This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories Audiobook By Carla Valderrama cover art

This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories

Turner Classic Movies

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This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories

By: Carla Valderrama
Narrated by: Carla Valderrama
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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 Adult Americas Art Direction & Production Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV History & Criticism Witty Film History

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)
Fascinating Stories • Interesting Biographies • Well-researched Content • Entertaining Writing • Informative History
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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.

Delightful 'read'

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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.

Irritating Narration

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Loved the book! Lots of great stories about old Hollywood. Fun for vintage movie buffs!

Fun book

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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.

Good stories. Writer should not narrate.

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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!!

First written review!

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Even though the narrator mispronounced several words, the stories of old Hollywood are entertaining

Interesting Information

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I learned so much. It was such a fun listen. I also learned about the Nicholas Brothers. I have never seen better dancers.

I loved it

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“This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories” by Carla Valderrama (and published by Turner Classic Movies) is written in an entertaining way, it contains an interesting and broad selection of stories that will intrigue you no matter how big a fan of classic Hollywood you are. Beautifully edited and laid out like a “Photoplay” magazine.
You will read about early silent film stars, forgotten heart throbs, power couples, animal movie stars, successful women behind the camera, the first Academy Awards show, saving the 'Hollywood' sign, child stars, musicals, and spotlights on various film stars like Paul Newman and Rita Hayworth.
Valderrama draws on new interviews, archival research, and a huge library of photographs. “This Was Hollywood“ is a compelling and visually stunning catalogue of the nearly lost history of the movies. It’s a thorough examination of Hollywood during the golden age of cinema, this is a good read if you’re a movie buff – if not you might be bored. But then why would you pick up this book if you are not interested in old Hollywood?! For me it brought up warm memories of some of my favorite actors as well as the history of the studios and (my favorite part) the cogs in the wheels.

Written in an Entertaining Way

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How refreshing it was to listen to the author narrating her book and my enjoying the subject matter. I wish she had more to tell. Of course this could be that I'm old enough to have watched a lot of these stars in their heyday. It was an entertaining read and worth the credit.

Good writing, good listen, good narrator

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heartfelt thank you to the author for collecting all of these stories together. it was very interesting and as a script writer truly inspired me. a million thank yous to you!

thank you for collecting all of these stories

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