Forgotten Hollywood

Guest host James Lott Jr talks about the highest paid and most known Hollywood Stars of Asian descent in the 1940s to 1960s and what they had to endure by the studio system. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook The Forgotten Hollywood Boks are on Amazon!

Guest host James Lott Jr tells you the Number 1 Movies of January 1940, 1950, and 1960. These films reached the Top spot of the US Box Office.  Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook and the books are on Amazon.

Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about the highest paid actors in Hollywood in the 1940s, both Black and White.

In this episode I spoke with Jeffrey Paul Thompson (one of three authors of the book "Twentieth Century Fox: A Century of Entertainment". Here it is the first-time look at the remarkable American multinational mass media empire and its century of entertainment the story of Twentieth Century Fox (1915–2015). Or, to borrow the title of a classic 1959 Fox film, The Best of Everything. Forgotten Holly...

It's the end of 2025 and Creator/Producer/Host Doug Hess takes a look back with JLJ Media CEO on the almost 6 year old show. Thank you everyone in making this show a huge hit!

Doug Hess is the host!

In this episode I spoke with author Stephn Rötzsch Thomas about his book "Disney's Animated Classics: A Comprehensive Guide." In Disney's Animated Classics , Stephen Rötzsch Thomas explores the iconic features from the studio's first 100 years, from Snow White  to  Wish . A love letter to storytelling and collaboration, each chapter takes readers behind the scenes of a different movie, uncovering...

Guest Host James Lott Jr picks one of his heros to talk about.  Flip Wilson: The Groundbreaking King of 1970s Television Clerow “Flip” Wilson Jr. Born: December 8, 1933 Died: November 25, 1998 Profession: Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer Claim to Fame: First Black TV superstar and highest-paid performer of his era Flip Wilson wasn’t just a comedian — he was a cultural shift. He opened doors, rede...

In this episode, I spoke with author Thom Shubilla about his latest book "King Kong vs Godzilla -"The Most Colossal Conflict the Screen Has Ever Known". Popular culture in 1962 experienced many notable firsts. That year, The Beatles released their debut single “Love Me Do” in England, The Beach Boys first LP,  Surfin’ Safari , was stocked on record store shelves, The Rolling Stones played their fi...

In this episode, I spoke with author Scott Eyman regarding his book "Joan Crawford A Women's Face'. Film historian and acclaimed  New York Times  bestselling biographer Scott Eyman has written the definitive biography of Hollywood icon Joan Crawford, drawing on never-before-seen documents and photos from the Crawford estate.

Guest Host James Lott JR remembers the ground breaking role of Dominque Devereaux on the 80s hit soap Dynasty and the actress who played her. 

In this episode I spoke with author Jeffrey Paul Thompson about his latest book "Miracle on 34th Street: The Making of a Christmas Classic ". Despite having been made into three TV movies, a radio drama, a stage play, a Broadway musical, a feature-film remake in color, and a book adaptation, the 1947 black-and-white film of  Miracle on 34th Street  still remains the favorite version of this modern...

In this episode I spoke with Mark Malkoff about his book "Love Johnny Carson". A wildly entertaining book by one of the world’s most obsessed and informed fans of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host. Doug Hess is producer and host Forgoten Hollywood is on Facebook. The Books are...

In this episode I spoke with Richard Kirshenbaum about his latest book " The Hollywood Fix".  This masterful and sweeping novel is based on true stories from the studio system era and PR machines which have not only created legends but exposed the dirty business of keeping the stars shiny and clean. 

In this episode, I spoke with author Todd James Pierce about his book "Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of a Classic Film".   Making Mary Poppins  reveals the extraordinary true story behind the creation of one of the most beloved films of all time―and the two little-known songwriters who helped make it possible.

Guest Host James Lott Jr talks about Butterfly McQueen!  Butterfly McQueen was an African American actress and dancer, best remembered for her role as Prissy in the classic 1939 film Gone With the Wind. Her distinctive, high-pitched voice and expressive personality made her unforgettable to audiences — but her legacy extends far beyond that one film. Forgotten Hollywood is on Facebook. The books a...

Guest Host James Lott Jr  talks On Dangerous Ground (1951), directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino: Release year: 1951.  Runtime: 82 minutes.  Genre: Film noir / crime drama.  ✅ Critical & Audience Reception On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a Tomatometer rating of 89% (based on 19 Critics). On Metacritic, its score is listed as “Generally Favorable” with a score of 78.  Th...

In this episode I spoke with author Chris Yogerst about his latest book "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Few lines of movie dialogue have had greater impact than the most famous line from John Ford’s 1962 masterpiece  The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance : “This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” Although critics of the day did not realize its magnitude, with time  T...

In this episode I spoke with author Steve Basford about his book "Breaking Away: The Quintessential Underdog Movie". Breaking Away , released in 1979, is the quintessential underdog movie, earning numerous award nominations and ranking in multiple Top Ten lists. Why is it so popular, to this day? What is  Breaking Away  about, a bike race? The race is the climactic ending of the movie, but a small...

Larry Namer is an American entertainment entrepreneur, television visionary, and media innovator best known as the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Namer began his career as a cable TV engineer before moving into programming and business leadership roles across the industry. In 1990, he and his partner developed the idea for what became E!—a 24-hour network fo...

In this episode I spoke with Barry M. Putt, Jr about his book "Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel's Greasy Spoon". Alice: Life Behind the Counter in Mel’s Greasy Spoon (A Guide to the Feature Film, the TV Series, and More) takes you behind the scenes of one of television’s most beloved sitcoms. It all started with Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award–winning film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Lea...

In this episode, I spoke with Danny Reid about his latest book "Pre-Code Essentials: Must-See Cinema from Hollywood's Untamed Era, 1930-1934".  With unparalleled freedom in the Golden Age of Hollywood, movies produced during the “pre-Code” era between 1930 and 1934 boldly confronted a wide range of provocative subjects, including sexual freedom, the glorification of outlaws, racial taboos, and cla...

In this episode, I spoke with author Thomas Hischak about his book "Bringing Song and Dance to the Screen! Directors of Golden Age Hollywood Musicals". The role directors have played in American cinema cannot be overstated, particularly how they shaped and developed the medium during Hollywood's golden age. Little appreciation has been paid though to the individual directors' accomplishments with...

In this epiosde, I spoke with one of the co-authors, Wheeler Winston Dixon about his book "A Short History of Film, 4th Edition". This updated and expanded edition of A Short History of Film provides an accessible overview of the major movements, directors, studios, and genres from the 1880s to the present. Succinct yet comprehensive, with more than 250 rare stills and illustrations, this edition...

In this episode, I discuss with author Stephen Rebello his book "Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock’s Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train". Take a deep dive into the shadows and light of one of the most subversive, corrosively funny, and beloved suspense thriller masterworks as author Stephen Rebello unravels for the very first time the tense and drama-filled story of the makin...