Hollywood Whispers

This is the first book to investigate Hollywood's treatment of American politics, politicians and political institutions. The author explains the influence - through creative, ideological and financial means - that Hollywood has on politics, and vice-versa. Key questions of agenda setting are addressed, as are the value-oriented frames of reference that Hollywood has helped shape in educating and directing the American public about politics and democracy. American Politics in Hollywood Filmis structured thematically, introducing sub-genres of election films, political biographies, action, adventure and thriller films. There is an overarching chronological pattern, beginning in the 1930's and ending in the 1990's, allowing the reader to trace the progression of the genre. 25 black/white film stills are included.

In September 1941, a handful of isolationist senators set out to tarnish Hollywood for warmongering. The United States was largely divided on the possibility of entering the European War, yet the immigrant moguls in Hollywood were acutely aware of the conditions in Europe. After Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), the gloves came off. Warner Bros. released the first directly anti-Nazi film in 1939 with Confessions of a Nazi Spy. Other studios followed with such films as The Mortal Storm (MGM), Man Hunt (Fox), The Man I Married (Fox), and The Great Dictator (United Artists). While these films represented a small percentage of Hollywood’s output, senators took aim at the Jews in Hollywood who were supposedly “agitating us for war” and launched an investigation that resulted in Senate Resolution 152. The resolution was aimed at both radio and movies that “have been extensively used for propaganda purposes designed to influence the public mind in the direction of participation in the European War.” When the Senate approved a subcommittee to investigate the intentions of these films, studio bosses were ready and willing to stand up against the government to defend their beloved industry. What followed was a complete embarrassment of the United States Senate and a large victory for Hollywood as well as freedom of speech. Many works of American film history only skim the surface of the 1941 investigation of Hollywood. In Hollywood Hates Hitler! Jew-Baiting, Anti-Nazism, and the Senate Investigation into Warmongering in Motion Pictures, author Chris Yogerst examines the years leading up to and through the Senate Investigation into Motion Picture War Propaganda, detailing the isolationist senators’ relationship with the America First movement. Through his use of primary documents and lengthy congressional records, Yogerst paints a picture of the investigation’s daily events both on Capitol Hill and in the national press.

"In a race to capture new audiences, Hollywood moguls began courting Chinese investors to create branded entertainment on an international scale--from behemoth theme parks to blockbuster films--after China's 2001 World Trade Organization entry. Hollywood Made in China examines this compelling dynamic, where the distinctions between Hollywood's "Dream Factory" and the "Chinese Dream" of global influence become increasingly blurred. What is revealed illuminates how China's influence is transforming the global media industries from the inside out"--Provided by publisher.

Scarlett St. Claire, a fallen Hollywood starlet, needs a comeback. Enter Blake Golden Glove, the baseball heartthrob with a squeaky-clean image. Their solution? A fake engagement, a staged romance, a publicity play worthy of an Oscar. But in the blinding spotlight, lines blur, feelings ignite, and the game they're playing starts to feel dangerously real. Ethan Chase, Blake's jealous ex, throws daggers with every stolen glance. Paparazzi lurk around every corner, hungry for scandal. Can Scarlett and Blake navigate the treacherous world of Hollywood rumors and their own burgeoning emotions before their charade crumbles? When secrets spill and doubts arise, will their fake love story survive the pressure to become something truly extraordinary? "Faking It Till We Make It" is a whirlwind ride through the glittering world of Hollywood, where hearts beat beneath diamonds, truth shimmers beneath deception, and love dares to blossom in the most unexpected places. This captivating story is a delicious blend of romance, suspense, and humor, perfect for readers who crave a touch of glamour and a whole lot of heart.

Fifteen years in the making, “860 glittering pages” (The New York Times), the first volume of the astonishing life of Barbara Sanwyck—one of our greatest screen actresses—explores her extraordinary range of eighty-eight motion pictures, her work, her world, and her Hollywood through an American century. Frank Capra called her “the greatest emotional actress the screen has yet known.” Yet Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990) was also one of its most underrated stars. Now, Victoria Wilson gives us the most complete portrait of this magnificent actress, seen as the quintessential Brooklyn girl whose family was in fact of old New England stock…her years in New York as dancer and Broadway star…her fraught marriage to Broadway genius, Frank Fay…the adoption of a son; her partnership with Zeppo Marx, with whom she created a horse breeding farm; her fairytale romance and marriage to Robert Taylor, America's most sought-after male star… Here is the shaping of her career working with Hollywood's most important directors, all set against the times—the Depression, the rise of the unions, the coming of World War II, and a fast-evolving motion picture industry. At the heart of the book is Stanwyck herself—how she transformed herself from shunned outsider into one of America's most revered screen actresses. Volume One is the result of more than 100 exhaustive interviews with those who knew Stanwyck, many who never before had agreed to be interviewed: her family, friends, and co-workers from Lauren Bacall, Jane Fonda, and Jackie Cooper to Patricia Neal, Milton Berle, and Kirk Douglas; from Billy Wilder, Bruce Dern, and Anthony Quinn to Jane Powell, Charlton Heston, Arthur Laurents, and Sydney Lumet. “An epic Hollywood narrative,” A Life of Barbara Stanwyck includes never-before-seen letters, journals, and photographs.

Lisa Yee makes her YA debut with this hilarious novel about a charm-school dropout who becomes a drop-dead charmer on a quest for her father in California. Meet Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut, named for two Miss Americas and her mother Chessy's favorite brand of mascara. Chessy teaches the students in her charm school her Seven Select Rules for Young Ladies, but she won't tell Maybe who her real father is -- or protect her from her latest scuzzball boyfriend. So Maybe hitches a ride to California with her friends Hollywood and Thammasat Tantipinichwong Schneider (aka Ted) -- and what she finds there is funny, sad, true, and inspiring . . . vintage Lisa Yee.

In the shadow of his father Kirk's overpowering fame, Michael Douglas forged a career for himself and became recognised in his own right as an award-winning actor and producer. But fame has taken its toll on Michael's personal life. His struggles with sexual addiction, his treatment for alcoholism and drug dependency and the break-up of his first marriage show another side to Michael's success. In 2010, his troubled past came back to haunt him when Cameron, his eldest son, was sentenced to five years in prison for drug dealing. Yet, despite a rocky road, Michael has found happiness later in life. His marriage to Catherine Zeta Jones meant a second shot at fatherhood and gave him strength following a devastating diagnosis of advanced throat cancer at the age of 65. This is the compelling and remarkable story of a Hollywood son who waged a battle against the odds to achieve his fame and fortune, and has kept on fighting with every challenge he faces.