Old Hollywood Biography Reviews | Hollywood Yesterday

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice (Review)

August 29, 2022 By Joi

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

About a year ago, I watched two films back-to-back (The Secret of Convict Lake and The Long Night). The first film was next on my list as I worked my way through one of my favorite actress’ filmography (Ethel Barrymore) and The Long Night was next on my list as I worked my way through the filmography of my favorite actor (Henry Fonda).

I saw the films on the same day, as part of a double feature I decided to treat myself too. Funny thing happened by the time the movies were over, though… the name I kept thinking about and the performances I kept reliving didn’t involve either Henry Fonda OR Ethel Barrymore… I was completely infatuated with the brilliance of Ann Dvorak (a secret we’ll keep from Ethel and Henry).

As I kept mulling over her strong, yet vulnerable, screen presence, talent, and beauty, a few questions kept coming up in my mind…

How is Ann Dvorak NOT a household name? With beauty that rivals the most beautiful stars of old Hollywood and talent that rivals the most talented, how is her name not one easily recognized by even the most casual movie fans?
Why did Hollywood not use her in more films? Where are her many blockbusters… the films where she is the leading lady and Hollywood’s most sought-after actors are clamoring for her attention?
Why was The Secret of Convict Lake her last film? She was so wonderful in the role and had so many great movies and performances left in the tank. Why were there not more films?

I mean, this is someone who didn’t just stand toe to toe with the likes of Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney, Ethel Barrymore, and Glenn Ford.. she stole scenes right out from under them!

I immediately gave Ann Dvorak the greatest compliment I, personally, can give a star – I took out my “Old Hollywood” notebook and began a list of her films… as eager to explore through her filmography as I’ve ever been about any star.

Again, mums the word to Ethel and Henry.

After my third Ann Dvorak film (Scarface), I began searching for books, articles, magazines, photos… anything and everything I could get my hands on! Another huge compliment for a star is when I begin to “collect them.”

Basically I was throwing every compliment I could at Ann Dvorak.

Many times, as an old Hollywood fan, you set yourself up for great disappointment when you begin to look for a biography of an actor or actress. I can’t tell you the number of stars I desperately want a biography about (Ann Sheridan and Ethel Barrymore, I’m looking at you ladies). While I love a great autobiography, there is SO MUCH to be said for the balanced facts a biography provides. You get the whole picture… the good and the not so good… and I was desperate to learn all I could about Ann Dvorak and see if I could find answers to the questions bouncing around in my brain.

I was ECSTATIC to find that, not only does a biography exist, but it was written by one of my favorite authors, Christina Rice (I read her wonderful Jane Russell biography just this past summer).

An Ann Dvorak Biography + a Gluten-Free Muffin… Heaven!

This wonderful biography was all but impossible to put down. One day, while I was in the middle of chapter one, I decided to take a “break” and eat a gluten-free muffin one of my daughters and brought to me and maybe watch an episode of I Love Lucy.

By the time the delicious muffin was gone, Lucy Ricardo had not been invited into the den and I was beginning chapter three.

When doing old Hollywood book reviews, I never want to give anything away. I want readers to enjoy each page, each surprise, and each “Holy cats!” moment just as I did… with or without muffin crumbs on their chin. It’s always a difficult balance to strike… telling you, my friends, WHY you should read the book without giving anything in particular away. It’s 100 times more challenging when it’s a book I’m all but dying for you to read!

However, I never divulge too much information (or share snippets of a book currently in print) because…

I don’t want to rob readers of the thrill of uncovering the gold nuggets for themselves.
It wouldn’t be fair to an author who had poured so much of their heart and life into their book.

What I try to convey is WHY I know you’ll love the book and WHAT separates the book from other books… what makes it special. That’s where this book is an absolute breeze!

Top Three Reasons You Will Love “Ann Dvorak Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel” by Christina Rice

If you’re like me, you’re desperate for answers to questions about Ann Dvorak’s career and life. She’s a mysterious star and one very little is known about. This fascinating book puts a magnifying glass in the reader’s hand and walks them through Ann Dvorak’s life, helping them find the answers. And these answers are not as simple as you’d think.
One of the most fascinating things with any old Hollywood biography or autobiography is, as I always say, the people you meet along the way. From Ann’s co-stars, family, and friends, there are plenty of interesting people who jump off the page at you – some you already know such as Joan Crawford, Paul Muni, and Bette Davis. Ann’s mother is also a pretty fascinating character and one who, I believe, would make an interesting biography in and of herself!
Ann Dvorak wasn’t just a gorgeous, glamorous, and talented actress, she was very much a human.. and a very relatable one, at that. She made a couple of errors in judgment and let her romantic heart lead her astray more than once. Like so many stars, she got in her own way a few times. Come on, what’s more relatable than that?! I have a special love for people that, while I’m reading about them, pull me so into their story that I want to ask them, “What are you thinking?! You deserve better!” and maybe an occasional, “Dump him!” Ann Dvorak was bold, smart, savvy, strong, and beautiful but, my goodness, did she have a romantic spirit and was she ever consumed with wanderlust?! More so than just about any star I’ve read about. What’s funny is that, while she frustrates me as a fan (I want more films by gosh!), she also delights me as a fan. While she got in her own way, professionally, she lived an exciting life and did so on her terms. Frankly I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What Makes “Ann Dvorak Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel” Special? Why Does it Stand Out?

