Old Hollywood Books and Book Reviews

Reviews of books and biographies about Old Hollywood or the Golden Age of Hollywood and its magical actors and actresses.

Audrey Hepburn in Words and Pictures: Gorgeous Book that Celebrates a Gorgeous Life

March 22, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

I’ve added quite a few books to my Golden Age of Hollywood collection already this year (I’d have ever so much more money in my purse if I’d stay off Amazon and out of bookstores!) and you’re looking at one of my favorites. Audrey Hepburn in Words and Pictures is the sort of visually beautiful book she deserves.

Description:

Through discussions of her films, charity work, reminiscences from friends, and photographs of her looks over the years Audrey Hepburn reveals the woman and the icon.

Nearly two decades after her final film appearance, film star, style icon, and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn continues to captivate the world with her beauty, grace, image, and activism. One of the most successful and popular actress in the world, some of the greatest leading men in Hollywood shared the screen with Audrey. She was also one of the first activist stars as the public face of UNICEF for over twenty years.

Yet her life was not a complete fairy tale. She endured early life in Nazi-occupied Netherlands, and saw many children her own age shipped off to concentration camps. She suffered miscarriages and failed marriages, yet throughout maintained her grace and dignity as a public figure.

Audrey Hepburn explores her amazing life, with a special focus on her iconic films and fashion styles.

While the beautiful pictures are extraordinary, I also love all of the information about Audrey Hepburn, her movies, her wonderful charity work, and (of course) the always inspiring Audrey Hepburn quotes.

Speaking of the gorgeous photographs, there are many candids and behind the scenes photos I have, personally, never seen before… and this from someone who has been obsessed with Audrey Hepburn since the crib!

Audrey Hepburn in Words and Pictures is a stunning celebration of an incredible woman and activist – someone who left the world a better place. I found my copy at my local Books a Million, but you can also click the links within this post for more information AND buying information.

Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars (Review)

March 6, 2019 By Joi 1 Comment

Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars

As I said in my last post, I’m an avid collector of all things “Old Hollywood” – books, dvds, magazines, photos, artwork, coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments, dolls… Books are something I add to my collection almost weekly. What can I say? Books are as big of an obsession for me as old movies are, so combine the two and I can’t stop myself or even slow myself down!

The book you see here, Movie Star Chronicles is one of the newest ones to join my collection. Naturally, my beloved Audrey caught my eye and into the cart it went. I LOVE that the publisher put three of “our” stars on the cover – Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Marlon Brando.

Beautifully done!

Audrey Hepburn’s Photo Spread

Many stars (“our” stars as well as modern-day stars) are featured in photo spreads like the one Audrey has (above). The stars have a “timeline” that features their filmography, including release dates and genres.

While I love the information, the gorgeous pictures are my favorite thing about this one. Look at the stunning photo of Greta Garbo below. Wouldn’t this photo make a gorgeous art print?!

Greta Garbo as Elizabeth Dohna

Book Description from Amazon:

Movie Star Chronicles promises to satisfy the curiosity of moviegoers, cinephiles, and the Hollywood-hungry fans that fuel today’s entertainment news industry. For film students, it is a practical reference to the most important actors in cinematic history.

Entries illustrated with film and television stills and other archival material chart the careers of 330 actors from the era of silent film to today’s blockbusters. Expert text gives an entertaining overview and color-coded timelines provide an at-a-glance guide to the actor’s career, their roles, movie release dates, earnings and awards.

With 576 pages and more than 2,500 illustrations for only $29.95, Movie Star Chronicles is an outstanding value. It includes:

A to Z coverage of 330 movie stars, with extended entries for 100

20 feature articles on popular movie trends, including vampires; western heroes; singers turned actors; femmes fatales; saints and sinners; acting dynasties; combat stars; cops and more

30 lavish double-page photo spreads showing cinema’s most influential stars at work and how film has evolved from silent black- and-white to color 3-D

20 illustrated features on genres and trends, such as Superheroes, Acting Dynasties, Screen Sirens, and Movie Villains

Color-coded timelines showing the arc of an actor’s career, including release dates and types of features, such as Criminal, Romantic Drama, and Thriller

Best Actor awards: Oscars, BAFTA, Cesar (France), Goya (Spain), David Di Donatello (Italy), Golden Horse (Asia), Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance.

Covering Hollywood, Bollywood and world cinema, Movie Star Chronicles is truly international and comprehensive. Sure to attract a wide readership, it is an essential purchase.

Audrey Hepburn Timeline (continued on the next page in the book)

This big, beautiful book is an excellent coffee table book – one guests would love to lose themselves in. It would also make a gorgeous and much-appreciated gift, whether it’s for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas.

Greta Garbo’s Photo Spread

I found my copy at the Ollie’s in town but I haven’t seen this one in any bookstores. They do have it on Amazon, of course, however. Pretty sure they have everything.

Take a closer look at Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars on Amazon. I highly recommend it.

The Old-Time Radio Book: Fans of Old Radio Shows Will LOVE this Book

March 3, 2019 By Joi 1 Comment

The Old-Time Radio Book

My fanaticism for the Golden Age of Hollywood, Classic TV, and Silent Movies is legendary. I have, over the past few years, become just as infatuated with and devoted to Old Radio shows. I barely remember hearing radio shows as a child. I mostly remember an old Christmas radio show they aired each Christmas that was one of our most cherished traditions.

