Forgotten Hollywood

Guest Host James Lott Jr, spotlights the first soap opera created for Radio, Painted Dreams and its successor Todays Children. Irna Philips created both and changed the course of dramas forever!

In this episode I spoke with William Bernhart about his latest book "The Superman Wars: A Battle For Truth, Justice, and An American Icon". Almost everyone knows about the man from Krypton who, disguised as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent working with the fearless Lois Lane, fights for the vulnerable and the oppressed. But few know the truth about this indelible character’s creation.

In this episode, I spoke with mobster expert Larry Gragg about the film "Bugsy".

In this episode, I spoke with author Mayukh Sen about his book "Love Queenie: Merlie Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star". A beautiful reclamation of a pioneering South Asian actress captures her glittering, complicated life and lasting impact on Hollywood.

In this episode, I spoke with author Joseph Hulihan about his book "Vietnam on the Big Screen: How the Vietnam War Changed Hollywood". America, it is said, deals with its trauma through the medium of Hollywood, and few experiences have been more traumatic than its involvement in the Vietnam War. As the last US helicopters fled the American Embassy compound during the fall of Saigon, they left behind a country devastated by twenty years of death and destruction.