
Scandals of Classic Hollywood
Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema
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Narrated by:
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Romy Nordlinger
About this listen
Believe it or not, America's fascination with celebrity culture was thriving well before the days of TMZ, Perez Hilton, Charlie Sheen's breakdown, and allegations against Woody Allen. And the stars of yesteryear? They weren't always the saints that we make them out to be. Part biography, part cultural history, the stories contained in this book cover the stuff that films are made of: love, sex, drugs, illegitimate children, illicit affairs, and botched cover-ups. Based on Anne Helen Petersen's popular column on the Hairpin, Scandals of Classic Hollywood is sensationalism made smart.
©2014 Anne Helen Petersen (P)2014 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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By: Thomas Schatz, and others
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Full Service
- My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars
- By: Scotty Bowers, Lionel Friedberg
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Newly discharged from the Marines after World War II, Scotty Bowers arrived in Hollywood in 1946. Young, charismatic, and strikingly handsome, he quickly caught the eye of many of the town's stars and starlets. He began sleeping with some himself, and connecting others with his coterie of young, attractive, and sexually free-spirited friends.
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My ears!
- By Kimberly Brooks on 10-26-12
By: Scotty Bowers, and others
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Hollywood Hellraisers
- The Wild Lives and Fast Times of Marlon Brando, Dennis Hopper, Warren Beatty, and Jack Nicholson
- By: Robert Sellers
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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In his follow-up to the acclaimed Hellraisers, Sellers traces the intertwining lives and careers of four outrageous Hollywood movie mavericks. They’re the baddest bad-asses Hollywood as ever seen: Marlon Brando, Dennis Hopper, Warren Beatty, and Jack Nicholson. They are men to whom rules did not apply; normal standards of behavior were simply too wearisome to worry about.
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not much of interest
- By Amazon Customer on 02-15-21
By: Robert Sellers
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Hollywood: The Oral History
- By: Jeanine Basinger, Sam Wasson
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon, Marni Penning
- Length: 28 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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From the archives of the American Film Institute comes a unique picture of what it was like to work in Hollywood from its beginnings to its present day. Gleaned from nearly three thousand interviews, involving four hundred voices from the industry, Hollywood: The Oral History, lets a listener “listen in” on candid remarks from the biggest names in front of the camera—Bette Davis, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Harold Lloyd—to the biggest behind it—Frank Capra, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Jordan Peele, as well as the lesser known individuals that shaped what was heard and seen on screen.
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Picky, Picky!
- By Patrick on 12-22-22
By: Jeanine Basinger, and others
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Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud
- The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman
- By: Anne Helen Petersen
- Narrated by: Anne Helen Petersen
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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You know the type: the woman who won't shut up, who's too brazen, too opinionated - too much. She's the unruly woman, and she embodies one of the most provocative and powerful forms of womanhood today. In Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud, Anne Helen Petersen uses the lens of "unruliness" to explore the ascension of pop culture powerhouses like Serena Williams, Hillary Clinton, Nicki Minaj, and Kim Kardashian, exploring why the public loves to love (and hate) these controversial figures.
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Excellent Book
- By Traci on 06-22-17
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Idol Truth
- A Memoir
- By: Leif Garrett, Chris Epting
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Former teen idol Leif Garrett bares his soul for the first time ever, revealing his deepest secrets about the extraordinary highs and devastating lows he has survived over the years.
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Fanmania
- By KIM TURNER on 10-20-20
By: Leif Garrett, and others
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Celebrities Who Murder
- 30 Chilling True Crime Cases
- By: Ethan Hayes
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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INCLUDES BONUS BOOK: NEVER CAUGHT: UNSOLVED SERIAL KILLER CASES Almost 400 pages of thrilling true crime cases! Why do some of the world's most successful individuals turn to murder? Fame, fortune, and influence—these are the hallmarks of celebrity. But behind the glitz and glamour, some of the world's most renowned figures have harbored dark secrets. Celebrities Who Murder delves into the shocking true stories of high-profile individuals whose crimes shattered their public images and left an indelible mark on history. From Hollywood actors and chart-topping musicians to sports legends ...
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Terrible
- By Kilroy on 03-17-25
By: Ethan Hayes
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Seinfeldia
- How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything
- By: Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Comedians Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld never thought anyone would watch their silly little sitcom about a New York comedian sitting around talking to his friends. NBC executives didn't think anyone would watch either, but they bought it anyway, hiding it away in the TV dead zone of summer. But against all odds, viewers began to watch, first a few and then many, until nine years later nearly 40 million Americans were tuning in weekly.
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This bad narration is making me thirsty...
- By Audio Gra Gra on 10-06-16
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Pictures at a Revolution
- Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
- By: Mark Harris
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the epic human drama behind the making of the five movies nominated for Best Picture in 1967 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Graduate, In the Heat of the Night, Doctor Dolittle, and Bonnie and Clyde - and through them, the larger story of the cultural revolution that transformed Hollywood and America forever.
