Pimp to the gay/lesbian stars of Hollywood's Golden Age pens tell all

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 9:12am

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/29/idUS413654950420120129

Yeah, when he claims he wants to tell the stories now because it won't hurt anyone (ie cuz they're dead) all I hear is "I BADLY need money". I dunno, haven't we had books like this before? And in my experience they always turn out to be disappointments that read as half truths and rumours I've already read (not that I'd read such trash).

That Reuters article is kinda clueless--implying that in the current era of TMZ young people would be shocked to hear how gossip like this managed to get covered up back in the day. While it's true that during the Studio System the studios did manage to protect their stars from gossip much more (partly as they usually had deals with the star rags and society was different), when it comes to info about gay and lesbian prostitutes, etc, or even relationships that stuff still usually manages to be mainly hidden.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 9:17am

If a tree falls in the forest ...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 2:37pm

...it just may crush a squirrles nuts.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 4:27pm

This is so wrong even if it is true ( which I doubt it is ).

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 4:38pm

Coffee table book with loads of photos. Otherwise, don't bother.

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 4:44pm

and yet you guys probably gobbled up William Mann's Hepburn bio

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/30/12 at 9:51pm

...I've never even heard of it. Is it worth gobbling up? :P

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 10:56am

Not sure what Yawper's point was (much less just who "you guys" includes), but yes, Mann's bio was a good one and well received, including being named one of the NY Times's 100 Notable Books of the year.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 11:23am

@ Yawper.

Nope. Never read it.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 12:32pm

"It can't be wrong, when it feels so right..."

--Debbie One Hit Wonder Boone

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 1:27pm

Mann's Hepburn book is fantastic. He implies everything that we think we know about her is horse****! She created a character called "Katherine Hepburn" and refined and tweaked her when needed. Tracy and Hepburn were bisexuals who fell in love (much like Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart today) and then remained connected by a true friendship. That said, she really did take care of him up to and including his final hours.

I don't know why anyone is shocked by anything Scotty Bowers says. As Cher once said "The American public thinks they know everything about this town and really, they know nothing".

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 4:54pm

key word being "implies"

Mann uses so many weasel words he makes it plain he's writing nothing more than speculation.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 5:15pm

From the New York Times review of the book:

"'Kate' draws on some new and unusual research sources and is amply annotated. . . . To his credit Mr. Mann did not use material for which he could not find a primary source."

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:07pm

Throughout the book Mann presents information as if it's fact and then out pops the weasel, e.g.:

"Whether their affair was of the heart or the flesh -- or both -- is impossible to know."

"And it may, in fact, be true."

and I'd love to see a count for the use of "probably" in the text.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:09pm

It sounds to me as though your examples prove the exact opposite of your assertion.

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:45pm

No, they are the indicators of his manipulative style.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/31/12 at 6:57pm

Okay.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 2/10/12 at 12:01pm

Gore Vidal backs up Scotty Bowers's stories
In 60 years never caught Bowers in a lie

[EVIE]

Posted: 2/13/12 at 5:44pm

Vivien Leigh? I'd honestly never heard that before, geez where have I been...

[sally1112]

Posted: 2/13/12 at 8:26pm

I hate myself for it, but I kind of want to read it.

[Patronus]

Posted: 2/13/12 at 9:35pm

Anth - Did you REALLY mention Pattinson and Cardboard Kristen Stewart in the same sentence as Hepburn and Tracy?

I weep.