During production of Johnny Guitar, Joan Crawford wrangled a lacklustre script, a mercurial director, a chaos agent, and columnists who put a bounty on her head. Johnny Guitar is a parable about the persecutions of McCarthyism, but it's also about the perils in store for an aging film star.
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During production of Johnny Guitar, Joan Crawford wrangled a lacklustre script, a mercurial director, a chaos agent, and columnists who put a bounty on her head. Johnny Guitar is a parable about the persecutions of McCarthyism, but it's also about the perils in store for an aging film star.
After struggling for years under the controlling grip of Harry Cohn, Kim Novak was finally able to relax once the Columbia boss had a heart attack and turned up his toes three weeks into production of Bell Book and Candle. In a few months, she would also be free of Muriel Roberts, the studio publicist who had pretended to be a close friend, when she was nothing more than a spy for Harry Cohn. Novak would not learn the extent of Muriel's betrayal until 1961.
During production of Johnny Guitar, Joan Crawford wrangled a lacklustre script, a mercurial director, a chaos agent, and columnists who put a bounty on her head. Johnny Guitar is a parable about the persecutions of McCarthyism, but it's also about the perils in store for an aging film star.
Constance Bennett's deal with Warner Bros. became a Hollywood scandal after Louella Parsons estimated that the star would earn $30,000 a week. Few reporters told the whole story. Two Against the World (1932) was her second picture on the deal. In the first half. Connie's performance anticipates the bratty screwball heiress types which were later portrayed by Claudette Colbert and Carole Lombard. And in the second half, she embodies the noble women of Depression-era melodramas starring Margaret Sullivan and Irene Dunne.
Special thanks to Thomas O'Mahony for sound editing the episode.
During a turbulent era in Hollywood, Joseph L. Mankiewicz reinvigorated woman's pictures when they might have easily been cast aside. Ann Sothern's storyline, about a woman who scrambles to balance her career with her family life, is as relevant today as when the film premiered. Sothern had a series of false starts in her own career and she also struggled with the limitations of typecasting.
Showgirls on Broadway keep Old Man Depression from the door with a repertoire of gags to squeeze money from men.
Satin Rackets is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins plays Kitty Adare
M. Shawn plays Iris
Patrick McGurk plays Buzz and Talbot
Shane McCormack plays Joe and Carstairs
Olympia Kiriakou plays Dinah
Savannah Monroe plays Pansy
Beatrix Herriott O'Gorman plays Laurel
Jack Warren plays Mad Dog Healy
Art design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Thomas O'Mahony
Showgirls on Broadway keep Old Man Depression from the door with a repertoire of gags to squeeze money from men.
Satin Rackets is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins plays Kitty Adare
M. Shawn plays Iris
Patrick McGurk plays Buzz and Talbot
Shane McCormack plays Joe and Carstairs
Olympia Kiriakou plays Dinah
Savannah Monroe plays Pansy
Beatrix Herriott O'Gorman plays Laurel
Jack Warren plays Mad Dog Healy
Art design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Thomas O'Mahony
Showgirls on Broadway keep Old Man Depression from the door with a repertoire of gags to squeeze money from men.
Satin Rackets is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins plays Kitty Adare
M. Shawn plays Iris
Patrick McGurk plays Buzz and Talbot
Shane McCormack plays Joe and Carstairs
Olympia Kiriakou plays Dinah
Savannah Monroe plays Pansy
Beatrix Herriott O'Gorman plays Laurel
Jack Warren plays Mad Dog Healy
Art design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Thomas O'Mahony
When women ruled Hollywood, gigolos grew on palm trees.
Catch up with the new show about starlets in 1933.
Betty Compson's Diamonds is written and directed by Megan McGurk. Art design by Mot Collins. Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony.
Starring:
Clara Higgins is Betty Compson
Olympia Kiriakou is Lila Lee
M. Shawn is Sally Eilers
Savannah Monroe is Claudia Dell
Renee Smith is Genevieve Tobin
Shane McCormack is Finn Redmond
Patrick McGurk is Chick Gallagher
When women ruled Hollywood, gigolos grew on palm trees.
Catch up with the new show about starlets in 1933.
Betty Compson's Diamonds is written and directed by Megan McGurk. Art design by Mot Collins. Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony.
Starring:
Clara Higgins is Betty Compson
Olympia Kiriakou is Lila Lee
M. Shawn is Sally Eilers
Savannah Monroe is Claudia Dell
Renee Smith is Genevieve Tobin
Shane McCormack is Finn Redmond
Patrick McGurk is Chick Gallagher
When women ruled Hollywood, gigolos grew on palm trees.
Catch up with a new show about starlets in 1933.
Betty Compson's Diamonds is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Art design by Mot Collins.
Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony.
Starring:
Clara Higgins is Betty Compson
Olympia Kiriakou is Lila Lee
M. Shawn is Sally Eilers
Savannah Monroe is Claudia Dell
Renee Smith is Genevieve Tobin
Shane McCormack is Finn Redmond
Patrick McGurk is Chick Gallagher
Under contract with Paramount, Tallulah Bankhead made six pictures in less than two years. Although they all have their charm, only Faithless (1932), which she made on loan-out to Metro, was a hit at the box office. Tallulah plays a character who loses everything but her wit after the Stock Market Crash. She trades caviar for soup and learns to like it.
