Book Review: Hollywood: The Oral History by Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson

Hollywood: The Oral History

by Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson (791.43 Bas)

 

As the authors say, in their introduction, this book is compiled from interviews conducted by the American Film Institute, beginning in 1969, with individuals from across the spectrum of movie-making. Basinger and Wasson were given total and unprecedented access to all of the the AFI’s Harold Lloyd seminars, oral histories, and complete archives, featuring more than 3000 guest speakers and almost 10000 hours of conversation.

 

The authors then pulled quotes and organized them into thematic chapters: Beginnings, Comedy, Silent Directors, Silent Actors, Sound!, Studio Heads, Studio Style, The Studio Workforce (itself broken in ten sub-chapters), The Product, The End of the System, Identity Crisis, New Hollywood, The Creep Up, The Deal, Packaging, Everybody’s Business, and Monsters.

 

This book makes for absolutely fascinating reading but it is also a bit stop-and-go. Anyone who is interested in the history of movie-making here in the United States should find much of the content of this volume essential reading. However, at the same time, it doesn’t make for fast-flowing reading, as the voices jump back and forth between people you recognize and people from the industry that you may never have heard of.

 

I ended up loving Hollywood: The Oral History, while at the same time wishing that it was a video documentary, so I could have actually seen the individuals as they were being interviewed. None-the-less, a marvelous book on Hollywood and film-making history! Nearly every page has some nugget of information I never heard about before!

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try It Happened on Broadway: An Oral History of the Great White Way by Myrna Frommer, though it deals with stage productions rather than film.)

 

( publisher’s official Hollywood: The Oral History web site ) | ( Wikipedia page for Jeannine Basinger )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Audiobook Review: How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well-Lived by Leslie Jordan

How Y’all Doin’? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well Lived
by Leslie Jordan (Biography Jordan and Hoopla Audio)

When actor/singer/comedian Leslie Jordan died in late October (after suffering a “medical incident” while driving and fatally crashing his car), I had no idea how sad I was going to be. It wasn’t that I was an ardent fan of his, who tracked down everything he’d ever appeared in. But, his bubbly, sarcastic, Southern gay personality had been a staple in film and TV comedies and dramas for decades, and it didn’t seem possible that he was suddenly gone. So I was especially happy to be able to enjoy his distinctive voice as he narrated the audiobook version of his 2021 best-seller How Y’all Doin’?

 

Despite always being sort of a cult-favorite actor for many fans, it wasn’t until COVID-19 hit and everyone sequestered themselves in their homes in 2020, that Leslie achieved mega-fame. Despite not even initially knowing what Instagram was, he launched a new Insta account, where he shared his personality and quirky musings, and managed to gain 5.8 million followers. Which led to this, his second book (his first, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (2008) isn’t in the libraries’ collection). Leslie wanders back and forth in his career and personal life, not holding anything back as he shares recollections filled with both hilarity and strong sentiment. Despite his seeming befuddlement with technology and social media, his stories of his explorations of Instagram are among the highlights of this incredibly entertaining and informative autobiography. Leslie makes this book feel like he’s sitting and chatting with you.

 

I got this as an audiobook-on-CD through the libraries’ InterLibrary Loan service, but if you can do downloadable audio, the Lincoln City Libraries do have it available through our Hoopla streaming service. I had tried reading this book in print format when it came out in 2021, but just couldn’t get into it. But when he read it aloud, How Y’all Doin’? became one of my favorite reads of 2022. He’s one of those performers I think I would have loved to meet in person. Strongly recommended, for anyone with an interest in celebrities, behind-the-scenes on the entertainment industry, the acting profession, and LGBTQ+ personalities.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, also by Jordan, but only available through InterLibrary Loan.)

