From Beneath the Hollywood Sign

Latest Episodes:

“THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW.” (031) Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 31 - “The Turner Classic Movies Film Festival Preview” - 04/15/2024

From April 18th through the 21st, the 15th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival will be held in Hollywood. Steve and Nan were fortunate enough to be invited to be a part of the media that covers the festival this year. To get everyone in the mood, we have a special episode about all the festival and everything you need to know. We will give you an overview of what to expect, and we’ll let you know who is scheduled to attend. In addition, we talk about several movies being shown this year that we are especially excited about.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

TCM.org

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker;

Pulp Fiction(1994) — Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Eric Stoltz, Amanda Plummer, Tim Roth, Christopher Walken, and Harvey Keitel;

Lady Sings The Blues (1972) - Starring Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, Scotsman Crothers, Tracee Lyles, Isabel Sanford, and Kay Lewis;

The Big House (1930) - Starring Robert Montgomery, Chester Morris, and Wallace Beery;

The Good Fairy (1935) — Margaret Sullavan, Herbert Marshall, Frank Morgan, Reginald Owen, and Cesar Romero;

The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (1948) — Edward G. Robinson, Gail Russell, John Lunch, Virginia Bruce, and William Demarest;

The Model and the Marriage Broker (1952) — Jeanne Crain, Thelma Ritter, and Scott Brady;

The Prisoner of Shark Island (1949) —Starring Warner Baxter, Gloria Stuart, John Carradine, Harry Carey, Francis Ford, John McGuire, and Paul Fix;

Westward The Women (1951) — starring Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, Hope Emerson, John McIntire, and Julie Bishop;

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“ROBERT WALKER: OLD HOLLYWOOD'S TRAGIC BOY NEXT DOOR” (#030) Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 30 - “Robert Walker: Old Hollywood’s Tragic Boy Next Door” - 04/08/2024

No one played sensitive, lost souls quite like ROBERT WALKER. However, he is best known for playing one of the most complicated, psychopaths in film history, Bruno Antony in ALFRED HITCHCOCK’s masterpiece “Strangers On A Train” (1951). His journey from playing sensitive innocents to playing Bruno is reflective of his troubled, turbulent life, and the heartbreak from which he never recovered. This week, we’ll discuss the artistry and the tragedy of this incredible actor.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Star-Crossed: The Story of Robert Walker and Jennifer Jones(1986), by Beverly Linet;

Portrait of Jennifer (1995), by Edward Z. Epstein;

Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick (1992), by David Thomson;

Hollywood On The Couch: A Candid Look at the Overheated Love Affair Between Psychiatrists and Moviemakers (1993), by Marc Green and Stephen Farber;

“Biography of Robert Walker,” April 1951, Paramount Pictures;

“I Know Myself Now”, by Marva Anderson, July 1950, Movieland Magazine;

“Actor Walker Dies After Drug Dosage,” August 3, 1951, by Gladwin Hill, New York Times;

“Robert Walker: A Great Star Lost,” August 15, 1999, by David Thomson, The Independent On Sunday (London);

“An Affair to Forget?” March 1998, by Nick Clooney, American Movie Classics Magazine;

“Utahn’s Rising Career in Films Came to a Sudden Tragic End,” July 23, 1999, by E. Hunter Hale, Deseret News;

“Robert Walker, Jr. ‘Star Trek’ Actor and Son of Superstars, Dies at 79,” December 6, 2019, The Hollywood Reporter;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Strangers On A Train (1951), starring Robert Walker, Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Pat Hitchcock, and Kasey Rogers;

New Frontier (1939), starring John Wayne and Phylis Isley (Jennifer Jones);

Dick Tracy’s G-Men (1939), starring Ralph Byrd and Phylis Isley (Jennifer Jones);

Winter Carnival (1939), starring Ann Sheridan, Richard Carlson, and Helen Parrish;

These Glamour Girls (1939), starring Lana Turner, Lew Ayres, Marsha Hunt, Ann Rutherford, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Carlson, and Jane Bryan;

Dancing Co-Eds (1939) staring Lana Turner, Richard Carlson, Ann Rutherford, Lee Bowman, and Artie Shaw;

