Old Hollywood gossip & stories

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D.W's Library Card said:
I've been reading the memoir of Hedda Hopper recently, Hollywood's original gossip girl.

My god it's juicy, I'm absolutely loving it. Highly recommend.
Full chapters on Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and the rest... It's called The Whole Truth and Nothing But.
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Oh my gosh never heard of it but it sounds amazing! Right up my street.
Thanks for the recommendation!
 
Jelly Bean said:
Btw I watched the Oscars last night and felt such a massive sense of nostalgia over the lack of big movie 'stars' with their glamour and mystique. No offence to actors now, but there is just that certain something missing now.
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I don’t think film stars exist like they used to previously if at all. Plus the ladies seem to insist on wearing ugly dresses or not doing their hair properly (I mean how hard is it to get your roots done Florence Pugh).
 
D.W's Library Card said:
I've been reading the memoir of Hedda Hopper recently, Hollywood's original gossip girl.

My god it's juicy, I'm absolutely loving it. Highly recommend.
Full chapters on Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and the rest... It's called The Whole Truth and Nothing But.
Click to expand...

She was a one-off alright. Louella Parsons who had the run of the place where gossip was concerned got too big for her boots. The uppers got sick of it and decided to put their weight behind someone else...Heda but she turned out to be worse than Louella ever was. There were things Louella would never touch but everything was fair game to Hedda who used the column to settle scores and screw enemies. She was one of the first to print about Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn and when he bumped into her one night at a club, Spence kicked her up the jacksy for printing it.
 
Found a website that has a just of old Hollywood letters. This one from Marlene Dietrich about Joan Crawford’s daughter and Mommie Dearest is a bit cruel. You can read the whole letter here but it isn’t that interesting.

Celebrity Letters to Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford, letters
www.joancrawfordbest.com
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Jelly Bean said:
Wow. That is quite the look 😬
Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and children Kelly and Jamie Leigh.

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Btw I watched the Oscars last night and felt such a massive sense of nostalgia over the lack of big movie 'stars' with their glamour and mystique. No offence to actors now, but there is just that certain something missing now.
Click to expand...
Yeah bit like the royal family the fairy dust has gone.
 
What's your opinion on Hedy Lamar career start?
The famous nude scenes in Ecstacy, was she savvy or naiive?
I think she was naiive, as many other actresses at the time were careful to hide any hint of scandal. Though I'm happy for her that it didn't ruin her career before it started.
 
For anyone who remembers 20,000 Leagues Beneath The Sea, here is an interesting article with some behind the scenes pictures.
itcamefromblog.com

Behind the Scenes of Disney’s ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’

A look behind the scenes of Disney’s 1954 live-action hit based on the Jules Verne classic novel.
itcamefromblog.com itcamefromblog.com

I always thought James Mason looked especially handsome in this film. He had such a unique voice. Brian Matthew the radio presenter used to do a spot on impersonation of James Mason. For younger audiences, his voice is quite clearly an inspiration for the Professor Inkling character in the cartoon Octonauts.

I also re watched the Invisible Man With Claude Rains recently. He was a delight as always. Loved him in Notorious and Casablanca.
 
For anyone who enjoys a wiki-rabbit hole.... It's a little morbid but the page "List of burials at Forest Lawn Memoria Park (Glendale)" clicks through to loads of well and lesser known old Hollywood characters.
I'm not looking at everyone of course but a slow scroll, clicking on a few that died young in the 40s-50s. It's crazy to me how Hollywood is still predominantly associated with glitz and glamour rather than the reality of exploitation, drink and drug problems, scandal and abuse.
 
Watched whatever happened to Baby Jane (its on BBC iplayer atm) for the first time last night and I genuinely think Bette Davis gave the best acting performance I have ever seen, I really could not stand her at some points but felt such a deep sadness for what was basically a little girl in a grown woman's body. Joan Crawford was incredible as well, they bounce off each other so well
 
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