 

( official Leslie Jordan web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Forever Young: A Memoir by Hayley Mills

Forever Young: A Memoir
by Hayley Mills (Biography Mills)

If you came of age in the 60s and 70s, you are probably familiar with the name Hayley Mills, a British child and teen actress who starred in some big Disney films such as The Parent Trap and in other movies of the era. I most remember her in The Moonspinners, a young adult suspense story filmed on the island of Crete. This is her account of her family, professional, and personal lives and how she often struggled to find balance between them all. Her father was the well-regarded actor John Mills. Her older sister Juliet is also in the business of film and theater, and her younger brother appeared in some movies as a child. Mills’ mother was a frequently frustrated writer and dependent upon alcohol. Added to this was her marriage to a much older man, a producer, as well as an unfortunate negligence by Hayley’s parents to safeguard her set-aside earnings, much of which was mishandled by her family’s lawyers. In the end, she has come through a number of trials with a positive attitude, spiritually anchored, and grateful for her loved ones and her place in cultural history.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Boys by Ron & Clint Howard, Unsinkable, A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds or The Girl On the Balcony by Olivia Hussey.)

 

( Wikipedia entry for Hayley Mills )

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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Audiobook Review: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, written and read by Ron Howard and Clint Howard

The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family

by Ron Howard and Clint Howard (Compact Disc Biography Howard)

 

This is an absolutely charming autobiography of the Howard boys — both Ron and Clint — and the influence their parents, Rance and Jean Howard had over their lives. Told roughly in chronological order, after a framing sequence in which Ron and Clint remember going through their parents’ home following the passing of Rance, the Howards share stories about what their lives were like during their childhoods, when Ron was appearing on The Andy Griffith Show and Clint was starring in Gentle Ben. Ron shares memories of the making of Happy Days, and his relationships with his fellow castmates on that legendary sitcom, particular his friendship with Henry Winkler, and Ron’s efforts to move behind the camera to become a director.

 

But despite all the tales of Hollywood, The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family is also a very personal chronicle of the very ordinary lives they lived in the Howard family home — a modest suburban tract where actor Rance Howard and his wife Jean were success in imparting a set of good values in their two boys. Rance and Jean both had dreams of striking it big in film and TV, but it was ultimately the boys who found that success. But the elder Howards proved to be the stable rocks in the family, shepherding the boys between film gigs, serving as sharers of worldly wisdom and more.

 

I particularly enjoyed the audiobook (on CD) version of this, which is personally narrated by Ron and Clint, and has an audio introduction by Ron’s daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard. You can clearly hear the sincerity in both Howard boys’ voices as they recall their formative years, and Clint matter-of-factly addresses his substance abuse issues and the fact that his parents stood by him even in his darkest years. This was a truly special audiobook — I highly recommend it, for anyone wanting a peek behind the scenes on the production of TV series and movies, anyone who grew up on Ron and Clint’s performances, and anyone who loves to hear about close-knit families working together to get through tough times.

 

(This book will inspire you to re-watch many of the TV shows and films that the Howard boys appeared in. Fortunately, the libraries have many of them, including multiple seasons of The Andy Griffith Show, and most of the films Ron Howard has directed, as well as a few of Clint’s cult movies — and don’t forget his appearance as “Balok” in the season one episode of classic Star Trek!.)

 

( Publisher’s official The Boys web site ) | ( Ron Howard and Clint Howard Wikipedia entries )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Reviews: Home and Home Work both my Julie Andrews

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years and Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years

by Julie Andrews, and Julie Andrews with Emma Walton Hamilton (Music 782.14 Andrews & Biography Andrews)

 

These two autobiographies should appeal to and even fascinate anyone who is a Julie Andrews fan — she of the sublime soprano and the bawdy sense of humor. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years goes into great detail about her childhood and teen years and the very hard work it took to be one of the world’s most “naturally gifted” singers. It also covers her Broadway trials and triumphs. Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years delves into her two marriages, her primary film career, and her blended and growing family. Did you know that she and second husband, acclaimed movie director Blake Edwards, adopted two Vietnamese orphans? That’s just one tidbit you will learn more about. Andrews is, of course, most strongly identified with the iconic musical films “Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music” but has done a number of other movies of differing genres. She is very open in both memoirs about her family relationships and associated dynamics and her personal struggles and satisfactions. Home Work was co-written by Andrews’ biological daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. The two ladies have also shared authorship of over 30 young people’s books.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any autobiographies of Carol Burnett, Debbie Reynolds, or other variety performers; any movies written and/or directed by Blake Edwards or starring Julie Andrews; any movie soundtracks or other music albums featuring Julie Andrews.]

