In this episode, we spoke with author Yunte Huang about his book "Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History". A trenchant reclamation of the Chinese American movie star, whose battles against cinematic exploitation and endemic racism are set against the currents of twentieth-century history.

In this episode we discuss the life of director W. S. Van Dyke.

In this episode I spoke with author Tom Lisanti about his Dueling Harlow's: The Race to Bring the Actress's Life to the Silver Screen.  We also had former actress Carol Hollenbeck who is not only discussed in the book but is friends of one of the actresses playing Jean Harlow.  In recounting the making of the two films, this book (expanded from the original self-published edition) touches on Jean Harlow's life, the failed attempts to make a Harlow biopic in the 1950s, and the reviled, bestselling 1964 biography.

In this episode, my friend of the show, Warren Croom and I spoke with actor Johnny Whitaker. Johhny talks about his years as a child actor. The redheaded Whitaker played Jody Davis on Family Affair from 1966 to 1971. He also originated the role of Scotty Baldwin on General Hospital in 1965, and played the lead in Hallmark's 1969 The Littlest Angel, and portrayed the title character in the 1973 musical version of Tom Sawyer.

In this episode I spoke with Bambi Moe about her book "Part of the Magic". Part of the Magic: A Collection of Disney-Inspired Brushes with Greatness is a book of remarkable and wildly entertaining anecdotal stories told through the lens of an entertainment industry insider.

In this episode, I discuss the life of Colin Clive.Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss the life of the actress Thelma Ritter. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss the life of actor Andy Devine. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with author Robert Miklitsch and his book I Died A Million Times: Gangster Noir In Midcentury America. In the 1950s, the gangster movie and film noir crisscrossed to create gangster noir. Robert Miklitsch takes readers into this fascinating subgenre of films focused on crime syndicates, crooked cops, and capers.

In this episode, I talk about the life of actor Lewis Stone. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, author Spence Wright returns to discuss the career of Lucilla La Verne. Many of you will know her as the Evil Queen/Old Hag from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

In this episode, I spoke with author Ruby Blondell about her latest book "Helen of Troy In Hollywood" which will be out on August 1, 2023, by Princeton Press. Helen of Troy in Hollywood examines the figure of the mythic Helen in film and television, showing how storytellers from different Hollywood eras have used Helen to grapple with the problems and dynamics of gender and idealized femininity.

You can preorder the book at Princeton Press and receive 30% off by using the code P325.

In this episode, I discuss the life of John Carradine. Doug Hess is the host!

Doug Hess travls to the stadium where the film A League of Their Own was filmed. 

In this episode, I have a conversation regarding the TCM turmoil with a former employee JayJay Epega. TCM has officially closed airing in England. Jay Jay offers insight. James Lott JR talks about the business and social implications. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with author Bernard F. Dick on his book Hal Wallis: Producer to the Stars. Hal Wallis (1898-1986) might not be as well known as David O. Selznick or Samuel Goldwyn, but the films he produced—Casablanca, Jezebel, Now, Voyager, The Life of Emile Zola, Becket, True Grit, and many other classics (as well as scores of Elvis movies)—have certainly endured. The publisher of the book is the University Press of Kentucky.

In this episode I discuss with author Michelle Morgan about her lates book "When Marilyn Met the Queen: Marilyn Monroe's Life in England" which was published by Pegasus Books and is available for purchase. In July 1956, Marilyn Monroe arrived in London—on honeymoon with her husband Arthur Miller—to make The Prince and the Showgirl with Sir Laurence Olivier. It was meant to be a happy time . . .
Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with the President/CEO of JLJ Media James Lott Jr, and we discussed the current turmoil of TCM.

In this episode I spoke with author Nat Segaloff regarding his latest book "The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear" which will be out on July 25, 2023. Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever made and its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film.

In this episode, I spoke with Mark Kratzner who is the curator of the Red Skelton Museum. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with author Spencer Wright about his latest book Enchanted Disney: Stories of Walt, Hollywood, and Live-Action Film from BearManor Media. In its centennial year, take a journey through the history of the Walt Disney Company through the lens of the studio’s live-action films, and the life of its co-creator Walt Disney. By discussing the life and work of fifteen people who contributed to live-action features. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with Eddie Muller about his book Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired By The World Of Film Noir. Mr. Muller is the host of TCM's Noir Alley and one of the world's leading authorities on film noir, taking film buffs and drink enthusiasts alike on a spirited tour through the "dark city" of film noir.
Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode I spoke with John Kelsch and Janie Heitz from the Judy Garland Museum. The museum is located in Grand Rapid, MN. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with Keith Phipps regarding his book "The Age of Cage". Age of Cage is a smart, beguiling book about the films of Nicolas Cage and the actor himself, as well as a sharp-eyed examination of the changes that have taken place in Hollywood over the course of his career. Critic and journalist Keith Phipps draws a portrait of the enigmatic icon by looking at―what else?―Cage’s expansive filmography.Doug Hess is the host.

