What do you think?
Rate this book
Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom
Leonard Maltin is America's best-known film historian, film reviewer, and author of books that have sold more than 7 million copies. He remains a thought leader on past and present Hollywood through his website www.leonardmaltin.com, and a social media presence that includes an active Facebook page and a Twitter feed with more than 66,000 followers. In Hooked on Hollywood, Maltin opens up his personal archive to take readers on a fascinating journey through film history. He first interviewed greats of Hollywood as a precocious teenager in 1960s New York City. He used what he learned from these luminaries to embark on a 50-year (and counting) career that has included New York Times bestselling books, 30 years of regular appearances coast-to-coast on Entertainment Tonight, movie introductions on Turner Classic Movies, and countless other television and radio performances. Early Maltin interviews had literally been stored in his garage for more than 40 years until GoodKnight Books brought them to light for the first time in this volume to entertain readers and inform future film scholars. Teenaged Leonard Maltin landed one-on-ones with Warner Bros. sexy pre-Code siren Joan Blondell; Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Burgess Meredith; Cecil B. DeMille's right-hand-man Henry Wilcoxon; Oscar-winning actor Ralph Bellamy; playwright, novelist, and MGM screenwriter Anita Loos; early screen heartthrob George O'Brien; classic Paramount director Mitchell Leisen; and others. Later in his career, Maltin sat down with men and women who worked inside the top studios during the heyday of movies and early television. This second set of in-depth interviews reveals what life was like under Louis B. Mayer, Jack Warner, Harry Cohn, and the other titans of Hollywood. What emerges is a fascinating and at times uproarious homage to Golden Era Hollywood. In addition, key feature articles from Maltin's newsletter Movie Crazy are published here for the first time, providing new perspectives on the Warner Bros. classics Casablanca and Gold Diggers of 1933 as well as many other masterpieces—and bombs—from Hollywood history. Finally, Maltin looks back at what he considers Hollywood's "overlooked" studio, RKO Radio Pictures, which gave us such classics as King Kong and the many dance musicals of Astaire and Rogers. In Leonard's unique and witty style, he looks at dozens of obscure RKO features from the 1930s, including saucy pre-Codes, musicals, comedies, and mysteries. Leonard Maltin's love of movies and vast knowledge about their history shines through from the first page to the last in this unique volume, which includes 150 rare photos and a comprehensive index.
604 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2018
118 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Maltin
183 books72 followersLeonard Maltin, is an American film and animated-film critic and historian.
Maltin began his writing career at age fifteen, writing for Classic Images and editing and publishing his own fanzine, Film Fan Monthly, dedicated to films from the golden age of Hollywood. After receiving a journalism degree at New York University, Maltin went on to publish articles in a variety of film journals, national news-papers, and magazines, including Variety and TV Guide.
Maltin in 1990
As an author, Maltin is best known for Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, (some editions titled as his ...Movie and Video Guide), a compendium of synopses and reviews that first appeared in September 1969 and has been annually updated since October 1987. (It was published under the title TV Movies until the 1990s, and in 2005 spawned a spin-off, Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide, limited to films released in 1960 and earlier to allow the regular book to cover a larger number of more recent titles.) He has also written several other works, including Behind the Camera, a study of the art of cinematography, The Whole Film Sourcebook, Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia, Our Gang: The Life and Times of the Little Rascals, and Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons.
Since May 29, 1982, Maltin has been the movie reviewer on the syndicated television series Entertainment Tonight. He also appears on the Starz cable network, and hosted his own syndicated radio program, Leonard Maltin on Video, as well as the syndicated TV show Hot Ticket with Boston film critic Joyce Kulhawik (originally E! personality and game show host Todd Newton). He currently hosts a television show entitled Secret's Out on ReelzChannel movie network. He also spearheaded the creation of the Walt Disney Treasures collectible DVD line in 2001,[4] and continues to provide creative input and host the various sets.
He appeared on Pyramid twice as a celebrity player, in 1987 on the CBS $25,000 version and in 1991 on the John Davidson version. He appeared on Super Password as a celebrity guest in 1988.
In the mid-1990s, he became the president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and is on the Advisory Board of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. For nearly a decade, Maltin was also on the faculty of the New School for Social Research in New York City. He currently teaches in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
In 1998, Maltin settled a libel suit brought by former child star Billy Gray, of Father Knows Best fame, whom Maltin identified as a drug addict and dealer in his review of the film Dusty and Sweets McGee for the movie guide book. The statement appeared in print for nearly twenty-five years before Maltin publicly apologized for the error.[5]
He currently hosts "The Maltin Minute" for DirecTV customers. Maltin also teaches at the University of Southern California.
