Eddie Mannix's job was to protect the image of Hollywood's stars, whatever it took.
Loretta Young made her name in Classic Hollywood as a great beauty — and for the cover-up of one of the industry’s greatest scandals: concealing a child, born out of wedlock, with Clark Gable, one of the era’s biggest stars. It wasn’t until recently that even Young learned the right words for what she’d been hiding for decades.
Loretta Young made her name in Classic Hollywood as a great beauty — and for the cover-up of one of the industry’s greatest scandals: concealing a child, born out of wedlock, with Clark Gable, one of the era’s biggest stars. It wasn’t until recently that even Young learned the right words for what she’d been hiding for decades.
Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray were two of the biggest stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Each wildly successful on their own, they came together in seven films showcasing their magnetic on-screen chemistry. Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray: The Romantic Comedy Collection features three of those unforgettable films from their remarkable careers. THE GILDED LILY (1935)This often overlooked comedy gem, marks the first teaming of screen legends Claudette Colbert andFred MacMurray and is the epitome of a New York City urban fantasy. Newspaper reporter Peter Dawes (MacMurray) and stenographer Marilyn David (Colbert), nicknamed Lynn, meet regularly on a park bench sharing popcorn along with their dreams. Their budding romance is soon threatened by a chance meeting between Marilyn and Charles Gray (Ray Milland), an English nobleman visiting America. Marilyns fantasy of landing a handsome millionaire becomes a reality as she is pursued by Charles in a whirlwind courtship, leaving Peter fighting to reclaim his love. When the press learns of the affair, it turns into an international tabloid scandal for everyone involved. Directed by Wesley Ruggles, THE GILDED LILY helped launch the career of Fred MacMurray who would make six more films with Claudette Colbert over the years. THE BRIDE COMES HOME (1936) A screwball comedy set against the backdrop of Chicago during the Depression finds Jeanette Desmereau (Colbert), a socialite left penniless by the stock market crash who takes a job as a writer for a man's magazine, at the center of a romantic triangle. Her two on-again, off-again suitors just happen to be her hard-boiled editor Cyrus Anderson (MacMurray) and the company's wealthy owner, Jack Brist
The first Latin American actor to become a superstar, Ramon Novarro was for years one of Hollywood's top actors. Born Ramon Samaniego to a prominent Mexican family, he arrived in America in 1916, a refugee from civil wars. By the mid-1920s, he had become one of MGM's biggest box office attractions, starring in now-classic films, including The Student Prince, Mata Hari, and the original version of Ben-Hur. He shared the screen with the era's top leading ladies, such as Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Joan Crawford, and Norma Shearer, and he became Rudolph Valentino's main rival in the \"Latin Lover\" category. Yet, despite his considerable professional accomplishments, Novarro's enduring hold on fame stems from his tragic death-his bloodied corpse was found in his house on Halloween 1968 in what has become one of Hollywood's most infamous scandals. A lifelong bachelor, Novarro carefully cultivated his image as a man deeply devoted to his family and to Catholicism. His murder shattered that persona. News reports revealed that the dashing screen hero had not only been gay, but he was dead at the hands of two young, male hustlers. Since then, details of his murder have achieved near mythic proportions, obscuring Novarro's professional legacy. Beyond Paradise presents a full picture of the man who made motion picture history. Including original interviews with Novarro's surviving friends, family, co-workers, and the two men convicted of his murder, this biography provides unique insights into an early Hollywood star-a man whose heart was forever in conflict with his image and whose myth continues to fascinate today.
