Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 24, 2025

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–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 profile indi   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 20, 2025

On March 28, 2025, I attended the 2nd-day-of-Issue event for the honorary Betty White stamp held in the   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 18, 2025

Nancy Kwan is a Chinese-American actress whose career benefited from Hollywood’s casting of more Asian roles in the 1960s, closer to the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age. In addition to appearing in comedies and musicals (with a particularly memorable performance in Flower Drum Song   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 18, 2025

Fans of Cole Porter can delight in a wonderful new book about this prolific composer’s musicals. Bernard F. Dick’s The Musicals of Cole Por   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 17, 2025

Ray Milland was a beloved Welsh-American actor and film director from Hollywood’s Golden Age. He is best remembered for his performance in Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend (1945). Because of this convincing portrayal, Milland won Best Actor at Cannes, a Golden Globe Award, and an   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 16, 2025

Desi Arnaz’s story is so often told in conjunction with Lucille Ball’s–after all, they were a Hollywood power couple, television pioneers, and truly groundbreaking in their depictions of married life in I Love Lucy–not to mention being in charge of Desilu, their prod   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 7, 2025

Strangers on a Train (1951) is among Alfred Hitchcock’s many masterpieces, further cementing his legacy as the Master of Suspense. Stephen Rebello’s Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitch   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on June 1, 2025

“I don’t know if I could have done as well as my mother did, had the tables been reversed. But she did love me way too much and it did cause trouble and jealousy with my brothers and sister. I can understand today how they must have felt. It was...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 18, 2025

Judy Garland was easily one of the world’s greatest entertainers, with a following and a legacy that persists to this day. From her early days as Frances Gumm to an iconic performance as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and a complicated life filled with its successes and...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 18, 2025

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–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 profile indi   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 9, 2025

Mervyn LeRoy was a well-known director and producer during the Golden Age of Hollywood, working on many highly memorable productions. He was also crucial in developing the method of production for the period, ultimately working on over sixty films across five decades.   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 9, 2025

There is so much to be said about the beautiful art that was used to market classic films–from posters, advertisements, lobby cards, and more. The genres of crime and mystery films are no exception, also being the inspiration behind many works of art used to captivate the eyes of potential...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 9, 2025

Josephine Baker was an international icon, well-known for being a performer. Her dancing and vivacity made her a sensation in Paris and beyond. However, though many were familiar with her as an entertainer, she stayed in France when World War II broke out and remained loyal to her country by...   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 9, 2025

Films and radio entertained audiences throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood, but radio thrillers and film noir possessed a unique connection during this period. Whether audiences viewed thrillers and noirs on screen or indulged in the “theatre of the mind” that was what is now old-time   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 7, 2025

Introducing the Once Upon a Time Blogathon! Hometowns to Hollywood is excited to present its ninth official blogathon, entitled the “Once Upon a Time Blogathon: Fairy Tales, Legends, & Myths.” This blogathon celebrates the many fairy tales, legends, and myths that in   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 5, 2025

Cinderfella: Hey, isn’t he holding the future wife just a little too close?Fairy Godfather: Oh, ho-ho! Stop worrying. She’s all yours, every bit of her.Cinderfella: Yeah, but I’d like to have the bits he’s holding! &#   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on May 1, 2025

Dr. Annette Bochenek loves to take Hometowns to Hollywood on the road–in person or virtually–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 profile indi   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on April 14, 2025

TCM has another exciting addition to its library in the form of Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Eddie Muller. This updated version of Muller&#8217   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on April 13, 2025

From 2000 to 2007, the television channel TV Land dedicated several statues depicting classic television characters around the country as part of their “TV Land Landmarks” campaign. The locations are linked to their shows in some capacity and feature tributes to either the actors themsel   read more

Hometowns to Hollywood Posted by Annette Bochenek on April 13, 2025

TCM has added another volume to its library with TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema by Alicia Malone. This book focuses on the influence and artistry of international cinem   read more