Maltin began his writing career at age fifteen, writing for Classic Images and editing and publishing his own fanzine, Film Fan Monthly, dedicated to films from the golden age of Hollywood. After receiving a journalism degree at New York University, Maltin went on to publish articles in a variety of film journals, national news-papers, and magazines, including Variety and TV Guide.
Maltin in 1990
As an author, Maltin is best known for Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, (some editions titled as his ...Movie and Video Guide), a compendium of synopses and reviews that first appeared in September 1969 and has been annually updated since October 1987. (It was published under the title TV Movies until the 1990s, and in 2005 spawned a spin-off, Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide, limited to films released in 1960 and earlier to allow the regular book to cover a larger number of more recent titles.) He has also written several other works, including Behind the Camera, a study of the art of cinematography, The Whole Film Sourcebook, Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia, Our Gang: The Life and Times of the Little Rascals, and Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons.
Since May 29, 1982, Maltin has been the movie reviewer on the syndicated television series Entertainment Tonight. He also appears on the Starz cable network, and hosted his own syndicated radio program, Leonard Maltin on Video, as well as the syndicated TV show Hot Ticket with Boston film critic Joyce Kulhawik (originally E! personality and game show host Todd Newton). He currently hosts a television show entitled Secret's Out on ReelzChannel movie network. He also spearheaded the creation of the Walt Disney Treasures collectible DVD line in 2001,[4] and continues to provide creative input and host the various sets.
He appeared on Pyramid twice as a celebrity player, in 1987 on the CBS $25,000 version and in 1991 on the John Davidson version. He appeared on Super Password as a celebrity guest in 1988.
In the mid-1990s, he became the president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and is on the Advisory Board of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. For nearly a decade, Maltin was also on the faculty of the New School for Social Research in New York City. He currently teaches in the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
In 1998, Maltin settled a libel suit brought by former child star Billy Gray, of Father Knows Best fame, whom Maltin identified as a drug addict and dealer in his review of the film Dusty and Sweets McGee for the movie guide book. The statement appeared in print for nearly twenty-five years before Maltin publicly apologized for the error.[5]
He currently hosts "The Maltin Minute" for DirecTV customers. Maltin also teaches at the University of Southern California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 17, 2018
Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom by Leonard Maltin is a 2018 publication.
If you are a film buff with a healthy appreciation for old movies and old Hollywood, you simply must treat yourself to this book!!
Having based a successful career around the movie industry, all his knowledge about the business, the information he gleened from interviews, and the critical eye he was required to apply to his movie reviews, could have left Maltin feeling a little jaded. After all, it is a job, just like any other, but this book makes it obvious the author is still enthalled with his subject. Despite the professional approach, the movie fan in Maltin still shines through.
Maltin has been interviewing actors and actresses since he was in high school, and he certainly has a knack for it. He’s been doing interviews and reviewing movies for over fifty years. So, naturally, during that time, he’s learned quite a few interesting tidbits and trivia about Hollywood, some of which he has compiled here in this book, along with some of his early interviews.
I found the interview with Burgess Meredith quite interesting. I only knew him in a few roles- mainly ‘Batman’, a role he was quick to say he enjoyed playing. However, I was surprised by the depth of his career. I was also impressed by the amount of time he sat with Maltin and the interesting answers he gave.
And... I love Joan Blondell-
Many may know her from the movie "Grease" but, her career spanned over fify years.
She once did 32 pictures in 27 months!! She gave an interesting, blunt, and insightful interview, as well.
The ‘Conversations’ section differs slightly from in the interview segment, the main difference being that Maltin’s subjects were given more latitude, and the answers were much lengthier with many more interesting details, opinions and impressions.
Other interesting conversations for me were from people whose names I did not recognize.
I was not familiar with Madge Evans or Peggy Webber ,but found their careers and interviews very intriguing. As it turns out Peggy’s career was quite long, as she ‘looped’ and ‘dubbed’ for many films.
But, perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the section about RKO Studios. RKO stopped making movies in the 1950’s, and as Maltin says- the corporate name lived on, but it was in many respects the ‘forgotten’ studio. But, RKO studio had some real blockbusters back in its prime- like ‘King Kong” for example.
