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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎06-11-2011

To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

@Oznell  and others (including myself)

 

There is a really good article in today's NY Post about the Chateau Marmont (where John Belushi died of a drug overdose) and all the scandalous goings-on there over the years (Belushi's being the most well publicized).  Among the interesting things:  Natalie Wood, at age 16, having an affair with her director, Nicholas Ray (much older than Nat) and Dennis Hopper at the same time, in adjoining roooms.   

 

The article is summarizing a book that has been written about the Marmont's history. It was originally an apartment building I just learned.

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Registered: ‎09-18-2010

Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

@Pearlee   It's scheduled to be released on May 7.  Amazon has it as a pre-order.  Another interesting hotel that is no longer is The Garden of Allah!  Look it up on the internet, fascinating history.  It was owned by Ali Nazimova!  Fascinating!

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+gardenf+of+allah+hotel&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS453&oq=the+gardenf+of+all...

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Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

Wow, @Pearlee, you are right, that is an eye opener.  I had heard about Natalie Wood and Nicholas Ray, et al-- that one always freaked me.  She so young, a minor, and vulnerable.  A director who would exploit that is so despicable.  In fact, Nicholas Ray and his behavior, and his wife Gloria Grahame and her behavior with her own stepson-- it's unbelievable.  What a toxic brew that marriage and household must have been.

 

The flip side of creative Hollywood has always been the depravity that the movie colony tolerated.  A bunch of talented people together, working and playing at fantasy-- the lines get blurred and the egos bloat and rule, I suppose.  The feeling that there are no boundaries, no standard of conduct to answer to.  Incredibly sad.  That book will be compulsively fascinating, I'm sure.   

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

@Oznell   Thanks for your comments.

 

They reminded me of something I read a while back which confirms your comments.

I read Tony Curtis' autobiography, American Prince, which was very interesting and which I recommend.  It's a fast, easy read.  He grew up in NYC of course, as Bernard Schwartz.  After moving to Hollywood in his 20s, he said that he loved how the women he was meeting there (including Marilyn Monroe whom he met early on in Hollywood) would "put out" whereas the women in NYC in his neighborhood would not - they wouldn't consummate a relationship with a man (those weren't his words - they are mine for the QVC board) before marriage.   He wrote how Hollywood morals were so different from those in his neighborhood back home.  (He did "fraternize" with Marilyn, or Norma Jean back then, even before she was a blond, soon after meeting her and they continued an off and on "thing" over the years). 

 

Very interesting, too, what he writes about his marriage to Janet Leigh.  Basically that he was always an embarrassment to her, and not high-brow enough for her. 

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

Oh, very interesting from Tony Curtis.  'Rascal' that he was, he often has had an endearing candor about the incredible world he inhabited, and the impact it had on him...

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

The heads of the studios controlled and buried everything even the LA Police.  Murders were covered up, babies "adopted", crimes swept under the carpet and away from the public.  Loretta Young's "adopted" daughter Judy who was the image of her mother and whose father was Clark Gable was hidden for years even from Judy.  George Reeves (Superman) "suicide" was questionable, he was involved with Eddie Manix's wife and Eddie was known as the fixer!  Charlie Chaplin and his underage girls, so many scandals that have come out over the years.  Fascinating!  When you think of the movie stars on the 1920's and all the money they made and got to keep because it was BEFORE income taxes!

 

Two movies come to mind about the dark side of Hollywood.....LA Confidential and Chinatown!

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

[ Edited ]

Pearley,

 

Your referencing Tony Curtis's memoir American Prince sent me scrambling to find my autographed copy of the book.  Found it after initial panic!

 

Tony Curtis and his last wife, Jill Ann VandenBerg Curtis, operated a rescue ranch for horses in Nevada, as I understood it.  Close family members had a small ranch nearby and they and the Curtises became friends, bonding over a love of rescuing animals.

 

Tony signed the copy (in fact several copies) for my relatives, who then sent me my copy.   

 

I prize it enough to keep it in places where I cannot find it.

 

(He slanted right and crossed his "T" low, almost mid-point.  I wonder what the significance of that is.  Janet knocked down his ego?  To be clear, I am referring to the "T" in "Tony."  Odd not to have a wild and flamboyant "T" with a top-most placement.)

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

[ Edited ]

@golding76 wrote:

Pearley,

 

Your referencing Tony Curtis's memoir American Prince sent me scrambling to find my autographed copy of the book.  Found it after initial panic!

 

Tony Curtis and his last wife, Jill Ann VandenBerg Curtis, operated a rescue ranch for horses in Nevada, as I understood it.  Close family members had a small ranch nearby and they and the Curtises became friends, bonding over a love of rescuing animals.

 

Tony signed the copy (in fact several copies) for my relatives, who then sent me my copy.   

 

I prize it enough to keep it in places where I cannot find it.

 

(He slanted right and crossed his "T" low, almost mid-point.  I wonder what the significance of that is.  Janet knocked down his ego?)


@golding76   How fascinating!   I'm happy you found yours.   Did you read it?  It's really very good!  He was never my favorite star, but I loved him enough in Some Like It Hot to want to read the book and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.  Great photos, too.  So if you haven't read it, you should.  I envy your owning an autographed copy.  I saw it offered at our friends of the library booksale recently and almost bought it, but then thought I didn't need to own it.  But I'd certainly love to own yours!  Smiley Happy

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

I read most of it, Pearley, and found his early years in NYC fascinating.  Sadly, I do not remember too much of it, but I do recall being surprised that it was so enjoyable.  You are so right; it is a good read.

 

I'll have to pick it up again and finish it off.

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Re: To All Those Interested In Scandalous Hollywood History

[ Edited ]

Pearley,

 

This is off-topic, but I just have to express my sadness over the loss of my most prized autograph.  As a child (I'm talking 9 and 10 years old), I adored Esther Williams.  So much so, in fact, that I wished she had been my mother.  (I laugh as I write this.)

 

I pestered poor Esther by writing to her at MGM in Culver City, Calif., very often.  She obliged by sending me "autographed" 8 X 10 glossy photos in black and white.

 

Well, Esther knew I was a truly zealous fan and sent me a 5 X 7 matte-finish photo on which she had written, in white ink, "To Goldie76" (actually, my given first name).  How I loved that photo and placed it with care in one of my three scrapbooks devoted to her.

 

I left all these scrapbooks and memorabilia in my parents' home all my adult life -- never once thought to remove them even when my last parent was expiring.  Superstitious beliefs held me back. 

 

Well, as you can guess, when I did take possession of my scrapbooks, someone had removed that prized autographed photo as well as a couple others.  Not wanting to cause problems, I never brought it up.  But whoever took that also took my Paul Anka and Estes Kefauver autographs from my autograph book.  Oh, the horrors of losing possessions.