This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories
Turner Classic Movies
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Narrated by:
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Carla Valderrama
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By:
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Carla Valderrama
About this listen
In this one-of-a-kind Hollywood history, the creator of Instagram's celebrated @ThisWasHollywood reveals the forgotten past of the film world in a dazzling visual package modeled on the classic fan magazines of yesteryear.
From former screen legends who have faded into obscurity to new revelations about the biggest movie stars, Valderrama unearths the most fascinating little-known tales from the birth of Hollywood through its Golden Age.
The shocking fate of the world's first movie star. Clark Gable's secret love child. The film that nearly ended Paul Newman's career. A former child star who, at 93, reveals her #metoo story for the first time. Valderrama unfolds these stories, and many more, in a volume that is by turns riveting, maddening, hilarious, and shocking.
Drawing on new interviews, archival research, and an exhaustive library of photographs, This Was Hollywood is a compelling and visually stunning catalogue of the lost history of the movies.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2020 Carla Valderrama (P)2020 Running Press AdultListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Carla Valderrama genuinely loves Hollywood history, as you can tell from every page of this book. Her enthusiasm is matched only by her determination to back up her stories with good, old-fashioned research. I learned a lot from This Was Hollywood and you will, too." (Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian)
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A Murder in Hollywood
- The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime
- By: Casey Sherman
- Narrated by: Casey Sherman
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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From the outside, Hollywood starlet Lana Turner seemed to have it all—a thriving film career, a beautiful daughter, and the kind of fame and fortune that most people could only dream of. But when the famous femme fatale began dating mobster Johnny Stompanato, thug for the infamous west coast mob boss Mickey Cohen, her personal life became violent and unpredictable. Lana's teenage daughter, Cheryl, watched her beloved mother's life deteriorate as Stompanato's intense jealousy took over.
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Not what you think…
- By christopher j rago on 02-26-24
By: Casey Sherman
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City of Nets
- A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940's
- By: Otto Friedrich, Glen David Gold - foreword
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 25 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1939, 50 million Americans went to the movies every week, Louis B. Mayer was the highest-paid man in the country, and Hollywood produced 530 feature films a year. One decade and five thousand movies later, the studios were faltering....
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Disjointed and flawed
- By A. N. Onymous on 01-18-22
By: Otto Friedrich, and others
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Cary Grant
- A Brilliant Disguise
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: Angelo Di Loreto
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Film historian and acclaimed New York Times best-selling biographer Scott Eyman has written the definitive, “captivating” (Associated Press) biography of Hollywood legend Cary Grant, one of the most accomplished — and beloved — actors of his generation, who remains as popular as ever today.
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Disappointing...
- By Amazon Customer on 11-02-20
By: Scott Eyman
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100 Favorite Classic Hollywood Films from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s
- And the Stars Who Appeared in Them
- By: Gary Koca
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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In two past books that I have written, I focused on Forgotten Stars of the 1930s through the 1950s; that is stars who were pretty big movie stars in their time but that most people today would not be familiar with unless they were fans of classic Hollywood films of that era. I have also written books on great Western stars and on good and bad science fiction movies of the 1950s. In this book, however, I am concentrating on my favorite 100 movies of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. I have focused on American films only, with a few British films included also. (I am not an expert on foreign ...
By: Gary Koca
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The Castle on Sunset
- Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Since 1929, Hollywood’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his 16-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what has happened inside the Chateau’s walls has eluded the public eye - until now.
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Was enjoying it until...
- By leigh on 04-22-20
By: Shawn Levy
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Dark City (Revised and Expanded Edition)
- The Lost World of Film Noir
- By: Eddie Muller
- Narrated by: Eddie Muller, Erin Bennett
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Dark City expands with new chapters and a fresh collection of restored photos that illustrate the mythic landscape of the imagination. It's a place where the men and women who created film noir often find themselves dangling from the same sinister heights as the silver-screen avatars to whom they gave life.
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Good overview, summary of the genre
- By Buretto on 03-31-22
By: Eddie Muller
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20th Century-Fox
- Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: Suehyla El-Attar
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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March 20, 2019 marked the end of an era - Disney took ownership of the movie empire that was Fox. For almost a century before that historic date, Twentieth Century-Fox was one of the preeminent producers of films, stars, and filmmakers. Its unique identity in the industry and place in movie history is unparalleled - and one of the greatest stories to come out of Hollywood.
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Our media world is unlike anything we’ve ever known
- By Amy Evans on 12-04-21
By: Scott Eyman
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Hollywood Black
- The Stars, the Films, the Filmmakers
- By: Donald Bogle, John Singleton - foreword, Turner Classic Movies
- Narrated by: Donald Bogle
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The films, the stars, the filmmakers - all get their due in Hollywood Black, a sweeping overview of Blacks in film from the silent era through Black Panther, with striking photos and an engrossing history by award-winning author Donald Bogle.