Before I Love Lucy, Audrey Hepburn, and Fred & Ginger shook the world, families gathered around their radios each night to be entertained. Just the thought of a family excitedly gathering around a radio brings a smile to my face! Sometimes I think “progress” isn’t much of a “progress” after all, but that’s another hill to climb on another day.

Wonderful radio programs, comedies, westerns, dramas, and soap operas delighted people of all ages for years. Then they disappeared forever… or so we thought. With the internet, podcasts, YouTube, and a WONDERFUL Sirius station devoted entirely to these engaging shows, old time radio is here with us today to give us just as much happiness and entertainment as ever.

You can, literally, access your favorite old radio show(s) as easily as you can watch a favorite old movie. And, boy, do I ever!

My personal favorite old radio shows are:

Nero Wolfe/New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (Sydney Greenstreet)
Candy Matson
I Love Lucy (Lucille Ball)
The Six Shooter (James Stewart)
The Sharp Shooter
Gunsmoke (William Conrad)
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
Cisco Kid
Fort Laramie (Raymond Burr)
Hopalong Cassidy
Have Gun Will Travel (John Dehner)
Hercule Poirot
The Lone Ranger
Richard Diamond (Dick Powell)
Abbott & Costello
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
Dragnet
Whistler
The Saint (Vincent Price on some of these)
Bob Hope
Sherlock Holmes
Casey Crime Photographer
Laurel & Hardy
Philip Marlowe
Boston Blackie

Quite a list, huh? I told you I was a fanatic! The crazy thing is, there are still A LOT of radio shows I want to explore but haven’t had the chance yet…. okay, maybe I’ve had the chance, I just can’t pull myself away from my favorites. The truth always comes out, doesn’t it?

When I do check out the others that have caught my eye, I’m sure I’ll have to come back and add to this list.

Just as I collect books, photos, and memorabilia from Old Hollywood and Classic TV, I collect anything related to Old Radio. The Old-Time Radio Book is the newest addition to my cherished collections.

I found this wonderful book from a used book seller (Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit) on Amazon. When I order used books, I always use Amazon. There are also A LOT on eBay – I’m just an Amazon addict, truth be told. When you order used books on Amazon, be sure to select “Like New” or “Very Good” as the conditions you’re interested in.

I order a lot of my Old Hollywood (especially Old Radio) books “used” on Amazon and have never been disappointed.

I really love The Old-Time Radio Book – it’s even better than I expected. It’s in wonderful condition (even better than described online) and it has so much more inside than I expected.

Don’t you just love when you get more than you bargained for?!

I had no idea, for example, there’d be so many wonderful photos. The fact that some of my absolute favorites showed up on these pages made it even sweeter. Lucille Ball, Agnes Moorehead (check out the gorgeous picture of Agnes below!), Jane Wyman, Lana Turner, Susan Hayward, Ginger Rodgers… I gasped each time I found a new favorite on the pages – some of these pictures I’d never seen before.

Speaking of Agnes Moorehead for a moment, she was an absolutely phenomenal actress – on radio, in movies, and on tv (you may know her best as Endora). When you hear her on Old Radio, you will be blown away by her angelic voice. NOT AT ALL ENDORA-LIKE!

When I first heard her on an old radio show, I had no idea who the actress was. All I knew was that I could listen to her beautiful voice for hours. I couldn’t wait for the end of the program to hear the announcer say her name. When he said, “Agnes Moorehead,” my jaw dropped right into my strawberry sundae (another addiction). Beautiful face, beautiful voice, beautiful person.

No wonder I’m such a huge fan of her’s. She had it all and then some.

The big, beautiful photo of Susan Hayward (below) is another one I had never seen. In fact, there are a lot of pictures in this book I’m sure most people have never seen before. I’m not sure all of them have even been published before.

If you are a fan of Old Radio, this is a book you will love as much as I do. If you’re a fan of Old Hollywood, you will love seeing the pictures of the stars you are familiar with. In fact, if you’re an Old Hollywood fan, you may be lured into Old Radio when you see the names associated with the shows (many are listed in my list of favorites above).

Many of the greatest stars in Hollywood were the greatest stars on radio. Check them out – they will not let you down!

Books for Fans of Old Radio:

The Old-Time Radio Book

The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (one of the ones on my list to buy)

The Top 100 Classic Radio Shows

You can find many more on Amazon as well as eBay.

Websites for Fans of Old Radio:

Radio Spirits

Old Radio Programs

Old Radio World

Forever Lucy: A Must Have for Lucille Ball Fans and Collectors

January 24, 2019 By Joi 1 Comment

Being the obsessive Lucille Ball fan that I am, I add to my Lucille Ball Collection regularly. I recently added another magazine to the collection, Forever Lucy.

Everything about it is perfectly wonderful… just like Lucille, herself.

I’m actually wishing I’d grabbed two – one for reading cover to cover multiple times and one for the pictures, alone. Many are full-size and would be absolutely gorgeous framed. I do this often with calendars and the gorgeous pictures in Forever Lucy would be just as stunning.

I told you I was obsessive. I didn’t lie.

I love that the book (seems far too elaborate to refer to it as a magazine) focuses on all of the many facets of what made Lucille Ball… well… Lucille Ball.

Those of us who are fans and collectors of this amazing actress run into the same frustrating thing time and time again – publications that only want to focus on Lucy Ricardo and the phenomenal I Love Lucy. Don’t get me wrong, I love the character and show as much as anyone and more than most. However, to even hint that one sitcom defines this woman lies somewhere between an oversight and a sin against humanity!

She was intelligent, beautiful, incredibly bold, fashionable, loving, AND funny. She was, as they say, the total package and this book celebrates the total package the way it should be celebrated.