Possibly the easiest question I’ve ever posed to myself. I can answer it in one sentence: The passion of the author Christina Rice. I read voraciously – not just old Hollywood biographies but historical biographies as well. My bookshelves include Amelia Earhart, Cleopatra, Harriet Tubman, and Abraham Lincoln as well as Audrey Hepburn, Ann Dvorak, James Stewart, and so on. For as long as I can remember (well over 20 years), I have always been in either the beginning, middle of, or end of at least two biographies. I never take a breath in between them simply because they’re like oxygen to me!

I have never encountered an author more passionate about the individual they were writing about than Christina Rice is about Ann Dvorak. The respect and affection she has for Ann Dvorak is obvious on every single page and it makes the book an absolute joy to read. As an Ann Dvorak fan, I’m ecstatic that she is in such capable and loving hands when it came time for the world to hear her story.

Christina Rice’s research and work is mind-boggling. It has to be a challenge to research such an enigmatic and mysterious star, and yet she did an absolutely breathtaking job. I’ve found that it’s even a challenge to find photos of Ann Dvorak. I always tell people, I will post more about her on the blog and tweet more about her as soon as I am able to find more available photos!

I am overjoyed to have had the opportunity to “meet” Ann Dvorak through this author’s wonderful efforts and am overjoyed she has her to keep her star shining. I’m also actually very grateful that a biography wasn’t attempted before the right woman for the job came along.

Simply put, there is no other author who could have shared Ann Dvorak’s story with the world.

(Review concluded below…)

Ann Dvorak

From the Back Cover of Ann Dvorak Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel:

“Rice is a superb writer with just the right touch―not too heavy, not too light. We really get to know Ann Dvorak.”―Eve Golden, author of John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars

“This book is more than the biography of an overlooked movie star. Author Christina Rice has meticulously researched the life of Dvorak, whose strong, self-reliant characters made her an important presence in the pre-Code era. Written in a reader-friendly style, Ann Dvorak explores the highs and lows of the actress who dazzled viewers in the classics Scarface and Three on a Match.”―Susan Doll, author of Florida on Film: The Essential Guide to Sunshine State Cinema and Locations

“Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel is a treasure trove of information about this under-mentioned star. The wealth of information is stunning, and the writing is full of passion and warmth. Without a doubt, no one but Rice could have ever written this book, which is a fabulous tribute to someone who deserves to be remembered.” – Michelle Morgan, author of Marilyn Monroe: Private and Confidential

“Ann Dvorak has always been an enigmatic figure, whether you’re looking at her electric vitality in the 1932 Scarface or her feline grace in 1947’s The Private Affairs of Bel Ami. Fifteen years separate these unique performances, and there’s no one like Ann Dvorak, yet the story of her career remains untold. In Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel, Christina Rice corrects this oversight. We learn about the ambitious young dancer, how her unusual looks and singular intensity pulled her into acting, and how her path to stardom ended in regretful obscurity. This is a compelling story, sometimes exhilarating, sometimes sad, but Christina Rice tells it honestly and objectively. Her dedicated research makes it possible to see both Ann Dvorak and her milieu with clarity. Ann Dvorak l is a sensitive biography of a real talent.”―Mark A. Vieira, author of George Hurrell’s Hollywood Glamour Portraits, 1925-1992

Final Words

I’ve already exceeded the number of words I normally like to keep my reviews under. We live in a Twitter and Instagram society… you simply have to keep it short and sweet and let people get on with their lives! I normally follow this rule beautifully, in spite of having a gift for gab. However… every now and then there will be a star, movie, or book I’m so excited about I can’t seem to put a sock (or gluten-free muffin) in it. It’s doubly hard here, because this concerns one of my favorite stars and, now, one of my favorite books. I hope very much that you’ll grab a copy of Ann Dvorak Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel (Amazon link) by Christina Rice as soon as possible. The extraordinary book is from The University Press of Kentucky, who happen to publish some of the best biographies you’ll ever read. I’m so blessed to be able to receive books from them in exchange for telling my readers about them. During my relationship with them, this is actually the first book I requested to review!

Smartest thing I’ve done in some time.

I hope you’ll also check out Christina Rice’s beautiful website devoted to Ann Dvorak. There are so many stunning photos and wonderful information!

