What do you think?
Rate this book
Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and Legends of the Movies!
At high noon on a cold November day in 1974, sixty-seven-year-old John Wayne faced off with the staff of the Harvard Lampoon on the famous campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The students had issued their challenge by calling the beloved American icon a fraud. Wayne, who had his new movie McQ to promote, responded by saying he would be happy to show his film in the pseudo-intellectual swamps of Harvard Square. After the screening, without writers, the former USC footballer delivered a classic performance. When one smart young man asked where he got his phony toupee, Wayne insisted the hair was real. It wasn t his, but it was real. The appreciative underclassmen loved him and after the Q and A session, they all sat down to dinner. Later Wayne, who was suffering greatly from both gout and the after effects of lung cancer (sadly the Duke only had five years to live), said that day at Harvard was the best time he ever had.
Just when you thought you've heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book. Hollywood Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! by Stephen Schochet contains a timeless treasure trove of colorful vignettes featuring an amazing all-star cast of icons including John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn and many others both past and contemporary.
A special blend of biography, history and lore Hollywood Stories is full of humorous tales often with unexpected endings. What makes the book unique is that the reader can go to any page and find a completely engaging and illuminating yarn. Sometimes people won't realize that they are reading about The Three Stooges or Popeye the Sailor until they come to the end of the story.
A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen, "The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard."
Just when you thought you've heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book. Hollywood Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! by Stephen Schochet contains a timeless treasure trove of colorful vignettes featuring an amazing all-star cast of icons including John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Jack Nicholson, Johnny Depp, Shirley Temple, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Errol Flynn and many others both past and contemporary.
A special blend of biography, history and lore Hollywood Stories is full of humorous tales often with unexpected endings. What makes the book unique is that the reader can go to any page and find a completely engaging and illuminating yarn. Sometimes people won't realize that they are reading about The Three Stooges or Popeye the Sailor until they come to the end of the story.
A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen, "The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard."
312 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
425 people are currently reading
670 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 10, 2018
A wonderful guilty pleasure; simply a collection of gossip and anecdotes about the entertainment industry. It stretches from the silent era to today's movies. Loved it.
March 29, 2018
A bunch of short entries about Hollywood people. Of variable believability in whole or in part, but reasonably entertaining. I don't know why it took me so long to get through it.
September 13, 2010
Who has bigger biceps? Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jesse Ventura? How did Bill Murray get fans to fall in love with him? What did Joe Pesci do that was hero worthy? How tall was Judy Garland? How many children did Dr. Suess have?
These are just a sampling of the questions you'll have answered here! This book is full of anecdotes of movie stars. I was a little surprised at the range. We have everything from Boris Karloff to Jim Carrey. Schochet is a tour guide in Hollywood. He's researched each tale.
I'm impressed with how well organized this book is. There are different chapters for different genres of movies, including a television section. Most of the anecdotes are funny, while some are just fascinating. Reading this book is like going on a Hollywood tour and finding out information about all of your favorite actors and actresses. It doesn't end there though! Get the low down on directors and producers as well.
Though I wouldn't suggest this book as something to just sit down and read through, it's definitely a wonderful coffee table or bathroom book (Sorry Stephen!). The anecdotes are short enough that you can flip through and read one or two at a time. Beware: each one you read will make you want to read more!
These are just a sampling of the questions you'll have answered here! This book is full of anecdotes of movie stars. I was a little surprised at the range. We have everything from Boris Karloff to Jim Carrey. Schochet is a tour guide in Hollywood. He's researched each tale.
I'm impressed with how well organized this book is. There are different chapters for different genres of movies, including a television section. Most of the anecdotes are funny, while some are just fascinating. Reading this book is like going on a Hollywood tour and finding out information about all of your favorite actors and actresses. It doesn't end there though! Get the low down on directors and producers as well.
Though I wouldn't suggest this book as something to just sit down and read through, it's definitely a wonderful coffee table or bathroom book (Sorry Stephen!). The anecdotes are short enough that you can flip through and read one or two at a time. Beware: each one you read will make you want to read more!
July 28, 2010
I was initially really excited to read this book...I am a big fan of celeb magazines, blogs, etc. However, I couldn't really get into this book. It might be because a lot of the stories are about movie and television stars from before my time, or it might be because the writing doesn't draw the reader in, or it might be the lack of connections/transitions.
I did see later, that the "stories" are actually scripts from the Hollywood Stories One Minute Radio Feature and at that point, I realized why the transitions were absent.
Anyways, I have no doubt that the author is probably an excellent tour guide, and that the tour would be lots of fun, I just wouldn't recommend the book.
I did see later, that the "stories" are actually scripts from the Hollywood Stories One Minute Radio Feature and at that point, I realized why the transitions were absent.
Anyways, I have no doubt that the author is probably an excellent tour guide, and that the tour would be lots of fun, I just wouldn't recommend the book.
"...Gollum's garbled voice in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers came from the sound a cat would make by coughing up a hairball...The personality was based on the actor's observations of heroin addicts." p.96
August 31, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed the captivating stories in Hollywood Stories. Each anecdote starts with the story itself, then adds in two or three "extras" which relate to the story. Some of these stories were familiar to me, but many were surprising. These stories are sometimes inspirational, sometimes humorous and always entertaining. This is a fast read - it is easy to read through three or four stories in just a few minutes and each story is unto itself. Don't be surprised if you get so engrossed in this book that your kids start pounding on the bathroom door to be let in!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own.