[ publisher’s official Home web page ] | [ official The Julie Andrews Collection web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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DVD Review: Safety Last! (1923) with Harold Lloyd

Safety Last! (1923)

(DVD Safety)

 

I first saw this DVD in the libraries’ collection shortly after having the opportunity to tour Harold Lloyd’s boyhood home, outside of Beatrice in Gage County, Nebraska in 2019. Lloyd is one of Nebraska’s cinematic treasures, having grown up in Gage County, before eventually making his way to Hollywood, and film fame.

 

Safety Last! is one of Lloyd’s masterworks, originally released in 1923. Lloyd is generally considered to be one of the silent film era’s three single-star auteurs — Charlie Chaplin was the “sweet innocent”, as personified by his Little Tramp character; Buster Keaton was the stoic, emotion-less outsider; and Lloyd was the “every man” that audiences could identify with. Safety Last! is 73 minutes of humor, adventure and spectacular stunt work, most notably the classic scene in which Harold hangs from a skyscraper’s clock face by the clock’s hands.

 

In addition to the beautifully restored film itself, this DVD set from Criterion also features two marvelous documentaries, including “Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius” (108 minutes), all about Lloyd’s life and film work.

[Be aware that the Gage County Classic Film Institute here in Nebraska has, for years, held an annual film festival in Beatrice, celebrating the lives and careers of Gage County natives who’ve gone on to fame in the film and TV industry. You can follow them on Facebook to see what native film star is featured next, and/or you can visit Lloyd’s boyhood home in Burchard, NE, now a small-town museum.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ Wikipedia page for Safety Last! ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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DVD Review: Trumbo

Trumbo
(DVD Trumbo)

One of the travesties of US history involved the House Un-American Committee (HUAC). Countless careers were ruined as Wisconsin Senator Eugene McCarthy and his group, including attorney Roy Cohn (before he was Trump’s attorney), began their purge of Americans from government jobs, Hollywood, and elsewhere if at any point in their lives they were associated with the Communist Party, or attended a meeting, or refused to name those they even suspected of being a Communist Party member.

Dalton Trumbo was an award-winning writer who believed in unions to protect the average worker and as such was an active member of the Communist party in the US. He and nine other Hollywood producers and screenwriters objected to the tactics of the HUAC and refused to cooperate with the HUAC investigations denouncing the hearings as a violation of their civil rights to belong to any political organization they chose. They were found guilty of contempt of Congress and each served a year in federal prison.

Hollywood, afraid of being associated with any radical organizations, then blacklisted the Hollywood 10 from ever again working in the film industry.

As a result, Trumbo and other screenwriters were forced to secretly write using aliases. Several even won academy awards under those aliases. Eventually, rumors of this work-around began to circle in Hollywood. Finally, in the early 1960’s Trumbo’s name appeared on the movie credits for Kirk Douglas’ “Spartacus” and Otto Preminger’s “Exodus.” This effectively broke the Blacklist.

Based on the book Dalton Trumbo by Bruce Cook (available as both a book and downloadable ebook from the libraries), this is the fascinating, fast-paced, emotional story following Trumbo from the trial to his finally being recognized for his writing under his actual name, and how the group struggled to provide for their families. Bryan Cranston deserved his Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Dalton Trumbo, and Helen Mirren was deliciously nasty as Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.

For those who know old Hollywood and know the story of the Hollywood 10, this is a satisfying story especially when Trumbo’s work is finally acknowledged. It was fun to try to figure out who of the old-time Hollywood stars were being portrayed. The actor who portrayed Kirk Douglas not only looked like him, but had his mannerisms down pat. A very enjoyable 2-hours and 5 minutes. Be sure to watch the special features.

