– George Fisher’s Hollywood – Dec. 18, 1952 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Some things just don’t change. The common audience gripe has always been; “why do all the good movies come out at the end of the year?” – even in 1952, when Hollywood Gossip columnist and radio reporter George Fisher announced the Premiere of the latest John Huston film Moulin Rouge, it was foremost on his mind. Forget the pickets threatening to stop the film because of purported Communist allegations against Huston and star Josè Ferrer, the real annoyance was the glut of quality films, all coming out in December, ahead of the Academy Nominations. You’d think, that 63 years later it would be different, but no. We still get a glut of quality films at the end of the year.
But in 1952 the films were different,as were the stars in those films. And this broadcast from December 18, 1952 pointed that out. The gossip of the day, the names which are most likely completely unfamiliar to most people in 2015, were big items then.
Howard Hughes, back as head of RKO. Olivia De Havilland, legendary now – something of a pariah in 1952 when she was set to put her footprints in cement at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Hollywood feuds. News of a time capsule of Hollywood mementos being readied for burying at the Sands Hotel and to be opened in 2052 (spoiler alert: the time capsule only lasted a little less than 25 years before being dug up and transported to a landfill . . .oh well).
And a bio of up-and-coming film star Bonar Colleano, who was and American actor who first gained recognition in the UK before coming back to the U.S. and landing a part in his first Hollywood feature Eight Iron Men.
All that, and a lot of other Hollywood gossip and news presented by George Fisher. Times change, names change – gossip never changes.
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