The Song of Bernadette (1943), starring Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Vincent Price, Anne Revere, William Eythe, Lee J. Cobb, and Gladys Cooper;

Bataan (1943), Staring Robert Taylor, George Murphy, Thomas Mitchell, Desi Arnaz, and Robert Walker;

Madame Curie (1943), starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Henry Travers, and Robert Walker;

See Here Private Hargrove (1944), staring Robert Walker and Donna Reed;

Since You Went Away (1945), starring Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, and Robert Walker;

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), starring Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, and Robert Walker;

The Clock (1945), starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker;

Her Highness and the Bell Boy (1945), starring June Allyson, Hedy Lamarr, and Robert Walker;

The Sailor Takes A Wife (1945), starring June Allyson and Robert Walker;

Til The Clouds Roll By (1946); Robert Walker, June Allyson, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, Van Johnson, Lucille Bremer, Cyd Charisse, and Angela Lansbury;

One Touch of Venus (1948), starring Robert Walker, Ava Gardner, Tom Conway, and Eve Arden;

Please Believe Me (1950), starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, Peter Lawford, and Mark Stevens;

The Skipper Surprises His Wife (1950), starring Robert Walker and Joan Leslie;

Vengeance Valley (1951), starring Burt Lancaster, Joanne Dru, and Robert Walker;

My Son John (1952), staring Helen Hayes, Robert Walker, and Van Heflin;

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“JAN STERLING: STAR OF THE MONTH” (029) Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 29 - “Jan Sterling: Old Hollywood Star of the Month” - 04/01/2024

Our “Star of the Month” is the fabulous JAN STERLING, who was married to our March “Star of the Month,” PAUL DOUGLAS. Blonde, beautiful, and often deadly on screen, Sterling started in theatre, but made a name for herself portraying tough dames, femme fatales, and sexy seductresses in films such as “Caged,” “Ace In the Hole” and “The High and the Mighty.” However, her upbringing was quite different from these wayward women she played so convincingly; she was actually from a very wealthy and prominent family. She had a stellar career, but many heartbreaks off camera. This week, we discuss the life and career of this most memorable lady.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Jan Sterling: Everything You Need To Know (2014), by Billy Vasquez;

The Encyclopedia of Film Actors (2003), by Barry Monush;

The Illustrated Who’s Who of the Cinema (1983), by Ann Lloyd and Graham Fuller;

Quinlan’s Illustrated Registry of Film Stars (1986), by David Quinlan;

“Jan Sterling, 82, Blonde Actress Who Made Film Noir A Specialty” Obituary, March 29, 2004, The New York Times;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Tycoon (1947), starring John Wayne, Laraine Day, and Anthony Quinn;

Johnny Belinda (1948), starring Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, and Agnes Moorhead;

Caged (1950), starring Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorhead, and Faye Emerson;

Appointment With Danger (1950), starring Robert Walker and Joan Leslie;

The Mating Season (1950), starring Gene Tierney, John Lund, and Thelma Ritter;

Ace In The Hole (1951), starring Kirk Douglas;

Rhubarb (1951), starring Ray Miland;

Flesh and Fury (1952), starring Tony Curtis;

Sky Full of Moon (1952), starring Carleton Carpenter, Jan Sterling, Keenan Wynn, and Elaine Stewart;

Split Second (1953), starring Stephen McNally;

Pony Express (1953), starring Charlton Heston and Rhonda Fleming;

The Vanquished (1953), starring John Payne and Coleen Gray;

Alaska Seas (1954), starring Robert Ryan;

The High and the Mighty (19543), starring John Wayne, Robert Stack, Claire Trevor, and Laraine Day;

Woman’s Prison (1955), starring Ida Lupino, Phyllis Thaxter, Audrey Totter, and Howard Duff;

Female on the Beach (1955), starring Joan Crawford and Jeff Chandler;

The Harder They Fall (1956), starring Humphrey Bogart and Rod Steiger;

1984 (1956), starring Edmond O’Brien and Michael Redgrave;

The Female Animal (1958), starring Hedy Lamar, Jane Powell, and George Nader;

Kathy O (1958), starring Dan Duryea and Patty McCormick;

High School Confidential (1958), starring Russ Tamblyn and Mamie Van Doren;