By: Donald Bogle, and others
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Of Mobsters and Movie Stars
- The Bloody "Golden Age" of Hollywood
- By: Joan Renner
- Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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In this gripping historical account, expert crime historian Joan Renner explores the shadowy world of fame and crime during Hollywood's most glamorous era. As Los Angeles transformed into the epicenter of film, it also became a haven for notorious criminals and mobsters, weaving a complex tapestry of allure and danger that is sure to intrigue.
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Tedious
- By grace on 12-29-24
By: Joan Renner
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The Hollywood Studios
- House Style in the Golden Age of the Movies
- By: Ethan Mordden
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Hollywood in the years between 1929 and 1948 was a town of moviemaking empires. The great studios were estates of talent: sprawling, dense, diverse. It was the Golden Age of the Movies, and each studio made its distinctive contribution. But how did the studios, "growing up" in the same time and place, develop so differently? What combinations of talents and temperaments gave them their signature styles?
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The reader falls quite short of the book
- By Eleanor on 07-20-09
By: Ethan Mordden
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Myrna Loy
- Being and Becoming
- By: James Kotsilibas-Davis, Myrna Loy
- Narrated by: Holly Palance
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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The actress recalls her long, rich, and varied career in Hollywood, on the stage, and as a political activist.
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Great actress, great person, great book.
- By MikeEC on 10-15-20
By: James Kotsilibas-Davis, and others
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Hank and Jim
- The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Henry Fonda and James Stewart were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood for 40 years. They became friends and then roommates as stage actors in New York, and when they began making films in Hollywood, they roomed together again. Between them they made such memorable films as The Grapes of Wrath, Mister Roberts, Twelve Angry Men, and On Golden Pond; and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Destry Rides Again, The Philadelphia Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, and Rear Window.
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Fascinating look into these two actors' lives
- By MPAMIN on 06-25-18
By: Scott Eyman
What listeners say about This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories
Highly rated for:
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- AJ
- 12-04-20
Delightful 'read'
I'm old enough to at least recognize many of the names, but these stories paint pictures like Technicolor diaries from forgotten Hollywood.
Ms Valderrama's delivery keeps my 'listening ear' well tuned so my 'hearing ears could truly take in the full picture story as she unfolds it.
Excellent fascinating and fun and who can't use a little more fun in 2020.
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13 people found this helpful
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- Citizens Bank
- 09-25-22
Irritating Narration
The narrator needs elocution lessons. Pronouncing T's as B's, i.e. "buddon" for "button" is unacceptable. I feel the producer should have corrected this from the beginning. Stories are good if you can get past this.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Dollygirl
- 12-04-21
Fun book
Loved the book! Lots of great stories about old Hollywood. Fun for vintage movie buffs!
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- bibliosue
- 03-08-22
Good stories. Writer should not narrate.
I was loving the stories, but kept getting thrown out of the narrative by the hard "d" instead of "t" pronunciation. Painful. Dear author, keep writing. Do not narrate. As a northern Minnesotan with a Canada/Fargo accent I would never narrate my own work. Just a thought. We elongate our vowels, but we do not rape the consonants. Sin away, but never put it in a book.
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- ARTHUR
- 04-27-21
First written review!
I found it a fun, sad, and informative listen. I had a blast looking up each actor/artist and even youtubing some performances. Unlike some, I thought her narration was spot on as it was her work and reaearch that was being presented and I could hear her love and excitement for the material in her voice! Well done Ms. Valderrama!!
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- Barbara J Walden
- 06-25-23
Interesting Information
Even though the narrator mispronounced several words, the stories of old Hollywood are entertaining
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- Mickie Calvin
- 12-17-22
I loved it
I learned so much. It was such a fun listen. I also learned about the Nicholas Brothers. I have never seen better dancers.
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- Georgia Lady
- 11-21-20
Fabulous stories, expertly told
My only complaint is it’s not long enough! Learned so much. Please write another volume. Well done!
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10 people found this helpful
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- Karen
- 05-22-21
Interesting content, better narration would have helped
I learned a few things, so I appreciate that, but the author had such an irritating way of pronouncing words: “Manhattan” as “Manhadden”; “patents” as “paddens” — and on and on. It REALLY detracted from what was otherwise an interesting book and leaves me to wonder (once again) why authors think they are the best people to narrate their books.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Inkgette
- 04-20-23
Hollywood's Lesser Known History
I found the story very interesting and informative. It filled in lots of back story that I was unaware of, and it confirmed the mentality & business practices from other similar Era biographies.
However, I found myself cringing every time the narrator rounded the sound of the letter 'T', as in imporTant, which sounded like imporDant.
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1 person found this helpful