June 26, 2013
Hollywood stories is a "fun" read. it is divided in categories, such as television, "drunk" stories, silent film actors such as Charlie Chaplin. actors actresses from the 30s and 40s. "Western" stars such as John Wayne. you can decide for yourself what tidbits are for real or "folklore".Some of these stories are funny. some I find myself going "oh come on!" I remember already hearing some of the Hollywood stories that have been repeated over the many years.
I liked reading this book for the fun of it.
I liked reading this book for the fun of it.
February 20, 2014
Classic entertainment
Just what I hoped for. interesting and humanizing vignettes of Hollywood stars old and new. I enjoyed the tales of Marilyn and Lana Turner. Natalie Wood showed character. It is abundantly clear, many of the greats, Fairfield, Pickford, Wayne, Tracy, Flynn, Grant, Wood, Monroe, Pitt, Penn, and Damon, to name a few, knew how to party, I doubt most of them could have excelled in any other setting. This is a mini celebration of their uniqueness. A fun read.
Just what I hoped for. interesting and humanizing vignettes of Hollywood stars old and new. I enjoyed the tales of Marilyn and Lana Turner. Natalie Wood showed character. It is abundantly clear, many of the greats, Fairfield, Pickford, Wayne, Tracy, Flynn, Grant, Wood, Monroe, Pitt, Penn, and Damon, to name a few, knew how to party, I doubt most of them could have excelled in any other setting. This is a mini celebration of their uniqueness. A fun read.
May 7, 2015
I love a good gossip with the best of them so this book was made for me. It's full of short, funny stories about the wild and wacky people who have made Hollywood. Actors, writers, directors--they all are featured in these anecdotes. And the way the book is set up, it's easy to pick it up, read a few pages, and put it down.
June 26, 2013
HOLLYWOOD STORIES...isn’t quite gossip but it does provide a lot of tidbits about Hollywood personalities and industries along with some history and little known facts. It covers comedians, science fiction, westerns, Walt Disney, directors, the transition from silent films to talkies, television, leading men and women, and lots more.
We read about famous actors who were notorious for coming to the job late, drunk, and or unprepared. Several famous ones never learned their lines and read them from some very unusual sites. Marlon Brando never learned his lines for his 10 minutes of screen time. He read them from the bottom of Superman’s diaper and was paid $19 million.
Ad-libbing was very common. Many of them remained in the finished product. For example, during the filming of Young Frankenstein, Marty Feldman kept moving the hump on his back. Co-workers didn’t notice it for a few days and it remained in the movie.
Some actors were enjoyed being accessible to the public. Others did not. Some were very generous and known for being big tippers. Others, again, were the opposite. When a security guard who protected several celebrities was off work and hospitalized for six weeks after breaking his leg, only Sammy Davis, Jr. continued to pay him.
As a rule, actors resented other actors stealing the scene but that didn’t stop the antics, sometimes very subtle.
Actors were often injured during production, sometimes seriously enough to require hospitalization. During his career, Slim Pickens broke almost every bone in his body.
Some people thought that at the beginning of A Christmas Carol Scrooge was a “well-meaning entrepreneur and a contributor to society.”
W.C. Fields was so moved by the generosity of a clerk at the Kent, Ohio train station that he burst into tears.
When he was a boy, Jackie Vernon sent fan letters to Charlie Chaplin every week for ten years, never getting a reply. Decades later, Vernon saw Chaplin in a restaurant, went up to him, and introduced himself. Chaplin replied, “Vernon...So why did you stop writing?”
Buddy Hackett turned down a chance to replace Curly Howard with the Three Stooges because he thought they were too violent.
When Will Rogers said “I never yet met a man I didn’t like,” he was referring to Leon Trotsky, whom he hadn’t met. The forgotten beginning of the sentence explains Rogers’ philosophy.
Dracula (Latin for Son of Dragon) was originally a love story and Bela Lugosi was a bigger sex symbol than Clark Gable.
General Patton regretted slapping the soldier when he realized the man was genuinely shell shocked. General Eisenhower ordered him to apologize to his troops, but their behavior prevented him from doing so.
Samuel Leroy Jackson became the highest grossing actor in movie box office history.
The construction of the bridge over the River Kwai caused the deaths of 13,000 POWs. Unlike in the movie, Philip Toosey did everything he could to sabotage the mission. Had he collaborated, his own men would have killed him.
The von Trapp family left Austria with a tourist visa in 1938. The children disspised their music careers.
For good reason, “Jaws” was nicknamed “Flaws” by its behind-the-seen staff.
While filming The Passion of the Christ, Jim Cavaziel, on the cross, was struck by lightning. He looked up and asked, “What, you didn’t like that take?” Steven Spielberg was, in many ways, a child with serious behavior problems.
Gangsters went to see Scarface to learn how to dress and behave.
Jesse and Frank James had a reason to be upset with the Pinkerton detectives.
In the first three months of 1938, Snow White made $8,000,000. Tickets cost 25 cents for adults and a dime for kids.
In the late 1940, employees of the major movie studios could be fired for owning a television set.
The day Disneyland opened was a disaster when three times as many people showed up and the grounds weren’t finished.
When Adolph Zukor was asked how he managed to live to 103, he said, “I gave up smoking two years ago.”
After patenting the motion picture camera, Thomas Edison required all producers to pay him a fee before they could show a movie.
Florence Lawrence (1886-1938) was the first movie star. She risked her life to save an actor on the set when a fire broke out. She became temporarily paralyzed and had to sit on the sidelines while Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson become the silent film stars.
Before the building of indoor soundproof sets, movies had to be filmed at night because it was quieter.
Adolph Hitler adopted Charlie Chaplin’s mustache.
Bing Crosby was originally asked to play Lieutenant Columbo. He chose to stay retired.
