on his latest book "The Cavalry Trilogy: John Ford, John Wayne, And The Making Od Three Classic Westerns". Like other filmmakers in post-WWII Hollywood, John Ford (already a three-time Best Directing Oscar winner), longed for the freedom and independence to make his own films, away from the dictates of studio executives. Then, in 1946, Ford and producer Merian C. Cooper (King Kong) decided to form their own production company, Argosy Productions. But their first venture was a financial flop, burdening the new company with heavy debt.
In this episode, I spoke with author M.J. Trow about his book "History vs Hollywood: How the Past is Filmed". Film studios have been making historical movies now for over a century. In that time, thousands of films have been made covering not just centuries but millennia.
In this episode, I discuss with author Dwayne Epstein and his book "Killin' Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic WW II Movie of All Time". It has been a year since we spoke with Dwayne, and he has come back to discuss the past year regarding his book. An explosive inside look at The Dirty Dozen, the star-studded war film that broke the rules, shocked the critics, thrilled audiences, and became an all-time classic . .
In this episode, I spoke with author Daniel De Vise' regarding his latest book "The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise Of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic". The story of the epic friendship between John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, the golden era of improv, and the making of a comedic film classic that helped shape our popular culture.
In this episode, I discuss Heidi Honeycutt and her book "I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies". From the first silent reels to modern independent films, in this book, you’ll discover the creepy, horrible, grotesque, beautiful, wrong, good, and fantastic — and the one thing they share in common. This is the true history of women directing horror movies.
In this episode, I spoke with author Thom Shubilla about his latest book " James Bond and the Sixties Spy Craze". James Bond the the 60s Spy Craze will explore James Bond films and the number of movies and television shows of the 1960s inspired by Ian Fleming’s character. The book also delves into the production, casting, merchandise, and music that helped to make James Bond a household name and a cultural touchstone.
In this episode, I discuss with Professor Timothy Corrigan his latest book "Describing Cinema". In Describing Cinema, award-winning film scholar Timothy Corrigan explores the art and poetics of writing about film. Part theory, part rhetoric, and part pedagogy, the text examines and demonstrates acts of describing scenes, shots, and sequences in films as the most common and most underestimated way viewers respond to movies.
In this episode, I spoke with author Burt Kearns on his recent book "Marlon Brando Hollywood Rebel. Over the last eighty years, Marlon Brando has become such an object of fascination, buried under so many accreted layers of mythos and half-truth, that it is all but impossible to see the man behind the icon. As we approach the centennial of this undisputed American legend, Marlon Brando: Hollywood Rebel isa revelatory biography that tells its story the same way the man himself approached a role: from the inside.
In this episode, I spoke with the authors Alain Silver and James Ursini about their book "From the Moment They Met It Was Murder: Double Indemnity and the Rise of Film Noir'. The behind-the-scenes story of the quintessential film noir and cult classic, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity—its true crime origins and crucial impact on film history—is told for the first time in this riveting narrative published for the film's 80th anniversary.
In this episode, I spoke with Kathleen Loock regarding her book "Hollywood Remaking: How Film Remakes, Sequels, and Franchises Shape Industry and Culture".From the inception of cinema to today’s franchise era, remaking has always been a motor of ongoing film production. Hollywood Remaking challenges the categorical dismissal in film criticism of remakes, sequels, and franchises by probing what these formats really do when they revisit familiar stories.
In this episode, I spoke with authors Colin Gunckel and Laura Isabel Serna about their book "There Are No Hispanic Stars! Collected Writing Of A Latino Film Critic In Hollywood, 1921-1939. In the 1920s and 1930s a uniquely Mexican American entertainment culture flourished across the southwestern United States. Spanish-language newspapers offered theater listings, coverage of favorite performers, cultural criticism, and serialized novels that thematized entertainment culture. Gabriel Navarro was a key figure in this milieu.
In this episode, I spoke with author Phillip Gefter about the book "Cocktails with George and Martha: Movies, Marriage, and the Making of Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?" From its debut in 1962, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was a wild success and a cultural lightning rod. The play transpires over one long, boozy night, laying bare the lies, compromises, and scalding love that have sustained a middle-aged couple through decades of marriage.
In this episode, I discuss a "Forgotten Hollywood" Oscar winner, Ronald Colman. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, i spoke with author Henry Parke about his book “The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them”. The Greatest Westerns Ever Made and the People Who Made Them provides an eclectic review of the Western film and television genre, from John Ford’s classic, black and white films, to Deadwood and indie darlings. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with authors Matthew Solomon and Murray Pomerance we discussed "The Biggest Thing in Show Business: Living It Up With Martin and Lewis". From 1946 to 1956, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis provoked audiences into rollicking laughter as they shook up and delighted a culture they both mediated and made fun of. Using the duo's phenomenal popularity as a starting point, The Biggest Thing in Show Business looks askance at postwar America with a fast-moving sweep, jam-packed with unexpected connections, revealing details, and surprising insights. Doug Hess is the host.
It's the 3rd anniversary of the HIT podcast on JLJ Media! James Lott Jr and Doug Hess celebrate!
Thank you to all the guests, PR persons, and listeners!
In this episode, I spoke with author Brian Clune and his book "Ghost and Legends of Hollywood". Hollywood is supposed to be the place where dreams come true, but it's also where nightmares come to life. Spirits haunt the halls of renowned studios, legendary cafes, and lavish estates, while rumors of curses lurk in the shadows of the rich and famous. It's said that stars like James Dean, Carrie Fisher, and Prince once predicted their own deaths, while slain screenwriter Paul Bern tried in vain to warn Sharon Tate about her own fate.
In this episode I discuss with Dave Karger (a host with TCM's) his book "50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars and Filmmakers On Their Career-Defining Wins".An exclusive look behind the scenes of the Academy Awards as top stars and filmmakers discuss their Oscar wins and tell never-before-told tales of Hollywood's biggest night, in a collection of original interviews with Turner Classic Movies host and entertainment media journalist Dave Karger.
In this episode I discuss with author E. J. Stephen his book "Legends of Westwood Village Cemetery". Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery, located on Los Angeles's trendy west side, has been the leading choice for celebrity burials since Marilyn Monroe was interred here in 1962. The cemetery houses the remains of a plethora of household names, including Patty Andrews, Eve Arden, Lew Ayres, Jim Backus, Richard Basehart, Peter Bogdanovich, Ray Bradbury, Fanny Brice, Les Brown, Truman Capote, John Cassavetes, James Coburn, Jackie Collins, Richard Conte, Tim Conway, Bob Crane, Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Dawson, Kirk Douglas, Peter Falk, Farrah Fawcett, June Foray, Stan Freberg, Eva Gabor, Merv Griffin, Jonathan Harris, Hugh Hefner, Florence Henderson, Brian Keith, Stan Kenton, Jack Klugman, Don Knotts, Burt Lancaster, Peggy Lee, Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Karl Malden, Dean Martin, Walter Matthau, Rod McKuen, David Nelson, Lloyd Nolan, Carroll O'Connor, Heather O'Rourke, Bettie Page, Wolfgang Petersen, Gregor Piatigorsky, Donna Reed, Buddy Rich, Minnie Riperton, Doris Roberts, Wayne Rogers, George C. Scott, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Stack, Dorothy Stratten, Alvin Toffler, Mel Tormé, Josef von Sternberg, Harry Warren, Cornel Wilde, Billy Wilder, Carl Wilson, Natalie Wood, Darryl F. Zanuck, Frank Zappa, and hundreds more.
Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Marc Wanamaker and his book "Hollywood on the Santa Monica Beach". Since pioneer filmmakers arrived on its shoreline in the early 20th century, the Santa Monica beach has been a popular location for the making of movies and television productions. Its enchanting beauty led studio moguls, producers, and celebrities to build beach houses there, creating what became known as "Hollywood's Playground." The sand and shore of the Santa Monica beach became a favored site for the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Marion Davies, William Randolph Hearst, and Cary Grant. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss the life and career of Will Geer. He is best-known role was his last, Zebulon Walton, grandpa in the long-running television series The Waltons. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Anthony Uzarowski about his book "Jessica Lange: An Adventurer's Heart". Brilliant, beautiful, driven, uncompromising, elusive, iconic―Jessica Lange is one of the most gifted and fascinating actors of her generation. From her rise to fame in Dino De Laurentiis's remake of King Kong (1976) and her Oscar-winning performances in Tootsie (1982) and Blue Sky (1994); to her Emmy-winning work in Grey Gardens (2009) and the American Horror Story series; and her Tony Award–winning turn in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (2016), Lange has had a long and illustrious career on-screen and onstage
In this episode, I discuss the career of Tom Neal.Thomas Carroll Neal Jr. (January 28, 1914 – August 7, 1972) was an American actor and successful amateur boxer best known for his co-starring role in the critically lauded film Detour, for having a widely publicized affair with actress Barbara Payton, and for later being convicted and imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter. Doug Hess is the host.
In this episode, we discuss Danny Kaye with Warren Croom and Liz Caputa who runs the Facebook page Danny Kaye King of Jesters. Please make sure to check out their website.
In this episode, I discuss with author Christian Esquevin this latest book "Designing Hollywood".Since the 1920s, fashion has played a central role in Hollywood. As the movie-going population consisted largely of women, studios made a concerted effort to attract a female audience by foregrounding fashion.
In this episode, I discuss with author Donal Brackett his book "Double Solitaire: The Films of Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder". Before Hitchcock and Herrmann, before Herzog and Kinski, there was Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder. Despite their shared nickname, writer-producer Charles Brackett and writer-director Billy Wilder were not, in fact, the “happiest couple in Hollywood.”
In this episode, I spoke with Tom Shubilla about his book "Primetime 1966-1967 The Full Spectrum of Television's 1ist All-Color Season". The year 1966 was when many TV viewers all over America discovered the wonders of "in living color." The 1966-1967 primetime television lineup was remarkable not only for the legendary shows that aired but also because it was the first season in which every show on primetime, across all three major networks, was broadcast entirely in color.
In this episode, I spoke with Gary Cooper's daughter, Maria Cooper Janis, about her father and the book she provided family photos for "Gary Cooper Enduring Style". Maria also discussed a film that she thinks is under appreciated and that is "The Hanging Tree". Check it out!
In this episode, I discuss with author G. Bruse Boyer his book "Gary Cooper Enduring Style". Few things are truly timeless. Martinis, The Beatles, bespoke tweed…and, of course, Gary Cooper. Perhaps the nonpareil of Golden Age Hollywood's gentlemen, Gary Cooper was a beloved icon of manliness and style in his prime—and has aged like fine wine. He is the definition of classic.
In this episode, we discuss the film life of Dennis O'Keefe. Dennis was a tall, cheerful, outdoorsy leading man of Hollywood B movies who started in show business as an infant accompanying his vaudevillian parents on the stage. In his teens, Dennis started to write film scripts while attending college.
In this episode, I discuss the life of Dennis Morgan. Many of you may remember his performance as seaman "Jefferson Jones", with Barbara Stanwyck in Christmas in Connecticut (1945).
In this episode, I spoke with the author Sam Wasson on his book regarding Francis Ford Coppola titled "The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola". story. Francis Ford Coppola is one of the great American dreamers, and his most magnificent dream is American Zoetrope, the production company he founded in San Francisco years before his gargantuan success when he was only thirty. Through Zoetrope’s experimental, communal utopia, Coppola attempted to reimagine the entire pursuit of moviemaking
In this episode, we discuss the career of actor William Tracy.
Grab our Forgotten Hollywood Book Series: Business Movies and Christmas Movies! Both available on Amazon!
In this episode I discuss the life of Evelyn Ankers. Many will remember her for playing opposite Lon Chaney, Jr. in five films. The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Son of Dracula (1943), Weird Woman (1944) and The Frozen Ghost (1945).
In this episode, I discuss the life of character actor Clifford Porter Hall. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I spoke with author Robert Dance and his book "Ferocious Ambition: Joan Crawford's March to Stardom". Robert Dance’s new evaluation of Joan Crawford looks at her entire career and―while not ignoring her early years and tempestuous personal life―focuses squarely on her achievements as an actress, and as a woman who mastered the studio system with a rare combination of grit, determination, beauty, and talent.
In this episode, I spoke with author Mark A Vieira on his book "George Hurrall's Hollywood: Glamour Portraits 1925-1992". George Hurrell was called the “Rembrandt of Hollywood.” Before his arrival, movie star portraits were “soft focus” and undistinguished, derivative of the Main Street USA portrait salon. Hurrell instituted a sharp, dramatic look. The vibrant, temperamental artist was an original, loved by the subjects he glamorized. For these performers, a Hurrell portrait was the passport to immortality.
In this episode, I spoke with author Laurence Leamer "Hitchcock's Blondes: The Unforgettable Women Behind the Legendary Director's Dark Obsession". Alfred Hitchcock was fixated—not just on the dark, twisty stories that became his hallmark, but also by the blond actresses who starred in many of his iconic movies. The director of North by Northwest, Rear Window, and other classic films didn’t much care if they wore wigs, got their hair coloring out of a bottle, or were the rarest human specimen—a natural blonde—as long as they shone with a golden veneer on camera.
In this episode, I spoke with author Scott Ryan on his book "Moonlighting: An Oral History". Once upon a time ABC-TV’s Moonlighting was among the most buzzed-about shows in the country, thanks largely to the bravado of creator Glenn Gordon Caron, who never met a television convention he didn’t want to break, and the sizzling on-screen chemistry between glamorous erstwhile film star Cybill Shepherd and a New Jersey bartender nobody had ever heard of before named Bruce Willis, who bickered and flirted ceaselessly on screen and engaged in epic off-screen battles that all these years later remain the stuff of Hollywood legend.
In this episode, I spoke with author Scott Eyman on his book "Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided". The remarkable, must-read story of Charlie Chaplin’s years of exile from the United States during the postwar Red Scare, and how it ruined his film career
In this episode, I spoke with George Schlatter about his boo " Still Laughing A Life in Comedy From The Creator Of Laugh-In". In 1967, producer George Schlatter pitched an idea for a quirky new television show: one inspired by the hippie counterculture, which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins, and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into pure comedy. Much to the surprise of NBC executives, Laugh-In soon became the #1 show on American TV, and the careers of beloved stars like Lily Tomlin and Goldie Hawn were born.
In this episode I spoke with Episode 186 author Nat Segaloff and his book "Say Hello To My Little Friend: A Century Of Scarface". Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Scarface starring Al Pacino—Brian DePalma’s 1983 gangster film that shook the world, shocked the critics, and shot bullet holes through the American Dream—this explosive Hollywood tell-all charts not only the phenomenon of this controversial classic but also the equally controversial legacy of the original 1932 Scarface that inspired it . . .
In this episode, I spoke with author Dale Sherman on his book "The Worst We Can Find: MST3K, Rifftrax, And The History of Heckling At The Movies". Had you tuned in to the small television station KTMA on Thanksgiving Day, 1988, you would have been one of the few witnesses to pop culture history being made. On that day, viewers in and around St. Paul, Minnesota, were treated to a genuine oddity, in which a man and his robots, trapped within a defiantly DIY sci-fi set, cracked jokes while watching a terrible movie.
In this episode, I spoke with author/actor Nick Santa Maria about his book "The Annotated Abbott and Costello: A Complete Viewer's Guide to the Comedy Team and Their 38 Films".
Abbott and Costello were the most popular comedians of the 1940s, with burlesque-inspired routines that enthralled audiences on both radio and television. Oddly, their films have not received the same level of attention from critics and writers as those of other comedy teams.This book is a scene-by-scene, film-by-film guide to their movies, making a compelling case for their inclusion at the very top of comic artists.