Ann Dvorak Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel (Amazon link)

Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant by Victoria Amador (Raving Review of the Next Book You Need to Read)

March 28, 2022 By Joi

Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant

Before reading Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant by Victoria Amador, I would have described Olivia de Havilland this way: “One of the most talented, beautiful, strong, and beloved stars of all time.”

AFTER reading Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant by Victoria Amador, I would have described Olivia de Havilland this way: “One of the most talented, beautiful, strong, and beloved stars of all time… and quite possibly the most complex and completely fascinating one.”

For whatever reasons, it seems that many of my favorite actors and actresses were, at one time or another (in varying degrees) were capable of being…. well… hell on wheels. Henry Fonda, Ann Sheridan, Olivia de Havilland, James Cagney, Bette Davis… I dearly love each star but can’t even begin to count the time I’ve read something about each one and thought, “Holy cats, why did he/she say that?!” or “Wow… why did they act that way?!”

I mean, when they felt they were in the right, they could out-stubborn any mule in the county. Over time, I’ve decided that they said “that” and acted “that way” because they darn well felt they were in the right!

Good enough for me.

Olivia de Havilland, Dodge City

Olivia de Havilland, without question, was one of the most talented of all old Hollywood actresses. She was also, unquestionably, one of the most beautiful. Somehow her beauty was seldom the focus in the majority of her roles. In fact, we’re often (bizarre as it is) expected to view her as the “less attractive” female in a film or as the ‘invisible” one. Each time it happens, I think, “What a crock of bull!”

She was stunning, period.

Another claim that can be made for this extraordinary actress is that she was one of the all-time most loved and universally appreciated and respected stars ever. EVER. I will always be so very thankful that she lived long enough to realize this and I like to believe it meant as much to her as her films, awards, and many accolades.

From the Back Cover:

Legendary actress and two-time Academy Award winner Olivia de Havilland (1916–2020) is best known for her role as Melanie Wilkes in Gone with the Wind (1939). She often inhabited characters who were delicate, elegant, and refined. At the same time, she was a survivor with a fierce desire to direct her own destiny on and off the screen. She won a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over a contract dispute that changed the studio contract system forever, and is also noted for her long feud with her sister, actress Joan Fontaine.

Victoria Amador utilizes extensive interviews and forty years of personal correspondence with de Havilland to present an in-depth look at the life and career of this celebrated actress, from her theatrical ambitions at a young age to becoming one of the most well-known starlets in Tinseltown. Readers are given an inside look at her love affairs with iconic cinema figures such as James Stewart and John Huston, as well as her onscreen partnership with Errol Flynn. Amador also details how de Havilland became the first woman to serve as the president of the Cannes Film Festival in 1965, and showcases how, even in her later years, she remained active but selective in film and television until 1988. A new chapter covers de Havilland’s death at the age of 104 in July 2020.

Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant is a tribute to one of Hollywood’s greatest legends―a lady who evolved from a gentle heroine to a strong-willed, respected, and admired artist.

About the Author: Victoria Amador has taught at a number of universities in the United Kingdom and other countries. She is the author of The Gothic Portal: An Online Resource for Academics and Aficionados of Gothic Cultural Productions from 1976 to 2008, and a number of articles on the gothic in film and literature.

At the first of the book review, I mentioned that Olivia de Havilland was “…quite possibly the most complex and completely fascinating..’ star of all time. Trust me when I say I’ve read about a lot of old Hollywood stars. A LOT. My shelves are full of biographies and autobiographies I’ve read and reread. Many actors, actresses, and directors were fascinating – many said and did wonderfully interesting things. But none top the lady we’re talking about today.

What made her so complex and fascinating? Where do I begin? For one thing her feminine, graceful… often even delicate… appearance and her refined manners were in direct contrast to the strong, fiery, and (at times) stubborn woman who resided behind them.

Think of the character of Melanie in Gone with the Wind. Arguably the strongest characters in the entire film, Mammy and Melanie, are not the ones you’d immediately equate with strength. When you see photos of Olivia de Havilland as Melanie, or say Maid Marion, you don’t necessarily see fierceness… and yet, this lady was completely fierce!

In her extraordinary biography, Victoria Amador presents all sides of Olivia de Havilland and, in doing so, she gives us a picture of an extraordinary lady – even more extraordinary than we ever dared to hope she would be!

I would imagine that there were a few times when the author (out of great affection and respect for her subject) weighed whether or not to include something in particular. I could see myself asking, “Should I point out that Olivia had somewhat of a tantrum, here?” or “Do I HAVE to mention that the cast and crew didn’t really care for her? Maybe I could just leave that out…”

However, leaving out even the smallest detail wouldn’t provide this complex look at a very complex lady.

Olivia de Havilland took on an entire studio and changed a system that had been in place in Hollywood long before she arrived. An actress did that! During a time when women simply weren’t supposed to do such things. The same Olivia de Havilland spoke of co-stars and acquaintances with great respect and never spoke out of turn or stooped to vulgar gossip or name-calling. Her upbringing and manners were almost always on display… until they didn’t serve her, that is!

