hollywood

Hollywood was an attractive place for the early filmmakers to settle, full of good weather, orange and lemon trees. For producers who owed money on borrowed camera equipment if a creditor came after them, they could hide among the trees. It was a hard business full of causalities and took a pirate’s mentality to survive. Most of the studio heads were from poor backgrounds, with limited English skills and never forgot their childhood or a personal slight. Included were Jack, Harry, Albert and Sam, the four Warner Brothers from Youngstown, Ohio. They had begun with showing movies off the side of a tent in Youngstown, borrowing all the chairs from the local undertaker. Every time there was a funeral in Youngstown, they had to give all the chairs back and the film patrons were forced to stand.

As a boy Jack Warner wished to be a singer and a comedian. His brothers, recognizing his lack of talent instructed him to sing in the tent when they wanted the audience to leave. He was later advised that the money was not in performing, it was in paying performers. Among the stars that would be under contract to him would be Betty Davis, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Errol Flynn.

The silent days were a struggle for Warner Bros. Rin Tin Tin, a German shepherd that according to his publicity was born in a foxhole in World War I, was their biggest star. Heroic as he might have been on the screen, he proved to be, like many stars, cantankerous in person. Jack Warner took the dog on a publicity tour. As he introduced him to the crowd, his ungrateful employee bit him on the behind, leading to the dog’s dismissal. It proved to be a prelude to Warner’s many future battles with stars.

Trying to make a name for themselves, the four brothers got great publicity by announcing that the renowned opera tenor Caruso would be arriving from Italy to make a film for them. They paid him 25,000 dollars and then put him in a silent movie.

The movie studios had the technology to make talking films years before they made them. One of the reasons why they resisted the idea was that they didn’t want to risk losing their overseas market. Stars like Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford rarely ever had a flop as their films were shown around the world and knew no language barriers. But in 1926 the silent films faced their biggest competition with a new device called the radio. As movie attendance dwindled the studio heads shut their eyes and pretended the radio was not there. But the Warners lead by the ambitious Sam, decided to push the envelope and try to save their sinking studio by experimenting with movie sound.

Sam purchased an experimental sound system called Vita-phone. They then acquired the rights to The Jazz Singer, a popular play about a young man who had a beautiful voice and is offered a Broadway career against the wishes of his Old World Jewish father. In the play the son gave in to his father but the Warner’s, wishing to reach a wider audience, Americanized the story by having the son follow his own dreams. Star Al Jolson adlibbed the dialogue,” Wait a minute, wait a minute you ain’t heard nothing, yet!” The Warner’s were only intending singing but at the last minute they impulsively kept the line in the film. The Jazz Singer received a standing ovation when it premiered in New York in 1927 and went on to make three and half million dollars at a time when admission costs 20 cents. The sound revolution was under way!

Movie audiences had often been loud and noisy while watching silent films. Now the theater’s got quiet as people strained to hear every word. Movie Theater’s had to be rewired for sound, costing major studios like Paramount and Fox millions of dollars. Movies now had to film mostly at night as any passing truck noise could ruin a sound recording. ” How boring!” said Mary Pickford. “At first we moved! Now everyone is standing around talking!” One enterprising actor was hired for one day’s work. When the director wasn’t looking he let a bunch of crickets loose on the set. It was five days before the crew could round up the chirping crickets, and the actor kept on hold received five times the paycheck.

About The Author

Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says,” these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining.” Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at www.hollywoodstories.com.

orgofhlly@aol.com

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Gene Hackman once lamented that the worst thing about becoming a famous actor is that you lose the ability to observe people without being noticed yourself. But some performers are so good at disguises that notoriety is no obstacle. A case in point was John Barrymore trying to buy his first house in Beverly Hills in 1926. Frustrated by rising real estate prices due to stars like Tom Mix and Charlie Chaplin moving into the neighborhood, Barrymore went to look at a lot dressed as his most famous movie role, Mr. Hyde. The realtor was taken aback by the long haired, wild eyed, fiendish looking man who got out of the limo. Every time the broker would suggest a price he was met by an intimidating growl. Finally he made the sale by lopping twenty thousand dollars off the initial number.

Barrymore’s penchant for disguises did not end with his home purchase. The actor was often arrested and locked up for vagrancy, specifically being drunk and going through his rich neighbor’s trash cans to find scraps for his pet buzzard. His experiences were put to good use when he showed up to a costume party put on by Marion Davies dressed as a bum. Unfortunately, his outfit was so authentic he was turned away.

Sometimes an actor will believe that they are turning into the character that they play. The disguise will give them a confidence they don’t have in their own lives. Before Dustin Hoffman was famous he used to follow movie producers into bathrooms, wait till they got into the stalls, slide his head shots underneath the door and run away. He almost blew his audition for The Graduate (1967) by getting nervous and grabbing Katherine Ross’ breasts during his screen test. The insecure actor became more comfortable as he got outside his own skin, especially when he played Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie (1982). Dustin was so convincing as a flirty southern belle that he actually fooled his uncomfortable Midnight Cowboy (1969) co-star Jon Voight in New York’s Russian Tea Room. Their real life encounter was later turned into one of the film’s funniest scenes. After the experience was over he didn’t want to be Dustin again. “Maybe there can be a sequel where I give birth.”

Another uncertain star, Gregory Peck had his decision making powers rise up several notches when he played the title role in MacArthur (1977). Peck’s wife Veronique wished to buy a new lot in Holmby Hills and wanted Greg’s approval. Local residents were amazed to see what looked like Douglas MacArthur chauffeured around in an open convertible, wearing his full General’s Uniform, complete with the pipe and dark glasses that he was famous for. When he arrived, Veronique began telling him about the property. After two minutes he interrupted her,”Buy it!” He saluted, got back in the car, folded his arms and ordered the driver to move on. Later the former Berkley student said,” How refreshing to have the General’s decision making ability, Greg Peck would have dithered around for days.”