In this episode, I spoke with author Milan Hain about his latest book "Starmaker: David O. Selznick and the Production of Stars in the Hollywood Studio System". David O. Selznick (1902–1965) was one of the most prominent film producers of the Hollywood studio era, responsible for such artistic and commercial triumphs as King Kong, David Copperfield, Anna Karenina, A Star Is Born, Gone with the Wind, Rebecca, Spellbound, and The Third Man. However, film production was not his only domain. Starting in the late 1930s, he built an impressive stable of stars within his own independent company, including Ingrid Bergman, Vivien Leigh, Joan Fontaine, Jennifer Jones, and Gregory Peck.
Episode 182 - author John Trafton talking about his book Movie Made Los Angeles
In this episode, I spoke with author John Trafton talking about his book "Movie Made Los Angeles". Los Angeles was a cinematic city long before the rise of Hollywood. By the dawn of the twentieth century, photography, painting, and tourist promotion in Southern California provided early filmmakers with a template for building a myth-making business and envisioning ideal moviegoers.
The book will be out on October 17, 2023. Order your copy today.
In this episode, I spoke with Shelley Herman and her book "My Peacock Tale: Secrets of An NBC Page". My Peacock Tale: Secrets Of An NBC Page is a funny, sexy, gossipy, celebrity-filled memoir with real-life, never-before-told stories. Set against the backdrop of NBC Burbank in the mid-70s, the Pages had VIP access to stars ranging from Johnny Carson to Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner to Andy Kaufman, Freddie Prinze to Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, John Travolta, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donald Trump, Johnny Cash, Harry Chapin and iconic legends including Bob Hope, Betty White, Elvis Presley, Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Alfred Hitchcock and many more.
In this episode, I spoke with both David Fantle and Tom Johnson regarding their latest book " C'mon Get Happy The Making of Summer Stock". The book will be out in mid-October. In their third and final screen teaming, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly starred together in the MGM musical Summer Stock. Despite its riveting production history, charismatic lead actors, and classic musical moments, the movie has not received the same attention as other musicals from MGM’s storied dream factory. In C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of “Summer Stock,” authors David Fantle and Tom Johnson present a comprehensive study of this 1950 motion picture, from start to finish and after its release.
The University Press of Mississippi is offering 30% off when you order the book from The University Press of Mississippi website. The code (all caps) GETHAPPY30. Offer is good through December 31, 2023.
In this episode, I spoke with author Greg Ehrbar regarding his book "Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records". Around the world there are grandparents, parents, and children who can still sing ditties by Tigger or Baloo the Bear or the Seven Dwarves. This staying power and global reach is in large part a testimony to the pizzazz of performers, songwriters, and other creative artists who worked with Walt Disney Records.
In this episode, I spoke with author Paul A Thomas on his latest book "Exploring The Land of Ooo: An Unofficial Overview and Production History of Cartoon Network's Adventure Time". Exploring the Land of Ooo: An Unofficial Overview and Production History of Cartoon Network’s "Adventure Time" is a guide through the colorful and exuberant animated television series that initially aired from 2010 to 2018. Created by visionary artist Pendleton Ward, the series was groundbreaking and is credited by many with heralding in a new golden age of animation.
In this episode I spoke with author Chris Yogerst on this book "The Warner Brothers". One of the oldest and most recognizable studios in Hollywood, Warner Bros. is considered a juggernaut of the entertainment industry. Since its formation in the early twentieth century, the studio has been a constant presence in cinema history, responsible for the creation of acclaimed films, blockbuster brands, and iconic superstars.
n this episode, I discuss the career of Pinto Colvig with guest Spencer Wright. Pinto had a very interesting career with Disney and other studios.
In this episode, I discuss with author Dale Sherman his book "Four Scores and Seven Reels Ago". Four Scores and Seven Reels Ago: The U.S. Presidency through Hollywood Films examines the ways Hollywood has portrayed the presidency over the years.
In this episode, we discuss the act of Steve Buscemi coming back to New York to help other firefighters during the September 11, 2023 events at the World Trade Center.
In this episode, I spoke with the author Chris Alexander on his book Corman/Poe: Interviews and Essays Exploring the Making of Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe Films, 1960-1964. Produced on modest budgets for American International Pictures, Roger Corman's adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories were popular in their time as escapist horror cinema. Most starred horror icon Vincent Price and were written (and "freely adapted") by the likes of Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont and Robert Towne.
In this episode, I spoke with author Andrew Patrick Nelson about his book "Still In The Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969 -1980". By the end of the 1960s, the Hollywood West of Tom Mix, Randolph Scott, and even John Wayne was passé—or so the story goes. Many film historians and critics have argued that movies portraying a mythic American West gave way to revisionist films that influential filmmakers such as Sam Peckinpah and Robert Altman made as violent critiques of the Western’s “golden years.”
University of Oklahoma Press
In this episode, I spoke with author Lesley Coffin regarding her book "Hitchcock's Stars: Alfred Hitchcock and the Hollywood Studio System". Although he was a visual stylist who once referred to actors as cattle, Alfred Hitchcock also had a remarkable talent for innovative and creative casting choices. The director launched the careers of several actors and completely changed the trajectory of others, many of whom created some of the most iconic screen performances in history
In this episode I spoke with author Dan Callahan about his latest book "Bing and Billie and Frank and Ella and Judy and Barbra" which will be out on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, from Chicago Review Press. Crosby, Holiday, Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Garland, and Streisand were the major interpreters of the American songbook, and this is the interlocking story of their lives and careers.
Here is the epic tale of how these artists dominated American popular music over a fifty-year period, a roller coaster ride that gains momentum through the 1930s and ’40s, reaches a crest of magical creativity in the 1950s and early '60s, and then crashes down by the early 1970s, a half century when the great American songbook dominated the airwaves and the fight for racial equality came to the forefront.
Pre-order your book today!
Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance by Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère is an all-encompassing work following the American dance legend from her premature birth into a single-parent home in Springfield, Massachusetts, to her first Broadway performance at age fifteen, through her days as a blazing icon in the world of Hollywood, and finally, to her inspiring comeback. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, my friend of the show, Warren Croom and I spoke with actor Johnny Whitaker. Johhny talks about his years as a child actor. The redheaded Whitaker played Jody Davis on Family Affair from 1966 to 1971. He also originated the role of Scotty Baldwin on General Hospital in 1965, and played the lead in Hallmark's 1969 The Littlest Angel, and portrayed the title character in the 1973 musical version of Tom Sawyer.
In this episode I spoke with Bambi Moe about her book "Part of the Magic". Part of the Magic: A Collection of Disney-Inspired Brushes with Greatness is a book of remarkable and wildly entertaining anecdotal stories told through the lens of an entertainment industry insider.
In this episode, I discuss the life of the actress Thelma Ritter. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Robert Miklitsch and his book I Died A Million Times: Gangster Noir In Midcentury America. In the 1950s, the gangster movie and film noir crisscrossed to create gangster noir. Robert Miklitsch takes readers into this fascinating subgenre of films focused on crime syndicates, crooked cops, and capers.
In this episode, author Spence Wright returns to discuss the career of Lucilla La Verne. Many of you will know her as the Evil Queen/Old Hag from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In this episode, I spoke with author Ruby Blondell about her latest book "Helen of Troy In Hollywood" which will be out on August 1, 2023, by Princeton Press. Helen of Troy in Hollywood examines the figure of the mythic Helen in film and television, showing how storytellers from different Hollywood eras have used Helen to grapple with the problems and dynamics of gender and idealized femininity.
You can preorder the book at Princeton Press and receive 30% off by using the code P325.
In this episode, I have a conversation regarding the TCM turmoil with a former employee JayJay Epega. TCM has officially closed airing in England. Jay Jay offers insight. James Lott JR talks about the business and social implications. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Bernard F. Dick on his book Hal Wallis: Producer to the Stars. Hal Wallis (1898-1986) might not be as well known as David O. Selznick or Samuel Goldwyn, but the films he produced—Casablanca, Jezebel, Now, Voyager, The Life of Emile Zola, Becket, True Grit, and many other classics (as well as scores of Elvis movies)—have certainly endured. The publisher of the book is the University Press of Kentucky.
