A printable article from a 1948 Hollywood fan magazine that illustrated quite clearly how much easier Ronald Reagan had it with the Soviet Union, when compared to his failings with his first bride, Jane Wyman (1917 – 2007). The PHOTOPLAY journalist, Gladys Hall, outlined nicely how busy the couple had been up to that time yet remarked that they had had a difficult time since the war ended, breaking-up and reconciling as many as three times. In 1948 Wyman, who had been married twice before, filed for divorce on charges of "mental cruelty"; the divorce was finalized in '49 and the future president went on to meet Nancy Davis in 1951 (marrying in '52); click here if you wish to read a 1951 article about that courtship.
Historically, Ronald Reagan was the first divorced man to ascend the office of the presidency. Shortly after his death in 2004, Wyman remarked: "America has lost a great president and a great, kind, and gentle man."
Click here read an article about Hollywood's war on monogamy. A sly little grin must have come to the lips of the editors of Photoplay when they asked Hollywood's reigning scandal-monger, Errol Flynn (1909 – 1959), to write a small treatise concerning Hollywood morals - and he accepted their offer. Flynn sharpened his pencil and scribbled the following lighthearted defense of Hollywood hedonism; contradicting himself at several points, he opined that Hollywood was not much different than any other neighborhood - and actors are always good because they're too closely monitored to do bad - and if you don't believe that, then you should know that the acting trade brings out in all who heed the call a certain character trait that makes any monogamy highly unlikely.
"As a phenomenon in the history of the show business and among all children, Shirley Temple (1928 - 2014) stands as absolutely unique. For four successive years she has led all other stars in the film industry as the number one box office attraction of the world. But Shirley's influence has been wider than this - there is no country in the world, both civilized and uncivilized where at some time or another her pictures have not been shown." "In a few weeks Shirley's fan mail reached avalanche proportions, with with the result in her next film, Bright Eyes , Shirley was starred. The old contract was torn up and the Temples were given a new one."
"Royalty and rulers of the world are movie fans. The cinema tastes of the great are disclosed for the first time in this article."
Listed in the attached 1937 Hollywood fan magazine article are the names of the favorite movies of Gandhi, Stalin, Mussolini, Franco, Hirohito, Roosevelt and many more.
Click here to read about happy Hollywood's discovery of plastic surgery... A bitter article written by a Hollywood veteran concerning what was at the time recognized as a growing cottage industry: recreational law suits that lay claim to falsified violations of movie plagiarism. Robert Lord (b. 1902, Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 1932) penned this two page article and outlined it all quite clearly as to how the plagiarism game was played in 1930s Hollywood. After six years of war British actor David Niven (1910 – 1983) came back to resume his rightful place among the anointed swells of Hollywood. This single page article is interesting and not only touches upon his war years but also his earliest days in North America toiling-away on a series of menial jobs.
"He isn't talkative about what happened to him during that dark period [during the war]. He says his outlook has changed some. Even the gayest and most lighthearted can't participate in a ghastly war without some mark being left. The fight with the Nazis made David Niven conscious of other things than the drama pages."
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