Love In A Goldfish Bowl (1961), staring Fabian, Tommy Sands, and Majel Barrett;

The Incident (1967), Starring Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, and Tony Musante;

The Minx (1969), starring Robert Roden and Shirley Parker;

First Monday in October (1981), Starring Walter Matthau and Jill Clayburgh;

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“GOLDEN ERA STARS IN 1970S DISASTER FILMS” (028) Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 28 - “Golden Era Stars in 1970s Disaster Films” - 03/25/2024

Just when many classic films stars thought they were finished in showbiz, a wonderful thing happened — 1970s disaster movies! Producers like IRWIN ALLEN and JENNINGS LANG shepherded in an exciting, over-the-top, new genre that capitalized on our fears. They also smartly cast many classic film actors in these movies, providing familiar faces who added comfort and emotional investment. These films proved not only lucrative for these golden era stars, but kept them in the public eye longer and often revived careers. Listen this week as we talk about our favorite film icons as they are shaken, flipped, torched, and dropped from the sky in the great 70s disaster films.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Charlton Heston: Hollywood’s Last Icon (2017), by Marc Eliot;

Burt Lancaster: An American Life (2000), by Kate Buford

Trust Me: A Memoir (2011), by George Kennedy

Steps In Time: An Autobiography (2008), by Fred Astaire;

Master of Disaster: Irwin Allen - The Disaster Years (2009), by John William Law;

Disaster Movies: The Cinema of Catastrophe (2006), by Stephen Keane;

Disaster Movies: A Loud, Long, Explosive, Star-Studded Guide To Earthquakes, Floods, Meteors, Sinking Ships, Twisters, Viruses, Killer Bees, Nuclear Fall Out, and Alien Attacks in the Cinema (2006), by Glen Kay and Michael Rose;

The Stewardess Is Flying The Plane: American Films of the 1970s (2005), by Ron Hogan and Peter Bogdanovich;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Airport (1970) - Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Van Helflin, & Helen Hayes;

Straight Jacket (1964) - Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, & George Kennedy;

The Sons of Katie Elder(1965) - John Wayne, Dean Martin, & George Kennedy;

The Sin of Madame Claudet (1931) - Helen Hayes, Robert Young, & Lewis Stone;

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) - Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott & Kirk Douglas;

Johnny Eager (1942) - Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, & Van Heflin;

Act of Violence (1949) - Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, & Mary Astor;

Earthquake (1974) - Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Geneviéve Bujold, Lorne Green, Barry Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, and Monica Lewis;

Touch of Evil (1958) - Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, & Janet Leigh;

The Hucksters (1947) - Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, & Ava Gardner;

Autumn Leaves (1956) - Joan Crawford, Cliff Robertson, & Vera Miles;

Michael Shayne: Private Detective (1940) - Lloyd Nolan & Marjorie Weaver;

Jeopardy (1953) - Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, & Ralph Meeker;

The Towering Inferno (1974) - Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Fred Astaire, & Jennifer Jones;

The Swarm (1978) - Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson;

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“DONA DRAKE: WHAT PRICE FAME” (027) Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 27 - “Dona Drake: What Price Fame” - 03/18/2024

Latina star DONA DRAKE, who signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1941, was many things — singer, dancer, actress, bandleader, musician — but one thing she wasn’t, as it turned out, was Latin! While Paramount promoted their new discovery as a spitfire Latina born in Mexico City, Drake was, in fact, an African-American woman from Florida who pretended to be Latin, going so far as to learn Spanish fluently, in order to have a better chance at a Hollywood career. Listen to this fascinating story of one woman who went undercover just so she wouldn’t have to play the maid.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Biography of Dona Drake (Paramount Contact Player), September 1942, Paramount Studios;

“Dona Drake Tells Marriage,” September 9, 1944, by Hedda Hopper, The Los Angeles Times;

“Daughter Born to Dona Drake,” August 8, 1951, The Hollywood Citizen-News;

www.swingcityradio,com;

www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Strike Me Pink (1936), starring Eddie Cantor, Ethel Merman, Sally Eilers, and William Frawley;

Aloma Of The South Seas (1941), starring Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall;

Louisiana Purchase(1941), starring Bob Hope, Vera Zorina, and Victor Moore;

