Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era (Screen Classics)

James Bawden : Seeing the way people behave when they're around you, is it still fun being Cary Grant? Cary Grant : I don't like to disappoint people. Because he's a completely made-up character and I'm playing a part. It's a part I've been playing a long time, but no way am I really Cary Grant. A friend told me once, "I always wanted to be Cary Grant." And I said, "So did I."— from the book In Conversations with Classic Film Stars , retired journalists James Bawden and Ron Miller present an astonishing collection of rare interviews with the greatest celebrities of Hollywood's golden age. Conducted over the course of more than fifty years, they recount intimate conversations with some of the most famous leading men and women of the era, including Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Joseph Cotten, Cary Grant, Gloria Swanson, Joan Fontaine, Loretta Young, Kirk Douglas, and many more. Each interview takes readers behind the scenes with some of cinema's most iconic stars. The actors convey unforgettable stories, from Maureen O'Hara discussing Charles Laughton's request that she change her last name, to Bob Hope candidly commenting on the presidential honors bestowed upon him. Humorous, enlightening, and poignant, Conversations with Classic Film Stars is essential reading for anyone who loves classic movies. James Bawden : Seeing the way people behave when they're around you, is it still fun being Cary Grant? Cary Grant : I don't like to disappoint people. Because he's a completely made-up character and I'm playing a part. It's a part I've been playing a long time, but no way am I really Cary Grant. A friend told me once, "I always wanted to be Cary Grant." And I said, "So did I." — from the book In Conversations with Classic Film Stars , retired journalists James Bawden and Ron Miller present an astonishing collection of rare interviews with the greatest celebrities of Hollywood's golden age. Conducted over the course of more than fifty years, they recount intimate conversations with some of the most famous leading men and women of the era, including Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Joseph Cotten, Cary Grant, Gloria Swanson, Joan Fontaine, Loretta Young, Kirk Douglas, and many more. Each interview takes readers behind the scenes with some of cinema's most iconic stars. The actors convey unforgettable stories, from Maureen O'Hara discussing Charles Laughton's request that she change her last name, to Bob Hope candidly commenting on the presidential honors bestowed upon him. Humorous, enlightening, and poignant, Conversations with Classic Film Stars is essential reading for anyone who loves classic movies. Bawden And Miller Present An Astonishing Collection Of Rare Interviews With The Greatest Celebrities Of Hollywood's Golden Age. Conducted Over The Course Of More Than Fifty Years, They Recount Intimate Conversations With Some Of The Most Famous Leading Men And Women Of The Era. Each Interview Takes Readers Behind The Scenes With Some Of Cinema's Most Iconic Stars, As The Actors Convey Unforgettable Stories. Introduction -- The Silent Era. Jackie Coogan -- Gloria Swanson -- The Leading Men. Ralph Bellamy -- Rory Calhoun -- Joseph Cotten -- Kirk Douglas -- Melvyn Douglas -- Douglas Fairbanks Jr -- Glenn Ford -- Cary Grant -- Van Johnson -- The Leading Ladies. Anne Baxter -- Joan Blondell -- Irene Dunne -- Joan Fontaine -- Dorothy Lamour -- Anna Lee -- Dorothy Mcguire -- Maureen O'hara -- Luise Rainer -- Rosalind Russell -- Fay Wray -- Jane Wyman -- Loretta Young -- The Queens Of The Bs. Jane Greer -- Audrey Totter -- Marie Windsor -- The Singing Cowboys. Gene Autry -- Roy Rogers -- A Giant Of Comedy. Bob Hope -- Four Very Special Stars. Margaret Hamilton -- Keye Luke -- Harold Russell -- Diane Varsi. James Bawden And Ron Miller. Includes Index. Front cover 1 Copyright page 5 Contents 8 Introduction 10 Jackie Coogan 16 Gloria Swanson 23 Ralph Bellamy 38 Rory Calhoun 51 Joseph Cotten 62 Kirk Douglas 79 Melvyn Douglas 89 Douglas Fairbanks Jr. 100 Glenn Ford 115 Cary Grant 123 Van Johnson 136 Anne Baxter 146 Joan Blondell 161 Irene Dunne 173 Joan Fontaine 188 Dorothy Lamour 198 Anna Lee 214 Dorothy McGuire 230 Maureen O’Hara 238 Luise Rainer 248 Rosalind Russell 254 Fay Wray 269 Jane Wyman 284 Loretta Young 298 Jane Greer 316 Audrey Totter 327 Marie Windsor 336 Gene Autry 346 Roy Rogers 354 Bob Hope 366 Margaret Hamilton 384 Keye Luke 396 Harold Russell 407 Diane Varsi 412 Acknowledgments 420 About the Authors 422 Index 424