This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories

Turner Classic Movies

By: Carla Valderrama

Narrated by: Carla Valderrama

In this one-of-a-kind Hollywood history, the creator of Instagram's celebrated @ThisWasHollywood reveals the forgotten past of the film world in a dazzling visual package modeled on the classic fan magazines of yesteryear.

From former screen legends who have faded into obscurity to new revelations about the biggest movie stars, Valderrama unearths the most fascinating little-known tales from the birth of Hollywood through its Golden Age.

The shocking fate of the world's first movie star. Clark Gable's secret love child. The film that nearly ended Paul Newman's career. A former child star who, at 93, reveals her #metoo story for the first time. Valderrama unfolds these stories, and many more, in a volume that is by turns riveting, maddening, hilarious, and shocking.

Drawing on new interviews, archival research, and an exhaustive library of photographs, This Was Hollywood is a compelling and visually stunning catalogue of the lost history of the movies.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Carla Valderrama (P)2020 Running Press Adult

Critic reviews

"Carla Valderrama genuinely loves Hollywood history, as you can tell from every page of this book. Her enthusiasm is matched only by her determination to back up her stories with good, old-fashioned research. I learned a lot from This Was Hollywood and you will, too." (Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian)

Delightful 'read'

I'm old enough to at least recognize many of the names, but these stories paint pictures like Technicolor diaries from forgotten Hollywood.
Ms Valderrama's delivery keeps my 'listening ear' well tuned so my 'hearing ears could truly take in the full picture story as she unfolds it.
Excellent fascinating and fun and who can't use a little more fun in 2020.

Irritating Narration

The narrator needs elocution lessons. Pronouncing T's as B's, i.e. "buddon" for "button" is unacceptable. I feel the producer should have corrected this from the beginning. Stories are good if you can get past this.

Fun book

Loved the book! Lots of great stories about old Hollywood. Fun for vintage movie buffs!

Good stories. Writer should not narrate.

I was loving the stories, but kept getting thrown out of the narrative by the hard "d" instead of "t" pronunciation. Painful. Dear author, keep writing. Do not narrate. As a northern Minnesotan with a Canada/Fargo accent I would never narrate my own work. Just a thought. We elongate our vowels, but we do not rape the consonants. Sin away, but never put it in a book.

First written review!

I found it a fun, sad, and informative listen. I had a blast looking up each actor/artist and even youtubing some performances. Unlike some, I thought her narration was spot on as it was her work and reaearch that was being presented and I could hear her love and excitement for the material in her voice! Well done Ms. Valderrama!!

Interesting Information

Even though the narrator mispronounced several words, the stories of old Hollywood are entertaining

I loved it

I learned so much. It was such a fun listen. I also learned about the Nicholas Brothers. I have never seen better dancers.

Fabulous stories, expertly told

My only complaint is it’s not long enough! Learned so much. Please write another volume. Well done!

Interesting content, better narration would have helped

I learned a few things, so I appreciate that, but the author had such an irritating way of pronouncing words: “Manhattan” as “Manhadden”; “patents” as “paddens” — and on and on. It REALLY detracted from what was otherwise an interesting book and leaves me to wonder (once again) why authors think they are the best people to narrate their books.

Hollywood's Lesser Known History

I found the story very interesting and informative. It filled in lots of back story that I was unaware of, and it confirmed the mentality & business practices from other similar Era biographies.

However, I found myself cringing every time the narrator rounded the sound of the letter 'T', as in imporTant, which sounded like imporDant.