I hope my great affection for this actress comes through in my words because I certainly feel it in my heart. She was one in a billion and I am fascinated by her. Was she perfect? Oh, heck no. Did she apparently behave in a way that probably made her a pain in the butt for co-stars and crews. Oh, you bet she did! But here’s the thing, I wouldn’t dare hope for her to have been any different… and, when you read this wonderful book, neither will you.

I also love that each of Olivia’s films are presented, one by one, with WONDERFUL information about the plot, cast, director, and (best of all) Olivia’s views of each. The films she made with Errol Flynn are presented in a way where you feel the emotions and the passion of the two stars. I also very much love all of the details about her relationships with James Stewart and John Huston and, as a Henry Fonda fanatic, I love how much respect Olivia had for him.

Love it a great deal.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of Victoria Amador’s extraordinary Olivia de Havilland biography right away. Olivia and all of the other (some, nearly as fascinating as the lady, herself) stars in the book will provide you with a visit you’ll never forget.

Olivia de Havilland: Lady Triumphant (Amazon link) by Victoria Amador is available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle on Amazon.

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, The Charge of the Light Brigade

Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It by Eve Golden (Book Review)

November 30, 2021 By Joi

Jayne Mansfield Biography by Eve Golden

I’ve often wished for a really well-written, extensively-researched biography about Jayne Mansfield and my wish has been granted! Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It (Amazon link), by Eve Golden, is exactly the book I’ve always wanted in my personal library. The author treats the mysterious and complex Jayne Mansfield with respect and admiration – as a woman and not simply an iconic figure WITH an iconic figure.

Many old Hollywood actresses are treated as one dimensional by writers… so much so that it’s always very refreshing to see one treated as a person first and Hollywood legend second.`

Jayne Mansfield (19331967) was driven not just to be an actress but to be a star. One of the most influential sex symbols of her time, she was known for her platinum blonde hair, hourglass figure, outrageously low necklines, and flamboyant lifestyle. Hardworking and ambitious, Mansfield proved early in her career that she was adept in both comic and dramatic roles, but her tenacious search for the spotlight and her risqué promotional stunts caused her to be increasingly snubbed in Hollywood.

In the first definitive biography of Mansfield, Eve Golden offers a joyful account of the star Andy Warhol called “the poet of publicity,” revealing the smart, determined woman behind the persona. While she always had her sights set on the silver screen, Mansfield got her start as Rita Marlowe in the Broadway show Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. She made her film debut in the low-budget drama Female Jungle (1955) before landing the starring role in The Girl Can’t Help It (1956). Mansfield followed this success with a dramatic role in The Wayward Bus (1957), winning a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year, and starred alongside Cary Grant in Kiss Them for Me (1957). Despite her popularity, her appearance as the first celebrity in Playboy and her nude scene in Promises! Promises! (1963) cemented her reputation as an outsider.

By the 1960s, Mansfield’s film career had declined, but she remained very popular with the public. She capitalized on that popularity through in-person and TV appearances, nightclub appearances, and stage productions. Her larger-than-life life ended sadly when she passed away at age thirty-four in a car accident.

Golden looks beyond Mansfield’s flashy public image and tragic death to fully explore her life and legacy. She discusses Mansfield’s childhood, her many loves―including her famous on-again, off-again relationship with Miklós “Mickey” Hargitay―her struggles with alcohol, and her sometimes tumultuous family relationships. She also considers Mansfield’s enduring contributions to American popular culture and celebrity culture. This funny, engaging biography offers a nuanced portrait of a fascinating woman who loved every minute of life and lived each one to the fullest.

Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It (Amazon link) isn’t just a fast-reading, highly enjoyable biography, it’s a beautiful coffee table book as well and one that guest would very much enjoy looking through. There are many wonderful photos in the center of the book, many of which I’d never seen (and I live in old Hollywood 24/7!).

Something else that stands out to me is the humor. This feels like an enriching film history text book but without the dryness that comes with a lot of such books. There’s wonderful humor and a colorful personality emanating from each page.

A few of the raving reviews this wonderful book has received:

“There have been other Jayne Mansfield books―but none like this one. Eve Golden’s even-handed, clear-eyed approach to Jayne’s often convoluted life pegs Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It as one of the best star bios ever.”―Laura Wagner, book reviewer for Classic Images and author of Hollywood’s Hard-Luck Ladies

“Eve Golden has given us an impeccably researched, fast-paced, unvarnished but loving tribute to one of Hollywood’s great 1950s blonde bombshells.”―Robert Dance, author of Glamour of the Gods and Hollywood Icons