Road to Morocco (1942), starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour;

Star Spangled Rhythm (1942), starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Fred MacMurray, Paulette Goddard, Dick Powell, Eddie Bracken, Alan Ladd, Mary Martin, Betty Hutton, Marjorie Reynolds, and Veronica Lake;

Salute For Three(1943), starring Macdonald Carey and Betty Jane Rhodes;

Let's Face It (1943), staring Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, and Eve Arden;

Hot Rhythm(1944), starring Robert Lowery, Tim Ryan, and Irene Ryan;

Without Reservations (1946), starring John Wayne, Claudette Colbert, and Don DeFoe;

Dangerous Millions (1946), starring Kent Taylor;

Another Part of The Forest (1948), starring Fredric March, Dan Duryea, Edmond O’Brien, Ann Blyth, Florence Eldridge, John Dall, and Betsy Blair;

So This Is New York (1948), starring Henry Morgan, Rudy Vallee, and Virginia Grey;

Beyond The Forest (1949), starring Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, David Brian, Ruth Roman;

The Girl From Jones Beach (1949), starring Virginia Mayo, Ronald Reagan, and Eddie Bracken;

Kansas City Confidential(1952), starring John Payne, Colleen Gray, and Preston Foster;

The Bandits of Corsica (1953), starring Richard Greene, Paula Raymond, Raymond Burr;

Son Of Belle Star (1953), starring Keith Larsen, Peggie Castle, and Regis Toomey;

Down Laredo Way (1953) starring Rex Allen and Slim Pickens;

Princess of the Nile (1954), starring Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter, and Michael Rennie;

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“OSCAR FEVER: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY AWARDS” (026) Mar 10, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 26 - “Oscar Fever: A Brief History of the Academy Awards” - 03/10/2024

The winners. The losers. The speeches. The gowns. The glamour. The cringey moments. Nothing toys with a film lovers’ emotions like the pageantry of the Academy Award ceremony…or the Oscars, as it has become known. Somewhere, right now, there are people still arguing over whether GRACE KELLY deserved to win the Best Actress Oscar in 1955 for “The Country Girl” over JUDY GARLAND for “A Star Is Born.” The Oscars breeds its own drama. We’ve had streakers, protests, Rob Lowe dancing with Snow White, stolen Oscar statues, mixed up winner’s envelopes, and even a slap heard round the world. Join us in a very special episode that dives into the history, controversies, and fun facts of the Oscars.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears (2023), by Michael Schulman;

Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (1986), by Mason Wiley and Damien Bona;

The Real Oscar: The Story Behind The Academy Awards (1981), by Peter H. Brown;

Seventy-Five Years of the Oscars: The Official History of The Academy Awards (2003), by Robert Osborne;

Oscar Dearest (1987), by Peter H. Brown and Jim Pinkston;

The Film Encyclopedia (1994), By Ephraim Katz;

Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia (1994), by Leonard Maltin;

“The Academy’s Guide to Movies, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,” A.frame.oscars.org;

“The Silent Oscars,” February 8, 2014, moviessilently.com;

“… It’s the Oscars that Got Small,” March 7, 2023, by Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times;

“The House That Mr. Mayer Built: Inside the Union-Busting Birth of the Academy Awards,” February 21, 2014,by David Thomson, Vanity Fair;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.org;

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"PAUL DOUGLAS: STAR OF THE MONTH” (25) Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 25 - “Paul Douglas: Star of the Month” - 03/04/2024

In a new feature, we are highlighting a “Star of the Month” where we will dive into the life, career, and legacy of a single performer. To kick things off in this episode, we’ll be discussing the great PAUL DOUGLAS. You may not know his name, but you certainly know his face. With his somewhat craggy mug that usually sported a hang-dog look, he made a career at playing gruff, tough guys who were usually softies underneath, as he does so perfectly as LINDA DARNELL’s rough-around-the-edges businessman husband in “A Letter To Three Wives” (1949). So listen in and learn about this most excellent actor.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Film Actors (2003), by Barry Monush;

The Illustrated Who’s Who of the Cinema (1983), by Ann Lloyd and Graham Fuller;

Quinlan’s Illustrated Registry of Film Stars (1986), by David Quinlan;

“Paul Douglas, 52, Film Star, Dead,” September 12, 1959, The New York Times;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

A Letter to Three Wives (1949), starring Jeanne Crain, Ann Southern, Linda Darnell, Kirk Douglas, Paul Douglas, Jeffrey Lynn, Thelma Ritter, Connie Gilchrist;

Born Yesterday (1950), starring Judy Holiday, Broderick Crawford, and William Holden;

Adam’s Rib (1949), starring Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Judy Holiday, Jape Emerson, David Wayne, Jean Hagen, Tom Ewell;

It Happens Every Spring (1949), starring Paul Douglas, Jean Peters, and Ray Milland;

Everybody Does It (1949), starring Paul Douglas, Linda Darnell, Charles Coburn, Celeste Holm;

The Big Lift (1950), starring Paul Douglas, Montgomery Clift, Cornell Borchers;

Panic In The Streets (1950), starring Paul Douglas, Richard Widmark, Barbara Bel Geddes;

Fourteen Hours (1951), starring Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes, Agnes Moorhead, Robert Keith, Grace Kelly, Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter;

Angels In The Outfield (1951), starring Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh, and Keenan Wynn;

We're Not Married (1952), starring Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen, Paul Douglas, Marilyn Monroe, Eve Arden, Victor Moore, Eddie Bracken, Mitzi Gaynor, David Wayne, Louis Calhern, Zsa Zsa Gabor, James Gleason, Paul Stewart, Jane Darwell;

Green Ice (1954), staring Stewart Granger, Grace Kelly, Paul Douglas, John Ericsson;

Clash By Night (1952), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, Paul Douglas, Marilyn Monroe, Keith Andes, J. Carroll, Naish;

Executive Suite (1954), starring William Holden, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Fredric March, Walter Pidgeon, Shelley Winters, Louis Calhern, Nina Foch, Dean Jagger;

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), starring Judy Holiday, Paul Douglas, Fred Clark, Neva Patterson, Arthur O’Connell;

The Mating Game (1959), Debbie Reynolds, Tony Randall, Paul Douglas, Fred Clark, Una Merkel, Philip Ober, Charles Lane;

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"THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIO CLUB: WHERE THE GOOD GIRLS LIVED" (24) Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 24 - “The Hollywood Studio Club: Where The Good Girls Lived” - 02/26/2024

During the early days of Hollywood, hordes of young women pilgrimaged West to try to break into the movie business. And like sheep to slaughter, there were just as many men in Hollywood ready to take advantage of these young, inexperienced, and vulnerable young women. However, the Hollywood Studio Club, a hotel for women, run by women, tried to give these women a safe haven in the storm. Started by a librarian and nurtured by movie star MARY PICKFORD, among others, this hotel provided a safe place to live and helped nurture the budding careers of future Hollywood Stars such as MAUREEN O”SULLIVAN, LINDA DARNELL, DOROTHY MALONE, DONNA REED, KIM NOVAK, MARILYN MONROE and SHARON TATE. In this episode we’ll explore the history and legacy of this very special place in Hollywood History.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

"Film Girls Ask New Home: Studio Club of Hollywood to Campaign for Building Fund Middle of Next Month,” February 10, 1923, Los Angeles Times

"Building of Studio Club Is Assured: Norma Talmadge Donates $5000 Toward New Home for Film Girls,” February 14, 1925, Los Angeles Times

"Studio Club Dedicates New Home,” May 8, 1926, Los Angeles Times

“Few Girls From Club Win Fame,” May 22, 1938, Los Angeles Times

“Boardinghouse of Broken Hearts,” September 19,1958, Saturday Evening Post

"Studio Club Fighting to Save Home,” November 13, 1970, Los Angeles Times. November 13, 1970.