'An absolutely witty, swoon worthy behind the scenes romp! Delightful from beginning to end!' Julie Murphy, No.1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin' Olivia Dade returns with another utterly charming romantic comedy about a devil-may-care actor - who cares more than anyone knows - and the no-nonsense woman hired to keep him in line. Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Wealth. A starring role on the biggest show on TV. But the showrunners have wrecked his character, he's hounded by old demons and his future remains uncertain. When all that reckless emotion explodes into a bar fight, the tabloids and public agree: his star is falling. Enter Lauren, the former therapist hired to keep him in line. Compared to her previous work, watching over a handsome but impulsive actor shouldn't be especially difficult. But the more time she spends with Alex, the harder it is to hold on to her professionalism, and her heart . . . When another scandal lands him in major hot water, and costs Lauren her job, Alex becomes determined to keep his impossibly stubborn and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can. On a road trip up the California coast together, he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves . . . Praise for Olivia Dade 'I adore All the Feels. This slow burn romance had me falling in love every step of the way' Meryl Wilsner, author of Something to Talk About 'All the Feels leaves you swooning and eager for more!' Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting 'Joyful, clever and full of heart . . . All the Feels is all the things I love about romance' Rachel Lynn Solomon, national bestselling author of The Ex Talk 'Whip-smart dialogue, scorching chemistry, and side-splitting humour . . . This author is an absolute gem!' Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man 'Hilarious and poignant at the same time' Cat Sebastian, author of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb 'Olivia Dade once again delivers a book as sexy and charming as it is cathartic. I adored All the Feels and can't wait to see what Dade writes next' Jessie Mihalik, author of Chaos Reigning '[All the Feels] weaves in sharp wit and dry humour even as it tugs at the reader's heartstrings . . . A consistently entertaining and often insightful romance' Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 'Olivia Dade writes with such compassion and kindness for her characters, and in the process, makes you want to live in the world she creates' Jenny Holiday, USA Today bestselling author 'With richly drawn characters you'll love to root for, Olivia Dade's books are a gem of the genre - full of humour, heart, and heat' Kate Clayborn, author of Love Lettering
About the Book Eddie Mannix and Howard Strickling are virtually unknown outside of Hollywood and little-remembered even there, but as General Manager and Head of Publicity for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, they lorded over all the stars in Hollywood's golden age from the 1920s through the 1940s--including legends like Garbo, Dietrich, Gable and Garland. When MGM stars found themselves in trouble, it was Eddie and Howard who took care of them--solved their problems, hid their crimes, and kept their secrets. They were "the Fixers." At a time when image meant everything and the stars were worth millions to the studios that owned them, Mannix and Strickling were the most important men at MGM. Through a complex web of contacts in every arena, from reporters and doctors to corrupt police and district attorneys, they covered up some of the most notorious crimes and scandals in Hollywood history, keeping stars out of jail and, more importantly, their names out of the papers. They handled problems as diverse as the murder of Paul Bern (husband of MGM's biggest star, Jean Harlow), the studio-directed drug addictions of Judy Garland, the murder of Ted Healy (creator of The Three Stooges) at the hands of Wallace Beery, and arranging for an unmarried Loretta Young to adopt her own child--a child fathered by a married Clark Gable. Through exhaustive research and interviews with contemporaries, this is the never-before-told story of Eddie Mannix and Howard Strickling. The dual biography describes how a mob-related New Jersey laborer and the quiet son of a grocer became the most powerful men at the biggest studio in the world. Book Synopsis Eddie Mannix and Howard Strickling are virtually unknown outside of Hollywood and little-remembered even there, but as General Manager and Head of Publicity for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, they lorded over all the stars in Hollywood's golden age from the 1920s through the 1940s--including legends like Garbo, Dietrich, Gable and Garland. When MGM stars found themselves in trouble, it was Eddie and Howard who took care of them--solved their problems, hid their crimes, and kept their secrets. They were "the Fixers." At a time when image meant everything and the stars were worth millions to the studios that owned them, Mannix and Strickling were the most important men at MGM. Through a complex web of contacts in every arena, from reporters and doctors to corrupt police and district attorneys, they covered up some of the most notorious crimes and scandals in Hollywood history, keeping stars out of jail and, more importantly, their names out of the papers. They handled problems as diverse as the murder of Paul Bern (husband of MGM's biggest star, Jean Harlow), the studio-directed drug addictions of Judy Garland, the murder of Ted Healy (creator of The Three Stooges) at the hands of Wallace Beery, and arranging for an unmarried Loretta Young to adopt her own child--a child fathered by a married Clark Gable. Through exhaustive research and interviews with contemporaries, this is the never-before-told story of Eddie Mannix and Howard Strickling. The dual biography describes how a mob-related New Jersey laborer and the quiet son of a grocer became the most powerful men at the biggest studio in the world. Review Quotes "fascinating detail...a must-have book"-Little Shoppe of Horrors; "interesting"-Communication Booknotes Quarterly. About the Author The late E.J. Fleming researched Hollywood for decades and penned biographies of Carole Landis and Wallace Reid, among other books. He lived in the country in Connecticut.