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Trumbo web site ]

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear

The Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood
by Theresa “Terry” Masear [598.764 Mas]

When my family first visited Estes Park, CO in the early 1980s, I was astonished at the number of hummingbirds which could be seen both at feeders and in the wilderness of that Rocky Mountain area. Growing up in Lincoln, NE, I couldn’t remember ever having seen a hummingbird, live, before — not surprising since we’re on the westernmost fringes of the flight path of the ruby-throated hummingbird, which is the only hummingbird native to the eastern United States. But, from the Rockies to the west coast, you can see examples of as many as 14 other hummingbird species. I read and enjoyed Arnette Heidcamp’s A Hummingbird in My House and Hummingbirds: My Winter Guests, in which the author recounts her adventures in rescuing a very small number of these flying jewels. I thought her efforts were impressive and inspirational. And then I read The Fastest Things on Wings, Terry Masear’s recent autobiography about her experiences as a hummingbird rescuer/rehabilitator in Hollywood, CA. Masear has rescued literally thousands of these beautiful birds, who have fallen victim to collisions with windows, polluted food, nests blown from trees in storm, or carelessly cut out of trees by tree-trimmers. Masear makes every story shared into an emotional journey, sharing psychological insights into the personalities of the people who either bring her injured or orphaned hummers, or who call her, begging for instructions and assistance.
Masear’s tales are tied together by her relationship to two specific hummingbirds — Gabriel, the first bird she ever rescued, who ultimately becomes the catalyst for her investing more than three months of her life every year to the feeding, housing and then release of hundreds of birds. And Pepper, an injured hummer whom she trains to fly again, and whose resilient nature and willingness to help other birds reveals more about the range of differences between individual birds that any casual birdwatcher would see. And that is the emotional and heart-lifting crux of Masear’s book — although not every bird survives the circumstances that bring them to her care, so many of them have such distinct and unique personalities and behaviors that you find yourself emotionally invested in her stories. Highly recommended — one of my favorite reads this year!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of the hummingbird rescue books by Arnette Heidcamp.]

[ publisher’s official Fastest Things on Wings web page ] | [ Terry Masear’s official Hummingbird Rescue web site ]

See more heartwarming books about animal-human relationships in the booklist for Scott’s past booktalk, Creature Comforts

 Recommended by Scott C.

Bennett Martin Public Library

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Silver Screen Fiend by Patton Oswalt

Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life From an Addiction to Film
by Patton Oswalt [Biography Oswalt]

Silver Screen Fiend is a charming, funny, engaging and well-paced personal account by Patton Oswalt about one of the formative times in his life and his career. A recommended read for fans of Patton Oswalt or anyone looking for a charming story that just about anyone can relate to.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, also by Patton Oswalt.]

[ official Patton Oswalt web site ]

Recommended by Corey G.
Gere Branch Library

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Majestic Hollywood by Mark A. Vieira

Majestic Hollywood: The Greatest Films of 1939
by Mark A. Vieira [791.43 Vie]

Most classic movie aficionados would agree that 1939 was a standout year in silver screen history. Not only were The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind released that year (GWTW at the very end of the year) but other classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Babes in Arms, Ninotchka, Stagecoach and Dark Victory debuted. This browseable book highlights all the big and otherwise noteworthy motion pictures from one of the most magical years of cinema entertainment, in order of their release dates. Plot and production details are included, along with critical reviews of the time. Historical context is also touched on, such as the pre-World War II turmoil in Europe. The abundance of photos might have been enhanced if some were in color as would have matched the finished films. The book also would have benefitted from the inclusion of cast lists for each movie. All in all, it's an interesting and enjoyable look back at Hollywood's most golden era. -- recommended by Becky W C - Walt Branch Library [ See Becky's Reviewer Profile ]

[ official Mark Vieira page at the Andrew Weiss gallery site ]

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Johnny Carson (on CD)

Johnny Carson
by Henry Bushkin [Compact Disc Biography Carson]

