20 WORST D**rty Truths About Hollywood, here goes my vote...

oh do you feel the breeze from the subway isn't it delicious Hollywood both in its early days and even now is a place mired in Scandal and disrepute it's as if from the very beginning the glit and glamour served as a thin surface layer concealing the filth and vice lurking just beneath the facade th my heart Str when smile I could feel a number 20 the black Shirley Temple the darling of Hollywood's Golden Era painted a disturbing picture of what life was like for child actors during her time in her autobiography child star Temple revealed a chilling punishment known as the Black Box between 1934 and 1938 Shirley Temple was one of the most prominent child actors in Hollywood her trademark ringlet curls and Charming demeanor catapulted her into the Limelight however Temple's journey into stardom had a dark side she once described her early performances as a cynical exploitation of our childhood innocence yet acknowledged that her success might not have been possible without it but what exactly was the Black Box historian John cassan shed light on the harsh conditions that child actors faced on the set of baby burles he wrote to threaten and punish uncooperative child actors the director Charles Lamont kept a soundproof Black Box 6 feet on each side containing a block of ice an offending child was locked within this dark cramped interior and either stood uncomfortably in the cold humid air or had to sit on the ice those who told their parents about this torture were threatened with further punishment so Shirley Temple with her innocent appearance and big expressive eyes was subjected to horrific treatment during the early days of Hollywood being a child SAR is challenging and traumatic enough which might explain why Temple chose to retire from film acting at the young age of 22 number 19 fake snow before the era of artificial snow sprays Hollywood filmmakers had to get creative when it came to creating those picturesque snowy scenes they turned to an unexpected Source ASB bestus a heat resistant fibrous mineral in the early days of Cinema as best as snow added A Touch of Magic to films particularly enchanting younger audiences this Innovation allowed filmmakers to create the illusion of snow on screen captivating movie goers how however what filmmakers didn't realize at the time was the hidden danger associated with as bestas in the early 1920s cotton batting was the material of choice for creating artificial snow on set but in 1928 a firefighter raised concerns about the fire hazards posed by cotton batting he suggested that chrysotile commonly known as white as bestus could be a safer alternative Hollywood eagerly adopted this idea and his bestus began to be used as fake snow in classic films however what seemed like a blessing turned out to be a curse little did filmmakers know that the crystile snow they sprinkled on sets was Lethal numerous medical studies later confirmed that when inhaled or ingested asbes could cause at least nine serious diseases some of which could ultimately lead to death number 18 a diet to Die For in the glitzy world of Hollywood appearances were everything and Studios spared no effort to ensure their actors maintained a spelt figure perhaps the most notorious case was that of Judy Garland Who as a teenager was put on an MGM mandated diet that could only be described as a diet to die for her daily sustenance consist of little more than soup coffee and cigarettes to compensate for this starvation regimen she was supplied with a steady stream of medication to keep her energy levels up then there's the story of tenor turned actor Mario lonza who signed with MGM in the late 1940s lonza enjoyed a string of successful musicals that spawned million selling hits however he struggled with overeating and drinking resulting in weight issues throughout his Hollywood career Lanza resorted to crash diets whenever it was time to film shedding pounds rapidly only to pile them back on once shooting was complete this unhealthy cycle led to numerous health problems and forced him to cancel multiple concerts and live appearances by the late 1950s Lanza had relocated to Rome to shoot films and perform concerts throughout Europe but the familiar pattern of needing to lose weight emerged once again to achieve he checked into a clinic and reportedly underwent a dangerous procedure known as Twilight sleep under heavy sedation he was fed intravenously sadly L's body couldn't endure this punishing routine any longer he suffered a sudden heart attack in 1959 leading to an OBS substantiated rumor that the mafia might have been involved due to a concert deal gone arai number 17 the fixers in the shadowy corridors of Hollywood there existed an enigmatic Duo known as the fixers two men who made the scandals of Hollywood stars disappear as the head of publicity for MGM Howard strickling played a key role in managing these potentially scandalous Affairs for the studio Stars alongside him was Eddie manx the general manager of MGM and together they maintained the meticulously crafted images of the studi movie stars from the 1930s through the 1960s their mission keep damaging stories out of the press or make those stories vanish Without a Trace manx and strickling might have seemed like an unlikely pair manx a man who had ties with mobsters and construction experience at an amusement park was discovered by film executive Brothers Nick and Joseph shank strickling on the other hand was a former journalist with a Dapper appearance who made the transition to MGM publicity in 1919 despite their differences they were a