There are wonderful candids, gorgeous glamour shots, scenes from movies as well as television, Lucille Ball quotes, and articles you’ll find yourself lost in.

Basically, if I had put together a bookazine (there, I’ll compromise), this is exactly the one I would have put together, myself. Big, glorious pictures (some that even I have never seen), fascinating facts and quotes, and so much more.

And, yes, thankfully, there is plenty in here about the greatest sitcom ever made…. I Love Lucy.

If you can’t find Forever Lucy in your favorite store, Amazon is here for you. Click the link for more information. This is a must, must, MUST have.

Feuding Fan Dancers: Faith Bacon, Sally Rand, and the Golden Age of the Showgirl

January 21, 2019 By Joi 3 Comments

Feuding Fan Dancers

Feuding Fan Dancers: Faith Bacon, Sally Rand, and the Golden Age of the Showgirl is the latest book from actress and author Leslie Zemeckis and it is breathtaking. One of my favorite pastimes is reading Old Hollywood biographies and autobiographies, so when I was offered a copy of Feuding Fan Dancers in exchange for telling you about the book, I jumped at the chance so fast I startled both the cat in my lap and the one on the back of my chair.

Like many people who spend a great deal of their time in Classic Hollywood, I was somewhat familiar with Sally Rand. I had not heard of Faith Bacon, however. While my knowledge of Sally was limited (I knew she had danced with feathers and that she’d been in a couple of movies), at least I could put a face to the name. I couldn’t have told you who Faith Bacon was if I’d had to.

Clearly I needed an education on the Golden Age of the Showgirl and Leslie Zemeckis provided it. I assure you, no other textbook could compare to this one – or even come close!

From the Inside Cover:

Leslie Zemeckis continues to discover the forgotten feminist histories of the golden age of entertainment, turning her sights on the lost stories of Sally Rand and Faith Bacon―icons who each claimed to be the inventor of the notorious fan dance

Some women capture our attention like no others. Faith Bacon and Sally Rand were beautiful blondes from humble backgrounds who shot to fame behind a pair of oversize ostrich fans, but with very different outcomes. Sally Rand would go on to perform for the millions who attended the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago, becoming America’s sweetheart. Faith Bacon, the Marilyn Monroe of her time––once anointed the “world’s most beautiful woman”––would experience the dark side of fame and slip into drug use.

It was the golden age of American entertainment, and Bacon and Rand fought their way through the competitive showgirl scene of New York with grit and perseverance. They played peek-a-boo with their lives, allowing their audiences to see only slivers of themselves. A hint of a breast? A forbidden love affair? They were both towering figures, goddesses, icons. Until the world started to change. Little is known about who they really were, until now.

Feuding Fan Dancers tells the story of two remarkable women during a tumultuous time in entertainment history. Leslie Zemeckis has pieced together their story and―nearly one hundred years later― both women come alive again.

Those last five words jumped off the page at me when I first opened the book, “…both women come alive again.” That’s my personal mission when it comes to Hollywood Yesterday. Few things excite me more than seeing stars from yesterday shining just as brightly as they did when they walked the earth. Through the pages of Feuding Fan Dancers, each beautiful showgirl is with us as we read about their heartbreaks and triumphs, their bold creativity and talent, and even their masterful twisting of reality (especially entertaining).

When doing book reviews, I am always mindful of several things – telling the reader why he or she should read the book is, obviously, right up there, but I also put a lot of effort into not giving anything away. When an author writes a book, they unveil truth and information in a particular, well thought-out manner. They put a lot of time and effort (often years) into research and writing and I have zero intention of letting any secrets out of the jar. The author has earned that right to lift that lid.

I will say that you’ll be amazed by the things life threw at these ladies as well as the things they threw back at life.

Feuding Fan Dancers is an especially fascinating book and is a joy to read. It reads at a very fast-pace as each star’s life unfolds before the reader’s eyes. The two showgirls come alive on each page and they bring a lot of fascinating people with them… many of whom you have heard of.

A VERY impressive amount of research went into this wonderful book. I am blown away by the facts the author was able to piece together from so long ago. As I hinted at earlier, both Sally Rand and Faith Bacon got pretty creative with their “facts.” Truth be told, they were almost as creative with reality as they were feathers. The fact that Leslie Zemeckis was able to travel back in time and sift though all of the information is truly remarkable.

I love everything about the way the book is written. Each woman’s life is told separately, culminating to the point where each became… for better or worse… aware of the other.

As I said, I knew of Sally Rand before reading Feuding Fan Dancers but had never heard of Faith Bacon. After reading this remarkable book, however, I’ll never forget Faith Bacon. There was something mesmerizing about her – a mixture of strength and vulnerability. While Sally often displayed even more strength – she never seemed as vulnerable as Faith Bacon, which, given the time and circumstances, is a real testament to her self will and confidence.

I’ll never forget either lady and I am profoundly glad to have gotten the chance to know each better. In fact, I have grown so fond of them that I’ve already started reading the book a second time! While I often re-read my favorite biographies, I seldom begin a second time through on the very day I finish, but this was the case with Feuding Fan Dancers.

Their lives turned out differently, I look forward to revisiting them a second time and seeing what circumstances and even people could have helped them reach such horrifyingly different destinations.

About the Author: Leslie Zemeckis is an entertainer, author and award-winning documentarian, specializing in early American forms of entertainment (from burlesque to the circus). With an impressive burlesque collection.