“Pop the pink champagne for Eve Golden’s breezily written tribute to the phenomenon known as Jayne Mansfield, which quite notably includes an appreciation of her undervalued talent and sadly unfulfilled potential. Immersed in the giddy pleasures of mid-century pop culture, this book is consistently entertaining while always respectful. Even when it’s funny, it never treats Mansfield as a joke.”―John DiLeo, author of Ten Movies at a Time: A 350-Film Journey Through Hollywood and America 1930-1970

“Eve Golden brings impeccable research and stylish writing to this mid-century American icon. Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It dispels the myths about Jayne Mansfield and examines her continuing popularity.”―Larry Harnisch, retired L.A. Times editor, writer, columnist and blogger

“As Eve Golden reveals in this ferociously readable biography, there were always two Jayne Mansfields: a dramatic actress who dressed like a stripper, an avowed Christian and serial adulteress, an animal-lover swathed in mink. Ms. Golden takes on the daunting task of reconciling these contradictions and succeeds admirably, giving us a vivid, well-rounded (no pun intended) account of a unique life.”―Stage and Cinema

“Exemplary in its research and detail, Golden’s book may well become the definitive word―if not the last word―on the Mansfield story.”―Library Journal

“An engrossing picture of a woman who was both a throwback to classic Hollywood glamour and a harbinger of modern, “famous for being famous” reality stars.”―Foreword Reviews

“Golden treats Mansfield with respect and sympathy. [Golden] delves deep into her life, past the gossip and (increasingly desperate) publicity stunts that so dominated her career, to reveal the insecurities that truly dominated, and eventually decimated, her life.”―YES! Weekly

“In this eye-opening, intriguing and oft-times laugh-out-loud biography of the busty blonde bombshell, Eve Golden has managed to bring to three dimensional life the facts and fantasies surrounding the ubiquitous sex symbol of the 50’s and 60’s.”―oscaremoore.com

“In Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It, Golden tells the story of a 1960’s American icon who made a name for herself in the entertainment industry and also in pop culture – and this was before the evolution of social media and more modern-day methods of self-promotion. She was a reality show unto herself. Golden’s book delves into the world of that self-promotion and also how relevant it is today.”―Newsnotes Dance Blog

“In Golden’s capable hands, Mansfield becomes a multi-dimensional person―never just a joke with a big bosom. The research is scrupulous and meticulous, showing us Jayne’s complex nature in startling detail. She’s not perfect, of course, and Golden describes her affairs and mistakes, while also making her sympathetic. . . . This is a definitive, stylish biography, separating fact from fiction, presenting the good with the bad. There has been quite a lot of fiction attached to Mansfield, and Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It is here to sort it all out.”―Laura Wagner, Classic Images

“As with any person we encounter on screen or in the pages of a magazine, Jayne Mansfield was more than just what the media portrayed. These other facets of her life as well as what the public saw is what author Eve Golden has chronicled in her new biography, Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It. Golden takes her reader through a very detailed account of Mansfield’s entire life bringing forth a more holistic picture of the Hollywood legend as a celebrity, actress, mother, woman, and person.”―Cinema Sentries

Final Thoughts…

After reading a book, I often ask myself, “If I were to write a book about this particular subject, would I do so after reading this particular book?” Often I answer, “Yes, because I’d like to know more about ____ or I wish the individual had been fleshed out in more detail…” but after reading Eve Golden’s Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It (Amazon link), not only is my answer, “No, there’d be absolutely no need to!,” I have no idea why anyone else would even bother as well.

The definitive (and highly, highly enjoyable) book has been written.

About the Author

Eve Golden is the author of numerous theater and film biographies, including Anna Held and the Birth of Ziegfeld’s Broadway, The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall, and John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars.

This is just one of the many, many wonderful books from The University Press of Kentucky. They have SO MANY books dealing with Old Hollywood, it’s one of the first places I send people who are looking for such books.

Thank you so much for reading! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

The Young Duke: The Early Life of John Wayne

October 30, 2019 By Joi

The Young Duke: The Early Life of John Wayne

As I’ve often said on Hollywood Yesterday, I collect Old Hollywood biographies and autobiographies like it’s my job. I’m content with one or two biographies of some stars, while others are such favorites, I collect anything and everything written about them. John Wayne is one of these “give me one of everything” stars. He’s a favorite and has been since I watched him on television with my day. That may be part of the reason I love The Duke so much. The Young Duke: The Early Life of John Wayne by Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss is the newest addition to my John Wayne collection and I was anxious to tell you about it.

This book would make a great gift idea for anyone in your life who loves John Wayne. It’s a “fast read” with plenty of pictures, so even those “old cowboys” you love will enjoy it!

In addition to the wonderful content and pictures (lots of things even I didn’t know and quite a few pictures I’d never seen), the book includes great quotes about John Wayne and his influence on family and co-stars. I love these quotes so much because what people say about us is one of the strongest blocks in the building of our legacy.

