Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Nov 5, 2026
Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that showcase read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Nov 2, 2026
Bruce Kuklick’s Shane: History, Fiction, Film offers a fascinating look at how one of Hollywood’s most enduring Westerns came together. The 1953 film Shane, starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon DeWilde, and Jack Palance, is much more than a classic Western adventure. Kuklick explores read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Nov 2, 2026
Finding Wonderful: Hopeful Lessons from Jimmy Stewart and It’s a Wonderful Life by Matt Mikalatos and Aaron Burns offers a heartfelt look at the life of one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors and the lasting impact of his most famous film. While Jimmy Stewart became a celebrated star, his experience read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 19, 2026
Garry Berman’s 100 Years of Laughter: American Comedy in the Twentieth Century offers an entertaining and informative look at how comedy evolved across vaudeville, radio, film, television, and stand-up. Spanning a century of American entertainment, Berman examines how comedians adapted their acts read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 17, 2026
Edited by Colleen Hill, Doll Dressing: Fashion from Barbie to Bratz and Beyond explores the fascinating relationship between dolls, fashion, and popular culture. From their early role in spreading fashion trends to the influence of Barbie and Bratz, dolls have long reflected changing ideals of beaut read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 17, 2026
Thierry Jousse’s The Greatest Original Film Scores celebrates the music that makes movies unforgettable. Covering more than 400 film scores, this illustrated guide explores the composers, creative partnerships, and musical innovations that have shaped cinema from the 1930s to today. From Max Steiner read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 14, 2026
In I Wanna Be Loved By You: Marilyn Monroe: A Life in 100 Takes, Andrew Wilson offers a fascinating look at one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, drawing on unpublished letters, private recordings, and archival material to explore the woman behind the image. From her marriages to Joe DiMaggio and read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 12, 2026
“The more I see of men, the more I love my dog.” –Dorothy Christy as Angelica Embry in Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath (1931) Dorothy Christy was born Dorothea Jean Seltzer on May 26, 1900, in Reading, Pennsylvania, to John and Priscilla Seltzer. Her parents emigrated from Germany. She read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 11, 2026
Anthony Uzarowski’s Lauren Bacall: The Queen of Cool explores the life and career of one of classic Hollywood’s most distinctive stars. From her unforgettable screen debut opposite Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not (1944), Bacall established an image of sophistication, confidence, and independ read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 10, 2026
Shirley Jennifer Lim’s Anna May Wong: An Intimate Portrait offers a compelling look at one of Hollywood’s most fascinating trailblazers. Best known as the first Chinese American Hollywood star, Wong built an extraordinary career spanning silent films, talkies, theater, and television, all while read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 10, 2026
Lona Bailey’s All About Anne Baxter: The Official Biography of a Hollywood Icon explores the life and career of an actress whose versatility and talent deserve to be celebrated. From her Academy Award-winning performance in The Razor’s Edge (1946) to her unforgettable turn as Eve Harrington in All read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Oct 10, 2026
Anthony Slide’s Inside the Hollywood Fan Magazine explores the fascinating history of publications that helped shape Hollywood’s public image throughout the twentieth century. Tracing their evolution from the early days of Motion Picture Story Magazine and Photoplay in 1911 through their increasingl read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Sep 29, 2026
Todd Berliner’s Hollywood Renegade offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky and the extraordinarily complicated production behind it. What began as an ambitious New Hollywood project became a troubled production marked by cost overruns, studio conflicts, lawsuits, read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Sep 28, 2026
Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that showcase read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Sep 27, 2026
Hirschfeld’s Icons: A Poster Book by David Leopold, featuring the artwork of Al Hirschfeld and an introduction by Dick Cavett, offers a distinctive combination of visual art and entertainment history. The collection showcases Hirschfeld’s instantly recognizable illustrations while providing readers read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Sep 15, 2026
“Fairy tales tell imaginary stories. Me, I’m a living person. I exist. If the story of my life as a real woman were to be told one day, people would at last discover the real being that I am.” –Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, to Margaret Majer read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Sep 1, 2026
Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that showcase read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Aug 17, 2026
“I didn’t get the big break, but I got lots of little breaks.” –Ronnie Schell Ronald Ralph Schell was born on December 23, 1931, in Richmond, California, to David and Marguerite Schell. His father worked as a stock checker at an automobile industry plant and later worked for read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Aug 14, 2026
What really happened behind the scenes of Orson Welles’s Journey into Fear? In Maverick in the Machine: Orson Welles and the Battle Over Journey Into Fear, Mark Edlitz explores one of the more intriguing mysteries of Welles’s RKO years: who actually directed the 1943 film. Was it Welles or Norman read more
Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on Aug 13, 2026
What happens when a Hitchcock screening ends with a real-life murder? That’s the irresistible premise behind TCM host and author Alicia Malone’s Murder at the Movies: A Movie Palace Mystery, a cozy mystery that combines classic Hollywood, movie-palace nostalgia, and a murder investigation. This read more