Forgotten Hollywood JLJ Media

In this episode, I spoke with Alexis Hunter about her book " Joi Lansing: A Body To Die For". Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For colorfully chronicles personal and intimate details of the last four years of the talented '50's "blonde bombshell" star's fascinating life. After three decades of successful TV and movie appearances and Vegas singing stardom, Ms. Lansing died far too young at just 43. 

In this episode, I spoke with author A. Ashley Hoff about his book "With Love, Mommie Dearest: The Making of An Unintentional Camp Classic." 

When she died in 1977, Joan Crawford was remembered as an icon of Hollywood's Golden Age—until publication the following year of her daughter’s memoir, Mommie Dearest.

Christina Crawford’s book was an immediate bestseller, combining the infrequently discussed topic of child abuse with the draw of Hollywood drama.

Episode 238 Kevin Winkler about his book "On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide"

In this episode, I spoke with Kevin Winkler about his book "On Bette Midler: An Opinionated Guide". Bette Midler today is a beloved legacy star, best known for her comic witch in Disney's Hocus Pocus (1993) and its 2022 sequel.

In this episode, I spoke with Matthew Kennedy about his book "On Elizabeth Taylor: An Opinionated Guide".  A sweeping look at the career of a truly singular Hollywood star.

In the oceans of ink devoted to the monumental movie star/businesswoman/political activist Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (1932-2011), her beauty and not-so-private life frequently overshadowed her movies. While she knew how to generate publicity like no other, her personal life is set aside in this volume in favor of her professional oeuvre and unique screen dynamism.

In this episode, I spoke with Josh Young and Manfred Westphal about their book The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn. A riveting tell-all biography that delves into the extraordinary life of Hollywood’s most infamous private detective and “fixer” to the stars, revealing newly discovered shocking revelations from his never-before-seen investigative files. 

In this episode I spoke with Michael F. Blake on his latest book "The Cavalry Trilogy: John Ford, John Wayne, And The Making Od Three Classic Westerns". Like other filmmakers in post-WWII Hollywood, John Ford (already a three-time Best Directing Oscar winner), longed for the freedom and independence to make his own films, away from the dictates of studio executives. Then, in 1946, Ford and producer Merian C. Cooper (King Kong) decided to form their own production company, Argosy Productions. But their first venture was a financial flop, burdening the new company with heavy debt.