Zemeckis wrote/produced/directed the critically acclaimed documentary shown on Showtime “Behind the Burly Q” the true story of old-time burlesque. Her second film, “Bound by Flesh” about Daisy and Violet Hilton, sideshow “freaks” won many festival awards as both best documentary and best director and can be seen on Netflix. Her current film “Mabel, Mabel, Tiger Trainer,” is about the world’s first female tiger trainer.

Her book “Goddess of Love Incarnate; the Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr” is the best-selling in-depth story of the influential burlesque dancer in Hollywood in the ’30s-50s, Montreal nightclubs, and Swinging 52nd Street in New York.

Zemeckis is co-staring in the film “Welcome to Marwen” opposite Steve Carell Dec 2018.

Her latest best-seller FEUDING FAN DANCERS is about Sally Rand, Faith Bacon and the golden age of the Broadway showgirl. She extensively interviewed and researched both fan dancers ground-breaking performances, the history of the American world’s fairs and early Hollywood. Find more at lesliezemeckis.com.

Read more about Feuding Fan Dancers by clicking the links. You’ll find many glowing reviews – which the book and author both certainly deserve.

More Classic Hollywood Book Reviews on Hollywood Yesterday.

Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds (Review)

August 7, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Buy Unsinkable on Amazon

I have always loved Debbie Reynolds – she was adorable (every single day of her life), a wonderful actress, great singer and dancer, and all around…. well… lovable. How anyone could ever conceivably claim to not like her would worry me.

After all, how could you not like Debbie Reynolds?? That’d be like saying you didn’t think Rita Hayworth was beautiful. Or you weren’t quite sure Lucille Ball was funny. That you were up in the air over Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis AND Joan Crawford’s acting chops.

Okay, you get the point. You can’t dislike Debbie Reynolds. Impossible.

Now that we have that settled….. I actually remember my first Debbie Reynolds movie – Singing in the Rain. 10 minutes after she first arrived on the scene, I was ready to like, love, or hate any other star or character based solely on how they treated her. She just had a certain something about her that drew you to her and every character she breathed life into. Though I’d always been a huge fan of Elizabeth Taylor, when I read about her “you know what” with “you know who,” I wrote her AND “you know who” both off.

Years later, I read that Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds had become friends again – proving, yet again, that they don’t come any more special than Ms. Reynolds.

As for “you know who…” well, I never forgave him.

I just finished a wonderful book, Unsinkable – a memoir by Debbie Reynolds, herself, and I couldn’t wait to tell you about it. I’m obsessed with Old Hollywood biographies, but when they’re about stars who happen to be favorites, I often read a chapter twice simply to make sure I’ve devoured every word possible. If you aren’t convinced of my infatuation with these biographies on that alone, I can do you one better. I take notes from each book I read. Yep – like a college student. Whether they’re Old Hollywood biographies or another passion, historical biographies (Cleopatra, Harriet Tubman, First Ladies, and Abraham Lincoln are some of my personal favorites) – I jot down quotes or information I want to remember.

As you’d imagine, I have a lot of notebooks and go through a lot of pens.

People often ask me if I prefer autobiographies and memoirs or biographies and I truthfully cannot say. Autobiographies and personal memoirs reach somewhere other biographers can’t even touch… inside the star’s head. The stars, themselves, can tell you what they were thinking and how they felt. Biographers have to rely on assumption or secondhand knowledge.

Having said that, I’ve read enough of each to know that you often get more “raw facts” from a biographer than a star. Many stars, understandably, don’t want to give everything away. Can NOT blame them for that!

Debbie Reynolds is, in my opinion, one of the most open and honest stars when it comes to her memoirs. She isn’t vindictive, didn’t have a “narrative” or ax to grind. She simply tells her fascinating stories and in a way that, quite frankly, feels like you’re having coffee with your hilarious aunt. The aunt who is as lovely inside as out, yet has a crazy sense of humor that sometimes makes you kind of blush. YES… that Debbie Reynolds. YES… that Old Hollywood’s Sweetheart. Her humor will catch you off guard and, if she were the aunt you were having coffee with, you’d have to put your cup down often to keep from choking on the coffee.

After all, laughing and swallowing aren’t mutually compatible.

She. Is. Hilarious.

Before I continue with the book review, take a look at the picture from the cover (below). Gorgeous, right?! You know who she reminds me of here? If you watched soap operas back in the day, you’ll know who I’m talking about. If you didn’t, you’ll have to take my word for it. She reminds me A LOT of the beautiful actress Robin Strasser (Dorian, One Life to Live).

{Review Continued Below]

Unsinkable is the definitive memoir by film legend and Hollywood icon Debbie Reynolds.

In Unsinkable, the late great actress, comedienne, singer, and dancer Debbie Reynolds shares the highs and lows of her life as an actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age, anecdotes about her lifelong friendship with Elizabeth Taylor, her experiences as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia, and intimate details of her marriages and family life with her children, Carrie and Todd Fisher.

A story of heartbreak, hope, and survival, “America’s Sweetheart” Debbie Reynolds picks up where she left off in her first memoir, Debbie: My Life, and is illustrated with previously unpublished photos from Reynolds’s personal collection.

Debbie Reynolds died on December 28, 2016, at the age of 84, just one day after the death of her daughter, actress and author Carrie Fisher. – From Amazon

If you read many Old Hollywood biographies and memoirs, you know that one of the funnest things about them is when you “bump into” other actors, actresses, and celebrities on the pages. Sometimes they’re expected, other times not. Either way, I always get a huge kick out of the book’s subject’s interactions, relationships, and inward thoughts about these stars.

