Category Archives: Hollywood history

When Lions Fly

It’s a familiar sight – a roaring lion’s head in a golden frame. We see this iconic image at the beginning of our favorite films, TV shows, and cartoons, but the history behind this logo is little known. MGM’s Leo … Continue reading

Posted in Animal actors, aviation, aviation history, Hollywood history, motion picture history, Student projects, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bruce Lee Steals the Show in “The Green Hornet”

The road to Bruce Lee’s screen stardom began in Oakland, California, where his Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute began attracting the attention of the martial arts world. His appearance in the first-ever Long Beach International Karate Championships in 1964 wowed … Continue reading

Posted in Asian American history, Comic book history, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, popular culture, television history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Putting Buddy Ebsen on the Camera Stand

The AHC is primarily a research institution, meaning that a major focus of our collecting process is making collection material accessible to our patrons by processing and digitizing it. Digitization of archival material is important to making our collections searchable … Continue reading

Posted in Digital collections, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, newly cataloged collections, newly digitized collections, newly processed collections, television history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jean Howard and Charles Feldman: From Ziegfeld Follies to Movie Moguls

What do you get when you combine a stunning starlet, a savvy talent broker, and a bunch of famous friends? The answer is Jean Howard and Charles Feldman, the ultimate party planners of old Hollywood. The story of Jean Howard … Continue reading

Posted in found in the archive, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Photographic collections, popular culture, Uncategorized, women's history | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spotlighting Communism & Hollywood in the papers of Sesame Street’s Mr. Hooper

One of the most recognizable figures of the first thirteen years (1969-1982) of PBS’s Sesame Street was Mr. Hooper the grocer, played by veteran actor Will Lee. He was one of the four original human characters on the show. Before … Continue reading

Posted in Blacklisting, Cold War, Communism, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Political history, Politics, popular culture, Social justice, television history, Uncategorized, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From Orphan to Icon: The Remarkable Journey of Barbara Stanwyck

The astounding and legendary life and career of Barbara Stanwyck began in Brooklyn, New York. The youngest of 5 children born to common laborers, Stanwyck was originally known as ‘Ruby Stevens.’ She became orphaned by the age of 4. After … Continue reading

Posted in Biography and profiles, Film History, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, popular culture, television history, Women in Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brassy Barbara Stanwyck and Pre-Code Hollywood

In 1934, the Hays Code began to be strictly enforced in Hollywood to clean up alleged indecency in movies. All evil-doers had to meet their just rewards. What spurred the prudish policing? Hardboiled flicks like Baby Face. This 1933 film had … Continue reading

Posted in Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Politics, popular culture, Uncategorized, Women in Hollywood, women's history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Jean Howard, Photographer for the Glamorous Hollywood Set

Jean Howard parlayed her extraordinary beauty, ethereal glamour and light-hearted intelligence to become a Ziegfeld girl, a Hollywood starlet, a legendary hostess and the “house photographer” of the film colony. Her circle included Tyrone Power, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Humphrey … Continue reading

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The Adeline M. Leitzbach Papers: Part II of a Two-Part Series

Adeline Leitzbach once mused: “[In] the old days in pictures… we used to go out on a lot with a couple of actors, a horse, a camera man and an author. We used to shoot scenes, and mould them into … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Authors and literature, Hollywood history, Interns' projects, motion picture history, newly cataloged collections, popular culture, radio history, Uncategorized, women's history, writers and poets | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering Barbara Stanwyck – A Life in Film and Scrapbooks

“She wanted to be a dancer or a missionary, but eventually she decided to become an actress… She has intelligence, sincerity, and much charm. She is devoted to her husband and her home interests, and loves little children. Only recently … Continue reading

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