Ann Dvorak | Hollywood Yesterday

Upcoming Old Hollywood Book Reviews… So Many Wonderful Books to Tell You About!

June 15, 2022 By Joi

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel

I am putting the “Pictures of the Day” on pause for a few weeks while I focus on a couple of extraordinary books I want to finish reading and review. As I often say on here as well as on Twitter, I actually enjoy reading old Hollywood and classic television biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs as much I love watching old movies (and that’s a LOT!).

I also love reviewing these wonderful books because, honestly, what better way to keep these wonderful stars’ names and faces alive and well than to introduce them to others?

I am currently reading three biographies that are among the best I’ve ever read and cannot wait to tell you all about them.

One of a biography of one of my top 10 favorite all-time actresses, Ann Dvorak. To make the deal even sweeter, it’s written by one of my favorite authors, Christina Rice. Needless to say, I’m enjoying every single word of this one and am anxious for the entire journey I’m taking with Ann and Christina.

I’m nearly finished with another fascinating biography, Natalie Wood: A Life by an author that is new to me, Gavin Lambert, but one that I will now seek out EVERY book written by him.

I also have a few others I have recently finished that I want to tell you all about in the coming days as well.

As for the Pictures of the Day, there will still be pictures and they will still be under the category “Pictures of the Day,” they just won’t be daily. This book fanatic wants to focus on the books. Summer is the perfect time to escape into the delicious, adventuresome, and fascinating world of old Hollywood and I have some extraordinary books to tell you about!

The Natalie Wood biography review should be published in a few days and Ann Dvorak will be right on her heels.

Hope you’re enjoying the beautiful, warm weather! ~ Joi

Natalie Wood Biography

Paul Muni and Ann Dvorak, Scarface (1932)

February 7, 2022 By Joi

Ann Dvorak and Paul Muni

There was something about the onscreen dynamic of Ann Dvorak and Paul Muni that I find hypnotizing. When they’re on the screen together, I simply can’t look away. It’s been that way since the first time I saw Scarface (1932, directed by Howard Hawks) and it was the same, recently, when I watched it for the sixth or seventh time.

They had a certain way of playing off of one another that made you SO WISH they had made many more movies together!

YOu can find the 1932 Scarface (the best one in my opinion) on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video. It’s outstanding – every delicious minute of it.

Picture of the Day: Ann Dvorak, Scarface (1932)

July 20, 2021 By Joi

Ann Dvorak, Scarface

Ann Dvorak is one of the greatest actresses to ever walk the face of the earth. This very fact makes it incredibly frustrating to me that she isn’t better known. Of course anyone who loves old movies and classic Hollywood knows her but the average person would see a picture of her and say, “Oh, she’s beautiful? Who was she???”

Sigh.

I think, with Ann, a lot of the problem is the same as it is with many other talented stars – her films aren’t shown on television as often as a lot of other classics are and, when they are, she usually isn’t the one being spotlighted.

Make no mistake about it, though. The lady was a phenomenal actress.

You can find the 1941 film Scarface on dvd (Amazon link) or watch it on Prime Video.

The Secret of Convict Lake: Wonderful Western with a Spell-Binding Cast

July 18, 2021 By Joi

Gene Tierney and Glenn Ford: The Secret of Convict Lake

Gene Tierney, Glenn Ford, and Ethel Barrymore lead an outstanding cast in the 1951 Western The Secret of Convict Lake. Directed by Michael Gordon, it’s one of the first Westerns I’d recommend to someone who is either new to Westerns or doesn’t think they like the genre.

As a Westerns fanatic, I’m convinced there is no way under the sun to NOT like a Western… one only thinks they don’t like them until they see the right ones.

Ann Dvorak, Ruth Donnelly, Barbara Bates, Gene Tierney, and Ethel Barrymore

This is one to start with. The acting is flawless, the cast outstanding, and the story holds your interest from start to finish. The excellent cast includes Gene Tierney, Glenn Ford, Ann Dvorak, Ruth Donnelly, Ethel Barrymore, Zachary Scott, and Barbara Bates.

You can watch The Secret of Convict Lake on STARZ on Amazon Prime. Finding the dvd can be a bit of a challenge.. trust me, I’m looking! There’s one on Amazon that’s a “Spanish Release” but it doesn’t play on most American dvd players.