I've always been a fan of Johnny Carson, not only for his success and fame as the preeminent late night TV talk show host of the past 50+ years, but also for the fact that we can call him a Nebraska boy -- though born in Iowa, he grew up in Norfolk NE. Henry Bushkin was Carson's personal attorney for almost two decades, during the very height of Johnny's success. This biography is Bushkin's look back at Johnny's (and Bushkin's own) life during that time period. In many ways, this biography takes a great deal of the luster off of Carson. Bushkin takes a "no holds barred" approach to telling stories, and Johnny comes off as a egocentric martinent. But there were reasons for Johnny's keeping everyone at a distance and being something of a control freak. Bushkin's storytelling style is very natural, and this book moves smoothly from one engaging story to another. I enjoyed this one as a Book-on-CD, narrated by actor Dick Hill -- he provides Bushkin with a colorful, eccentric voice. In the end, I'm left with the feeling that Johnny Carson was somebody to admire from afar, but that getting too close to him could reveal an unseemly side. I will still fondly remember all the years spent watching him on The Tonight Show and admiring his talent. But I'm now rather disappointed in him as a human being. Well written and narrated -- I recommend this to anyone who's interested in Carson as a real person, rather than as the sanitized TV persona. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Here's Johnny, a much more "friendly" look at Carson's life, by his TV sidekick Ed McMahon.]
[Also available in regular print and Large Print formats.]

[ Carson 360 web site ] | [ official Henry Bushkin web site ]

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The Garner Files

The Garner Files
by James Garner

James Garner has always been one of my absolute most-favorite television actors. Though I was born a little too late to have enjoyed him in Maverick, I consider The Rockford Files to be, perhaps, one of the most perfectly-constructed television series ever made. And James Garner deserves the lion's share of the credit for that. He puts out the impression of gruffness or, as he mentions in his biography, "crochetyness", but underneath it, he's got a warm personality. His autobiography is definitely written in his voice -- he shares anecdotes, both positive and negative, from throughout his career. He's blunt but honest about the people whom he has issues with, but cordial and sentimental about the creative types whom he respects. He spends about equal time on his TV and movie careers, but also a large amount of the book covers his personal life outside of the show-biz trappings -- his hard-scrabble youth, his love of both golf and racing cars, and the issues of growing older. I very much enjoyed this book, and recommend it highly to anyone who's a fan of Garner's extensive body of work on screen. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try This is Jim Rockford..., Maverick on DVD, The Rockford Files on DVD, James Garner's feature films, particularly The Great Escape, Murphy's Romance, My Name is Bill W., Support Your Local Sheriff, and so many others...] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ James Garner page on Wikipedia ] | [ official Internet Movie Database page for Garner ]

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My Word is My Bond

My Word is My Bond
by Roger Moore and Gareth Owen [Biography Moore]

Actor Roger Moore, best known as "The Saint" and James Bond 007, recounts his life, nearly chronologically, from his childhood in Englad, his plays, his movies, and his work with UNICEF. He mostly sticks to his ideal of "if you can't say anything nice about someone then say nothing at all" so this is NOT a kiss-and-tell book with nasty gossip about celebrities. As all good biographies do, this one has photos in the middle of the book. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Elizabeth: The Queen Mother: A Twentieth Century Life by Grania Forbes.] -- recommended by Charlotte K. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ Page for this book on the official Sir Roger Moore web site ]

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With Love and Laughter, John Ritter

With Love and Laughter, John Ritter
by Amy Yasbeck [Biography Ritter]

John Ritter was one of my TV heroes -- a comedic actor, adept at both witty dialog and absurd pratfalls, but who managed to remain a "good guy" in real life. From his early parts and recurring role as the paster on The Waltons, to his star turns on Three's Company, Hearts Afire and Hooperman, I had followed his career with pleasure, enjoying each of his performances, but enjoying reading about his behind-the-scenes life almost as much. His death in 2003 was so sudden and shocking, it threw me for a loop, and hearing after-the-fact that it was due to an undiagnosed medical condition was all the more alarming. Ritter's second wife, Yasbeck, does a tender job of looking back at Ritter's life -- the celebrity of his parents Tex and Dorothy Ritter, and his innate need to perform. Counter-balancing Ritter's career trajectory, Yasbeck shares her own background and upbringing, leading to their relationship and the child they had together. Though the last couple of chapters deal with the heartbreak of Ritter's death and the medical issues associated with the condition he fell victim to, the majority of this book is a feel-good tribute to one of our best comic actors, taken from us too early. I enjoyed this tremendously. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official John Ritter Foundation web site ] | [ John Ritter entry on Wikipedia ]
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