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Scandals of Classic Hollywood

Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema

Anne Helen Petersen

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Paperback

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English
Plume
19 November 2014
"Part biography, part cultural history, these stories cover the stuff that films are made of- love, sex, drugs, illegitimate children, illicit affairs, and botched cover-ups. But it's not all just tawdry gossip in the pages of this book.

Celebrity gossip meets history in thiscompulsively readable collection from Buzzfeed reporter Anne Helen Peterson. This guide to film stars and their deepest secrets is sure to top your list for movie gifts and appeal to fans of classic cinema and hollywood history alike.

Believe it or not, America's fascination with celebrity culture was thriving well before the days of TMZ, Cardi B, Kanye's tweets, and the #metoo allegations that have gripped Hollywood. And the stars of yesteryear? They weren't always the saints that we make them out to be. BuzzFeed's Anne Helen Petersen, author of Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud,is here to set the record straight. Pulling little-known gems from the archives of film history, Petersen reveals eyebrow-raising information, including-

. The smear campaign against the original It Girl, Clara Bow, started by her best friend

. The heartbreaking story of Montgomery Clift's rapid rise to fame, the car accident that destroyed his face, and the ""long suicide"" that followed

. Fatty Arbuckle's descent from Hollywood royalty, fueled by allegations of a boozy orgy turned violent assault

. Why Mae West was arrested and jailed for ""indecency charges""

. And much more

Part biography, part cultural history, these stories cover the stuff that films are made of- love, sex, drugs, illegitimate children, illicit affairs, and botched cover-ups. But it's not all just tawdry gossip in the pages of this book. The stories are all contextualized within the boundaries of film, cultural, political, and gender history, making for a read that will inform as it entertains. Based on Petersen's beloved column on the Hairpin, but featuring 100% new content, Scandals of Classic Hollywood is sensationalism made smart."

By:  
Imprint:   Plume
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 203mm,  Width: 135mm,  Spine: 18mm
Weight:   278g
ISBN:   9780142180679
ISBN 10:   014218067X
Pages:   304
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Anne Helen Petersen is a professor of film and media studies at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, where she also lives.

Reviews for Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema

Engaging...Petersen is an author for our age. -The Boston Globe Insightful. -TIME Magazine Clear and convincing...Although Petersen's book benefits from intelligent analysis of archival research, she writes with the verve of an enthusiast. -LA Times Terrific and thoughtful and fascinating. -NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour Smart, relevant, and fun...think TMZ with a PhD. -Bitch Compulsively readable. -The Rumpus Compulsively readable...[Petersen] sheds light on often-repeated myths with impeccable research and razor-sharp analysis. -Yahoo [This] dishy book delivers the juicy anecdotes readers crave. -NY Post Dishy as hell. -Refinery29 Not merely a rehash of salacious old Hollywood gossip, Petersen revivifies flattened images of Hollywood icons...Wide-ranging and surprisingly thoughtful. -Kirkus Brisk and lively. -Library Journal


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