From the Back Cover:

By the time Stagecoach made John Wayne a silver-screen star in 1939, the thirty-one-year-old was already a veteran of more than sixty films, having twirled six-guns and foiled cattle rustlers in B Westerns for five studios. By the 1950s he was Hollywood’s most popular actor—an Academy Award nominee destined to become an American icon.

Through rare photographs and revealing family anecdotes, The Young Duke offers an unflinching look at how Marion Morrison became the legend known as John Wayne—from his boyhood in Winterset, Iowa, and his days as a college football star, to his stunning box-office success in Westerns and war movies in the 1930s and 1940s. Shedding new light on Wayne’s formative years and early Hollywood roles and influences, this stirring biography uncovers the true stories behind the screen legend’s public and private lives.

About the Authors:

Chris Enss is an award-winning screenwriter and the author or coauthor of more than two dozen books.

Howard Kazanjian is an award-winning producer and entertainment executive who for three decades has been producing television programs and feature films, including two of the highest grossing films of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Great Addition to a Collection

There are, of course, more detailed biographies of John Wayne – many delve into his life and you can spend glorious weeks reading every detail. This book is a much different book from other biographies. Would it provide a complete picture of John Wayne, the actor or the man? No – certainly not. This book was intended more for a “quick read” or for collectors, like me, who simply must have everything related to their favorite stars!

This is a great addition to any biography collection and a very fun read. Whereas some biographies are “heavy” with filmographies, research, quotes, and information, this one is “light.”

When you want a fast-paced overview of a star’s life, sometimes that’s just what you’re looking for!

Find The Young Duke: The Early Life of John Wayne on Amazon or in your favorite second-hand bookstore.

Lana: The Life and Loves of Lana Turner (Review)

October 24, 2019 By Joi

Lana: The Life and Loves of Lana Turner

As both a collector and AVID reader of biographies and autobiographies (old Hollywood and history), I often group these books into three categories when adding to my collections:

The stand-alone, ultimate biography or autobiography – as in the only one you really need for a certain star or historical figure.
A component biography or autobiography – one that is a wonderful (even necessary) addition to a collection of memoirs of the individual.
The one I have to have no matter what – one that it simply doesn’t matter which of the above slots it fits into because I collect everything ever written about the individual!

A few examples of number 1:

These books give you such a perfect all-around account of the star that (unless you collect everything written about them, you may not find it necessary to add another book about them to your collection).

Ginger by Ginger Rogers

June Allyson’s Autobiography

Barefoot to the Chin

Esther Williams’ The Million Dollar Mermaid

A few examples of number 2:

These books are so wonderful that they should be added to any collection you have on the star(s). However, either because of their laser focus on one particular topic or because they cover more than one star (Feuding Fan Dancers, for example), they wouldn’t be considered the ultimate biography. There’s also the… shall we say chance… that the author’s recollections are clouded by emotion(s) – such as Georgia Hale’s biography of Charlie Chaplin, a man she spent nearly a lifetime loving.

Feuding Fan Dancers

Georgia Hale’s Charlie Chaplin Biography

Bob Hope: My Life in Jokes

My Examples of number 3:

I collect anything and everything pertaining in any way, shape, or form for the following, so I grab every book associated with them!

Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara, Barbara Stanwyck, Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn, June Allyson, Audrey Hepburn, Georgia Hale, Buster Keaton, Bob Hope, Elvis, Abbott & Costello, John Wayne, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis (I get a special kick out of always listing these two together.. strange sense of humor, I guess)…

Back to Lana….

I lay all of this out merely to set the stage for Lana: The Life and Loves of Lana Turner – because it is a “component” type biography that also happens to (for me, anyway) fall into the third category as well – I collect all Lana Turner books!

As you can tell by the title, “The Life and Loves of Lana Turner,” this book has Lana’s (eventful!) love life in mind. In fact, the wonderful author (Jane Ellen Wayne) focuses the bulk of time on the men in the beautiful Lana Turner’s life… to be more precise, the effect(s) they had on the actress.

Make no mistake about it, each man left fingerprints all over her life – for better or worse. A certain amount of naivety existed with Lana, because she seemed to sincerely believe that each one was her Prince Charming.

Not only does the author provide a great deal of insight into what Lana Turner was thinking (even when she seemed to not be thinking at all!), she presents her as she truly was – a human being, just as capable of mistakes as any of us.