But, here, Maltin takes a closer look at some lesser known gems- some of which even the most avid film buff may not be aware of, or if they are, wouldn’t know half of the information Maltin as provided for us here. The pre-code gems were a fantastic addition to the list. I’ve seen some pre-code media and it’s amazing what was allowed on film- especially for those of us who have always lived under the strict ratings system we have today.
To tell the truth, I’ve long ago given up on the movie industry, but the rest of my family are avid movie fans. For me, the older movies are the only ones I will spare time for. Old Hollywood has always been fascinating to me, and I tend to gravitate towards books, fiction or non-fiction, that explore that era of time. This book, then, was very fun for me, and I discovered many movies I had not heard of, learned many interesting facts about actors and actresses I was aware of, and of course a few I was unfamiliar with.
The book is well organized and packed with a wealth of little -known facts and frank conversations, which may also make it appealing to those who enjoy history, pop culture, nostalgia, or to those who thrive on trivia.
This book can be read straight through, but I enjoyed picking up between reads and savoring it a little at a time. This is a book I will keep as a reference from time to time, or to simply reminisce.
I love books like this one. It appeals to my love of history, old Hollywood, and my ever -increasing fascination with anything off the beaten path or obscure, lost or forgotten. Maltin’s first -hand experience adds that special added touch of magic, and even feels a little poignant, as well.
4.5 stars
If you are a film buff with a healthy appreciation for old movies and old Hollywood, you simply must treat yourself to this book!!
Having based a successful career around the movie industry, all his knowledge about the business, the information he gleened from interviews, and the critical eye he was required to apply to his movie reviews, could have left Maltin feeling a little jaded. After all, it is a job, just like any other, but this book makes it obvious the author is still enthalled with his subject. Despite the professional approach, the movie fan in Maltin still shines through.
Maltin has been interviewing actors and actresses since he was in high school, and he certainly has a knack for it. He’s been doing interviews and reviewing movies for over fifty years. So, naturally, during that time, he’s learned quite a few interesting tidbits and trivia about Hollywood, some of which he has compiled here in this book, along with some of his early interviews.
I found the interview with Burgess Meredith quite interesting. I only knew him in a few roles- mainly ‘Batman’, a role he was quick to say he enjoyed playing. However, I was surprised by the depth of his career. I was also impressed by the amount of time he sat with Maltin and the interesting answers he gave.
And... I love Joan Blondell-
Many may know her from the movie "Grease" but, her career spanned over fify years.
She once did 32 pictures in 27 months!! She gave an interesting, blunt, and insightful interview, as well.
The ‘Conversations’ section differs slightly from in the interview segment, the main difference being that Maltin’s subjects were given more latitude, and the answers were much lengthier with many more interesting details, opinions and impressions.
Other interesting conversations for me were from people whose names I did not recognize.
I was not familiar with Madge Evans or Peggy Webber ,but found their careers and interviews very intriguing. As it turns out Peggy’s career was quite long, as she ‘looped’ and ‘dubbed’ for many films.
But, perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the section about RKO Studios. RKO stopped making movies in the 1950’s, and as Maltin says- the corporate name lived on, but it was in many respects the ‘forgotten’ studio. But, RKO studio had some real blockbusters back in its prime- like ‘King Kong” for example.
But, here, Maltin takes a closer look at some lesser known gems- some of which even the most avid film buff may not be aware of, or if they are, wouldn’t know half of the information Maltin as provided for us here. The pre-code gems were a fantastic addition to the list. I’ve seen some pre-code media and it’s amazing what was allowed on film- especially for those of us who have always lived under the strict ratings system we have today.
To tell the truth, I’ve long ago given up on the movie industry, but the rest of my family are avid movie fans. For me, the older movies are the only ones I will spare time for. Old Hollywood has always been fascinating to me, and I tend to gravitate towards books, fiction or non-fiction, that explore that era of time. This book, then, was very fun for me, and I discovered many movies I had not heard of, learned many interesting facts about actors and actresses I was aware of, and of course a few I was unfamiliar with.
The book is well organized and packed with a wealth of little -known facts and frank conversations, which may also make it appealing to those who enjoy history, pop culture, nostalgia, or to those who thrive on trivia.
This book can be read straight through, but I enjoyed picking up between reads and savoring it a little at a time. This is a book I will keep as a reference from time to time, or to simply reminisce.
I love books like this one. It appeals to my love of history, old Hollywood, and my ever -increasing fascination with anything off the beaten path or obscure, lost or forgotten. Maltin’s first -hand experience adds that special added touch of magic, and even feels a little poignant, as well.
4.5 stars
July 3, 2020
I've been reading Leonard Maltin for 50 years, ever since the first of his Movie Guide reference books was published in the late 1960's.
We are of similar vintage, love and respect movies of all kinds, love printed books, wear glasses (and both extraordinary handsome!!). Always felt like Leonard was part of the family: a film brother of the nicest kind. I have bought every single LM movie guide (plus all his other numerous volumes covering a wide-range of movie subjects) and make sure his reference work is always close by, as they are a treasure trove and accurate source of film information.
"Hooked on Hollywood" contains a fantastic collection of articles, interviews and history of the golden days of Hollywood and is an essential book for lovers of old movie lore and students of film history. Many of the articles were selected from his little mag of years ago "Film Fan Monthly" and the more recent "Movie Crazy" newsletter and great to have these along with new ones in this handsomely designed single volume with a super assortment of photos.
We are of similar vintage, love and respect movies of all kinds, love printed books, wear glasses (and both extraordinary handsome!!). Always felt like Leonard was part of the family: a film brother of the nicest kind. I have bought every single LM movie guide (plus all his other numerous volumes covering a wide-range of movie subjects) and make sure his reference work is always close by, as they are a treasure trove and accurate source of film information.
"Hooked on Hollywood" contains a fantastic collection of articles, interviews and history of the golden days of Hollywood and is an essential book for lovers of old movie lore and students of film history. Many of the articles were selected from his little mag of years ago "Film Fan Monthly" and the more recent "Movie Crazy" newsletter and great to have these along with new ones in this handsomely designed single volume with a super assortment of photos.
March 13, 2021
I found an old Leonard Maltin guide to movies in a bookstore back in the early 1990's and relied on it when I was watching classic movies for a quick guide to those movies with casts, directors and a rundown on the plot. Of course I have seen him on documentaries over the years as well but I was not familiar with his magazines.
This book reprints previous essays and interviews that appeared in some of the various magazines that Maltin edited some going way back to the 1960's when he was a teenager. Since I had not seen these essays or interviews I very much enjoyed this book even though the material is uneven in its content.
There are some new introductions by Maltin which bring some insight into where he was in his life when the interviews were done, but if someone is looking for new material this is not it. The last essay on the RKO studio in the 1930's was reminiscent of those old Maltin guides.
This book reprints previous essays and interviews that appeared in some of the various magazines that Maltin edited some going way back to the 1960's when he was a teenager. Since I had not seen these essays or interviews I very much enjoyed this book even though the material is uneven in its content.
There are some new introductions by Maltin which bring some insight into where he was in his life when the interviews were done, but if someone is looking for new material this is not it. The last essay on the RKO studio in the 1930's was reminiscent of those old Maltin guides.
May 17, 2018
Leonard Maltin’s new book is cornucopia of information regarding the silent to the 40’s era of Hollywood. It is richly detailed but you don’t have to take his word for it, you can take the host of interviews found within its pages that detail and account from the people who where there and experienced it personally.
Leonard Maltin’s interview style is one of a lost art that we lack from today. He lets the interviewee talk and express themselves without jumping into making it about him and his loves. He does give a few paragraphs of details before interview but he really lets the person open up and share. This is magnificent because it opens up an era that is becoming increasingly lost today.
This is definitely a book for any film fan out there but it would not go amiss for even the casual fan who would like a deeper understanding of this era. There is an extra plus found within the pages where he goes through the history of RKO Pictures and their films which is a nice treat. Although it seems a lot of these films are lost today, lets hope that somewhere in the near future, some of these films will see the light of day today.
Leonard Maltin is a god when it comes to film history and he has mastered this so he is not droning but as a man who is bringing you along for the ride. This is an excellent addition to all fans of Hollywood and one that if you don’t buy, your bookshelf will be sorely lacking.
Leonard Maltin’s interview style is one of a lost art that we lack from today. He lets the interviewee talk and express themselves without jumping into making it about him and his loves. He does give a few paragraphs of details before interview but he really lets the person open up and share. This is magnificent because it opens up an era that is becoming increasingly lost today.