In this episode I discuss with author Michelle Morgan about her lates book "When Marilyn Met the Queen: Marilyn Monroe's Life in England" which was published by Pegasus Books and is available for purchase. In July 1956, Marilyn Monroe arrived in London—on honeymoon with her husband Arthur Miller—to make The Prince and the Showgirl with Sir Laurence Olivier. It was meant to be a happy time . . .
Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with the President/CEO of JLJ Media James Lott Jr, and we discussed the current turmoil of TCM.
In this episode I spoke with author Nat Segaloff regarding his latest book "The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear" which will be out on July 25, 2023. Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever made and its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film.
In this episode, I spoke with Mark Kratzner who is the curator of the Red Skelton Museum. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Spencer Wright about his latest book Enchanted Disney: Stories of Walt, Hollywood, and Live-Action Film from BearManor Media. In its centennial year, take a journey through the history of the Walt Disney Company through the lens of the studio’s live-action films, and the life of its co-creator Walt Disney. By discussing the life and work of fifteen people who contributed to live-action features. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with Eddie Muller about his book Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired By The World Of Film Noir. Mr. Muller is the host of TCM's Noir Alley and one of the world's leading authorities on film noir, taking film buffs and drink enthusiasts alike on a spirited tour through the "dark city" of film noir.
Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I spoke with John Kelsch and Janie Heitz from the Judy Garland Museum. The museum is located in Grand Rapid, MN. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with Keith Phipps regarding his book "The Age of Cage". Age of Cage is a smart, beguiling book about the films of Nicolas Cage and the actor himself, as well as a sharp-eyed examination of the changes that have taken place in Hollywood over the course of his career. Critic and journalist Keith Phipps draws a portrait of the enigmatic icon by looking at―what else?―Cage’s expansive filmography.Doug Hess is the host.
In this episode, I discuss with author Vicki Mayer her book "Almost Hollywood Nearly New Orleans The Lure of the Local Film Economy". Early in the twenty-first century, Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the United States, redirected millions in tax dollars from public coffers in an effort to become the top location site globally for the production of Hollywood films and television series.
A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.
In this episode, I spoke with author Dana Stevens regarding her book. In this genre-defying work of cultural history, the chief film critic of Slate places comedy legend and acclaimed filmmaker Buster Keaton’s unique creative genius in the context of his time. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with the author Lesley L. Coffin about her book "Lew Ayres Hollywood's Conscientious Objector". Ayres became known to the public when he portrayed the leading character in the epic war film All Quiet on the Western Front. The role made him a household name, introduced him to his closest friends, brought him to the attention of his first two wives, and would overshadow the rest of his career. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author James L. Neibaur his book "The Monster Movies of Universal Studios". In 1931 Universal Studios released Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. This box office success was followed by a string of films featuring macabre characters and chilling atmospherics, including Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man. With each new film, Universal established its place in the Hollywood firmament as the leading producer of horror films, a status it enjoyed for more than twenty year. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Janie McKirgan who is the President/Executive Director of the Jimmy Stewart Museum about the museum. Doug Hess is the host.
In this episode, I discuss with John Urbancik (partner of the late author Mary E. Lescher) in which John carries on her work. Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida opened in Orlando at the dawn of the Disney Renaissance. As a member of the crew, Mary E. Lescher witnessed the small studio’s rise and fall during a transformative era in company and movie history.
UnversityofIllinoisPress
In this episode speak with author Charles Casillo regarding his book "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship". Violet-eyed siren Elizabeth Taylor and classically handsome Montgomery Clift were the most gorgeous screen couple of their time. Over two decades of friendship they made, separately and together, some of the era's defining movies--including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Misfits, Suddenly, Last Summer, and Cleopatra. Yet the relationship between these two figures--one a dazzling, larger-than-life star, the other hugely talented yet fatally troubled--has never truly been explored until now. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Melanie Bell regarding her latest book "Movie Workers: The Women Who Made Brish Cinema". After the advent of sound, women in the British film industry formed an essential corps of below-the-line workers, laboring in positions from animation artist to negative cutter to costume designer. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Edwin Canfield his book "Fact, Fiction, and the Forbidden Predictions of the Amazing Criswell". Jeron Charles Criswell King, better known simply as Criswell, can rightfully be described as one of the first pop celebrity psychics. His bizarre predictions ― 87 percent of which came true, he claimed ― appeared from the 1950s through the 1970s in newspapers and magazines, while the flamboyant showman hosted his own Los Angeles television show, guested on national TV and in Ed Wood movies, including Plan 9 from Outer Space, alongside Vampira, Tor Johnson and Bela Lugosi. Unsuccessful attempts to find fame on Broadway and Tin Pan Alley did not prevent him from co-authoring three books on how to succeed in these fields.
In this episode, I discuss with author Kristen Lopez her latest book "But Have You Read The Book Yet? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films".Within these pages, Turner Classic Movies offers an endlessly fascinating look at 52 beloved screen adaptations and the great reads that inspired them.Doug Hess is the host!
Van Johnson was the fresh-faced, well-mannered nice guy on screen you always wanted your daughter to marry! This fair, freckled, and invariably friendly-looking MGM song-and-dance star of the 40s emerged as a box office favorite (1944-1946) and second only to heartthrob Frank Sinatra during what gossipmonger Hedda Hopper dubbed the "Bobbysoxer Blitz" era. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I spoke with Dwayne Epstein regarding his latest book Killin' Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic WWII Movie of All Time. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Benard F. Dick about his book That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical. That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical traces the development of the MGM musical from The Broadway Melody (1929) through its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s and its decline in the 1960s, Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I along with Don Sanders discuss the career of Chuck McCann.A third-generation performer and the son of a singing band leader, Chuck McCann was already a show business veteran by age eleven.McCann went on to become a successful comic/character actor and mimic, doing voice-over for many television cartoon shows and playing character parts in numerous dramatic and comedic TV series and movies. Doug Hess is the host!
The history of Warner Bros. is not just the tale of a legendary film studio and its stars, but of classic Hollywood itself, as well as a portrait of America in the last century. It’s a family story of Polish-Jewish immigrants—the brother's Warner—who took advantage of new opportunities in the burgeoning film industry at a time when four mavericks could invent ways of operating, of warding off government regulation, and of keeping audiences coming back for more during some of the nation's darkest days.
In this episode, I discuss with author Herbie J Pilato regarding his latest book "Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV's Social Circuitry". This book captured so many things about Retro Active Television that I had forgotten about and brought other stories to light that I never knew existed. Herbie J. Pilato shares so many stories, interviews and facts about what I believe television was made for. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I had a discussion with author Stuart Klawans regarding his latest book "Crooked, but Never Common: The Films of Preston Sturges". In a burst of creativity unmatched in Hollywood history, Preston Sturges directed a string of all-time classic comedies from 1939 through 1948―The Great McGinty, The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Palm Beach Story, and The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek among them―all from screenplays he alone had written.Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Polly Rose about Buster Keaton. Polly is a film editor by trade and is working on her Ph.D. with her paper on Buster Keaton as an editor.
The DVD commentary Polly recorded for the early version of Our Hospitality: https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/buster-keaton-our-hospitality-go-west-college/
The article Polly wrote for the International Buster Keaton Society on the making of Sherlock Jr (free download): https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/he-floats-from-the-operating-booth-the-tale-not-told-of-sherlock-
Slapstick Festival: https://slapstick.org.uk
South West Silents: https://www.southwestsilents.com
The International Buster Keaton Society: https://busterkeaton.org
Charlie Chaplin's digitized archive: http://www.charliechaplinarchive.org/en/
In this episode I discuss the life of Grace Bradley. A petite and extremely lovely blonde "B" film actress who eventually deserted her career in favor of standing by her man (cowboy icon William Boyd, aka, "Hopalong Cassidy"), Grace Bradley spent the rest of her life in his shadow and devoting herself to her husband's career. Bill's Hoppy was the longest span of any fictional character played by the same actor. Following his death in 1972, she spent a good deal of her time keeping his good name and image in tact. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Edward J Delaney his book "The Acrobat".“Everyone wants to be Cary Grant,” mused the world’s most famous leading man. Even I want to be Cary Grant.” In The Acrobat, fiction writer Edward J. Delaney takes on the elusive character of Cary Grant. He imagines the inner life of a man who spent a career brilliantly creating a persona as ethereal as his best roles.
Episode 125 Author Ron Backer regarding his book Mystery Movie Series of 1940's Hollywood
In this episode I spoke with author Ron Backer regarding his book Mystery Movie Series of 1940's Hollywood. Ellery Queen, Boston Blackie, Michael Shayne, Dick Tracy, the Falcon these are but a few of the celebrated fictional sleuths who appeared in popular Hollywood movie mystery series. This volume focuses on 19 series (146 films) that were primarily released during the 1940s.
Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I talk with author David C Tucker regarding his book Rochelle Hudson: A Biography and Career Record. Hudson won her first film contract at the age of 14.
In this episode, I spoke with author Nicholas Parisi regarding his book Rod Serling His Life, Work, and Imagination. Many know Serling for being the creator, host, and primary writer for The Twilight Zone but he had written over 250 scripts for film and TV. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I speak with author Kristen Anderson Wagner regarding her book Comic Venus Women and Comedy in American Silent Film. Comic Venus is the first book to explore the overlooked contributions made by comediennes in American silent film. Those with an interest in film and representations of femininity in comedy will be fascinated by the analytical connections and thoroughly researched histories of these women and their groundbreaking movements in comedy and stage. Doug Hess is the host !
In defiance of the alleged "death of romantic comedy," After "Happily Ever After": Romantic Comedy in the Post-Romantic Age edited by Maria San Filippo attests to rom-com’s continuing vitality in new modes and forms that reimagine and rejuvenate the genre in ideologically, artistically, and commercially innovative ways. No longer the idyllic fairy tale, today’s romantic comedies ponder the realities and complexities of intimacy, fortifying the genre’s gift for imagining human connection through love and laughter. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I spoke with author Robert Hofler regarding his book "The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen".It’s one of the greatest movie romances of all time. Fifty years on, the chemistry between Barbra Streisand as Jewish working-class firebrand Katie Worosky and Robert Redford as all-American golden boy Hubbell Gardiner remains potent. Yet the friction and controversy surrounding The Way We Were was so enormous, the movie was nearly never made at all. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I spoke with author John Stangeland regarding his book Aline MacMahon: Hollywood, the Blacklist, and the Birth of Method Acting. During the 1930s and 1940s, MacMahon starred in countless films and was among the most influential actors of the era, her talent revered as highly as peers Katherine Hepburn, Paul Muni, and Bette Davis. Her pioneering use of a new acting style brought to America from Russia by Konstantin Stanlisavsky―now widely known as the Method―began a revolution on the screen and made her an industry darling. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I discuss with author Michael Seth Starr regarding his latest book "Don Rickles: Merchant of Venom". Riding a wave of success that lasted more than sixty years, Don Rickles is best known as the “insult” comic who skewered presidents, royalty, celebrities, and friends and fans alike. But there was more to “Mr. Warmth” than a devilish ear-to-ear grin and lightning-fast put-downs. Rickles was a loving husband, an adoring father who suffered a devastating loss, and a loyal friend to the likes of Bob Newhart and Frank Sinatra. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I discuss with author Chris Palmer regarding his book The Fresh Prince Project. More than thirty years have passed since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on NBC but unlike other family sitcoms of its era, it has remained culturally relevant and beloved by new generations of fans.
In this episode I spoke with Daniel Titley's regarding his latest book "London After Midnight The Lost Film". For decades, the mystique of Lon Chaney's 1927 mystery-thriller, London After Midnight, has pondered the minds of horror buffs, silent film enthusiasts and film collectors alike. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with the author Jeff Keene II in his book Under the Rainbow. There's No Place Like Home
The magical Ruby Slippers, worn by actress Judy Garland in MGM's beloved 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz is perhaps the most iconic example of movie memorabilia in the world. The pair on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History draws more visitors than any other exhibit at the famed museum... with the single exception of The Star Spangled Banner.
With a market value exceeding $6,000,000 they are easily the most expensive prop in Hollywood history, sought after by collectors... and thieves. On August 28, 2005, the "Traveling Pair" which was on display at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, was stolen and remained missing until July 2018.
This is the true story of their recovery.
In this episode we discuss with authors Carol Ford and Linda Groundwater about their biography on Bob Crane titled "Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography". Since his untimely death on June 29, 1978, Bob Crane's unofficial biography has become akin to a broken record. Like a skip in the acetate, his murder and the scandal that grew from it have been the repeated focus of attention, to the exclusion of nearly everything else. Over time, the line between fact and fiction blurred, and his life story became distorted. All perspective on Bob Crane as a human being was lost, and he became nothing more than a two-dimensional cartoon character without depth, understanding, or definition. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with former executive director of the Academy for over twenty years regarding his book The Academy Award and The Award: The Coming of Age of Oscar and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For all the near-fanatic attention brought each year to the Academy Awards, the organization that dispenses those awards—the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—has yet to be understood. To date, no one has ever produced a thorough account of the Academy’s birth and its awkward adolescence, and the few reports on those periods from outside have always had a glancing, cursory quality. Yet the story of the Academy’s creation and development is a critical piece of Hollywood’s history.DougHess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Paul Fischer his latest book The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures: A True Tale of Obsession, Murder, and The Movies. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with actress Jessica Sherr on her play Bette Davis Ain't No Sissy. Actress and playwright, Jessica Sherr, powerfully channels Bette Davis in her fight against the male-dominated studio system. On the night of the 1939 Oscars, Bette returns home knowing she’s to lose Best Actress to Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara, because the press has leaked the winners. Miss Davis takes us on the bumpy ride of her tumultuous rise, as this tenacious actress fights her way up the studio system to reach the top of her profession.Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we talk with Eric Grayson who is a film preservationist, author, and Indiana film expert.
In this episode, I speak with author Cathy Fitzgibbon Rudolph on her book Paul Lynde A Biography His Life, His Love(s) and His Laughter. This book will let you into the heart and soul of Paul Lynde. Best remembered for outrageous jokes on The Hollywood Squares, as Uncle Arthur from Bewitched, and as the frantic father in Bye Bye Birdie, Paul was never satisfied with his career - or his personal life. But even as he suffered through some of the cruelest of times, Paul continued to make us forget our troubles, and was forever gracious to his fans. This is the book those fans have been waiting for. Doug Hess is the host!
In this epiosde I discuss with author Jason Isralowitz regarding his book Nothing To Fear Alfred Hitchcock and The Wrong Man which will be released on January 14, 2023. in 1956, the world's most famous director focused his lens on an issue that cuts to the heart of our criminal justice system: the risk of wrongful conviction. The result was The Wrong Man, a wrenching and largely overlooked drama based on the false arrest of Queens musician Christopher “Manny” Balestrero. Despite a detective's assurance that the innocent have “nothing to fear,” Manny and his family faced ruin from false charges that he twice robbed an insurance office.Aspiring to documentary-like authenticity, Hitchcock and his team meticulously recreated one man's odyssey through the corridors of justice. In so doing, they opened a window into New York's history of mistaken identity cases.
In this episode, I speak with author Kevin Mori on his book Third Act a Novel of Buster Keaton. "Buster Keaton had been a child prodigy in vaudeville and a star of the silent screen. But by the age of 40, he had been left behind by Hollywood. His fortunes changed following a chance meeting on the set of The Wizard of Oz. Eleanor Norris was a dancer under studio contract using her classical training in ballet to elevate the artistry of movie musicals. When she became Buster’s partner in life and on the stage, it changed both of them forever. Together, they tracked down his long-lost early films, leading to a career resurgence and the reputation Buster holds today as one of the world’s most innovative filmmakers." doug hess is the host!