Things I Love Most About This Biography

When I think about things that make this biography stand out, the one that comes to mind first is the respect with which author Jane Ellen Wayne treats Lana. Instead of, “She did this wicked thing… she made this irrational decision…,” her response seemed to be more, “I wish I’d been there to help her avoid that guy!” I feel the same way when it comes to Lana and many of my other favorites – I wish I could have been there to tell them, “No… absolutely not!” Heck, with Lana, I’d have been tempted to lock her in a room once or twice! Her heart led down some very destructive roads and left her a beautiful and easy prey for more than one low life.
I am in love with the way the author presents Lana’s beautiful daughter, Cheryl and her relationship with her mother.
While there are a few men you meet along the way who you’d love to throw rotten garbage at, there are a few who you’ll find especially intriguing and want to learn more about (Tyrone Power, for example).
The pictures – just wow! There are gorgeous pictures of Lana throughout her career as well as candids with the men in her life and her beautiful family.
As you’d expect from someone who reads as much as I do, I appreciate a “fast read.” Books that are easily digested and don’t take a lot of time to read have a special place in my heart and Lana: The Life and Loves of Lana Turner is a very fast read – yet it’s one that stays with you.
The “staying with you” aspect is something else I love about this book. Since I first read it, I often think back to moments in Lana’s life when I see pictures or films. When I see her during a particular time, smiling for her fans and looking radiant, I’ll instantly think back to this book and remember what she was going through at the time. It’s very memorable and will stay with you long after the last page.

One could say that Lana was weak in some ways – weak to “allow” herself to become more than one man’s (and more than one situation’s) victim. She often, when faced with two decisions, made the absolute worst one as though it were her job to torment herself. As a Lana Turner fan (and one that has studied her more than I ever studied any subject in school), I would hasten to say this: Yes, she displayed moments of great weakness BUT the fact that she survived the madness and is, today, one of the greatest, most-recognized icons of Old Hollywood took greater strength.

If you are (or even if you are not YET), a fan of Lana Turner’s, I hope you’ll read Lana: The Life and Loves of Lana Turner. I have a feeling it will help you understand her better. Trust me, she’s very much someone worth getting to know.

Review: Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

May 24, 2018 By Joi

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 (account, unfortunately, is no longer active… a huge loss to Old Hollywood Twitter!) 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!

Old Hollywood Book + Biography Reviews on Hollywood Yesterday

August 27, 2017 By Joi

Maureen O’Hara’s Autobiography ‘Tis Herself

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! (An index of my Old Hollywood Book Reviews is at the end of this post.)

{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.

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.

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, I almost always have “help” from at least one of my cats. When it came to I Know Where I’m Going, 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. (Narrator: “She absolutely does spoil her 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 four make their way into the pictures.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Old Hollywood Biographies, Memoirs and Autobiographies:

Film History

Celebrity Cookbooks

Cooking Price-Wise: A Culinary Legacy by Vincent Price

Magazines and Poster Books

Forever Lucy (Special Collector’s Magazine)
Closer Magazine (One of the few magazines I still buy!)

Old-Time Radio

The Old-Time Radio Book

Old Hollywood Book Reviews Coming VERY SOON…

Natalie Wood: A Life
Maria Montez: The Queen of Technicolor
Marlene by Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich: Life and Legend
Steps in Time by Fred Astaire
Cecil B. Demille’s Hollywood
Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn
Love, Lucy

Delilah, a Huge James Garner Fan like Her Mom

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

July 29, 2011 By Joi

I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I was recently sent an exceptional book to review, I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler. Katharine Hepburn has always fascinated me (more so than most Hollywood stars present or past), so this is a biography that I have truly savored. Many times I find myself re-reading certain passages several times because you can really get the essence of the great and beautiful legend on each page of this outstanding book.

As you can imagine, I read everything I can get my hands on about the Golden Age of Hollywood. Autobiographies, biographies, magazines, memoirs… you name it, I’m on it.

Over the years, I’ve read about some truly remarkable lives. Many times I’ve closed the book, looked at the face on the cover of the biography (or autobiography) and said, “Your life was more interesting than all of you movies combined.” Nothing, of course, against their movies – it’s just that most of the time, reel life has absolutely nothing on real life.

Katharine Hepburn (even with her incredibly impressive body of work) is no exception. The lady, herself, is far more fascinating and complex than any character Hollywood could dream up. The things she does couldn’t be scripted and the words out of her mouth? No dialogue writer in the world could dream up. I’ve read about some interesting actors, actors, and directors over the years, but most of them cannot hold a candle to Katharine Hepburn. She is the perfect blend of intelligence, beauty, spirit, determination, talent, vulnerability, and strength. Many of her best traits contradict one another and that’s what makes her so deliciously fascinating.

Writing book review, or recommending books, is a lot like movie reviews for me. I want so badly to tell you all the reasons you should (even must!) read the book or see the movie. However, I want you to experience it, just as I did – without knowing what’s coming. I live in fear of giving anything away that’ll spoil the experience for the next person!

There are so many trying and tragic moments in Katharine Hepburn’s life that are tempting for me to talk about. Moments that would, definitely, make you want to grab a copy of the book and… as they say, “Read All About It!” But, I’m picking the lock because I want you to have the same, “Oh my!” moments I had while enjoying this book.

Suffice to say, I know where Katharine Hepburn got her strength. She earned it. With some of the things life threw at her, her choices were to let life BREAK her spirit or MAKE her stronger. She chose the latter. Boy did she choose the latter!

