Author: Vickie Lester

Susannah Corwin is a screenwriter and novelist (under the pen name of “Vickie Lester”). She started her career as a production assistant after studying Film at an east coast university. Her first duties behind the scenes in Hollywood included locating actors who had wandered away from set for romantic assignations. One particularly memorable roundup involved chivying said actors back into the makeup trailer where she picked up a sponge to help reapply their fake tans as they were required onset faster than all hands could paint them. Susannah Corwin’s screenplays have been optioned by David Matalon, Alan Blomquist, A. Kitman Ho, and Kevin Spacey. Her first novel, “It’s In His Kiss”, a modern Hollywood Noir, was published May 2014. She writes the blog “Beguiling Hollywood” (vickielester.com) peeking into the glittering past of Tinseltown with the witty eye of an educated observer. Susannah is now writing her second novel, “You Don’t Own Me” about a Hollywood babysitter who rises to studio boss.

October 22, 2012 /

This is pretty saucy stuff for the time – Joan Crawford shimmying in front of a mirror as she gets dressed to go out for the evening circa 1928, before recorded dialogue, but there was a synch soundtrack… –

October 21, 2012 /

The joy:

October 21, 2012 /

The scene:

October 21, 2012 /

All right chickens, call me a hometown girl, but I really did prefer the disco era here at the Palladium in Hollywood, 1978. Studio 54 had the press and the celebrities – but, I can say this with full knowledge, we had the fun.

October 20, 2012 /

This is what Hollywood looked like at the turn of the 20th century: In 1903 a small place built by H.J. Whitley (Whitley Heights is where the silent film stars lived) called the Hollywood Hotel looked like this: Soon after this picture was taken a wealthy woman from Iowa, Almira…

October 19, 2012 /

Okay my darlings, I too am sitting at a device that conveys words into world, drinking a cup of coffee… But I would say the element I lack in my yoga pants and husband’s T-shirt is glamour (and a Marcel Wave).

October 18, 2012 /

Hal Roach was the first to spot Jean Harlow’s comedic talents: Harlow (the real bathing beauty) is to the right of Charley Chase. Harlow was seventeen when she made “Double Whoopee”, a Hal Roach short, with Laurel and Hardy. Leo McCarey, who went on to become a preeminent director of…

October 17, 2012 /

I love these stills – here we have director Edmund Goulding by camera, the cinematographer was William H. Daniels.

October 17, 2012 /

Greta and John waiting on set in a pair of director’s chairs. See the satin coverlet to protect Miss Garbo’s delicate gown from set dust? Have you ever seen a movie scene in which someone is barefoot? If you catch a glimpse the soles of their feet are usually black.…

October 17, 2012 /

A series of posts for Ms. S.V.G., a friendly follower of our FB page. Sarah wanted more Garbo and here she is – what struck me about these designs (by the head costume designer at MGM – Adrian) was the drama and the way most of the garments drew attention…