In this episode I speak with author Herbie J Pilato regarding his book The 12 Best Secrets of Christmas: Treasure House of December Memories Revealed. Doug Hess is the host! goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode my guest is Karolyn Grimes, many of you know her as Zuzu from It's A Wonderful Life. She was also in another "Christmas Movie" The Bishop's Wife as well as many other films. Karolyn worked with Jimmy Stewart, Carey Grant, David Niven, John Wayne, and Lewtta Young to name just a few of the stars she was in films with.
In this episode I have a conversation with Lara Gabrielle about her new book "Caption of Her Soul The Life of Marion Davies ". From Marion Davies's humble days in Brooklyn to her rise to fame alongside press baron William Randolph Hearst, the public life story of the film star plays like a modern fairy tale shaped by gossip columnists, fan magazines, biopics, and documentaries. Yet the real Marion Davies remained largely hidden from view, as she was wary of interviews and trusted few with her true-life story. In Captain of Her Soul, Lara Gabrielle pulls back layers of myth to show a complex and fiercely independent woman, ahead of her time, who carved her own path. Doug Hess is the host! goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with author Adrienne McLain her latest book "All for Beauty Makeup and Hairdressing in Hollywood's Studio Era". We discuss the men and women that have been overlooked for years regarding the hard work they do to keep the stars shining. You can check out Andrienne and order her book at https://www.adriennelmclean.net/
Doug Hess is the host and for more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I interview Caroline Young regarding her book "Crazy Old Ladies The Story of Hag Horror". From the moment Bette Davis served up a dead rat to Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? a subset of camp horror films was born. The ‘Hag Horror’ genre exploited the former Oscar-winners and glamour queens who had effectively built Hollywood, transforming them into grotesque caricatures that revealed a cultural disdain for older women.Doug Hess is the host! goto Patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I speak with author Elva Green who wrote a book about her father. The book is "Eddie Green: The Rise of an Early 1900 Black American Entertainment Pioneer". Doug Hess is the host! for more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with Heather Massie on her one-person performance of Hedy Lamarr. We chatted about what it takes to perform a one person show and the research that was needed to write and perform. Doug Hess is the host! Also goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with author Debra Warren her book "Robert Preston Forever The Music Man". We discuss his early career, love life, and of course his Broadway and Film version of The Music Man. Doug Hess is the host! goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I speak with Kate Fortmueller about her book Below the Stars: How the Labor of Working Actors and Extras Shapes Media Production. Despite their considerable presence in Hollywood, extras and working actors have received scant attention within film and media studies as significant contributors to the history of the industry. Looking not to the stars but to these supporting players in film, television, and, recently, streaming programming, Below the Stars highlights such actors as precarious laborers whose work as freelancers has critically shaped the entertainment industry throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
In this episode, I discuss with the author Christina Lane regarding her book Phantom Lady Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Women Behind Hitchcock. This book is the first biography of one of the most influential women of Hollywood's golden era. Doug Hess is the host
In this episode, I speak with Hugo Moley, the grandson of the browed, triple-chinned, and plummy-voice English act Robert Moley. Robert was in theatre, and films and was also a writer. He garnered an Oscar nomination for playing the simple-minded monarch Louis XVI in Marie Antoinette (1938). He passed as a result of a stroke in Reading, Berkshire, at the age of 84.
In this episode I have JayJay Epeda and Dave King filling in for Cliff Robertson's only publicist Steven Thompson who was unable to come on due to a scheduling conflict. We chat about the legendary Cliff Robertson, Uncle Ben himself for the movie Spiderman, talking Batman, The Twilight Zone, and the Columbia Pictures scandal that saw him blacklisted by Hollywood. Doug Hess is the host! Patreon.com/forgettenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with author Author Steve Taravella his Book Mary Wickes I Know I've Seen That Face Before. Mary is a face that many recognize but few can recall her name and in fact, many people believe she was in shows or films that she never was in. Here a few behind the scenes stories on Mary's life.
In this episode, I speak with Burt Kearns regarding his latest book which will be out in November titled Lawrence Tierney Hollywood's Real Life Tough Guy. He was Hollywood's "tough guy", on-screen and off (arrested 70 times). Lawrence is remembered as the title character in Dillinger (1945) and as the consummately brutal lover of Claire Trevor in Born to Kill (1947).
In this episode, I interview author Noah Isenberg on his book "Billy Wilder on Assignment". We discuss Wilder's early years before he became the screenwriter iconic filmmaker for films like Sunset Boulevard and Some Like It Hot. Doug Hess is the host! for more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I speak with author Will Scheibel regarding his book Gene Tierney Star of Hollywood's Home Front. We talk about American film history that is long overdue on one of Hollywood's most popular stars during the 1940s. Gene starred in numerous classics, including Leave Her to Heaven, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and Laura.
Doug Hess is the host! for more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with author Carl Rollyson his book Hollywood Enigma: Dana Andrews. This is a biography of the great noir actor who perfected the male mask of steely impassivity.Doug Hess is the host1 for more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
Recorded an episode with Carol Hollenbeck aka Carol Holland when she filmed the movie Eden Cried (1967). This is one that TCM would consider Underground. Doug Hess is the host! for more and bonus extras goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I interviewed Brian Downes, Executive Director of the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum. We discuss John Wayne's career and what you can expect to find in the museum. when you visit them in Winterset, IA. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Author Dan Callahan his book Barbara Stanwyck The Miracle Women. The book describes Barabra Stanwyck as a savvy, sexy and inspirationally hardworking actress. Doug Hess is the host! for more goto Patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I speak with Kelli Marshall who runs the Chicago Movie Tour and a Gene Kelly fan page. We discuss the impact that Chicago has on the movies and her passion for Gene Kelly's work. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I speak with Jennifer Churchill who is the author of Movies Are Magic: The Director's Cut. We also discuss her top 10 back to school movies. Doug Hess is the host! For more goto patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I have Warren Croom as a co-host with me as we speak with James Tomlison about his father David Tomlison. Many of you know David for playing Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins. However, did you know he had a career on the London stage before he went to Hollywood? Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I interview Chris Korman who talk about his father Harvey Korman and his book "OMG! It's Harvey Korman's Son. Chris also talks about his fifteen years experience in the entertainment industry. Doug Hess is the host! also join Patreon.com/forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with Sandy Schreier her book Hollywood Gets Married. Sandy Combines lavish movie stills and real-life photographs with a tour of famous on- and off-screen weddings, in a volume that discusses period bridal fashion, inside events, and the marriages of such figures as Grace Kelly, Elvis Presley, and Elizabeth Taylor. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I speak with the President and Chair Rick Miller as he shares with us the story of the Canadian Women In Film Museum and the three women it represents. During the first four years of the Academy Awards, the Best Actress Oscar went to three Canadian-born women who found their way to Hollywood, namely Mary Pickford (1929), Norma Shearer (1930), and Marie Dressler (1931). Doug Hess is the Creator/Producer/Host!
In this episode, I have a wonderful discussion with Bela Lugosi's granddaughter Lynne Lugosi Sparks. We discuss her grandfathers career. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Alison Macor her latest book Making the Best Years of Our Lives. Alison illuminates the film's journey from script to screen and describes how this authentic movie moved audiences worldwide. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I have Don Sanders back to discuss one of TCM's Summer Under The Stars, which is Ruth Roman. Rith got her big break in the RKO thriller "The Window" (1949). Ruth passed in September of 1999 at her home in Laguna Beach at the age of 76. DOug Hess is the host
Episode 75 - MGM Hollywood's Greatest Backlot with Michael Troyan
In this episode, I discuss with Michael Troyan his book MGM: Hollywood's Greatest Backlot. His book is an illustrated history of the soundstage and outdoor sets where MGM produced many of the world's most famous films. Many iconic films such as The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain and Be-Hur to name a few films. Doug Hess Is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with John DiLeo his latest book, There are No Small Parts 100 Outstanding Film Performances with Screen Time of 10 Minutes or Less. We cover films from 1935 to 2019 spanning 85 years of film history. These 100 artists create full-blown characterizations within minimal screen time. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss with Tobert Welch his grandfather A. Arnold "Buddy" Gillespie who was the Head of the Special Effects Department at MGM. His career spanned 40 years at the studio working on such hits as WIZARD OF OZ (1939) with Judy Garland, BEN HUR (1959) with Charlton Heston, BEN HUR - A TALE OF THE CHRIST (1925) with Ramon Novarro, FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), and well over 400 other titles.
