Forgotten Hollywood

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 Rebelisa 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, we look at the career of Jackie Cooper.  Doug Hess is the host!

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 discuss the life of actress Marsha Hunt.

In this episode, we discuss the life of actress Joan Blondell.

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'sLong 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

A special message to commemorate this occassion!

In this episode I look at the life of actor Charles Boyer.

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 discuss the film career of Sara Haden.

In this episode I discuss the life of Marjorie Main "Ma Kettle".

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 discuss the life of actress Helen Walker.

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!

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 Colin Clive.Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss the life of the actress Thelma Ritter. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss the life of actor Andy Devine. 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, I talk about the life of actor Lewis Stone. Doug Hess is the host!

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 discuss the life of John Carradine. Doug Hess is the host!

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, I discuss the life of actor John Williams. Doug Hess is the host!

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!