Method actress Kim Hunter was shocked when she saw her chimp make-up in the mirror for the first time while playing Dr. Zira in Planet Of The Apes (1968). She actually started crying. “Oh my God. I’m not Kim anymore. I’m an ape.” After she calmed down she turned in a great performance. The star of the film Charlton Heston attended the Planet Of The Apes premiere with his wife Lydia. Rare for a Hollywood leading man, Heston’s marriage has lasted over fifty years without a hint of an extramarital affair. A strange woman came running up to him. “Chuck, how are you? Nice to see you.” She began hugging him and kissing him. “Hey, get off me lady,” said Heston giving Lydia a bewildered look. Of course, it was Kim Hunter who Charlton had never seen outside her ape costume.

Heston and Hunter’s Apes co-star Roddy McDowall kept his humor throughout the make-up ordeal. He loved driving down the 405 freeway in his full ape costume waving at the other cars while stuck in traffic. Roddy also had fun at the expense of his old friend and Camelot co-star Julie Andrews. Miss Andrews was working on the Twentieth Century Fox lot, near where workmen were building the Ape City. One day she was in her dressing room, agitatedly smoking a cigarette talking to her analyst on the phone. “My God these people here. I don’t know who to trust. They’re all trying to backstab me. Don’t tell me I’m paranoid! My God there’s a giant ape coming through my window!”

About The Author

Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says,” these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining.” Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at http://www.hollywoodstories.com.

orgofhlly@aol.com

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Meeting famous people is often a surreal experience for both parties. In 1956 when Elvis Presley arrived in Hollywood he and his entourage stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. One day he got into the elevator. “What floor?” asked the operator. “Tenth please.” The operator looked at him with disdain. “You can’t go up to the tenth floor. Elvis is staying there. No one is allowed there.” A bemused Presley said,” I know. I’m Elvis.” The hotel employee stared at him for a long moment then said,” Well I don’t care who you are, you can’t go to the tenth floor.” The amiable singer agreed to go to the eleventh floor and walked down the stairs to the tenth.

Some entertainment organizations are so vast that employees don’t always recognize the people at the top. Walt Disney who often was harsh with those who worked for him, had no patience for anyone at Disneyland who was rude to the customers or as he put it, the guests. One time when an unfriendly security guard prevented he and his wife Lillian from getting on a ride, Walt fired him reasoning the man would be unpleasant with others. But if someone was doing their job they had nothing to fear from the boss. Once, when Walt was on hand for a demonstration of a new ride a young girl working there chided him for lighting up a cigarette, it wasn’t allowed. Disney, who eventually died of lung cancer, asked, “Whose idea was that?” “Walt Disney’s.” Walt stubbed out the cigarette. “That’s good enough for me.”

Sometimes the famous have a difficult time not being the center of attention. Once at a party at Louis B. Mayer’s house, the mogul was expressing his admiration for a female,” The red hair, the legs, I have never seen such beauty. She walks so regally like a queen”. Greer Garson the new queen of the MGM lot was standing nearby. She walked up to Mayer’s circle and said,” Why thank you Mr. Mayer.” It turned out LB was talking about his new horse.

It’s hard sometimes for stars to remember that not everyone cares about who they are or what they are doing. One time Laurel and Hardy were filming a strange scene in Venice Beach that required the boys to run down a narrow alleyway with their wives chasing them. The women would shoot at them causing innocent men to run out of their nearby apartment buildings in their undergarments and run away, with Stan and Ollie doing double takes. Before shooting the scene Laurel gathered the extras around,” Listen fellas, it’s costing us a fortune to rent out these apartments so I want to get it right the first time. Now when you hear the shots and run out into the alley, don’t linger. We only want you in the scene for about ten seconds.” After the director shouted “ACTION!” the boys ran down the alley, their wives fired their guns, the men in their undergarments ran out and disappeared quickly following Stan’s instructions to the letter. All except one guy who was about thirty seconds late, ran the wrong way, and bumped into Laurel, ruining his close-up.”You bloody fool. You ruined the shot!” shouted Laurel. “I’m not in the movie,” replied the runner.”

Sometimes legends don’t recognize each other. After twenty years in Hollywood Alfred Hitchcock finally became super rich after producing the low budget Psycho (1960). His agent Lew Wasserman convinced him to trade the movie rights for shares of stock in Universal, making the director the third biggest owner of the studio. From then on Hitchcock loved picking up the Wall Street Journal to see if he was wealthier. While directing his last film Family Plot (1975) Hitchcock would arrive at Universal early, sit in his chair and joyfully read about Jaws (1975) which was adding millions to his stock’s value. One day his morning routine was upset by an uninvited young man hovering around the movie set. Hitchcock, who seemed to have eyes in the back of his head called a crew member to have the intruder removed. It turned out to be Jaws Director Steven Spielberg who wanted to meet his idol.

Just because you’re recognized once doesn’t mean you will continue to be. After losing his driving privileges because of drunkenness Sean Penn was forced to ride the city bus. One day another passenger came up to him. “Hey you look like Sean Penn. But I know he wouldn’t be riding a bus.” Penn replied,” How do you know? Do you know Sean Penn?” “Yeah I worked on a film he starred in.” “Oh yeah? Well, what do you think of him?”. “Oh God, he was a total $%#%!”

About The Author

Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says,” these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining.” Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at http://www.hollywoodstories.com.

orgofhlly@aol.com

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