We also have Warren Croom who runs several Wizard of Oz Facebook pages and is a wealth of knowledge about the film.
Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss July's TCM Star of the Month Dana Andrews. He was a leading man in the 1940s and 1950s starring in such roles as Laura (1944) and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). Andrews suffered from Alzheimer's disease in his later years and spent his final days in a nursing facility. He died of congestive heart failure and pneumonia in 1992, aged 83. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss the career of Gene Kelly with a special guest Mrs. Gene Kelly (Patricia Ward Kelly). Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss with Scott McGee of TCM's regarding his latest book Danger on the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema's Greatest Stunts. We will revisit some of the films that spotlight the underappreciated craft that is a must in filmmaking. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Mrs. Anthony Quinn the career of her husband Anthony Quinn. We discuss everything from his film career to his love of books, to his writing and paintings. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Don Sanders the June TCM Star of the month Judy Garland. She was one of the biggest, most tragic movie stars of Hollywood's Golden Era. Judy was a much-loved character whose warmth and spirit, along with her rich and exuberant voice, kept theatre-goers entertained with an array of delightful musicals. Doug Hess is the host! Don Sanders stars in several JLJMedia Audio Dramas!
In this episode, we have Tom Barns President of Retroformat Silent Films which promotes education and enthusiasm about the art of silent film. It is believed that roughly 85-90% of all films made from 1896 to 1929 are lost forever. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss the life of film star Paul Muni with a special guest Elsi who runs a fan account on Twitter. We discuss his youth in Yiddish vaudeville to his nominations for the Academy Awards. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with Dr. Olympia Kiriakou, her book Becoming Carol Lombard Stardom, Comedy, and Legacy. The book is a historical critique of the development and reception of Carole Lombard's stardom from the classical Hollywood period to the present day. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we are celebrating the theme of the month which is Stars with Museums. I have a great discussion with Lora Stocker who works for the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina. The Ava Gardner Museum is a museum dedicated to American actress Ava Gardner and the museum holds an extensive collection of artifacts from Ava Gardner's career and private life.
In this episode we discuss TCM Star of the Month, Anna May Wong. The film "The Toll of the Sea" made her a known, and marketable commodity in Hollywood and she became the #1 actress when a young Asian female star was need, however, leading roles were not in demand. She passed from a massive heart attach on February 3, 1961, at the age of 56.
In this episode, I discuss with New York Times bestselling author William J. Mann his book Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood. In the early morning hours of February 2, 1922, William Desmon Taylor was found shot to death in his bungalow. William discusses not only the murder of Taylor but of the film industry itself. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss the book Hollywood Hayday: 75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends with authors David Fantle and Tom Johnson. We discuss legends such as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss trivia from the movie Singing In the Rain which starred Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Most of the characters are based on actual people. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month, Errol Flynn who gained fame in Hollywood in the 1930s. He co-starred with Olivia de Havilland in nine movies together and he passed away on October 14, 1959. Doug Hess is the host!
n this episode, I interview, Rob Klein and we discuss his archivist of iconic treasures. We discuss briefly some Star War items/stories before focusing on his items from The Adventure of Superman starring George Reeves and we discuss his authentic Superman suit from the show. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss with Manny Pacheco his book "Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History". His book focuses on the character actor and actress that consistently delivered stellar performances, and it offers a bold fresh new take on our collective past. Hosted by Doug Hess!
n this episode, I discuss our theme of the month, which is early basketball films. We will discuss four films which are The Fair Co-Ed (1927 and a silent film), Campus Confessions (1938), The big Fix (1947) and Big Town Scandal (1948). Enjoy March Madness in a new way! Doug Hess is the host
In this episode, we discuss the forgotten 1929 Academy Award winner George Arliss. He won the Best Actor Oscar for playing British Minister Benjamin Disraeli in Disrali (1929). Remember to check out TCM for 31 Days of Oscars all March long. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss five early movies of President Abraham Lincoln. The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln (1924), Abraham Lincoln (1924), Abraham Lincoln (1930), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), and The Face of Lincoln (1956). Doug Hess IS the host!
One of JLJ Media's most popular audio series gets a special video treatment! Creator/Producer/Host Doug Hess is joined by former guest hosts who have appeared during the first year of the program! Happy 1 year Anniversary to Forgotten Hollywood and thank you fans!
In this episode, we discuss the book "Tyrone Power: Gender, Genre, and Image in Classic Hollywood Cinema" with author Dr. Gillian Kelly. We discuss his 25 year career and some of his 50 plus movies. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss TCM Star of the Month, Henry Fonda. He was a soft-spoken American who played characters that projected integrity and quiet authority. His final screen role was On Golden Pond (1981) and it finally won him an Oscar. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss the career of Pat Buttram. Many of you may remember Pat as "Mr. Haney" on the long-running CBS comedy Green Arces. In 1982 Pat founded the Golden Boot Award to honor actors, directors, stunt people, and other industry professionals. Doug Hess is the host
n this episode, I will be discussing Clara Bow who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Clara was called the “It” Girl after she played in It (1927), the popular silent-film version of Elinor Glyn's novel of that name. She personified the vivacious, emancipated flapper of the 1920s. Doug Hess is the host!
n this episode, I speak with Meredith Ponedel, niece to Dottie Ponedel who was a make-up artist to the stars. Dottie rose to the top of her field in classic Hollywood and she talks about her 25-year-long close friendship with the legendary Judy Garland. Doug Hess the host!
In this episode, I discuss the Barrymore Family Acting Dynasty (Yes Drew's Relatives)! We are going to be talking about the film and stage careers of Linoel, John, and Ethel Barrymore. Doug Hess is the host.
In this special episode, I discuss Sidney Poitier's life with James Lott Jr. As many of you know that Sidney Poitier became the first black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963 for Lilies of the Field. However, he was more than an actor. He was a filmmaker and civil rights, activist. Doug Hess is the host!
Don Sanders and I look back on the career of Betty White that spanned over 8 decades. Perhaps best known for her starring role as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls (1985).Betty passed away on December 31, 2021, just weeks from her 100th Birthday. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss TCM Star of the Month, Kay Francis. Kay is possibly the biggest of the "Forgotten stars" from Hollywood's Golden Era. However, by the mid - 1940s, Kay was in B-movies because of her falling out with studio executives.Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I have Don Sanders back to discuss the fine character actor Barry Fitzgerald. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of gruff, aging Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way (1944). He was also nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the same role and the only actor to ever be so honored. Barry died in his beloved Dublin, Ireland in 1961.
In this episode, I speak with author Jeremy Arnold regarding his book Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season, which was published by Turner Classic Movies and Running Press in 2018. A few of the films we discuss are Remember the Night, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Shop Around the Corner, and Christmas in Connecticut to name a few.
He’s written essays and liner notes for home entertainment releases; been published in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Moviemaker, and the Directors Guild of America magazine; and contributed over six hundred programming articles to date for the Turner Classic Movies website.
Jeremy has supplied audio commentaries for the Blu-ray or DVD release of 15 classic films and has appeared as a guest commentator on TCM with Ben Mankiewicz. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, discuss four "forgotten" Christmas movies, that I think you will enjoy this Christmas season. They are Star in the Night, Miracle on Main Street, Remember the Night, and The Lemmon Drop Kid. Hosted by Doug Hess!
