10/14
Courtesy of William Morrow & Co.
Mommie Dearest
Fans of Joan Crawford were in for the exposé of a lifetime when the stars daughter released a memoir detailing what life was like in the Crawford household. Christina Crawford, Joans adoptive daughter, accuses her mother of being an abusive alcoholic, so aggressively controlling that she lost her mind over the sight of wire hangers (a moment that was heavily dramatized in the filmed version of the book, starring Faye Dunaway as the late leading lady). And as an honorable mention: the FX series Feud lightly touches on this material, then dives into Crawfords notorious spats with Bette Davis. Its a juicy, and at times quite moving, depiction of two stars at loggerheads.
11/14
Courtesy of Plume.
Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema
In this 2014 book, author Anne Helen Petersen dives into some of Hollywoods more sensational stories, reaching all the way back to the heyday of Mary Pickford. Stars get whole chapters dedicated to their various scandals; prepare for stories about Jean Harlow, Mae West, and James Dean.
12/14
From Everett Collection.
Tab Hunter Confidential
In his autobiography (later made into a documentary, available on Netflix), actor Tab Hunter spoke freely about his acting and singing career, which began in the 1950s. The actor also shed light on his personal life, revealing his relationships with men like Pyscho star Anthony Perkins and ice-skater Ronnie Robertson. He also dished on what it was like working with studio heads like Jack Warner and getting set up on publicity tours with actresses like Natalie Wood and Debbie Reynolds. (Photo: Tab Hunter photographed in an LA court during the trial of Confidential magazine in August 1957.)
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Vanity Fair
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