In Superman, Superman would not be harmed by bullets hitting his chest but would duck a gun thrown at him.
In 1944, Ward Bond was hit by a car and fractured his left shin. The hospital staff was ready to amputate his leg until they recognized him and decided to repair it instead.
Albert Einstein believed that imagination was more important than knowledge.
Shirley Temple was a slingshot expert.
In The Alamo, John Wayne equated the battle with the fight of the US against the Communists.
Popeye was based on Frank Fiegel.
Louis B. Mayer would not distribute Mickey Mouse cartoons because they were too scary and dealt with rape and murder. He said, “All the pregnant women would flee into the streets.”
Ronald Reagan became more interested in politics when his acting career stopped being profitable. He resented being in the 90% bracket at his career peak.
Joan Crawford’s relationship with her fans was her top priority. She’d invite correspondents to stay at her home and fix breakfast for them.
Frank Sinatra told Sophia Loren that foul language showed endearment to Americans.
The King and I was banned in Thailand because of the way it misrepresented the king.
More skin was shown in movies to move people away from television.
HOLLYWOOD STORIES...has a lot more to offer in addition to the tidbits I’ve quoted above. While it covers a lot of the earlier days, it does include more recent examples as well.
This book was a free Amazon download.
We read about famous actors who were notorious for coming to the job late, drunk, and or unprepared. Several famous ones never learned their lines and read them from some very unusual sites. Marlon Brando never learned his lines for his 10 minutes of screen time. He read them from the bottom of Superman’s diaper and was paid $19 million.
Ad-libbing was very common. Many of them remained in the finished product. For example, during the filming of Young Frankenstein, Marty Feldman kept moving the hump on his back. Co-workers didn’t notice it for a few days and it remained in the movie.
Some actors were enjoyed being accessible to the public. Others did not. Some were very generous and known for being big tippers. Others, again, were the opposite. When a security guard who protected several celebrities was off work and hospitalized for six weeks after breaking his leg, only Sammy Davis, Jr. continued to pay him.
As a rule, actors resented other actors stealing the scene but that didn’t stop the antics, sometimes very subtle.
Actors were often injured during production, sometimes seriously enough to require hospitalization. During his career, Slim Pickens broke almost every bone in his body.
Some people thought that at the beginning of A Christmas Carol Scrooge was a “well-meaning entrepreneur and a contributor to society.”
W.C. Fields was so moved by the generosity of a clerk at the Kent, Ohio train station that he burst into tears.
When he was a boy, Jackie Vernon sent fan letters to Charlie Chaplin every week for ten years, never getting a reply. Decades later, Vernon saw Chaplin in a restaurant, went up to him, and introduced himself. Chaplin replied, “Vernon...So why did you stop writing?”
Buddy Hackett turned down a chance to replace Curly Howard with the Three Stooges because he thought they were too violent.
When Will Rogers said “I never yet met a man I didn’t like,” he was referring to Leon Trotsky, whom he hadn’t met. The forgotten beginning of the sentence explains Rogers’ philosophy.
Dracula (Latin for Son of Dragon) was originally a love story and Bela Lugosi was a bigger sex symbol than Clark Gable.
General Patton regretted slapping the soldier when he realized the man was genuinely shell shocked. General Eisenhower ordered him to apologize to his troops, but their behavior prevented him from doing so.
Samuel Leroy Jackson became the highest grossing actor in movie box office history.
The construction of the bridge over the River Kwai caused the deaths of 13,000 POWs. Unlike in the movie, Philip Toosey did everything he could to sabotage the mission. Had he collaborated, his own men would have killed him.
The von Trapp family left Austria with a tourist visa in 1938. The children disspised their music careers.
For good reason, “Jaws” was nicknamed “Flaws” by its behind-the-seen staff.
While filming The Passion of the Christ, Jim Cavaziel, on the cross, was struck by lightning. He looked up and asked, “What, you didn’t like that take?” Steven Spielberg was, in many ways, a child with serious behavior problems.
Gangsters went to see Scarface to learn how to dress and behave.
Jesse and Frank James had a reason to be upset with the Pinkerton detectives.
In the first three months of 1938, Snow White made $8,000,000. Tickets cost 25 cents for adults and a dime for kids.
In the late 1940, employees of the major movie studios could be fired for owning a television set.
The day Disneyland opened was a disaster when three times as many people showed up and the grounds weren’t finished.
When Adolph Zukor was asked how he managed to live to 103, he said, “I gave up smoking two years ago.”
After patenting the motion picture camera, Thomas Edison required all producers to pay him a fee before they could show a movie.
Florence Lawrence (1886-1938) was the first movie star. She risked her life to save an actor on the set when a fire broke out. She became temporarily paralyzed and had to sit on the sidelines while Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson become the silent film stars.
Before the building of indoor soundproof sets, movies had to be filmed at night because it was quieter.
Adolph Hitler adopted Charlie Chaplin’s mustache.
Bing Crosby was originally asked to play Lieutenant Columbo. He chose to stay retired.
In Superman, Superman would not be harmed by bullets hitting his chest but would duck a gun thrown at him.
In 1944, Ward Bond was hit by a car and fractured his left shin. The hospital staff was ready to amputate his leg until they recognized him and decided to repair it instead.
Albert Einstein believed that imagination was more important than knowledge.
Shirley Temple was a slingshot expert.
In The Alamo, John Wayne equated the battle with the fight of the US against the Communists.
Popeye was based on Frank Fiegel.
Louis B. Mayer would not distribute Mickey Mouse cartoons because they were too scary and dealt with rape and murder. He said, “All the pregnant women would flee into the streets.”
