Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood 

The history of Hollywood film from the medium's invention to the birth of the New Hollywood in 1970.

Stars:

Christopher Plummer, Daniel Selznick, Gregory Orr

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Christopher Plummer	...	Narrator 7 episodes, 2010
Daniel Selznick	...	Himself - Grandson of Louis B. Mayer / ... 7 episodes, 2010
Gregory Orr	...	Himself - Grandson of Jack Warner / ... 6 episodes, 2010
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.	...	Himself / ... 6 episodes, 2010
A. Scott Berg	...	Himself - Interviewee / ... 6 episodes, 2010
Steven J. Ross	...	Himself - Film Historian 5 episodes, 2010
Leonard Maltin	...	Himself / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Cari Beauchamp	...	Herself - Interviewee / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Richard D. Zanuck	...	Himself - Producer / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Robert Osborne	...	Himself / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Tony Maietta	...	Himself - Interviewee / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Jeffrey Vance	...	Himself - Interviewee / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Marc Norman	...	Himself - Screenwriter / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Donald Bogle	...	Himself - Interviewee / ... 5 episodes, 2010
Thomas Schatz	...	Himself - Film Historian 4 episodes, 2010
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Himself - Director, Film Historian / ... 4 episodes, 2010
Carla Laemmle	...	Herself - Niece of Carl Laemmle 4 episodes, 2010
David Stenn	...	Himself / ... 4 episodes, 2010
Bob Balaban	...	Himself - Actor, Director 4 episodes, 2010
Jeanine Basinger	...	Herself - Interviewee / ... 4 episodes, 2010
Scott Eyman	...	Himself / ... 4 episodes, 2010
Molly Haskell	...	Herself - Interviewee / ... 4 episodes, 2010
Anthony Slide	...	Himself - Film Historian 3 episodes, 2010
Marc Wanamaker	...	Himself - Film Historian and Photo Archivist / ... 3 episodes, 2010
Gore Vidal	...	Himself - Author / ... 3 episodes, 2010
Jim Zukor	...	Himself - Grandson of Adolph Zukor 3 episodes, 2010
Andrew Bergman	...	Himself - Interviewee / ... 3 episodes, 2010
Kathleen Sharp	...	Herself - Lew Wasserman Biographer / ... 3 episodes, 2010
George Stevens Jr.	...	Himself / ... 3 episodes, 2010
David Thomson	...	Himself - Film Historian / ... 3 episodes, 2010

Storyline

The history of Hollywood film from the medium's invention to the birth of the New Hollywood in 1970.

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Plot Keywords:

hollywood | cinema | filmmaking | acting | film history | 

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Genres:

Documentary | History

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Details

Official Sites:

TCM [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ostar Productions, Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Narrator: Dress British, think yiddish.

User Reviews

pastiche of history....

This series shown during the holiday season on TCM has recently been re- broadcast. Narrated in part by the prolific Christopher Plummer, it gives one the sense of the origins, of film, the earlier Swanson and silent film era, and the later studio system, and then TV culture.

You will see many different episodes here, and the facts are well-delineated. The early silent films, with the candle light effects of the film "Queen Kelly" starring Gloria Swanson and produced by financier Joseph P.Kennedy (JFK's father.) This type of series is so very valuable when we see other networks offering serial tripe (Greg Kinnear as JFK on "Reelz" channel).

The era of the movie moguls, Samuel Goldwyn, Louis B. Mayer, and his grandson, talking about the business.

We also see the era of the 1950's, Monroe, John Wayne, Jane Russell and the power of Howard Hughes at that time.

There are also some wonderful interviews with Carl Laemmle's niece who recalls the experience of working on "The Phantom of The Opera" ( an amazing original DVD collection now available). There remains an historical Laemmle theater on the Santa Monica promenade today.Visit it if you are in town.

Overall this is a wonderful series which delineates old Hollywood, the star system and many of the past actors who now only leave their indelible, yet fleeting presence. James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Billy Wilder, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner.

How amazing those films were, and we know we shall not see a repetition of this history ever again, sadly, in American cinema. 10/10.