Synopsis
The series consisted of thirteen one hour episodes, with each episode dealing with a specific aspect of Hollywood history. The actor James Mason, an enthusiast of the period, supplied the narration; a lilting score was contributed by Carl Davis.
Technical quality was an important aspect of the production. Silent films had often been screened on television from poor-quality copies running at the wrong speed, usually accompanied by honky tonk piano music. Hollywood used silent film clips that were sourced from the best available material, shown at their original running speed and with orchestral scores, giving viewers a chance to see what they originally looked and sounded like.
The producers recorded the recollections of many of the period's notable artists, and illustrated their interviews with scenes from their various films, as well as production still photographs, and historical photographs of the Los Angeles environs. Subjects such as Rudolph Valentino, and Clara Bow were represented by film scenes, but where possible the series made use of contemporary interviews by survivors of the era. Some of these interviews are notable for being among the only filmed interviews given by their subjects.
Among the notable people who contributed interviews were:
Actors - Mary Astor, Eleanor Boardman, Louise Brooks, Olive Carey, Iron Eyes Cody, Jackie Coogan, Dolores Costello, Viola Dana, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Janet Gaynor, Leatrice Joy, Lillian Gish, Bessie Love, Ben Lyon, Tim McCoy, Colleen Moore, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Gloria Swanson, Blanche Sweet, John Wayne (in one of his last interviews), and Lois Wilson.
Directors - Dorothy Arzner (in her last interview), Clarence Brown, Frank Capra, George Cukor, Allan Dwan, Byron Haskin, Henry Hathaway, Henry King, Lewis Milestone, Hal Roach, Albert S. Rogell, King Vidor and William Wyler.
Also interviewed were choreographer Agnes de Mille, writer Anita Loos, writer Adela Rogers St. Johns, press agent/writer Cedric Belfrage, organist Gaylord Carter, cinematographers George J. Folsey, Lee Garmes and Paul Ivano, writer Jesse L. Lasky, Jr., special effects artist A. Arnold Gillespie, Lord Mountbatten, agent Paul Kohner, producer/writer Samuel Marx, editors William Hornbeck and Grant Whytock, stuntmen Yakima Canutt and Harvey Parry, Rudolph Valentino's brother, Albert Valentino and English set designer Laurence Irving.
Read more about this topic: Hollywood (documentary)