Thanks to sound editor Tom O'Mahony!
Earl Carroll ran the hottest night spot in Hollywood headlined by Beryl Wallace and the Most Beautiful Girls in the World.
Seven showgirls chip in for a mink coat.
What could go wrong?
Mink Syndicate was written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Beryl Wallace
Olympia Kiriakou as Sheba LeMaire
M. Shawn as Rocky Beaumont
Savannah Monroe as Olga Fury
Renee Smith as Esme Chiffon
Laura Mawson as Libby Branch
Patrick McGurk as Earl Carroll
Shane McCormack as Sully
Megan McGurk as Pam Deasy
Art Design by Mot Collins
Sound Editing and Special Effects by Tom O'Mahony
Earl Carroll ran the hottest night spot in Hollywood headlined by Beryl Wallace and the Most Beautiful Girls in the World.
Seven showgirls chip in for a mink coat.
What could go wrong?
Mink Syndicate was written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Beryl Wallace
Olympia Kiriakou as Sheba LeMaire
M. Shawn as Rocky Beaumont
Savannah Monroe as Olga Fury
Renee Smith as Esme Chiffon
Laura Mawson as Libby Branch
Patrick McGurk as Earl Carroll
Shane McCormack as Sully
Megan McGurk as Pam Deasy
Art Design by Mot Collins
Sound Editing and Special Effects by Tom O'Mahony
Earl Carroll ran the hottest night spot in Hollywood headlined by Beryl Wallace and the Most Beautiful Girls in the World.
Seven showgirls chip in for a mink coat.
What could go wrong?
Mink Syndicate was written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Beryl Wallace
Olympia Kiriakou as Sheba LeMaire
M. Shawn as Rocky Beaumont
Savannah Monroe as Olga Fury
Renee Smith as Esme Chiffon
Laura Mawson as Libby Branch
Patrick McGurk as Earl Carroll
Shane McCormack as Sully
Megan McGurk as Pam Deasy
Art Design by Mot Collins
Sound Editing and Special Effects by Tom O'Mahony
Diana Barrymore plays five different roles in her third production at Universal, following in her great-grandmother's footsteps. Louisa Lane Drew became a star in 1828 when she played five characters in the stage production Twelve Precisely. Diana had the 'Barrymore Curse,' which her father Jack defined as 'pillows and false faces.'
Although her career in Hollywood was brief, Diana had the family spark.
Joan Crawford gets away with murder mostly because she's dressed like a high fashion gladiator in a silver shield designed by Adrian. Joan gives a boldly physical performance which showed women in the audience how to confront a dangerous man and come out on top.
In Part Three, Dot investigates a cosmetic surgeon in Beverly Hills who claims that he can give any gal Myrna Loy's nose for $200.
Myrna Loy's Nose is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Dot Riordan
Olympia Kiriakou as Fay Bishop
M. Shawn as Peaches Carmichael
Savannah Monroe as Bijou Silk
Renee Smith as Doctor Lockhart
Patrick McGurk as Jim Grady
Peter Bryant as Leo Hickey
Shane McCormack as Dutch Brennan
Art design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony
In Part Two, Dot's sob sister column gives honest advice to women in trouble. But Grady, the city editor, isn't too excited by the circulation boost. And why is the late shift filled by women with busted noses?
Myrna Loy's Nose is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Dot Riordan
Olympia Kiriakou as Fay Bishop
M. Shawn as Peaches Carmichael
Savannah Monroe as Bijou Silk
Laura Mawson as Maude Warren
Patrick McGurk as Jim Grady
Peter Bryant as Leo Hickey
Shane McCormack as Dutch Brennan
Art Design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony
In Part One, a heart balm suit divides the newsroom. Is a breach of promise case just a legal way for women to bilk men and hit the jackpot?
Myrna Loy's Nose is written and directed by Megan McGurk.
Starring:
Clara Higgins as Dot Riordan
Olympia Kiriakou as Fay Bishop
M. Shawn as Peaches Carmichael
Savannah Monroe as Bijou Silk
Patrick McGurk as Jim Grady
Peter Bryant as Leo Hickey
Shane McCormack as Dutch Brennan.
Art Design by Mot Collins
Sound editing and special effects by Tom O'Mahony
Rosemary Clooney glided into Paramount studio with a hit record, a successful nightclub act, and popular appearances on radio and television. She received the star treatment from day one. But her career in Hollywood was cut short by discrimination within the studio system. Paramount dropped her contract in 1955 because she was pregnant. Red Garters, her third picture, shows how she could carry a picture on her back.
Special thanks to sound editor Thomas O'Mahony
During production of Johnny Guitar, Joan Crawford wrangled a lacklustre script, a mercurial director, a chaos agent, and columnists who put a bounty on her head. Johnny Guitar is a parable about the persecutions of McCarthyism, but it's also about the perils in store for an aging film star.