Book Reviewed: Hollywood: Stars and starlets, by Garson Kanin

Playing the field: Stardom and success in Tinseltown

Author Garson Kanin gives a behind-the-scenes look at what working in Hollywood is really like. This book is not about the sex, murder or extortion, but it is about being a good director and screenwriter. It narrates the author’s encounters with studio executives, demanding stars, struggling actors. The focus is about the life and work of Sam Goldwyn, one of the founders of MGM Studios. Sam Goldwyn is an unscrupulous businessman with wit and charm. It highlights the mystique of Hollywood's glamorous and heady years which reminisces about working with some of the greatest names; Harry Cohn, chief of Columbia Pictures, Charlie Chaplin, Billy Wilder, Carole Lombard, Charles Laughton, Sophia Loren, Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, Mae West, and John Barrymore. There is also a brief discussion of stars who did not make it to the top.

This book is an honest illustration of what it is like to work with big names in Hollywood. There are ups and downs, hilarious and comical moments while networking with stars of that era. The writing is absolutely at its best and highly engaging. Recommended to readers interested in the history of Hollywood.