Nils Thor Granlund

Nils T. Granlund (1882–1957) created the first movie preview, filmed the first commercial, was the first to broadcast a live sports event, and, as a popular radio personality, introduced the Jazz Age to America via his broadcasts from Harlem’s Cotton Club. He is also acknowledged as the creator of the modern nightclub, introducing the high-kicking chorus line to the stages of Las Vegas. But though he was among the highest-grossing entertainers of the World War II era—famous enough to star as “himself” in several Hollywood films—he died virtually penniless, and today is all but forgotten. This work is a comprehensive biography of the man known as NTG, from his herding reindeer in Sweden to shepherding the most beautiful chorus girls on Broadway.

Granlund has been credited with creating the modern night club, inventing the movie trailer, filming the first commercial, and launching careers of Joan Crawford and Yvonne De Carlo. His story encompasses all the elements of a blockbuster movie.

In the Roaring Twenties, New York City nightclubs and speakeasies became hot spots where traditions were flouted and modernity was forged. With powerful patrons in Tammany Hall and a growing customer base, nightclubs flourished in spite of the efforts of civic-minded reformers and federal Prohibition enforcement. This encounter between clubs and government-generated scandals, reform crusades, and regulations helped to redefine the image and reality of urban life in the United States. Ultimately, it took the Great Depression to cool Manhattan's Jazz Age nightclubs, forcing them to adapt and relocate, but not before they left their mark on the future of American leisure. Nightclub City explores the cultural significance of New York City's nightlife between the wars, from Texas Guinan's notorious 300 Club to Billy Rose's nostalgic Diamond Horseshoe. Whether in Harlem, Midtown, or Greenwich Village, raucous nightclub activity tested early twentieth-century social boundaries. Anglo-Saxon novelty seekers, Eastern European impresarios, and African American performers crossed ethnic lines while provocative comediennes and scantily clad chorus dancers challenged and reshaped notions of femininity. These havens of liberated sexuality, as well as prostitution and illicit liquor consumption, allowed their denizens to explore their fantasies and fears of change. The reactions of cultural critics, federal investigators, and reformers such as Fiorello La Guardia exemplify the tension between leisure and order. Peretti's research delves into the symbiotic relationships among urban politicians, social reformers, and the business of vice. Illustrated with archival photographs of the clubs and the characters who frequented them, Nightclub City is a dark and dazzling study of New York's bygone nightlife.

An award-winning historian surveys the astonishing cast of characters who helped turn Manhattan into the world capital of commerce, communication and entertainment --

Includes Part 1, Number 1 & 2: Books and Pamphlets, Including Serials and Contributions to Periodicals (January - December)

Revisit Hollywood’s Golden Age with insider Charles Foster, who befriended the many Canadian stars that peppered the film sets. Foster reveals the stories of the amazing influence Canadians had in the early days of the film biz. Includes: Stardust and Shadows: Canadians in Early Hollywood A Hollywood insider brings together the stories of eighteen Canadians who were celebrities during Hollywood’s formative years. Once Upon a Time in Paradise: Canadians in the Golden Age of Hollywood During Hollywood’s Golden Age, a bevy of talented Canadians earned important roles in the motion picture industry.

During Hollywoods Golden Age, a bevy of talented Canadians earned important roles in the motion picture industry.

Using a very wide range of detailed sources, the book surveys the many different experiences of women during the Second World War.