This is definitely a book for any film fan out there but it would not go amiss for even the casual fan who would like a deeper understanding of this era. There is an extra plus found within the pages where he goes through the history of RKO Pictures and their films which is a nice treat. Although it seems a lot of these films are lost today, lets hope that somewhere in the near future, some of these films will see the light of day today.
Leonard Maltin is a god when it comes to film history and he has mastered this so he is not droning but as a man who is bringing you along for the ride. This is an excellent addition to all fans of Hollywood and one that if you don’t buy, your bookshelf will be sorely lacking.
January 1, 2025
Leonard Maltin is one of the best chroniclers of Hollywood, past and present. This collection gives us interviews he did as a teenager with classic film stars like Burgess Meredith, Ralph Bellamy, and Joan Blondell as well as lesser-known stars from the past like the marvelous leading lady, Madge Evans.
There are also later interviews Marlin did with a variety of Hollywood figures like the director John Cromwell (father of actor James Cromwell) writers, assistant directors, B-film producers, child actors, etc. HOOKED ON HOLLYWOOD offers a wealth of anecdotes and first-person stories of working at several levels in a mid-century Hollywood studio, and how the various departments inside the studio (musicians, stunt crews, et al) coordinated to create the dozens of films each studio made year to year. There is also background on how the studios differed in style from one another.
There is also an interesting section devoted to Classic Hollywood's most under-appreciated major film studio, RKO, the "forgotten studio" that turned out movies like KING KONG, BRINGING UP BABY, and CITIZEN KANE.
HOOKED ON HOLLYWOOD is good stuff from an author who is a literal walking encyclopedia of one of America's greatest popular art forms.
There are also later interviews Marlin did with a variety of Hollywood figures like the director John Cromwell (father of actor James Cromwell) writers, assistant directors, B-film producers, child actors, etc. HOOKED ON HOLLYWOOD offers a wealth of anecdotes and first-person stories of working at several levels in a mid-century Hollywood studio, and how the various departments inside the studio (musicians, stunt crews, et al) coordinated to create the dozens of films each studio made year to year. There is also background on how the studios differed in style from one another.
There is also an interesting section devoted to Classic Hollywood's most under-appreciated major film studio, RKO, the "forgotten studio" that turned out movies like KING KONG, BRINGING UP BABY, and CITIZEN KANE.
HOOKED ON HOLLYWOOD is good stuff from an author who is a literal walking encyclopedia of one of America's greatest popular art forms.
October 8, 2018
Real rating: 4.00
Link to original review on Nightmarish Conjurings:
http://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/...
The Please-Don’t-Make-Me-Click-Your-Link TLDR:
Maltin is and always has been a movie watcher of singular voracity and an interview of tenacious spirit. Hooked on Hollywood showcases the best of Maltin’s abilities from throughout his career. Though maybe not of interest to the lay reader, any cinephile of any depth will find a lot to love and rifle through here. It is, if nothing else, an ode to and reminder of what it should really mean to be a fan.
Link to original review on Nightmarish Conjurings:
http://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/...
The Please-Don’t-Make-Me-Click-Your-Link TLDR:
Maltin is and always has been a movie watcher of singular voracity and an interview of tenacious spirit. Hooked on Hollywood showcases the best of Maltin’s abilities from throughout his career. Though maybe not of interest to the lay reader, any cinephile of any depth will find a lot to love and rifle through here. It is, if nothing else, an ode to and reminder of what it should really mean to be a fan.
April 15, 2018
It should come as no surprise that Leonard Maltin is a massive fountain of information regarding film, and this book, which focuses mostly on cinema prior to the 1950s, serves as an interesting aside and/or amplifier of those seeking to appreciate the films of these eras (I'm in this category), or those looking to learn a little more or rediscover.
You're treated to some likely lesser-known info on some selected films by the author (including Casablanca), a section on the influx of film remakes following the advent of non-silent movies, interviews Maltin conducted with stars of the time (each worthwhile in their own regard), and, to cap it all off, a chapter on RKO studios + some recommendations from said studio.
Each section has its own charm and carries a dense amount of historic information (I could read this 10 times and recall something I swore I'd not forget---it's like someone dumping a bucket of popcorn in your hands and trying to hold every kernel) and the reader can either approach the book from strictly an angle of learning about historical information from the ages discussed, as a fan of the films/actors/directors of those spans of time, or both.
If you love film history and are even just a little bit interested in the Silent Era, how remakes are definitely not a new phenomenon, or wish to have insight into how the film industry operated going up to WWII and a bit past that, then it's a strong recommend. It's a book I didn't know I needed to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.
You're treated to some likely lesser-known info on some selected films by the author (including Casablanca), a section on the influx of film remakes following the advent of non-silent movies, interviews Maltin conducted with stars of the time (each worthwhile in their own regard), and, to cap it all off, a chapter on RKO studios + some recommendations from said studio.
Each section has its own charm and carries a dense amount of historic information (I could read this 10 times and recall something I swore I'd not forget---it's like someone dumping a bucket of popcorn in your hands and trying to hold every kernel) and the reader can either approach the book from strictly an angle of learning about historical information from the ages discussed, as a fan of the films/actors/directors of those spans of time, or both.
If you love film history and are even just a little bit interested in the Silent Era, how remakes are definitely not a new phenomenon, or wish to have insight into how the film industry operated going up to WWII and a bit past that, then it's a strong recommend. It's a book I didn't know I needed to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.
March 6, 2019
This is Leonard Maltin's collection of articles and interviews with some semi-obscure Hollywood actors and actresses. Some of the material is from his teen years running a movie fanzine and magazine. He had (through connections) access to some of these survivors of the Golden Age of Movies. His young age must have helped a bit, too. I'm sure these senior citizen actors were happy to have a young soul interested in their past and, especially, Young Leonard's vast knowledge of movie history. Ralph Bellamy and Burgess Meredith are interviewed and there is a third section devoted to obscure early talkies and other not so well works from RKO Pictures. If you love film and have ANY memory or knowledge of these faces that are gone now and their memories of Hollywood's early days, then this is a good read. Must admit to skipping a lot of the latter section because it is just a list of RKO movies and the casts and a brief synopsis of their plots.
August 15, 2021
After reading this long (at 400 pages) book by Mr. Maltin, the one word I would use for it is comprehensive. Mr. Maltin does nothing halfway, and this book is proof of that. He begins by giving interesting information regarding the songs in several films -- Casablanca and Blues in the Night are two of them; and he does so nicely, with knowledge about them we might never have known otherwise.
As a huge classic film lover, I have seen all of the films (except for the 'lost' ones naturally), so I am quite aware of the plots, but for those who have not, he also details these (without giving away endings, so never fear) in order that others might wish to see and enjoy them. While I will admit there are stinkers among them (as Mr. Maltin himself professes), some of these are worth viewing for the actors alone. I will say, though, that even with my love of musicals, there are those that I will never view again, and therefore don't really care about their history.
Then we get to the meat of the matter -- the interviews. While many of them are droll, there are just as many where the participants' responses just didn't matter to me; they seemed dry. However, I will say that I absolutely loved Ralph Bellamy's interview. He had a good memory for his films, and if anyone has ever seen any of them -- or if not, I will say to do so, especially his earlier ones -- Mr. Bellamy acted with his eyes. Regardless of whatever line he was speaking at the time, his eyes showed the emotion a true actor should. I have noticed this in all of his films.
What is amazing, really, is the fact that the teenaged Leonard Maltin could actually speak to these people and get them to open up so candidly to him. Each interview is no different than any from a seasoned critic, and it led him to a prolific career in television and radio. The book is also filled with over a hundred photographs from his personal collection, and some of them are quite marvelous to see. This is a book that should be in the library of classic film scholars, and quite worth the read.
As a huge classic film lover, I have seen all of the films (except for the 'lost' ones naturally), so I am quite aware of the plots, but for those who have not, he also details these (without giving away endings, so never fear) in order that others might wish to see and enjoy them. While I will admit there are stinkers among them (as Mr. Maltin himself professes), some of these are worth viewing for the actors alone. I will say, though, that even with my love of musicals, there are those that I will never view again, and therefore don't really care about their history.
Then we get to the meat of the matter -- the interviews. While many of them are droll, there are just as many where the participants' responses just didn't matter to me; they seemed dry. However, I will say that I absolutely loved Ralph Bellamy's interview. He had a good memory for his films, and if anyone has ever seen any of them -- or if not, I will say to do so, especially his earlier ones -- Mr. Bellamy acted with his eyes. Regardless of whatever line he was speaking at the time, his eyes showed the emotion a true actor should. I have noticed this in all of his films.
What is amazing, really, is the fact that the teenaged Leonard Maltin could actually speak to these people and get them to open up so candidly to him. Each interview is no different than any from a seasoned critic, and it led him to a prolific career in television and radio. The book is also filled with over a hundred photographs from his personal collection, and some of them are quite marvelous to see. This is a book that should be in the library of classic film scholars, and quite worth the read.
March 30, 2020
This was a fascinating read, a really valuable collection of nuggets of information from old movies, movie stars and Hollywood. Maltin really is a fountain of knowledge. The facts he described in this book are remarkable yet facts I would never think of asking about I really would love if another equally as accomplished movie buff were to compile a second compilation of the like containing information on post 70s stars and their work as unfortunately I wasn't familiar with all of the stars and the movies featured in Hooked on Hollywood. It did however transport me back to the 50s and the 60s and make me feel as if I was right in the heart of the action. Well done on a really well researched and well thought out piece of Hollywood nostalgia.
August 17, 2020
Not a new piece of writing with a specific theme, but a collection of articles, interviews, and reviews that Maltin wrote for the various independent magazines he has run over the years, dating back to his precocious teen movie-addict days. I acquired the book before looking at the table of contents and my reaction to that list was disappointment: other than Casablanca and Gold Diggers of 1933, no major classics are covered, and a good number of the interviews are with people who are forgotten by all but TCM junkies. However! Enthusiasm is not a thing Maltin has ever lacked and he recognizes interesting material, so I enjoyed every single piece in here. Me being a sucker for tales of all the behind the scenes machinations that lead to a screen property mutating into an often misbegotten final product, I found much of it very pleasing indeed.
April 13, 2020
This is a disappointing book, as Maltin cobbles together a hodgepodge of articles and interviews he conducted, many in his early adult years, of primarily lesser-known character actors and other Hollywood support staff. The interviews are uneven, although conversations with Burgess Meredith and Ralph Bellamy are full of interesting tidbits. Maltin spends too much time dwelling on silent films that even most movie buffs will ever see and providing information on character actors too obscure to hold interest.
Stick to Maltin's classic movie guide instead.
Stick to Maltin's classic movie guide instead.
July 4, 2023
Fantastic collection of interviews, essays and mini reviews
Leonard Maltin's knowledge of the movies seems nearly limitless, and here we get a look at some of his early writings and interviews with a group of Hollywood veterans who have some remarkable stories to share. The book concludes with a collection of mini reviews of old RKO movies of the 1930s, many of them obscure, but as always with Maltin's mini reviews in his perennial movie guide, he makes you hunger to watch them. Thoroughly entertaining and engaging book.
Leonard Maltin's knowledge of the movies seems nearly limitless, and here we get a look at some of his early writings and interviews with a group of Hollywood veterans who have some remarkable stories to share. The book concludes with a collection of mini reviews of old RKO movies of the 1930s, many of them obscure, but as always with Maltin's mini reviews in his perennial movie guide, he makes you hunger to watch them. Thoroughly entertaining and engaging book.
February 24, 2024
A Joy For Real Film Biffs
This is not a book for the casual viewer of TCM who kind of likes old movies. This is a deep dive into obscure or little known films and filmmakers that, if you like that kind of thing, is fascinating. Maltin discusses the making of certain little seen films, interviews a number of character actors and behind-the-scenes folks, and ends with a “Film Guide”-type chapter that offers reviews and synopses of a long list of forgotten RKO pictures. If that sounds like fun reading to you, get this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is not a book for the casual viewer of TCM who kind of likes old movies. This is a deep dive into obscure or little known films and filmmakers that, if you like that kind of thing, is fascinating. Maltin discusses the making of certain little seen films, interviews a number of character actors and behind-the-scenes folks, and ends with a “Film Guide”-type chapter that offers reviews and synopses of a long list of forgotten RKO pictures. If that sounds like fun reading to you, get this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 10, 2018
Maltin is the best. His knowledge and love of movies is beyond compare. I just did not happen to know about hardly any of these actors or movies they talked about. So for me it was not that interesting.
March 30, 2019
Interesting read on old Hollywood. Writers style was a bit dry. Some of the interviews were pedestrian
February 6, 2021
For true Hollywood geeks
August 13, 2023
Leave it to Leonard Maltin to assemble and compile one of the most fascinating and comprehensive histories on Hollywood! This is a large work and it took me awhile to read since there is so much information and interesting facts and photographs.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews