Cari Beauchamp (1949–2023)

This is a fascinating book that gathers firsthand experiences from 1909 through 1929 of when movie industry people of all ages--children through older adults--first came to Hollywood. It's not just from the viewpoint of actors, either, but from various writers, set designers, even a costume designer. You really get a get sense of how the city grew up over that span of 20 years--and an even grander concept for how it has continued to evolve over the past century.

I had read several of the excerpts before, but the majority were new to me and quite enlightening. I took numerous notes for my research purposes and found out about more material to seek out. Really, though, this is a great book for anyone with an interest in the silent era and how Hollywood BECAME Hollywood.… (altro)

This book reminds me of why I adore book research and nonfiction reading. Without Lying Down is fabulous and fascinating as it follows the life of Frances Marion, the most highly paid screenplay writers of early Hollywood. Back when she started in silent movies, women were everywhere in Hollywood, and for a big reason: movies were not regarded as a legitimate business enterprise. Women told the stories they wanted to tell, and to great success--for a while. As movies were increasingly censored, as the industry became bigger, women were shuttled off to one side.

Frances is an inspiration, truly. I first came to know her as one of the main characters in a novel called Girls in the Picture which focused on her close friendship with Mary Pickford. I loved getting to know her more in this book (one of the source books for the fiction piece). The title alone says so much about Frances as a person. The full quote is, "I spent my life searching for a man to look up to without lying down."

If you have any interest in early Hollywood, do yourself a favor and get this book.… (altro)

This is a collection of short memoirs from some forty people who were in the film industry when it first started in Hollywood. It ranges from famous actors- Mary Pickford, Lionel Barrymore, and Gloria Swanson-to producers and directors (lots of them), to writers, and people who furnished the sets. It even includes the infamous Will Hayes, who was brought to Hollywood to institute censorship.

These first person pieces are gleaned from various sources- magazine articles, autobiographies, oral history, letters, and lectures. They are all about the very first time each of these people set foot in Hollywood, back when Hollywood was not even really Hollywood. The dates range from 1909 to the 1929, during the time in which Los Angeles and Hollywood exploded and grew exponentially, going from deserted semi-desert to built-up phenomenon.

All but one person entered Hollywood via rail. All remember the vast, boring plains they had to travel through. All remember being rather bemused by the lack of buildings in Hollywood. It’s as much a history of the town and the industry as it is memoirs, and I found it fascinating because of that (I grew up in Los Angeles). It includes lots of photographs, too.… (altro)