Ronald Reagan became more interested in politics when his acting career stopped being profitable. He resented being in the 90% bracket at his career peak.
Joan Crawford’s relationship with her fans was her top priority. She’d invite correspondents to stay at her home and fix breakfast for them.
Frank Sinatra told Sophia Loren that foul language showed endearment to Americans.
The King and I was banned in Thailand because of the way it misrepresented the king.
More skin was shown in movies to move people away from television.
HOLLYWOOD STORIES...has a lot more to offer in addition to the tidbits I’ve quoted above. While it covers a lot of the earlier days, it does include more recent examples as well.
This book was a free Amazon download.
February 27, 2024
This is a good book to know about famous people around the world.
I got ideas from this book and made some informative pages on my blog for the same as below:
Rapper Rick Ross: https://urworldtips.com/rick-ross-net...
Alissa Mahler: https://urworldtips.com/alissa-mahler...
Kenn Whitaker: https://urworldtips.com/net-worth-fam...
YPK Raye: https://urworldtips.com/ypk-raye-birt...
Michelle Morrone: https://urworldtips.com/michele-morro...
President Russell M Nelson: https://urworldtips.com/president-rus...
Don Laughlin:https://urworldtips.com/don-laughlin-...
etc. have a look for more...
thanks
I got ideas from this book and made some informative pages on my blog for the same as below:
Rapper Rick Ross: https://urworldtips.com/rick-ross-net...
Alissa Mahler: https://urworldtips.com/alissa-mahler...
Kenn Whitaker: https://urworldtips.com/net-worth-fam...
YPK Raye: https://urworldtips.com/ypk-raye-birt...
Michelle Morrone: https://urworldtips.com/michele-morro...
President Russell M Nelson: https://urworldtips.com/president-rus...
Don Laughlin:https://urworldtips.com/don-laughlin-...
etc. have a look for more...
thanks
June 7, 2017
An interesting book of anecdotes about (mostly old) Hollywood. The way the book was organized was hard to deal with. I wish all the stories about one star could have been together instead of being spread out. If you are not familiar with old Hollywood (1900-1960ish) you will have a hard time with this book.
December 27, 2017
Fun, short, Hollywood stories. There is nothing R-rated or salacious, and most of the stories are funny or deeply ironic. I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a little more coherent. The chapter headings only give you a vague idea about what is present in that section. Still, if you're a movie nerd you will find a lot to enjoy here.
Read
April 16, 2022Didn't finish so I don't really feel like my opinion is valid. It's not that bad. But it's not what I'm really in the mood for at the moment. And I wish it was done in the spirit of affection for these talented people instead of poking fun. Also citations (which there might be because I never checked the back) are a must.
October 4, 2022
Lots of snippets about Hollywood celebrities from both movies and TV. The stories are arranged in a fairly logical manner with extra tales added in where warranted. This would make a great choice for either a person on vacation or someone who has a lot of medical appointments because it is so easy to pick up and read.
June 4, 2023
This was a funny book about Hollywood and the stars of Hollywood. If you are a movie buff and want to read about some of the greats in Hollywood then I would suggest you read this book. As I read the anecdotes in this book I laughed and laughed at the antics of the stars. This book has a lot of material that was new to me about the stars of movies and television so it is a good read.
May 5, 2018
An absolute treasure trove of Hollywood trivia from a professional Tinsel Town tour guide. The stories come without sources or references, but one or two at the very least will definitely whet your appetite to go googling for more info!
March 26, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! So many great stories and ancedotes about various movies and the actors who made them. I learned a lot of trivia bits about some of my favorite movies. If you are looking for a fun read, I would suggest this book.
April 26, 2022
This was more like 3.5 stars. There were some fun anecdotes in here and I’ve always been a sucker for Hollywood gossip. It did mainly focus on older Hollywood stars so there were some people I didn’t know. Some stories were skipped but overall a fun read.
March 30, 2019
Informative
Good source of some behind the scenes info to those who like it. Focuses on older actors and movies. Overall a good read
Good source of some behind the scenes info to those who like it. Focuses on older actors and movies. Overall a good read
Read
March 22, 2020Loved the stories of old hollywood!!
March 31, 2020
Needed mindless listen and this was certainly that.
December 30, 2022
Easy to read, funny in places. Enjoyable
April 26, 2023
A bit of fun.
February 18, 2014
A compendium of Hollywood stories
The author has put together a large collection of stories and anecdotes about Hollywood elite but not all these stories are from reliable sources. The book doesn't cite references or sources from where these anecdotes came from. The internet is full of stories about Hollywood stars; you may find these in leading websites such as, Wikipedia, internet movie database, Amazon.com and numerous fan sites that cater to the need of those who are interested in the history of Hollywood. Some of these websites are reliable and the stories are trustworthy. However I also came across some stories in this book that I read elsewhere.
This book is described arbitrarily in 13 chapters but they all contain very similar anecdotes. I found the some stories very interesting, the facts about Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable who went to serve in the Second World War despite some objections from President Eisenhower. They were heroic and proud participants in the service of their nation despite their popularity and success in movie business. Jimmy Stewart was known to be friendly to the visitors of Hollywood and would wave his hands at the celebrity tour buses when he is on his evening walks near his house in Beverly Hills. Stewart had partially lost his hearing due to low flying B-24 bomber planes during the war, but never wanted publicity for his sacrifices. Carole Lombard is another patriotic lady who campaigned for war bond rally in the country. Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally. Just before boarding the plane, Lombard addressed her fans, saying: "Before I say goodbye to you all, come on and join me in a big cheer! V for Victory!" Tragically her plane crashed near Las Vegas and there were no survivors. Lombard was much loved for her unpretentious personality and well known for her earthy sense of humor. Friends of Lombard's included Alfred Hitchcock, Marion Davies, Jean Harlow, Fred MacMurray (co-starred in several movies), Cary Grant, Jack Benny, William Powell (her ex-husband), and Lucille Ball. She was a liberal democrat and her husband Clark Gable was conservative republican, but despite these differences they were happy couple. She joined him on hunting and fishing trips and tried to control his drinking and swearing. Carole had to worry not only about his philandering ways but also his male buddies who were rowdies on many occasions.