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Would It Be Too Much To Ask?
- By Casey Keller on 12-31-08
By: Mark Harris
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Dead Famous
- An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen
- By: Greg Jenner
- Narrated by: Greg Jenner
- Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Celebrity, with its neon glow and selfie pout, strikes us as hypermodern. But the famous and infamous have been thrilling, titillating, and outraging us for much longer than we might realize. Whether it was the scandalous Lord Byron, whose poetry sent female fans into an erotic frenzy; or the cheetah-owning, coffin-sleeping, one-legged French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who launched a violent feud with her former best friend; or Edmund Kean, the dazzling Shakespearean actor whose monstrous ego and terrible alcoholism saw him nearly murdered by his own audience....
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Wonderful Performance!
- By Leanna Humble on 11-01-24
By: Greg Jenner
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The Burnout Generation
- By: Anne Helen Petersen
- Narrated by: Anne Helen Petersen
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Original Recording
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In January 2019, culture writer Anne Helen Petersen set the internet on fire with her viral BuzzFeed essay diagnosing “millennial burnout” - a chronic state of stress and exhaustion that’s become a “base temperature” for young people today. Now, she continues this generation-defining conversation in a brand-new format, interviewing millennials around the country about their own deeply personal experiences with burnout, and the culture that creates it.
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Needs less emoting, more courageous questioning
- By Michael H on 10-07-19
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Goddess
- The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe
- By: Anthony Summers
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 19 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Marilyn Monroe, born to deprivation and a series of foster homes, became an acting legend of the 20th century. She married famous men, Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, and her many lovers included President John F. Kennedy. Her death, at 36, is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Anthony Summers interviewed 600 people for this book, which reveals unknown truths, some funny, some very sad, about this brilliant but troubled woman. First to gain access to the files of Monroe's last psychiatrist, he throws light on Monroe's troubled psyche.
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Fascinating and very plausible
- By Theresa on 10-23-17
By: Anthony Summers
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There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say
- By: Paula Poundstone
- Narrated by: Paula Poundstone
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Abridged
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What do the lives of Lincoln, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc, and other historical figures have in common with Paula Poundstone? In the hands of this wryly observant and self-deprecating comedian, the answer is outrageously funny and unexpectedly touching. Poundstone compares her crazy life to theirs, as she holds forth on her children, her career, and the time in her life when it appeared she would lose them both.
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More!
- By Evelyn on 02-11-07
By: Paula Poundstone
Not just the headlines!
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Would you listen to Scandals of Classic Hollywood again? Why?
This story was very good..I learned so much about classic Hollywood I didn't know..A must read for those who love Hollywood of yesteryearWho was your favorite character and why?
I loved Jean Harlow's story..I have always been fanWhat does Romy Nordlinger bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Her voice was just enough to it didn't overtake the story but was still interesting to listen toIf you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
What happens in Hollywood stays in HollywoodCouldn't Stop Listening
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different than title suggests
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I accept that after a certain point, no new information will be surfacing about James Dean, Judy Garland and even especially about the stars from the 20s... but hope springs eternal that some old diary will be found that will enhance these actors private life portfolios and tell me a tale that I haven't run across before...
Sigh.
But, as I mentioned, if you're not already saturated in Hollywood Lore, you will like this book.
Old Stars Never Fade--Nor Do Their Life Stories
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Riveting journey
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ok book
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excellent
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Good book
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Where does Scandals of Classic Hollywood rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Well, this is an odd question because no two books are alike. However, for this particular genre - Hollywood expose, this is an extraordinally well written book.What was one of the most memorable moments of Scandals of Classic Hollywood?
One of the most memorable moments from the book was the Clark Gable/Carole Lombard narrative. It was surprisingly touching and, of course, very tragic.What about Romy Nordlinger’s performance did you like?
It was a bit frantic at times but not unpleasant overall. The narration style seemed to fit the time period and subject matter covered.What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?
Facts about how prevailing social norms in the country influenced what could make or break a Hollywood star and why. This was fascinating and made me contextualize it in today's celeb obsessed culture.Any additional comments?
This book greatly and pleasantly surprised me with its intellectual, provocative examination of stardom, fame and infamy when it comes to Hollywood and public consumption. I expected a gauzy, bawdy romp through the scandals of yesteryear and got something much better instead. There are scandals aplenty but they are offered up in a framework of the psychosocial, religious, political and historical context of the country in real time. The struggle of America to come to terms with sex, gender, race and many other defining issues informs the narratives found within the book at every turn. What a fascinating read as a result! My only complaint is the fact that the author clearly cherry picked her scandals and often chose to treat some incidents with kid gloves. Still, I highly recommend this book.No Smut? No Problem?
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Scandals of Classic Hollywood
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