In this episode, we discuss TCM Star of the Month, Ingrid Bergman. Ingrid Bergman was one of the actresses from Hollywood's Gold Era. She is one of the most Oscar-awarded actresses and a top star in Hollywood in the 1940s. Sadly she passed from cancer on August 29, 1982 on her 67 birthday. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I discuss the film career of Orlando Martin with two of his family members, JayJay Epega and Baba-Jallah Epega along with writer and producer Danny Prescott. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I discuss with Dr. Annette Bochenek her blog “Hometowns to Hollywood”, in which she profiles her trips to the hometowns of classic Hollywood stars. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is a regular columnist for Classic Movie Hub. Her articles have also appeared in Turner Classic Movies Backlot, Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, The Dark Pages Film Noir Newsletter, and Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss with author Joseph McBride regarding his book "Searching for John Ford". We discuss his films, relationships with his stars, and many other topics regarding Mr. Ford's career! Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I have a discussion with comedian Flobo Boyce and regarding comedy and movies. Flobo discusses his early influences, writing comedy and performing. Doug Hess is the host! Follow at flobito.com
In this episode, I discuss 5 early horror films. The films I will be discussing are The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Phantom Carriage (1921), Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1931), and The Invisible Man (1933). Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I have a discussion with Ron Defore about his father Don Defore. We discuss Ron's book, "Growing Up In Disneyland" along with his father's film and television career. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss Turner Classic Movies of the Month, Sydney Greenstreet. His first film was The Maltese Falcon alongside Humphrey Bogart. He was only in 24 films but in those short 8 years, he was in several wonderful films such as The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, and Christmas in Connecticut to name a few. Nine of these films he starred alongside Peter Lorre. Doug Hess is the host.
In this episode, I discuss with President and CEO James Lott Jr. of JLJ Media, his thoughts on scary movies and how sometimes music, lighting, and/or camera angle can force folks to use their mind to experience a moment that otherwise may not be as scary. We cover lots of films and the impact that have had on us. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I discuss TCM Star of the Month - Lucille Ball. Many of you remember her from the popular and universally beloved sitcom of all time "I Love Lucy". Doug Hess is the Creator/Producer/Host!
In this episode, I discuss Myrna Loy who co-starred with William Powell 14 times along with Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Cary Grant to name a few of her co-stars. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode I will be discussing with author James Curtus regarding his book W.C. Fields: A Biography. Doug Hess is the host! Follow Forgotten Hollywood on FB
Forgotten Hollywood theme for the month of September is early football movies. In this episode, we are going to discuss four silent films that deal with football. We will be discussing the following films: Two Minutes to Go, The Plastic Age, Brown of Harvard, and The Quarterback. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, we discuss TCM Star of the Month, Paul Robeson. Paul was a handsome, eloquent, and highly charismatic actor, but he also was controversial for most of his career as a staunch Cold War-era advocate for human rights and a supporter of Joseph Stalin. Hosted by Doug Hess!
In this episode, I discuss the film career of Margaret Rutheford with Jay Jay Epega (media consultant) from the United Kingdom and Dave King (Director/producer/writer/lecture) who is based in Norway. Both Jay Jay and Dave worked together at the Turner Broadcasting/TCM/ Carton Network in London. Dave has a superlative knowledge of film in general which nicely compliments the love of Margaret Rutherford's work and Jay Jay's own family history in Hollywood. The two of them are a wealth of knowledge regarding Margaret Rutherford. Doug Hess is the host! Follow Forgotten Hollywood on FB!
In this episode, Doug Hess talks to Jodie Carn the daughter of Donna Massin who was a Choreographer in over 100 films. In 1939, she was Assistant Choreographer on "The Wizard of Oz" and we also talk with Jodie about her career as well. follow Forgotten Hollywood on FB!
In this episode, Host Doug Hess interviews Christianna Rickard regarding her book A Legend In Straw: The Spirit of My Uncle Ray Bolger". We discuss not only his career in films but also on Broadway. Follow Forgotten hollywood on Facebook!
In the episode, we will be discussing movies related to our theme for the month which focuses on movies involving colleges. I will be discussing five films that center around college and, The Freshman (1925), College (1927), AChump at Oxford (1939), Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble and Mr. Belvedere Goes to College. Doug Hess is the Host! Forgotten Hollywood is on FB!
In this episode, we will explore four stars that will be featured in TCM's Summer Under The Stars. Join me as we discuss Kay Francis, Kathryn Grayson, Tyrone Power, and Jane Wyman. Doug Hess is the host Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook
In this episode we discuss gruff veteran character actor James Whitmore. He played many roles but you may remember James BEST from playing Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Doug Hess is the host! Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss with author Richard Zoglin his book Elvis in Vegas: How the King Reinvented the Las Vegas Show. Our discussion takes us from the early years of Las Vegas to the King of Rock in Roll's seven-year and over 600 sold-out shows. Doug Hess is the host! Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook!
n this episode, we discuss movies that Red, White, and Blue in the name of the title. We will be discussing Red River (1948), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), and Blue Steel (1934). Doug Hess is the host! Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, we discuss TCM's Star of the Month Elvis Presley. He was in 33 films, 31 features, and 2 musical documentaries, however, none were nominated for an Academy Award, and all but one made money. Doug Hess is the host. Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, we interview Wendi Lou Lee. You may remember her as Baby Grace on Little House On The Prairie for four seasons. Don Sanders joins me as Wendi reflects on her time on the set. Doug Hess is the Producer and Lead Host! Follow on. FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode we discuss with Christina Rice on her latest book, Mean.....Moody....Magnificent! Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend. Happy 100th Birthday Jane!Hosted by Douglas Hess. Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, we talk about our theme of the month which is baseball. We talk about the first short film regarding baseball, the documentary from 1898 titled The Ball Game and we finish up with the Girls Can Play from 1937. Doug Hess is the host! join on FB @forgotten hollywood
In this episode, I discuss June's TCM star of the month Cyd Charisse. She appeared in a number of musicals, but it was Singin' in the Rain (1952) with Gene Kelly that made her a star. Doug Hess is the host! follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, Don Sanders is back and Host Doug Hess discuss a few additional autographs, plus they discuss the career of Carol Lombard. follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
In this episode, I discuss the underrated Joseph Cotton whose command of varied roles deserved more than the snub of never being nominated for an Academy Award. You remember him in such movies as Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Gaslight, and Since You Went Away to name a few films he was in during his career.
In this episode, Roger Bryant joins us to discuss this book, William Powell: The Life and Films. Roger talks about one of Hollywood's most intelligent leading men. Hosted by Doug Hess! Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
It's May and we are recording in Indiana, so what does that mean? That means the theme for May is the Indianapolis 500. In this episode, we will be exploring "Forgotten" Indianapolis 500 films from the silent films of 1922 (Racing Hearts) to 1950 (To Please a Lady. We will be exploring 6 films.
During the month of May, TCM is not having one star of the month, but they will be celebrating stars named Robert. So, we will be discussing Robert Osborne, Young, Armstrong, and Mitchum.Hosted by Doug Hess! goto Forgotten Hollywood on Faceboook!
In this episode, I discuss with Don Sanders one of Hollywood's most underrated actors of his generation, Fred MacMurray. Follow host Doug Hess on FB @forgottenhollywood
This week we talk with author Thomas Hischak about his book 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year and we discuss some "Forgotten" films from that year. Follow on FB @forgottenhollywood
thomas on twitter @thischak
In this episode we rank the 31 Best Picture Academy Award winners (in my opinion). Let the debate begin!Doug Hess is the host!
On this episode of Forgotten Hollywood we talk with Don Sanders, who discusses his collection of vintage Hollywood autograph collection. Doug Hess is the host!
In this episode, I will discuss character actor Frank Morgan. Most of you will forever remember him as the title character in The Wizard of Oz (1939), however, he was a veteran and respected actor long before he played that part.
Book Corner - This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories
In this episode of Forgotten Hollywood we discuss the book This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories by Clara Valderrama.
In this episode, we discuss the theme for the month, which is Movies That March. Host Doug Hess.
In this episode, host Doug Hess discusses the TCM Star of the Month, Doris Day. follow on FB @forgottenhollywood