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Hollywood's Fallen Women: Affairs, Betrayals, and Tragic Fates in Old Hollywood
Behind the glamour of Old Hollywood lies a darker story, one of secret affairs, scandals, and tragic fates.
From Grace Kelly’s tendency to pursue married men and break up marriages to Joan Crawford’s scandalous casting-couch encounters, from Veronica Lake’s decline into alcoholism and homelessness to Peg Entwistle’s tragic leap from the Hollywood sign, these women lived lives as dramatic off-screen as the roles they played. Gia Scala was found dead at just 38 after a fatal mix of pills and alcohol, Marie McDonald suffered through seven failed marriages before her own overdose, and Joan Bennett was caught in a Hollywood scandal when her husband shot her agent in a jealous rage, reminders that in Old Hollywood, glamour often masked heartbreak and ruin.
Packed with scandal, betrayal, and tragedy, Hollywood’s Fallen Women pulls back the curtain on the stars who burned too brightly and paid the ultimate price.
From Grace Kelly’s tendency to pursue married men and break up marriages to Joan Crawford’s scandalous casting-couch encounters, from Veronica Lake’s decline into alcoholism and homelessness to Peg Entwistle’s tragic leap from the Hollywood sign, these women lived lives as dramatic off-screen as the roles they played. Gia Scala was found dead at just 38 after a fatal mix of pills and alcohol, Marie McDonald suffered through seven failed marriages before her own overdose, and Joan Bennett was caught in a Hollywood scandal when her husband shot her agent in a jealous rage, reminders that in Old Hollywood, glamour often masked heartbreak and ruin.
Packed with scandal, betrayal, and tragedy, Hollywood’s Fallen Women pulls back the curtain on the stars who burned too brightly and paid the ultimate price.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 17, 2025
The concept of 'fallen' can be a little difficult to define. In some cases it can refer to people whose life choices resulted in major problems for them. In other cases it can simply refer to someone who didn't behave in a way that society felt they had to behave. This book covers both definitions.
Joan Crawford was a stripper at one time and and had sex with women. Big deal. However, society at the time (and even today, unfortunately) felt that a woman having sex with another woman (even though she had sex with men also) was somehow 'wrong.'
Grace Kelly had sex with various guys. Now a guy having sex with a bunch of different women is written off as okay but a woman having sex with a bunch of different man is judged rather harshly.
Joan Bennett (of Dark Shadows fame) is also in the book. There's also a woman who ended up committing suicide by jumping from the Hollywood sign.
There are women who had trouble with alcohol. Again, they are judged as 'fallen' despite the fact that many men, also, had trouble with alcohol use.
The book is interesting also I think the word 'fallen' is more than a little judgmental.
Joan Crawford was a stripper at one time and and had sex with women. Big deal. However, society at the time (and even today, unfortunately) felt that a woman having sex with another woman (even though she had sex with men also) was somehow 'wrong.'
Grace Kelly had sex with various guys. Now a guy having sex with a bunch of different women is written off as okay but a woman having sex with a bunch of different man is judged rather harshly.
Joan Bennett (of Dark Shadows fame) is also in the book. There's also a woman who ended up committing suicide by jumping from the Hollywood sign.
There are women who had trouble with alcohol. Again, they are judged as 'fallen' despite the fact that many men, also, had trouble with alcohol use.
The book is interesting also I think the word 'fallen' is more than a little judgmental.
September 26, 2025
Fallen Women Delivers
Upon reading this book, I had my image of Grace Kelly shattered. Learning that she had a lot of sexual.encounters made me shutter.
Upon reading this book, I had my image of Grace Kelly shattered. Learning that she had a lot of sexual.encounters made me shutter.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews