BEGUILING HOLLYWOOD

Want crotch shots? Go to TMZ. If you want a little historical perspective you're home.

Main menu

Skip to content
  • About

Archives

Show Grid Show List

Post navigation

debbie reynolds carrie fisher

DEBBIE AND CARRIE – HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

May 9, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Doris: I was such an awful mother… what if you had a mother like Joan Crawford or Lana Turner? Suzanne: These are the options? You, Joan or Lana?

Categories: Blogging, Books, Children, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, Friendship, History, Hollywood, Humor, Life, Literature, Los Angeles, Memoir, Mother's Day, Movies, Parenting, Photography, Relationships, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: actress, behind the scenes, Beverly Hills, Carrie Fisher, Cary Grant, celebrities, comedians, comedy, dance, Debbie called Cary who called Carrie and he gave her some good advice, Debbie Reynolds, film, funny, history, Hollywood, humor, Los Angeles, Meryl Streep, motherhood, movie, Movie Star, novel, Old Hollywood, on set, photography, Postcards From the Edge, screenwriter, Shirley Maclaine, these are my options you joan or lana

7
J. Chambers.Tom Burmanjpg

MASTER OF DISGUISE – JOHN CHAMBERS

January 6, 2013 by Vickie Lester

From AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS to PLANET OF THE APES, perhaps make-up artist John Chamber’s most spectacular transformations were in service to his fellow countrymen. Working for the CIA after the Iranian takeover of the American Embassy in 1979 his efforts (in league with Tony Mendez) resulted in the rescue of six diplomats who had managed to evade the militants… The CIA enlisted its disguise and exfiltration expert, Tony Mendez, to provide a cover story, documents, and appropriate […]

Categories: Architecture, Art, Books, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, Friendship, History, Hollywood, Humor, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Politics, Relationships, Theater, Travel, Uncategorized • Tags: 1979, 444 days, ARGO, AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS, Ben Affleck, Canadian Caper, CIA, clothing, costumes, diplomatic pouch, diplomats, disguise, documents, fake movie, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Hollywood, infiltration, Iran, Iranian Hostage Crisis, John Chambers, John Goodman, make-up artist, Middle-Eastern, movie, movie crew, PLANET OF THE APES, producer, release date October 12, Studio Six, takeover of the American Embassy, The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA by Antonio J. Mendez, Tony Mendez

8
lunch with lion

LIFE OF PI

January 4, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Early concept meeting on “Life of Pi” – salary demands of Leo the Lion were not met. The role was re-cast.

Categories: Architecture, Blogging, Books, Culture, Design, Entertainment, Fiction, Film, Friendship, History, Hollywood, Humor, Literature, Los Angeles, Movies, Pets, Photography, Relationships, Short Stories, Story, Theater, Travel, Writing • Tags: 1920s, Ang Lee, boat, book, executives, humor, let's do lunch, LIFE OF PI, lion, Los Angeles, movie, Oscar Buzz, photography, Producer David Womark, Producer GIl Netter, Production Designer David Gropman, ship wreck, studio, TIger, Yann Martel

4
lauren_bacall_

LAUREN BACALL – TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT

November 2, 2012 by Vickie Lester

Her first film: At 9 o’clock it’s the start of another chapter of YOU DON’T OWN ME, continuing Saturday and completed Sunday… Cheers, dears! V

Categories: Books, Culture, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, History, Hollywood, Literature, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography • Tags: 19 years old, Bogart married to Mayo Methot, Dolores Moran, Ernest Hemingway, Hoagy Carmichael, Howard Hawks, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Lauren Bacall's first film, movie, Nancy "Slim" Keith, novel, release date 10/11/1944, TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, Walter Brennan, Warner Bros., You know how to whistle don't you Steve?

5
Annex - Aberg, Sivi_01

THE NATURAL… BLONDE

October 8, 2012 by Vickie Lester

She went to Yale Drama and after appearing on Broadway got a small plum part in a Weinstein film shot on location in Shreveport in the tolerable month of January. She made the big move to LA and secured an apartment on King’s Road. Eileen, a natural Nordic blonde had the chops for theater and the face for the big screen. But, nobody had told her about the insects. I’m referring to the date beetles, the babies of the earth, […]

Categories: Culture, Entertainment, Film, Hollywood, Humor, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: agent, blonde, casting, celebrity, chitinous, comic books, culture, digital, director, exoskeleton, film, filmmaking, Hollywood, humor, insect, Los Angeles, movie, movie roles, Nordic, Professor, Reality TV, stardom, theater, Weinstein, women in film, Yale

Leave a comment
George_Clooney_66ème_Festival_de_Venise_2

THE INESTIMABLE – GEORGE CLOONEY

September 29, 2012 by Vickie Lester

Okay, it was my intention when I started this blog never to be crass, or destructive, or part of the weird gawker aspect of a fame driven news cycle; and to that end I’ve tried to write pieces mostly on Hollywood history – which means I usually write about people who are dead or buildings that are immune to the damage of paparazzi. Or, I fictionalize the hell out of everything industry related and hand it to you in a […]

Categories: Culture, Entertainment, Film, History, Hollywood, Humor, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: auction, benefit, celebrity, charismatic, charity, costumer, fame, filming, George Clooney, Hollywood, Los Angeles, lunch with George Clooney, movie, Movie Star, night shoot, on set, parka, philanthropist, raccoon, safe schools, Star, tractor beam, white hot glamour

