Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 24, 2023

Films can mean so much to so many. There is always something new to glean from a film and no two viewings of a film are alike. Different viewers possess different life experiences, which may affect their viewing or interpretation of a film. Moreover, even the same viewer can revisit...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 21, 2023

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–in order to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that pro   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 19, 2023

The Annenberg Community Beach House is located in Santa Monica, California, and has a delightful past tied closely to the Golden Age of Hollywood–the Marion Davies Guest House. This building exists on a five-acre oceanfront site, developed during the 1920s by newspaper tycoon William Randolph   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 19, 2023

Introducing the Celluloid Road Trip Blogathon: International Edition! Dreaming of travels, Hometowns to Hollywood is excited to present its eighth official blogathon, entitled “Celluloid Road Trip Blogathon: International Edition.” Back in 2020, Hometowns to Hollywood ran the “Celluloid Road T   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 6, 2023

The Will Rogers State Historic Park is the beautiful former estate of Will Rogers, a beloved actor and humorist. He was born on November 4, 1879, as William Penn Adair Rogers in the Indian Territory, now a portion of Oklahoma. Rogers was a world traveler, social commentator, and notable star...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 1, 2023

Robert Griswold Rockwell was a popular actor on stage, film, radio, and television. He was born on October 15, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Lake Bluff, Illinois. His parents were Harold and Margaret Rockwell. Rockwell also had two sisters: Mary and Georgia. Rockwell expressed an interes   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 1, 2023

One of my favorite ways to ring in the holiday season is certainly by enjoying some Christmas-themed classics from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Unsurprisingly, there are so many holiday films to enjoy that either take place during the holiday season, have pivotal moments during the holidays, or at   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on August 1, 2023

Lena Horne was one of Golden Age Hollywood’s brightest stars who faced many challenges during the days of the studio system and beyond. Fans of classic Hollywood musical films have most likely encountered Horne’s mesmerizing vocal talents and strong screen presence in several films, alwa   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 31, 2023

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–in order to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that pro   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 31, 2023

David O. Selznick was one of the most powerful individuals working during the Golden Age of Hollywood. His company produced numerous hits with some of the era’s most popular stars. Thanks to Selznick, film triumphs such as King Kong (1933), Gone with the Wind (1939), Rebecca (1940), and many m   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 31, 2023

Lucille Ball has been extremely popular with audiences as of late, fairly recently being the focus of yet another biopic and documentary, in addition to a makeup collection (Besame Cosmetics) and clothing line (Unique Vintage) within the past few years. Unsurprisingly, her popularity with audiences   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 23, 2023

Margaret Dumont has long been considered an unofficial Marx Brother in her own right, frequently collaborating with the Marx Brothers in their film comedies. She offers a delightful serious or “straight” foil to Groucho’s wacky personality, typically portraying socialite characters   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 23, 2023

Classic film fans will no doubt often associate William Powell with Myrna Loy–and vice versa–largely due to their on-screen pairings in the Thin Man film series as well as other films. They had a natural, engaging chemistry with one another that was evident on the screen and offered deli   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 22, 2023

Anna May Wong was a lauded film star working during the Golden Age of Hollywood, considered to be the first Chinese-American film star in Hollywood as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain international recognition. Recently so, she has been receiving attention in numerous ways includin   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 22, 2023

Bringing the period of Golden Age Hollywood to life can be challenging, particularly within novelizations. Lindsay Lynch’s Do Tell succeeds in this regard through the creation of the fictitious character Edie O’Dare, character actress and Holywood gossip columnist. Though many character   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 22, 2023

Charlie Chaplin was undoubtedly a master of comedy, inspiring many future comedians and entertaining audiences all over the world. H was experienced in stage performance and also worked through the transition from the Silent Era in films to the incorporation of sound. Chaplin could also offer films   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 18, 2023

Hometowns to Hollywood: Volume II has been released! This second installment in the Hometowns to Hollywood series focuses on a selection of forty actors and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age, exploring their lives, careers, and legacies. Hometowns to Hollywood documents how these individu   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 2, 2023

While the name Fred Astaire is certainly a notable one to fans of classic cinema, typically, the thought of him may also conjure up images of his frequent on-screen dance partner, Ginger Rogers. Of course, long before the Astaire-Rogers partnership, Astaire and his sister, Adele, were the toast of B   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on July 1, 2023

“I began to get recognition in the days when we had stars with names like Marlon Brando, Tab Hunter, Rory Calhoun, Rip Torn and Rock Hudson. I just thought it would be nice to have an Arlene Golonka in there.” –Arlene Golonka Arline Leanore Golonka was born on January 23,...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 29, 2023

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–in order to offer fun and engaging presentations about Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her presentations range from focusing on various subjects related to Golden Age Hollywood, in addition to presentations that pro   read more