Ingrid Bergman was not terribly impressed in doing Casablanca in 1942. The unfinished script she read did not give her clue about her leading man in the movie: was it Humphrey Bogart or Paul Henried? She felt very little connection to Bogart and did not think the movie was good even after it won Academy Award. Some critics said that Bogart's wife Mayo Methot was very possessive and did not allow Bergman to be too friendly with her husband on or off the set. When Greer Garson accepted the title role of Mrs. Miniver, she wanted to give up stardom when the Nazi invasion was imminent and wanted go back to England and help her country by becoming an ambulance driver. Years later Garson lamented that her title role in this movie typecast her as a sacrificing mother in Hollywood.
During the filming of The African Queen on location in Congo, Hepburn was annoyed with Bogart's constant drinking on the set. Director John Huston highlighted their personal differences in several scenes where she objects to his drinking and in one scene she throws his entire case of liquor bottles overboard. The chemistry between the two stars was so good that it won the hearts and minds many viewers and Bogart won his only Academy Award. George Cukor's star-studded 1939 classic, The Women is one of his great success, but also a challenge to keep some of the Hollywood's best female actors working on the set harmoniously. Norma Shearer complained that her lead character was too straight and her colorful co-stars were upstaging her. Joan Crawford was partly jealous of Shearer's success and made some harsh comments about Norma sleeping with the producer to advance her career. Rosalind Russell pretended to be sick and missed work until she got equal recognition for her role in the movie. It turned out that this off the set rivalry turned into success, because several girls' cat fights seen in this movie partly reflected the personal differences between these stars.
When John Wayne accepted the High Noon's best actor Academy Award on behalf of Gary Cooper, he lamented that he had not been offered that role. Later Gary Cooper turned down leading roles in Big Train, Stagecoach, and Red River; all three parts went to John Wayne which was crucial in advancing his career.
The author has put together a large collection of stories and anecdotes about Hollywood elite but not all these stories are from reliable sources. The book doesn't cite references or sources from where these anecdotes came from. The internet is full of stories about Hollywood stars; you may find these in leading websites such as, Wikipedia, internet movie database, Amazon.com and numerous fan sites that cater to the need of those who are interested in the history of Hollywood. Some of these websites are reliable and the stories are trustworthy. However I also came across some stories in this book that I read elsewhere.
This book is described arbitrarily in 13 chapters but they all contain very similar anecdotes. I found the some stories very interesting, the facts about Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable who went to serve in the Second World War despite some objections from President Eisenhower. They were heroic and proud participants in the service of their nation despite their popularity and success in movie business. Jimmy Stewart was known to be friendly to the visitors of Hollywood and would wave his hands at the celebrity tour buses when he is on his evening walks near his house in Beverly Hills. Stewart had partially lost his hearing due to low flying B-24 bomber planes during the war, but never wanted publicity for his sacrifices. Carole Lombard is another patriotic lady who campaigned for war bond rally in the country. Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally. Just before boarding the plane, Lombard addressed her fans, saying: "Before I say goodbye to you all, come on and join me in a big cheer! V for Victory!" Tragically her plane crashed near Las Vegas and there were no survivors. Lombard was much loved for her unpretentious personality and well known for her earthy sense of humor. Friends of Lombard's included Alfred Hitchcock, Marion Davies, Jean Harlow, Fred MacMurray (co-starred in several movies), Cary Grant, Jack Benny, William Powell (her ex-husband), and Lucille Ball. She was a liberal democrat and her husband Clark Gable was conservative republican, but despite these differences they were happy couple. She joined him on hunting and fishing trips and tried to control his drinking and swearing. Carole had to worry not only about his philandering ways but also his male buddies who were rowdies on many occasions.
Ingrid Bergman was not terribly impressed in doing Casablanca in 1942. The unfinished script she read did not give her clue about her leading man in the movie: was it Humphrey Bogart or Paul Henried? She felt very little connection to Bogart and did not think the movie was good even after it won Academy Award. Some critics said that Bogart's wife Mayo Methot was very possessive and did not allow Bergman to be too friendly with her husband on or off the set. When Greer Garson accepted the title role of Mrs. Miniver, she wanted to give up stardom when the Nazi invasion was imminent and wanted go back to England and help her country by becoming an ambulance driver. Years later Garson lamented that her title role in this movie typecast her as a sacrificing mother in Hollywood.
During the filming of The African Queen on location in Congo, Hepburn was annoyed with Bogart's constant drinking on the set. Director John Huston highlighted their personal differences in several scenes where she objects to his drinking and in one scene she throws his entire case of liquor bottles overboard. The chemistry between the two stars was so good that it won the hearts and minds many viewers and Bogart won his only Academy Award. George Cukor's star-studded 1939 classic, The Women is one of his great success, but also a challenge to keep some of the Hollywood's best female actors working on the set harmoniously. Norma Shearer complained that her lead character was too straight and her colorful co-stars were upstaging her. Joan Crawford was partly jealous of Shearer's success and made some harsh comments about Norma sleeping with the producer to advance her career. Rosalind Russell pretended to be sick and missed work until she got equal recognition for her role in the movie. It turned out that this off the set rivalry turned into success, because several girls' cat fights seen in this movie partly reflected the personal differences between these stars.