6
My Fair Lady premiere 1964

AUDREY HEPBURN AT THE PREMIERE OF MY FAIR LADY

September 19, 2012 by Vickie Lester

Gene Allen designed this lustrous Art Nouveau treat (I know what the credits say… but Mr. Allen did all the heavy lifting) – he deserves a post all his own, along with the incomparable director, George Cukor, and costume designer, Cecil Beaton – but for now, Audrey… with Rex Harrison: With producer Jack Warner and Rex Harrison:

Categories: Choreography, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Music, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: Audrey Hepburn, Cecil Beaton, dubbing, Gene Allen, George Bernard Shaw, George Cukor, Hollywood, Lerner and Lowe, Los Angeles, Marnie Nixon, movie, musical, MY FAIR LADY, premiere, Rex Harrison, singing

8
Woody Allen Richard Bonner name Miss Pussycat 1965 Anna Marie San Martin

WOODY ALLEN IN HOLLYWOOD

August 31, 2012 by Vickie Lester

A New Yorker in LA… Here we have Woody Allen in 1965 promoting kitten rescue by appointing Anna Marie San Martin to the divine rank of Miss Pussycat. Of course the release of his new movie, WHAT’S NEW PUSSYCAT was completely coincidental.

Categories: Culture, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: animal regulation, animal rescue, cat, comedy, Hollywood, kitten, Miss Pussycat, movie, Old Hollywood, PR, publicity, publicity stills, publicity stunt, WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT, Woody Allen

6
1926 aimee semple mcpherson

AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON

August 17, 2012 by Vickie Lester

Aimee Semple McPherson was a religious leader with a broad following. She built the Angelus Temple in Los Angeles to hold her theatrical services and was one of the the first women to buy a broadcast license. This was a typical service with Aimee officiating: This is the parsonage she built behind the temple, note the radio tower: This is the retreat she built in Lake Elsinore: Her life was punctuated by scandal, land swindles, failed movie deals and legal […]

Categories: Uncategorized, Writing, Movies, History, Culture, Architecture, Design, Hollywood, Los Angeles, law, Photography, Film • Tags: abducted, Aimee Semple McPherson, American culture, Angelus Temple, antifeminist, brimstone, broadcaster, charismatic, charlatan, cloche hat, conservative, cult, damnation, desert, drug, evangelical, evidence, fingerprints, fundamentalist, glasses, healer, hell, history, Hollywood, hotel, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, kidnapping, Lake Elsinore, land swindle, law suits, Life Story, Los Angeles, movie, non presciption, Old Hollywood, old news photo, ostentatious, overdose, political, preacher, radio, religiosity, revival, rich, scandal, Seconal, sermon, show, speaking in tongues, theatrical

7
kubrick 1964

DR. STRANGELOVE

June 16, 2012 by Vickie Lester

Scheduled for release by Columbia Pictures in early fall, Dr. Strangelove is being shot in England, it was explained, to accommodate Peter Sellers, who was unable to leave the country for domestic reasons. In addition to the President, the protean Sellers also plays the title role of a German scientist, a Texas pilot of an H-bomber headed inexorably for Russia, and an R.A.F. exchange officer. What roles are left are handled by Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Peter Bull, James Earl […]

Categories: Culture, Design, Entertainment, History, Movies, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: 1964, Artic, change, classic, Coca-Cola, director, DR. STRANGELOVE, England, Keenan Wynn, movie, movie history, Movie stars, movies, New York Times, on location, operator, payphone, Peter Sellers, shooting, Stanley Kubrick, tea break

3

Post navigation

Vickie Lester

  • About

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • I PUSHED THE SEND BUTTON – AND THE MANUSCRIPT IS TRAVELING THROUGH THE TUBES
  • BOGART AND BACALL AT HOME
  • THE DATE – PART V – BY GEORGE KAPLAN
  • ORSON WELLES AT HOME WITH DAUGHTER CHRISTOPHER IN NEW YORK CITY
  • YOURS TRULY STROLLING WITH THE MISTER WHEN SHE HAS JUST UNTIL MONDAY TO TURN IN HER BOOK TO THE EDITOR

Archives

  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012

Categories

  • Advertising
  • Animation
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Baseball
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • Chicago
  • Children
  • Choreography
  • Christmas
  • Cooking
  • Cosmetic Surgery
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Design
  • DIY
  • Dogs
  • Early Television
  • Easter
  • Election
  • Entertaining
  • Entertainment
  • fashion
  • Fiction
  • Film
  • Friendship
  • Gardening
  • Gastronomy
  • Halloween
  • History
  • Hollywood
  • Humor
  • law
  • Life
  • Literature
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Marriage
  • Memoir
  • Mother's Day
  • Movies
  • Music
  • New Year's Day
  • New York
  • News
  • Olympics
  • Palm Springs
  • Parenting
  • Paris
  • Pets
  • Photography
  • Politics
  • Recipes
  • Relationships
  • Science
  • Short Stories
  • Sports
  • Story
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • Thanksgiving
  • Theater
  • Travel
  • Truth & Rumors
  • Uncategorized
  • Valentine's Day
  • Vegas
  • Weather
  • Wedding
  • Writing

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • Blog at WordPress.com.
Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Customized Gridspace by Graph Paper Press.
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,110 other followers

Powered by WordPress.com