In this episode I discuss the actress Priscilla Lane.

In this episode, I discuss with author Vicki Mayer her book "Almost Hollywood Nearly New Orleans The Lure of the Local Film Economy". Early in the twenty-first century, Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the United States, redirected millions in tax dollars from public coffers in an effort to become the top location site globally for the production of Hollywood films and television series.

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.

In this episode, I spoke with author Dana Stevens regarding her book. In this genre-defying work of cultural history, the chief film critic of Slate places comedy legend and acclaimed filmmaker Buster Keaton’s unique creative genius in the context of his time. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with the author Lesley L. Coffin about her book "Lew Ayres Hollywood's Conscientious Objector". Ayres became known to the public when he portrayed the leading character in the epic war film All Quiet on the Western Front. The role made him a household name, introduced him to his closest friends, brought him to the attention of his first two wives, and would overshadow the rest of his career. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with author James L. Neibaur his book "The Monster Movies of Universal Studios". In 1931 Universal Studios released Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. This box office success was followed by a string of films featuring macabre characters and chilling atmospherics, including Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man. With each new film, Universal established its place in the Hollywood firmament as the leading producer of horror films, a status it enjoyed for more than twenty year. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with Janie McKirgan who is the President/Executive Director of the Jimmy Stewart Museum about the museum. Doug Hess is the host.

In this episode, I discuss with John Urbancik (partner of the late author Mary E. Lescher) in which John carries on her work. Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida opened in Orlando at the dawn of the Disney Renaissance. As a member of the crew, Mary E. Lescher witnessed the small studio’s rise and fall during a transformative era in company and movie history.

#UnversityofIllinoisPress

In this episode, I discuss the life of actor John Williams. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode speak with author Charles Casillo regarding his book "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship". Violet-eyed siren Elizabeth Taylor and classically handsome Montgomery Clift were the most gorgeous screen couple of their time. Over two decades of friendship they made, separately and together, some of the era's defining movies--including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Misfits, Suddenly, Last Summer, and Cleopatra. Yet the relationship between these two figures--one a dazzling, larger-than-life star, the other hugely talented yet fatally troubled--has never truly been explored until now. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I spoke with author Melanie Bell regarding her latest book "Movie Workers: The Women Who Made Brish Cinema". After the advent of sound, women in the British film industry formed an essential corps of below-the-line workers, laboring in positions from animation artist to negative cutter to costume designer. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with author Edwin Canfield his book "Fact, Fiction, and the Forbidden Predictions of the Amazing Criswell". Jeron Charles Criswell King, better known simply as Criswell, can rightfully be described as one of the first pop celebrity psychics. His bizarre predictions ― 87 percent of which came true, he claimed ― appeared from the 1950s through the 1970s in newspapers and magazines, while the flamboyant showman hosted his own Los Angeles television show, guested on national TV and in Ed Wood movies, including Plan 9 from Outer Space, alongside Vampira, Tor Johnson and Bela Lugosi. Unsuccessful attempts to find fame on Broadway and Tin Pan Alley did not prevent him from co-authoring three books on how to succeed in these fields.

In this episode I spoke with author Foster Hirsch about his book "Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties: The Collapse of the Studio System, the Thrill of Cinerama, and the Invasion of the Ultimate Body Snatcher - Television".  A fascinating look at Hollywood’s most turbulent decade and the demise of the studio system—set against the boom of the post-World War II years, the Cold War, and the atomic age—and the movies that reflected the seismic shifts.


His website is www.fosterhirsch.ink
Home - FOSTER HIRSCH
Foster Hirsch's latest book, Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties, has been called "the definitive book on 1950s Hollywood." Foster Hirsch will be presenting a number of films at NYC's Film Forum five-week series, 50 from the 50s, October 13 - November 16, 2023.
www.fosterhirsch.ink

In this episode, I discuss with author Kristen Lopez her latest book "But Have You Read The Book Yet? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films".Within these pages, Turner Classic Movies offers an endlessly fascinating look at 52 beloved screen adaptations and the great reads that inspired them.Doug Hess is the host!

Van Johnson was the fresh-faced, well-mannered nice guy on screen you always wanted your daughter to marry! This fair, freckled, and invariably friendly-looking MGM song-and-dance star of the 40s emerged as a box office favorite (1944-1946) and second only to heartthrob Frank Sinatra during what gossipmonger Hedda Hopper dubbed the "Bobbysoxer Blitz" era. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss the career of Ann Miller. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode I spoke with Dwayne Epstein regarding his latest book Killin' Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic WWII Movie of All Time. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with author Benard F. Dick about his book That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical. That Was Entertainment: The Golden Age of the MGM Musical traces the development of the MGM musical from The Broadway Melody (1929) through its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s and its decline in the 1960s, Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I along with Don Sanders discuss the career of Chuck McCann. A third-generation performer and the son of a singing band leader, Chuck McCann was already a show business veteran by age eleven.McCann went on to become a successful comic/character actor and mimic, doing voice-over for many television cartoon shows and playing character parts in numerous dramatic and comedic TV series and movies. Doug Hess is the host!

The history of Warner Bros. is not just the tale of a legendary film studio and its stars, but of classic Hollywood itself, as well as a portrait of America in the last century. It’s a family story of Polish-Jewish immigrants—the brother's Warner—who took advantage of new opportunities in the burgeoning film industry at a time when four mavericks could invent ways of operating, of warding off government regulation, and of keeping audiences coming back for more during some of the nation's darkest days.

In this episode, I discuss with author Herbie J Pilato regarding his latest book "Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV's Social Circuitry". This book captured so many things about Retro Active Television that I had forgotten about and brought other stories to light that I never knew existed. Herbie J. Pilato shares so many stories, interviews and facts about what I believe television was made for. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode I had a discussion with author Stuart Klawans regarding his latest book "Crooked, but Never Common: The Films of Preston Sturges". In a burst of creativity unmatched in Hollywood history, Preston Sturges directed a string of all-time classic comedies from 1939 through 1948―The Great McGinty, The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Palm Beach Story, and The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek among them―all from screenplays he alone had written.Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with Polly Rose about Buster Keaton. Polly is a film editor by trade and is working on her Ph.D. with her paper on Buster Keaton as an editor.


The DVD commentary Polly recorded for the early version of Our Hospitality: https://eurekavideo.co.uk/movie/buster-keaton-our-hospitality-go-west-college/

The article Polly wrote for the International Buster Keaton Society on the making of Sherlock Jr (free download): https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/he-floats-from-the-operating-booth-the-tale-not-told-of-sherlock-

Slapstick Festival: https://slapstick.org.uk

South West Silents: https://www.southwestsilents.com


The International Buster Keaton Society: https://busterkeaton.org

Charlie Chaplin's digitized archive: http://www.charliechaplinarchive.org/en/

In this episode I spoke with Andre Darlington about his book "Forbidden Cocktails".  A stunning package for classic film buffs and drinks enthusiasts alike, all the “forbidden” fun of Pre-Code Hollywood and the Prohibition and speakeasy era meet in this stylish cocktail book.

In this episode I discuss the life of Grace Bradley. A petite and extremely lovely blonde "B" film actress who eventually deserted her career in favor of standing by her man (cowboy icon William Boyd, aka, "Hopalong Cassidy"), Grace Bradley spent the rest of her life in his shadow and devoting herself to her husband's career. Bill's Hoppy was the longest span of any fictional character played by the same actor. Following his death in 1972, she spent a good deal of her time keeping his good name and image in tact. Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode, I discuss with author Edward J Delaney his book "The Acrobat".“Everyone wants to be Cary Grant,” mused the world’s most famous leading man. Even I want to be Cary Grant.” In The Acrobat, fiction writer Edward J. Delaney takes on the elusive character of Cary Grant. He imagines the inner life of a man who spent a career brilliantly creating a persona as ethereal as his best roles.

Episode 125 Author Ron Backer regarding his book Mystery Movie Series of 1940's Hollywood

In this episode I spoke with author Ron Backer regarding his book Mystery Movie Series of 1940's Hollywood. Ellery Queen, Boston Blackie, Michael Shayne, Dick Tracy, the Falcon these are but a few of the celebrated fictional sleuths who appeared in popular Hollywood movie mystery series. This volume focuses on 19 series (146 films) that were primarily released during the 1940s.

Doug Hess is the host!