When John Wayne accepted the High Noon's best actor Academy Award on behalf of Gary Cooper, he lamented that he had not been offered that role. Later Gary Cooper turned down leading roles in Big Train, Stagecoach, and Red River; all three parts went to John Wayne which was crucial in advancing his career.
April 30, 2024
This book was very interesting and it was really nice, especially considering that the stories were short and well divided and give you an insight into celebrities which you normally would not be able to read.
There wasn't any particular stories which jump out at me to be able to review, because there were so many options but they do span throughout the years and are an interesting tidbit into the lives of celebrities which you normally wouldn't be able to hear.
There wasn't any particular stories which jump out at me to be able to review, because there were so many options but they do span throughout the years and are an interesting tidbit into the lives of celebrities which you normally wouldn't be able to hear.
August 20, 2010
Hollywood Stories is a fun book to read. True to its title, it is chock-full of entertaining anecdotes about the stars and legends of the movies and TV shows. It is a backstage pass, so to speak, a window behind the scenes of the actors, directors, writers and producers that paint another picture of who they are. The author is never salacious and his stories are not conjured. He states that everything in the book is public domain stuff. He has gathered hundreds of these stories throughout the years and has made it handy for us through this book.
Schochet’s writing style is engaging, funny and highly entertaining. Once you read a few tales, you don’t want to stop. Sometimes my hubby would pick up the book and refuse to give it back to me when I wanted to continue reading it. The stories are categorized into 13 different themes such as Oscar Tales, Great Hollywood Comedians and Walt Disney Stories. A handy index is available at the back to find those anecdotes you read and want to share.
I learned so many interesting things about the movie-making business and that not all is as it appears. Here are some of the fun tidbits I enjoyed from these engaging short stories.
Did you know that:
Leonard Nimoy who played the original Spock in the Star Trek series was humiliated by and hated wearing his pointed ears and never felt appreciated by his bosses?
Eddie Murphy, who replaced Sylvester Stallone after he walked off the film Beverly Hills Cop, ad libbed most of the dialogue since the original screenplay was mostly action scenes? He was so funny that his co-stars had to work hard not to laugh and ruin takes.
The opening scene of The Sound of Music was shot from a helicopter whose blade force kept blowing Julie Andrews over so that she would spit out dirt and grass and then curse like a sailor?
I got this book from the author who is also a professional tour guide in Los Angeles. As he gave us the tour he would entertain us with stories about Hollywood and movie stars, emulating Zsa Zsa Gabor’s accent, making our tour memorable. We saw first-hand how knowledgeable this author was and how much he enjoyed telling the tales.
This book is the perfect gift for anyone who is a movie buff, especially those nostalgic of the classics. It’s a book that would sit well on a coffee table, in your car, at the office, or anywhere a reader could steal a few moments of fun reading.
Learn more about this book and its author at www.hollywoodstories.com.
Schochet’s writing style is engaging, funny and highly entertaining. Once you read a few tales, you don’t want to stop. Sometimes my hubby would pick up the book and refuse to give it back to me when I wanted to continue reading it. The stories are categorized into 13 different themes such as Oscar Tales, Great Hollywood Comedians and Walt Disney Stories. A handy index is available at the back to find those anecdotes you read and want to share.
I learned so many interesting things about the movie-making business and that not all is as it appears. Here are some of the fun tidbits I enjoyed from these engaging short stories.
Did you know that:
Leonard Nimoy who played the original Spock in the Star Trek series was humiliated by and hated wearing his pointed ears and never felt appreciated by his bosses?
Eddie Murphy, who replaced Sylvester Stallone after he walked off the film Beverly Hills Cop, ad libbed most of the dialogue since the original screenplay was mostly action scenes? He was so funny that his co-stars had to work hard not to laugh and ruin takes.
The opening scene of The Sound of Music was shot from a helicopter whose blade force kept blowing Julie Andrews over so that she would spit out dirt and grass and then curse like a sailor?
I got this book from the author who is also a professional tour guide in Los Angeles. As he gave us the tour he would entertain us with stories about Hollywood and movie stars, emulating Zsa Zsa Gabor’s accent, making our tour memorable. We saw first-hand how knowledgeable this author was and how much he enjoyed telling the tales.
This book is the perfect gift for anyone who is a movie buff, especially those nostalgic of the classics. It’s a book that would sit well on a coffee table, in your car, at the office, or anywhere a reader could steal a few moments of fun reading.
Learn more about this book and its author at www.hollywoodstories.com.
December 5, 2011
It seems like celebrity news is everywhere these days, from supermarket tabloids to reality news shows, but it exists because we love to hear about what they do and why they do it. Sometimes they things they did were very quirky, amusing and downright shocking.
In the latest novel by Stephen Schochet, Hollywood Stories: Short. Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies takes a look at celebrities from the past and present and shares those insights inside the cover of this wonderful book. From Buster Keaton, to The Three Stooges, from Johnny Depp to George Lucas, from Marilyn Monroe to Walt Disney, anyone who has loved movies or television stars will love this candid look into some of those rare moments in their public and private lives.
Did you know that the basis for the voice of Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy was from a cat coughing up a hairball? Or that Dick Van Dyke donated money to Walt Disney's newly formed Cal Arts University in exchange for getting the secondary role of the elderly banker in Mary Poppins and even the "Banks" children did not know it was the same actor that played Burt in the movie?
How about Jimmy Stewart who was just returning from serving the last five years in the Army Air Corps, and felt he was a changed man. He began questioning his return to acting as he was starring in It's A Wonderful Life, and received a lecture from Lionel Barrymore, the wheelchair bound, Mr. Potter after moping around the set for five days. He felt that maybe working in films wasn't for decent folks. Lionel's advice? He told Jimmy that making pictures gave people more happiness than shooting at them from planes. The pep talk helped restore Stewart's pride in his craft; he delivered his most famous performance in Wonderful Life and went on to have a long post-war movie career.
There are simple so many great anecdotes that everyone will find something that they love inside the pages of this hardcover book. I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Books tours and Stephen Schochet for my honest opinion and think this would make a beautiful gift for your favorite movie or television lover! From vintage classics to your favorite sitcoms, this is such a wonderful book to gain a piece of Hollywood's brightest and biggest stars and why I rate it a 5 out of 5 stars.
In the latest novel by Stephen Schochet, Hollywood Stories: Short. Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies takes a look at celebrities from the past and present and shares those insights inside the cover of this wonderful book. From Buster Keaton, to The Three Stooges, from Johnny Depp to George Lucas, from Marilyn Monroe to Walt Disney, anyone who has loved movies or television stars will love this candid look into some of those rare moments in their public and private lives.
Did you know that the basis for the voice of Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy was from a cat coughing up a hairball? Or that Dick Van Dyke donated money to Walt Disney's newly formed Cal Arts University in exchange for getting the secondary role of the elderly banker in Mary Poppins and even the "Banks" children did not know it was the same actor that played Burt in the movie?
How about Jimmy Stewart who was just returning from serving the last five years in the Army Air Corps, and felt he was a changed man. He began questioning his return to acting as he was starring in It's A Wonderful Life, and received a lecture from Lionel Barrymore, the wheelchair bound, Mr. Potter after moping around the set for five days. He felt that maybe working in films wasn't for decent folks. Lionel's advice? He told Jimmy that making pictures gave people more happiness than shooting at them from planes. The pep talk helped restore Stewart's pride in his craft; he delivered his most famous performance in Wonderful Life and went on to have a long post-war movie career.
There are simple so many great anecdotes that everyone will find something that they love inside the pages of this hardcover book. I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Books tours and Stephen Schochet for my honest opinion and think this would make a beautiful gift for your favorite movie or television lover! From vintage classics to your favorite sitcoms, this is such a wonderful book to gain a piece of Hollywood's brightest and biggest stars and why I rate it a 5 out of 5 stars.
August 22, 2014
Stephen Schochet, author of “Hollywood Stories,” has been a Hollywood tour guide for over twenty years and reading his book is how I imagine riding in his tour bus would be; short amusing tales and anecdotes emanating from a loudspeaker that evoke laughs and groans from all the riders.
I don’t know how much of a historian Schochet is; I saw no authentication for any of his stories. He is an entertainer and what he presented entertained me without adding a lot of verifiable information to my store of knowledge about the history of film making. In fact, one disturbing aspect of his book was the feeling that I’d heard most of his punch lines from other contexts outside the entertainment world. It gave me pause before I forged ahead for the next pearl of wisdom he would offer.
It’s an enjoyable book with gentle revelations of how our Hollywood celebrities have conducted themselves. Schochet insists he doesn’t want to hurt anyone and he has kept his word. We all know how these egoists behave, their insecurities, their reliance on mind-altering substances to bolster their confidence, and the grandiose living they adore. So there is no need to once again shock us with the details. The author takes us on a kindly and extensive journey, passing along more than 1,300 tales and anecdotes that encompass Hollywood history from its inception to modern times.
The author admits that most of his material comes from books and newspaper accounts of the activities he reports. He realizes that many snippets are dubious, although he says he has actually witnessed many of the occurrences. Be that as it may, Hollywood occurrences are all based on big fantasies, and as a reader one should recognize that when he or she reads “Hollywood Stories.” Schochet admits that many of his snippets cannot possibly be true but they are based on information that is universally known and that he doesn’t intentionally lie. He likes these people and is a big fan of Hollywood lore.
So that leaves the book’s value to the mind of the reader. Personally I enjoyed it and recommend it as a lighthearted and entertaining book. Does it have great literary value? Of course not, but not all books have to be of momentous impact to be readable. This one was fun.
I don’t know how much of a historian Schochet is; I saw no authentication for any of his stories. He is an entertainer and what he presented entertained me without adding a lot of verifiable information to my store of knowledge about the history of film making. In fact, one disturbing aspect of his book was the feeling that I’d heard most of his punch lines from other contexts outside the entertainment world. It gave me pause before I forged ahead for the next pearl of wisdom he would offer.
It’s an enjoyable book with gentle revelations of how our Hollywood celebrities have conducted themselves. Schochet insists he doesn’t want to hurt anyone and he has kept his word. We all know how these egoists behave, their insecurities, their reliance on mind-altering substances to bolster their confidence, and the grandiose living they adore. So there is no need to once again shock us with the details. The author takes us on a kindly and extensive journey, passing along more than 1,300 tales and anecdotes that encompass Hollywood history from its inception to modern times.
The author admits that most of his material comes from books and newspaper accounts of the activities he reports. He realizes that many snippets are dubious, although he says he has actually witnessed many of the occurrences. Be that as it may, Hollywood occurrences are all based on big fantasies, and as a reader one should recognize that when he or she reads “Hollywood Stories.” Schochet admits that many of his snippets cannot possibly be true but they are based on information that is universally known and that he doesn’t intentionally lie. He likes these people and is a big fan of Hollywood lore.
So that leaves the book’s value to the mind of the reader. Personally I enjoyed it and recommend it as a lighthearted and entertaining book. Does it have great literary value? Of course not, but not all books have to be of momentous impact to be readable. This one was fun.
April 23, 2012
The author is a professional tour guide in Hollywood, so we know he has heard some great stories! From telling them to his audience day after day, Stephen Schochet decided to write them down. Gosh, I am glad he did! The book contains many intriguing tales about actors, actresses, directors, and stars. Just think of TMZ online, or ENews!
I know Hollywood stars are just ordinary people, but being a compulsive visitor of TMZ I was intrigued by the premises of Hollywood Stories. Where else can you hear stories first hand of all the movie stars, both good and bad, without traveling to the West Coast and paying for a tour guide?
If you YouTube Hollywood Stories, Schochet you will be amazed at what comes up! I began by watching the news interview and then fell down the rabbit hole and watched all the other clips. Wonderful!
One person who I absolutely love to quote, Marlyn Monroe, was a hoot! Stopping a 'ceremony' in order to offer a suggestion is something I would do, even asking if my friends boobs could be put into the star instead of hands!
Schochet writes in a manner that is personable and extremely easy to read. It makes me picture myself driving around in the bus with him in wonderful California with my big sunglasses and super high stiletto heels. The next best thing to being in California and in the sun is being in Pennsylvania in the rain... right? :( The book is filled with short stories, so it was easy to read about a few stars, goggle more about them (I constantly research random information), and pick back up! I read in other reviews that others did not like it because it had a lot about stars from the 50's. To me that time is mysterious and something that intrigues me! The author makes some people out to be "not nice" as I hoped, but to each his own! If I had paparazzi chasing me I would probably do outrageous things myself, tip in nickles, or rely to much on others - GO GET MY COFFEE minion! (:
Overall, I liked this book. It was a fun read and for someone who loves the gossip websites, I appreciated it! It was a great read while working on my tan and drinking a sangria :) I highly recommend it to others!
I know Hollywood stars are just ordinary people, but being a compulsive visitor of TMZ I was intrigued by the premises of Hollywood Stories. Where else can you hear stories first hand of all the movie stars, both good and bad, without traveling to the West Coast and paying for a tour guide?
If you YouTube Hollywood Stories, Schochet you will be amazed at what comes up! I began by watching the news interview and then fell down the rabbit hole and watched all the other clips. Wonderful!
One person who I absolutely love to quote, Marlyn Monroe, was a hoot! Stopping a 'ceremony' in order to offer a suggestion is something I would do, even asking if my friends boobs could be put into the star instead of hands!
Schochet writes in a manner that is personable and extremely easy to read. It makes me picture myself driving around in the bus with him in wonderful California with my big sunglasses and super high stiletto heels. The next best thing to being in California and in the sun is being in Pennsylvania in the rain... right? :( The book is filled with short stories, so it was easy to read about a few stars, goggle more about them (I constantly research random information), and pick back up! I read in other reviews that others did not like it because it had a lot about stars from the 50's. To me that time is mysterious and something that intrigues me! The author makes some people out to be "not nice" as I hoped, but to each his own! If I had paparazzi chasing me I would probably do outrageous things myself, tip in nickles, or rely to much on others - GO GET MY COFFEE minion! (:
Overall, I liked this book. It was a fun read and for someone who loves the gossip websites, I appreciated it! It was a great read while working on my tan and drinking a sangria :) I highly recommend it to others!
June 29, 2012
Since I was very young, I have had a fascination with Hollywood--especially old Hollywood. I used to watch old movies and check out biographies of various actors and actresses I liked. This was before the days of the internet, and the library files were on paper and in pull-out files. I had to go through the difficult process of requesting books about these actors/actresses. I read several books on Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and Danny Kaye. I also read about Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and so much more. Granted, I often didn't understand everything that I was reading, but little facts stuck with me here and there. I loved being able to watch these old movies with a keen understanding of "behind the scenes" insider knowledge.
When I was offered the chance to review this book, there was no doubt that I wanted to read it. This book has a massive amount information about Hollywood from various eras (but mostly old Hollywood). It is organized in chapters/sections that make sense, and each story is no more than a page or two long. It is quick reading, and I am sure I will go back and review various sections.
I honestly have no criticisms for this book. The only "profanity" was so extremely mild, and anything that was more than what is acceptable on television was not even written. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that. It was nice to read about some of these people that I only knew by name, and it was definitely a fun read. I also appreciate the fact that the author was/is a Hollywood tour guide, and he listed a long list of sources he consulted. This makes me feel that he researched his topics, and his only purpose is telling stories about Hollywood. He is not trying to "smear" anyone or hurt them. He told is as it was, and he did it an easy-to-read style. For the Hollywood movie buff, this is a definite must-read!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
When I was offered the chance to review this book, there was no doubt that I wanted to read it. This book has a massive amount information about Hollywood from various eras (but mostly old Hollywood). It is organized in chapters/sections that make sense, and each story is no more than a page or two long. It is quick reading, and I am sure I will go back and review various sections.
I honestly have no criticisms for this book. The only "profanity" was so extremely mild, and anything that was more than what is acceptable on television was not even written. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that. It was nice to read about some of these people that I only knew by name, and it was definitely a fun read. I also appreciate the fact that the author was/is a Hollywood tour guide, and he listed a long list of sources he consulted. This makes me feel that he researched his topics, and his only purpose is telling stories about Hollywood. He is not trying to "smear" anyone or hurt them. He told is as it was, and he did it an easy-to-read style. For the Hollywood movie buff, this is a definite must-read!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews