Stay in Touch
Get sneak previews of special offers & upcoming events delivered to your inbox.
Sign in
06-30-2019 04:11 PM
Van Johnson: MGM's Golden Boy by Ronald Davis.
Sounds like a good tell all book from the squeaky clean life of Van Johnson
Behind the curtain type of read.
06-30-2019 05:17 PM
Yeah, it probably is good, @SharkE. The studio had a strong vested interest in maintaining female fan interest in Van, "the boy next door". So they either maneuvered Evie Wynn (Keenan's wife) into marrying him, or he decided it would be in his best interest to...
He was kind of an "open secret", much like Rock Hudson would be later on, although I don't think the public at the time knew much about his personal life. If they had, it would have torpedoed his career, for sure. He got along famously with Hollywood couple Evie and Keenan Wynn, so it might not have seemed like such a big step to marry her! Especially after she was so kind to him after his accident. I think he had his only daughter by her. He always was appealing to women...
So a bio would be fascinating!
06-30-2019 06:32 PM
Although I am a sucker for books about old Hollywood, sometimes I feel like I would be better off not knowing too much about the people involved, thereby preserving the illusion... but my curiosity/interest generally gets the better of me.
In today's world, very little is kept under wraps, but back then, attitudes were so different, and men like Van Johnson and George Maharis (referencing a recent thread) likely lived in fear of private information being made public.
On the subject of Van Johnson and the Wynns, another interesting book is "We Will Always Live in Beverly Hills," by Ned Wynn (son of Keenan Wynn).
06-30-2019 06:43 PM
@Highlands72, good recommendation. I read excerpts of Ned Wynn's work in some magazine-- he's an excellent writer, and was able to vividly convey the extraordinary circumstances of his childhood in that family in Hollywood...
Get sneak previews of special offers & upcoming events delivered to your inbox.
*You're signing up to receive QVC promotional email.
Find recent orders, do a return or exchange, create a Wish List & more.
Privacy StatementGeneral Terms of Use
QVC is not responsible for the availability, content, security, policies, or practices of the above referenced third-party linked sites nor liable for statements, claims, opinions, or representations contained therein. QVC's Privacy Statement does not apply to these third-party web sites.
© 1995-2024 QVC, Inc. All rights reserved. | QVC, Q and the Q logo are registered service marks of ER Marks, Inc. 888-345-5788