You can often learn as much (or more!) about someone from another person’s words and/or opinion of them. There are numerous such “encounters” on the pages of Unsinkable and they are sometimes hilarious, sometimes disappointing, and always fascinating. Unsinkable was written by Debbie Reynolds and a longtime friend of her’s, Dorian Hannaway. These ladies created a book that will go down as one of my personal favorites. Talk about a FUN read.

As with all of my reviews, I detest the thought of giving anything away… so I won’t allow myself to say too much. After all, the best way to get to truly know these magical stars of Hollywood Yesterday is to read about them. Since my number one goal with this blog is to keep these stars shining brightly, I desperately want as many people to get to know them as possible. This means I want as many of you to read these biographies as possible. If I give things away, you’ll be less apt to do that… and Debbie Reynolds is a star I absolutely want as many people as possible to get to know better.

There’s so much more to her than her uncommonly sweet smile and beauty. A lot more… and much of it will catch you off guard.

The two things I take away the most from this book are:

Her sense of humor was outrageous. Although she isn’t known for comedy, she’d have been HUGE in the genre. She had a natural sense of humor and ability to find the fun, humor, and playfulness in just about every corner of life.
She loved her family completely, intensely, and passionately. Her love for her children and granddaughter – and her pride in everything about them – defined Debbie Reynolds. They were her world… to the very end. So much so that, after her beloved daughter Carrie Fisher passed away, it would appear that she wanted only one thing.. to follow Carrie and make certain she was safe.

This is a book I know you’ll want to read and this is a lady I know you’ll love. You can find Unsinkable by Debbie Reynolds and Dorian Hannaway on Amazon or in your favorite bookstore.

By the way, if you were a One Life to Live fan (I was for more years than I could begin to count), you’ll recognize the gorgeous actress in the picture above with Debbie Reynolds, her son Todd, and Carrie Fisher… Catherine Hickland – one of the best actresses to ever grace daytime television OR nighttime. She played Lindsay on OLTL and she is one of my all-time favorites. She is actually married to Debbie Reynold’s beloved son Todd.

Small world… and, very often, an especially beautiful world. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

For Fiction Fans: The Old Cape Hollywood Secret by Barbara Eppich Struna

May 31, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

The Old Cape Hollywood Secret

To say that I love to read would be like saying Garfield is fond of lasagna or that Cookie Monster enjoys an occasional cookie. Seriously, I always have… at ANY given time… at least 4 books I’m reading from simultaneously (not counting the Bible, of course, that goes without saying). My little pile of “current reads” follows me from room to room – and it’s usually an especially colorful crowd I run with.

I am always in the middle of an “Old Hollywood” biography, memoir, or autobiography. Only one at a time because I want each star to have the spotlight they were born to command. I just finished Joan Crawford A Talent for Living (click the link to read my review) and, before that, Unsinkable by Debbie Reynolds (I’ll have the review written and published next week!). I just started Ginger by Ginger Rogers and I’m already head over dancing heels in love with her. Fred will be after her… ladies first.
I am also always in the middle of a couple of history biographies or books. Currently, a fascinating Cleopatra bio (probably the 12th one I’ve read about her – she’s one of my favorites, in case you couldn’t tell) and a book of our First Ladies fit this bill. I’m a history buff with a particular fascination for US Presidents, First Ladies, the American Revolution, the Civil War, Harriet Tubman, and Ancient Egypt.
For about 12 years, I have also had an Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot mystery going at all times. Yes, I’ve read and re-read them all many times over but I am never more content than when I’m in the presence of Hercule Poirot and his little grey brain cells.
I read religiously from a book of Emily Dickinson poetry. I love Emily Dickinson greatly (I even named my oldest daughter in her honor – a daughter who went on to also write poetry. How cool is that?)

Except for my daughter Emily‘s short stories, poetry, and fiction and Emily Dickinson’s poetry, Agatha Christie is the only fiction I read. Every reader has their favorite genre and although it seems the vast majority of people in my family favor fiction, I’m a non-fiction kind of gal (except for Emily, Agatha, and Emily!)

If fiction is your thing, I have a book I believe you’ll love. It seems like it’d make a perfect summer novel. It’s called The Old Cape Hollywood Secret and it’s written by author Barbara Eppich Struna.

Synopsis: In 1947, Maggie Foster and her cousin, Gertie, leave Cape Cod for Hollywoodland in search of glamour and fame. One girl returns home and the other disappears. Present-day Nancy Caldwell travels to Hollywood, where she discovers the paths of Maggie and Gertie.

In “The Old Cape Hollywood Secret,” a novel of historical suspense, Nancy’s curiosity gets her into trouble again. Along the way, a missing ring and a pearl-studded pouch are mixed in with the search. Using alternating chapters, across seventy years, the tragic stories of two young girls unfold and a murderous secret is uncovered. Barbara Eppich Struna, author of “The Old Cape House” and “The Old Cape Teapot,” had as much fun writing “The Old Cape Hollywood Secret”, as she did researching the novel. The 1927 Pig & Whistle Pub and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, located on Hollywood Boulevard, are just a few of the famous landmarks featured in this historical adventure. Struna’s present-day character, Nancy Caldwell, returns in the author’s third novel set in Old Hollywood and on Cape Cod where she leads you on a journey filled with suspense and nostalgia.

Sounds like a real page-turner to me!

About the Author: Internationally best-selling author Barbara Eppich Struna is fascinated by history and writes a blog about the unique facts and myths of Cape Cod. Her published books are The Old Cape House and The Old Cape Teapot; her third novel in the Old Cape Series is The Old Cape Hollywood Secret. Besides being a storyteller at heart, she is currently President of Cape Cod Writers Center, a Member in Letters of the National League of American Pen Women, a panelist at the International Thriller Writers – Thrillerfest 2016, and a member of Sisters in Crime and two writing groups.

See The Old Cape Hollywood Secret for more information, including awards the book has earned and glowing reviews it has received!

Review: Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

May 24, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

For more years than I could even begin to count, I have always been in the middle of at least one old Hollywood biography, memoir, or autobiography. They fascinate me beyond words. They’re as entertaining and exciting as the movies the stars starred in… sometimes even more so, if we’re being honest.

The most recent biography I read was about the beautiful, talented, and iconic Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford A Talent for Living, by Jennifer Bitman is a very fast-paced look into the fascinating, albeit often heartbreaking, life of Joan Crawford.

From her earliest days to her final days, Joan Crawford comes to life in this “page turner.” It’s a must read for any Joan Crawford fan and makes a cherished addition to any Old Hollywood collection.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Joan Crawford biographies such as A Talent for Living is this: They give Joan Crawford a voice. There have been a lot of negative things published about Joan Crawford… many of which were published and/or written after her death… robbing her of a chance to give her side of the events. As a Joan Crawford fan, I’m very grateful that authors are writing about her and allowing her voice to join the conversation.

Seems only right.

{Review continued below…..}

One of the things I love most about Old Hollywood biographies is the fact that they allow us to see the “star” as an actual flesh and blood human – like all of us who also fall into the category of human (on most days, anyway), the stars made their share of mistakes. Some of them were whoppers. They also, very often, endured great hardships and even abuse – both of which leave scars that do not easily, if ever, heal completely. The lucky ones had family or friends who “had their back” and held them accountable their choices. They had people who loved them too much to let them live anything but their best life.

When I read about stars, such as Joan Crawford, who pretty much had to have their own back, it squeezes my heart. Joan had a life that was defined by loss and an overwhelming sense of not being loved. Early experiences caused her to fear that if she wasn’t perfect, people who she loved would leave her.

As is the case with many people, powerful personal pain morphed into powerful personal demons for Joan… demons she battled daily.

Whether it’s drinking, drugs, and/or self-destructive decisions with relationships, personal demons beg to be silenced. Unfortunately, each of these means of silencing demons leave a lot of carnage in their wake.

Like so many stars, Joan Crawford arrived in Hollywood with open wounds… an earmark of vulnerability. Joan Crawford A Talent for Living gives us a very intimate look at the lasting and intense effect Hollywood had on Joan and at the lasting and intense effect she had on Hollywood! She hit Hollywood much as a hurricane hits land. Hollywood hadn’t seen anything quite like her – and you could make a strong case for it not having seen anyone quite like her since.

That’s the remarkable thing about Joan Crawford – she was so breathtakingly original and unique. She had such a beautiful and strong aura about her. The way she dressed, did her makeup, spoke, walked… even in her expressions. She was strength personified. And yet…. there was, at the same time, an unmistakable quality of vulnerability and need to be loved. A great, great need to be loved.

Author Jennifer Bitman allows us to meet Joan Crawford even before she became Joan Crawford. Through the early chapters, we get to witness her… well… meet herself.

Before she made landfall.

Parts of the book are painful to read but impossible not to. When you’re a fan, you want to know everything about someone – even the things that leave you with a tear in your eye. After all, each experience went into making them who they were.

There are, of course, plenty of experiences in her life that leave you smiling rather than reaching for a tissue. One of the things about Joan Crawford that always makes me smile is her devotion to and love for her fans. They meant the world to her. With all the people who let her down, I’m especially thankful that she was able to feel the great love of her fans.

I also love that she was apparently a great friend. Her friends knew they could count on her and she had a great reputation for being both gracious and generous.

{Review concludes below….}

In addition to getting to know my favorite stars better, another reason I’m obsessed with Old Hollywood biographies is this: You never know when another favorite will pop up! To read about different stars meeting one another, getting to know one another, and (sometimes) even feuding fascinates me each and every time. While reading A Talent for Living, many names popped up and I hung on each and every word – especially when one Clark Gable arrives on the scene. I don’t want to give anything away, but the relationship between the two is pretty scintillating!

Did Joan Crawford have emotional scars that led to demons? Yes. Did the demons, when she attempted to silence them, cause havoc? Yes. But here’s the thing – to have accomplished all that she accomplished while battling all that she battled is remarkable. It took great strength from a woman who always had a little girl living within who wanted to be loved and desperately needed to know that those she loved weren’t going to betray her or leave her.

While I am as happy as a clam laying on the beach on a Sunday afternoon when I’m lost in the pages of an Old Hollywood biography, I realize there are people who much prefer “fast reads,” books that are neither long or “heavy,” as in difficult to read. If this describes you, you’ll love the fact that this fast-paces book is a very fast read. It would make an excellent companion at the beach, park, lake, or backyard patio.

Not counting the Filmography (which was incredibly to consult while reading when I wanted to establish a time-line), Bibliography, and Notes – the book is just 175 pages in length.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of A Talent for Living and really get to know Joan Crawford. Behind the beauty, clothes, talent, and strong aura was a woman who wanted the same things we all want from life – to love and be loved in return.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Are you on Twitter?? If you are a Joan Crawford and/or Old Hollywood fan, I have a Twitter account that I cannot recommend enough. Bonnie Edinger is a dream come true for those of us who love this era so much. Last year, one of my daughters had a very complicated pregnancy and, like any mother hen, I spent every day and night worried about her and her baby. When the beautiful baby boy was born prematurely, he had to spend time in the NICU – it hurt to see such a tiny baby hooked up to so many wires. While I always LOVE Bonnie’s beautiful pictures and great information (I’ve learned so much – and here I thought I knew everything… Ha!), I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated them quite as much as I did during these months. When I felt like I was at the end of my emotional rope, I’d find her Twitter page and lose myself in the wonderful pictures and read every wonderful word she had to say.

I have to say, though, I do appreciate the Tweets even when the emotional rope is nowhere in sight! She’s a sweetheart and is even the one who told me about this great book – Joan Crawford is one of her favorite actresses!

Review: Ball of Fire – The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball by Stefan Kanfer

February 20, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Ball of Fire: The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball by Stefan Kanfer

One of my favorite pastimes, hobbies, and passions is reading old Hollywood biographies, memoirs, and autobiographies. I’m absolutely obsessed with them. When they happen to be about one of my personal favorites, I can barely make myself put the book down. I devour each word (often twice) and study the pictures as though I’m searching for hidden clues.

Lucille Ball is one of my favorite television actresses… movie actresses…stars.. comedians.. oh, heck, she’s one of my favorite humans to ever draw breath. Let’s just leave it at that. I read everything about her that I can get my hands on.

Ball of Fire is the latest Lucille Ball biography I’ve read and it’s easily one of the best.

From the Back Cover:

As a movie actress Lucille Ball was, in her own words, “queen of the B-pluses.” But on the small screen she was a superstar – arguably the funniest and most enduring in the history of TV. In this exemplary biography, Stefan Kanfer explores the roots of Lucy’s genius and places it in the context of her conflicted and sometimes bitter personal life.

“Elegant, entertaining… engaging and immensely readable. – The Boston Globe”

Ball of Fire gives us Lucy in all her contradictions. here is the beauty who became a master of knock-down slapstick; the control freak whose comic alter ego thrived on chaos; the worshipful TV housewife whose real marriage ended in public disaster. Here, too, is an intimate view of the dawn of television and of the America that embraced it. Charming, informative, touching, and laugh-out-loud funny, this is the book Lucy’s fans have been waiting for.

A delightful… Encyclopedia Lucytania, guiding us through every possible detail of the woman’s history and legacy. – San Francisco Chronicle

Lucille Ball Fans: This Has to be the Next Book You Read

If you love Lucy like I love Lucy (sorry, I had to), you’ll want to read this book cover to cover, possibly twice. While we’ve all known and celebrated the fact that Lucille Ball was one of the most beautiful, talented, and gifted stars Hollywood ever saw, this great book is a reminder of the strength this lady possessed. When you read about everything she had to overcome (and remind yourself that this was a time when feminine strength wasn’t celebrated as it is today), you realize that she never simply waltzed into stardom, she kicked, scratched, and clawed every step of the way.

Needless to say, that makes her fans love her even more.

While I love everything about this book, one of the things that stands out to me is the fact that the author doesn’t try to “steer” the facts toward any set narrative. As a fan of many actors and actresses from Old Hollywood, I have to say that this would be difficult (if not impossible) for me. If, say, I were writing a biography of any of my favorite stars, I’d want desperately to show them at their best on each page of the book. I’d steer everything in a preconceived direction… Happy Town, U.S.A.

Warts? Not a one. Negative actions? Never! How dare you ask? Promiscuous? I should say not!

See why I don’t write biographies… everyone would come off like a choir boy or Sunday school teacher. To be able to give an accurate, beautifully rounded portrait of an individual takes a lot of talent and, I’d wager, self-control. As an avid reader of Old Hollywood biographies, I’m overjoyed that such authors exist. After all, none of us expect our favorite stars to have been perfect – even the men and women (except for One) in the Bible weren’t perfect!

It’s the imperfections we identify with – the weaknesses that we love seeing them overcome and the demons we love seeing them defeat. It makes them more real to us and makes us love them even more. Author Stefan Kanfer does a beautiful job of showing complete respect to Lucille, Desi, William Frawley, Vivian Vance, and the many other household names who “guest starred” in our favorite Lucy’s life.

Unlike some biographers, he doesn’t fixate on a star’s less-than-perfect traits but he doesn’t gloss over them as a certain Old Hollywood blogger we know would have done. *Raises hand with guilt on her face

This particular biography gives us a beautiful look at the mesmerizing life of Lucille Ball – from her earliest days to her last days. While it would be impossible to give the totality of a life within one book, Mr. Kanfer comes alarmingly close. I feel like I know her better after this book than I did before and, as someone who truly adores Lucille Ball, I will forever be thankful for that.

I Love Lucy Fans: Consider this a MUST READ BOOK

As a Lucille Ball fanatic, I’m sure you won’t be the least bit surprised to know that I can recite episodes of I Love Lucy along with the stars. I know what they’re going to say right before they say it and yet laugh each time as though it were the first time. That’s the magic of the stars, the writers, and everyone involved. While Ball of Fire (obviously) focuses on arguably the greatest comedic talent of all time, herself, there is gold… and a lot of it… for fans of I Love Lucy.