The beautiful thing is this: Although life handed this legendary actress and international style and beauty icon several blows, she has always enjoyed life and embraced it as much as anyone I’ve ever read about. The lady loves life frontwards, backwards, upwards, downwards, and inside out! She approaches life as if it’s a carnival and each day is a joyride. I honestly believe I connected more with her through reading about her life than any other individual I’ve ever read about.

Halfway through the book, I thought, “This book has to be used as a basis for a movie about Katharine Hepburn. I want to see this play out onscreen!!!” However, by the end of the book, I thought, “There isn’t an actress alive that could pull off Katharine Hepburn.” And even though her story would, indeed, make one of the most fascinating and inspiring movies of all time, I’m sticking to my guns. There’s only one actress in the world who could even come close to Katharine Hepburn and that’s the lady, herself.

Katharine Hepburn’s love of her family is something else that stands out to me. Her fierce devotion to them and the fact that she would fight the demons of hell for any of them left quite an impression on me. The same devotion, loyalty, and love is evident throughout her life with her friends as well.

I have to honestly say that Katharine Hepburn had always been a favorite actress of mine. With such talent, style, intelligence, and beauty – how could she not be? However, after reading I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography , I’ve moved from Katharine Hepburn fan to Katharine Hepburn fanatic. This is an exceptional book and I marvel at the author Charlotte Chandler. To have such a larger than life subject like Katharine Hepburn, she no doubt had many times when she wondered how to fit it all in!

Katharine Hepburn is a fascinating, one of a kind, lady and I am just SO hoping you click through one of the links in this post and buy the book. I want so much for you to meet and get to know this incredible woman. Her story isn’t just entertaining and getting to know her won’t just make you smile (and often laugh out loud at her spirit and sass!). Katharine Hepburn’s life is inspiring and even uplifting. She showed up to Hollywood, and to life in general, and knew who she was and what she wanted to accomplish. She has always known who she was and defied anyone to imply that wasn’t good enough.

When you look at her pictures, you can see the intelligence, determination, and spirit in her eyes. They tell the story! I can’t tell you how many times I turned to the cover of the book and was simply awestruck by the perfection of both the title and the picture used on the cover. The picture captures her beauty, originality, style, intelligence, and strength and the title couldn’t possibly reflect the essence of Katharine Hepburn any more than it does.

You’ll love the author’s wonderful writing style, you’ll love the priceless photographs in the middle of the book, and you’ll love reading about all of the Hollywood names and how they interacted with Katharine Hepburn. Most of all, of course, you’ll fall head over heels in love with the great lady, herself. If you’re a Katharine Hepburn fan, you’ll become a Katharine Hepburn fanatic. Trust me.

I’ll end with one of the most “defining” sections of the book. There were many, so the choice was difficult. Truth be told, some of the most defining pages were toward the front of the book when Katharine Hepburn talks about her family.

Another favorite passage is toward the end of the book (which, by the way, I HATED to get to – I wanted the book to last forever, I suppose). Katharine Hepburn is discussing “The Creature.” One of the most incredible things about her is the fact that she beautifully kept her public self and private self separate. She didn’t think of her public image as Katharine Hepburn. She thought of her as, “The Creature.” Her public image.. the persona… was for the world and she recognized that it was different from the REAL her. She told the author that she called it “the Creature” and that it should be spelled with a capital C.

In closing, here are a few paragraphs from page 325 of this exceptional book:

When I first visited Kate in her home, I hadn’t seen any pictures of her from the days of her glamorous career. “I don’t keep pictures here in my home of my professional self because those aren’t pictures of me. Those are photographs of the Creature, and I don’t bring her home. I don’t allow her in my house.”

In our conversations, she previously had touched on the subject of the Creature, but it was the last time I saw her that she offered her most extensive discussion on the subject. She said she could do this because she was dismantling the Creature, the Creature having held her in bondage for so long. Now, she had no more need for her, so the Creature no longer had any power over her.

“I was called Kathy when I was a little girl, and I guess I never grew up or outgrew that little girl. I feel very much the same inside. It’s how I think of myself, which is quite often.”

“I created the Creature, but I didn’t completely understand her. Sometimes, she took off on her own. Ungrateful thing. She didn’t remember I created her, and I was put in the position of being her psychiatrist or a personal assistant or even a white slave because she knew I was more dependent on her than she was on me.”

“I believed if people knew the person I really am, they wouldn’t have been very interested in me. They might have said, ‘Boring.’ So I had to always think first about the Creature before I thought of myself.”

“I’ll tell you someone I felt sorry for. That was Marilyn Monroe. You know why? She let her Creature take over.”

Whether you are already a Katharine Hepburn fan or are only just now “getting to know” her, I STRONGLY recommend I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler. It’ll be one of the most fascinating books you’ve ever read.

You’ll never forget it OR the beautiful face gracing the cover.