“The Lost History of L.A.’s Women-Only Hollywood Studio Club,” December 10, 2019, by Cari Beachamp, Vanity Fair

“Marie Windsor, Femme Fatale and Queen of the B's, Dies at 80,” December 14, 2000, by Douglas Martin, The New York Times

Hollywoodland (2003), by David Wallace

Ayn Rand and the World She Made (2009), by Anne C. Heller

Rita Moreno: A Memoir (2011), by Rita Moreno

Sharon Tate: A Life (2016), by Ed Sanders

The Girl: Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist (2018), by Michelle Morgan

Julia Morgan: An Intimate Portrait of an Trailblazing Architect (2022), by Victoria Kastner

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

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"I COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER!" (23) Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 23 - “I Coulda Been a Contender: Classic Casting That Almost Happened” - 02/19/2024

It is well documented that the film “Gone With The Wind” started filming before an actress was cast in the lead role of Scarlett O’Hara. Producer DAVID O. SELZNICK made a spectacle out of who would win the coveted role. It became a national obsession. He considered everyone from TALLULAH BANKHEAD to BETTE DAVIS to LUCILLE BALL. He eventually narrowed the field to three finalists: PAULETTE GODDARD, JOAN BENNETT, and JEAN ARTHUR. But in the eleventh hour, a new contender, an unknown Brit named VIVIEN LEIGH, swept in and won the role. Listen as we discuss, debate, and guffaw over other casting choices that almost happened in some of your favorite film classics.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Hollywood’s First Choices: How The Greatest Casting Decisions Were Made (1994), by Jeff Burkhart and Bruce Stuart;

Casting Might Have Beens (2005), by Eila Mell;

Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew (2004), by John Oller;

George Raft: The Man Who Would Be Bogart (2015), by Stone Wallace;

Life is a Banquet (1974), by Rosalind Russell;

Joan Crawford: The Enduring Star (2009), by Peter Cowie;

Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film (2021), by Alan Rode;

Judy Holliday (1982), by Will Holtzman;

Close-up on Sunset Boulevard: Billy Wilder, Norma Desmond, and the Dark Hollywood Dream (2002), by Sam Staggs

Montgomery Clift: Beautiful Loser (1992), by Barney Hoskyns;

Mike Nichols: A Life (2021), by Mark Harris;

IMDBPro.com;

Wikipedia.com;

Movies Mentioned:

Scarface (1932), starring George Raft, Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, and Boris Karloff;

Dead End (1937), starring Silvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie, and Claire Trevor;

The Maltese Falcon (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Elisha Cook, Jr, and Lee Patrick

The Maltese Falcon (1931), starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels;

High Sierra (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, Alan Curtis, Cornel Wilde, Arthur Kennedy, Willie Best, Elisabeth Risdon, and Henry Travers;

His Girl Friday (1940), starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, and Ralph Bellamy;

Twentieth Century (1934), starring John Barrymore and Carole Lombard;

Mildred Pierce (1945), starring Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Bruce Bennett, and Lee Patrick;

Sunset Boulevard (1950), starring Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim, and Nancy Olson;

From Here To Eternity (1953); starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, and Ernest Borgnine;

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf (1966), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis;

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Katharine Ross;#023: "I COULDA BEEN A CONTENDER!"

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"CUPID'S EPIC FAILS" (22) Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

EPISODE 22 - “Cupid’s Epic Fails” - 02/12/2024

Cupid has been stirring things up in Hollywood ever since the very first camera rolled. And when he gets it right, we get CLARK GABLE and CAROLE LOMBARD, JOEL McCRAE and FRANCES DEE, and PAUL NEWMAN and JOANNE WOODWARD. But when Cupid gets it wrong…well, let’s just say it ain’t pretty. In this episode, Steve and Nan discuss some Hollywood couplings that should never have happened.

SHOW NOTES:

Sources:

Ernie: The Autobiography (2009), by Ernest Borgnine;

Merman: An Autobiography (1978), by Ethel Merman, with George Eells;

Child Star: An Autobiography (1988), by Shirley Temple Black;

Shirley Temple: American Princess (2017), by Anne Edwards;

On The Good Ship Hollywood (2010), by John Agar, as told to L.C. Van Savage;

Jackie Coogan: The World’s Boy King (2007), by Diana Serra Cary;

Jackie Coogan: American's First Child Superstar (2017), by Leslie Wolfson;

Betty Grable: The Girl With The Million Dollar Legs (2007), by Tom McGee;

Pin Up: The Tragedy of Betty Grable (1987), by Spero Pastos;

Paulette: The Adventurous Life of Paulette Goddard (1985), by Joe Morella & Edward Z. Epstein;