Even I read stories about casting (William Frawley, Vivian Vance, and memorable guest stars) in Ball of Fire I’d never heard… and I was pretty sure I was a walking/talking/coffee-chugging I Love Lucy encyclopedia! I honestly don’t want to give anything away, here, because I want you to read the book for yourself and be just as surprised and delighted with each turn of the page. I will say this, however – I’ve always known that Desi Arnaz deserves more credit for his acting and comedic genius. After reading Ball of Fire, I realize that he deserves A LOT more credit for the success of the series. He was more active behind the scenes than most of us would have ever guessed and he may have had one of the greatest eyes for casting of all time.

He was more than just a source of facial expressions for Lucy’s antics or verbal expressions for Lucy’s humor – he was one of the driving forces behind the series. I desperately want to find a read a biography of Desi Arnaz after reading Ball of Fire because it has caused me to be even more of a fan of this complex, talented, diverse, and often complicated man.

I only wish this particular author would write such a biography!

As I said, I refuse to give any of the wonderful details or stories away but I want to implore you again… if you’re a fan of I Love Lucy, you’ll love the amount of time devoted to the series. I read and reread the pages and am looking forward to pulling out my dvds and finding the episodes mentioned. The Grape-Stomping episode will be one of the first I re-watch!

I’d better move along before I DO give something away.

Ball of Fire is, As Much as Anything a Love Story

Not only is this book, at heart, a love story – it’s one of the best love stories you’ll ever read. When I read (pages 63-65) about the first time Lucille an Desi met, I literally had goose bumps. Now, I know the word literally is overused and misused these days but trust me – I’m neither overusing or misusing. I legit had goosebumps as well as a lump in my throat. The feelings would return (often along with teary eyes) when the author talked about Lucy’s desire to have children, when the marriage began (and continued) to unravel, and when both Desi and Lucille died.

The love these two gifted stars shared for one another was absolutely palpable. When you read the book, it becomes more clear than ever that Lucille and Desi were soulmates, just as Lucy and Ricky were. Sadly, soulmates don’t always go the distance with one another – especially when Hollywood is concerned. Hollywood is like a whole other world and very few couples navigate it from start to finish hand in hand. I’m convinced that, had they lived in any other place, they’d have made it.

Finally….

As I’ve said many times on Hollywood Yesterday, old movies, classic television, and Old Hollywood biographies are part of my DNA. I love for an author to take me on a journey where I’m able to spend time with current favorites and meet stars who I become so smitten with, they often go on to become favorites. A notable star this happened with was Carole Lombard. Her name kept popping up in various biographies (Lucille Ball, Ginger Rogers….) and she was always such a scene-stealer that I sought out more information about her. I found that she was, indeed, beautifully colorful and wonderfully full of life. She, along with other household names (Clark Gable, Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert, etc) are here in Ball of Fire – woven into the fabric that is the magical life of Lucille Ball. They add to the mystique and heighten the magic.

What more can I say? This is a breathtaking book and I really hope you read it as soon as possible. Ball of Fire is available on Amazon in paperback for less than $5 and hardback for not much more.

EDIT: I just searched for the author (Stefan Kanfer) on Amazon – determined to buy any and all biographies he has written. Am I ever in luck? He has several – so, needless to say, you’ll be seeing the reviews soon!

Somebody: The Reckless Life and Remarkable Career of Marlon Brando
Tough Without a Gun: Humphrey Bogart, Men in Movies, and Why It Matters
Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx

Old Hollywood Book + Biography Reviews on Hollywood Yesterday

August 27, 2017 By Joi 2 Comments

(Read my I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn Biography Review )

One of my favorite pastimes or guilty pleasures is (as you’d expect) watching movie classics. Old Hollywood, the Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood’s Golden Era… whatever name it goes by, it is absolute magic as far as I’m concerned. There’s just nothing quite like curling up in my favorite swivel rocker, with hot chocolate or tea, my favorite throw, and at least one cat nearby.

However, over the years I’ve found that there’s another guilty Old Hollywood-related pleasure that ranks right up there with watching the movies, themselves…. reading about the colorful, larger than life men and women who made the magic happen.

Old Hollywood biographies, autobiographies, and books line my bookshelves and the collection continues to grow. To be perfectly honest, I just can’t get enough of them!

{Continued below Princess Huck admiring Katharine Hepburn…}

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography

I Know Where I’m Going is one of the first Old Hollywood book reviews I wrote on Hollywood Yesterday and it remains one of my all-time favorite books of all time.

(See I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn Review)

The review, linked to above, will go into greater detail about exactly what makes this book such a knock out. It isn’t just a MUST read for Katharine Hepburn fans and it isn’t just a MUST read for fans of Old Hollywood… it’s a MUST read for anyone who enjoys a great book.

The past week, I’ve been going through old posts and articles on the blog and “freshening” up pictures, deleting irrelevant posts, etc. I was anxious to add fresh pictures to this particular book review. When I wrote the review, my camera was a horrible excuse for a camera. So, I snatched I Know Where I’m Going off of my Old Hollywood Books shelves and arranged a photo shoot.

For my food blog as well as a few of my other blogs, I do a LOT of book reviews. I meticulously plan photo shoots for the books to better show them off to my readers. As you can see from these pictures (as well as ones in the review, itself), I had “help” – one of our kittens, Princess Huck, decided she just had to read the book then and there.

I decided, “Fine. You want to be in the pictures… you’ll be in the pictures!” I may or may not spoil my cats.

I have a LOT of book and biography reviews coming up, so keep an eye or two out for those. You’ll forgive me, I trust, if a cat or two or six make their way into the pictures.

~ Joi (“Joy”)