formidable team and were responsible for quashing almost every imaginable tabloid story as revealed in EJ Fleming's book The fixers when Hollywood actresses like Jee harlo Judy Garland Lana Turner and countless others found themselves facing unplanned pregnancies manx and strickling swung into action arranging Hasty abortions for them these were carried out under false names and even false ailments for example Janette McDonald had an ear infection as cover they were well aware of actor Spencer Tracy's struggles with alcoholism and strickling even assigned an entire Tracy Squad complete with a driver a doctor and four attendants who were in reality security guards but when stars deemed difficult resisted the assistance of strickling and manx the fixers didn't hesitate to throw them under the bus when closeted actor Nels Esther refused to maintain his sham marriage to Vaudeville actress Vivian Duncan any longer strickling approved a 1933 article in screenland magazine that questioned why Aster did not live with his wife and child heavily implying the problem was not extramarital Dianes with women Asher was swiftly fired in the aftermath number 16 toxic makeup we all cherish the Classic Hollywood movie The Wizard of odds where we follow Dorothy played by Judy Garland on a Whimsical Adventure in the Land of Oz along her journey she meets the Scarecrow Ray buer the Tin Man originally Buddy Epson later Jack Haley and the Cowardly Lion Bert lar however what many might not know is that the making of This beloved film was in fact a horror story with makeup that made the actor sick creating a magical world in the 1930s presented significant challenges and one of the most problematic aspects of making The Wizard of Oz was the disastrous costumes in makeup Buddy Epson was originally cast as the Tin Man in the movie but just nine days into filming he was hospitalized after being poisoned by the copious amounts of aluminum dust he was covered in every day after epson's hospitalization he was replaced by Jack Haley who endured his own makeup rated woses the makeup team used a mixture of aluminum powder and paste which they painted on the actor Haley quickly developed an eye infection that required medical treatment Margaret Hamilton who played the Wicked Witch of the West had her share of struggles as well she suffered severe burns during filming and the makeup team had to swiftly remove her copper makeup to prevent it from seeping into her wounds number 15 cursed films The Misfits is a legendary film not just for its story but also because of the tragedies that befell its three major cast members during and after production Clark Gable the iconic actor tragically died of a heart attack only days after the film rap Marilyn Monroe's marriage to Arthur Miller who wrote the role as a serious vehicle for her fell apart and she met a sad end one year later due to an overdose meanwhile Kosar montg Cliff though not in immedia casual reportedly refused to watch the film again just hours before his death from a heart attack years later and there's another cursed film Rebel Without a Cause this cinematic classic Legend by James Dean Sal Mino and Natalie Wood delved into the world of teenage outcasts grappling with generational conflict each of these three lead actors met untimely ends James Dean's life was cut short in a tragic head- on car collision occurring just a month before the film's release in the 1970s Sal Mino met a gruesome end when he was stamped to death by a Mugger outside his apartment the most mysterious demise was that of Natalie Wood who reportedly drowned during a boat trip with her husband Robert wag and their friend Christopher Walkin her lifeless body was found a mile from the boat but the autopsy also revealed bruises on her Wagner admitted they had an argument that night but maintained his innocence in her death number 14 an obsession turned dangerous stalkers and deranged fans have always been a grave concern for celebrities in the world of entertainment we've seen tragic cases like John Lennon Selena and Dimebag Daryl who were killed by individuals obsessed with them but it's not just a modern problem even during the Golden Age of Hollywood stars had to Grapple with dangerous obsessions one such incident took place in 1939 and involved none other than the iconic Shirley Temple who had a close call with a stalker at the tender age of 10 Shirley was performing Silent Night on a live radio show when a woman attempted to assassinate her thankfully quick action from others at the scene subdued the would be assassin in the nick of time the motivations behind this shocking act were as tragic as they were twisted the woman's Obsession stems from the belief that her daughter had passed away on the very day supposedly the same hour that Shirley Temple was born she became fixated on the idea that her daughter's Soul was trapped in the child star's body and the only way to set it free was by killing Shirley surprisingly Shirley Temple expressed sympathy for her wouldbe killer stating in her autobiography that the story seemed understandable to her number 13 when you're sick you're out mental illness is a complex issue that remains poorly understood even today in the 1940s Hollywood stars struggling with mental health problems often became fodder for tabloids Francis Farmer is a prime example a talented stage actress farmer made her Hollywood debut in 1936 and enjoyed a string of successful films throughout the following decade however as the 1940s progressed the media increasingly focused on reports of her erratic Behavior rather than her career in January 1943 farmer was sentenced to 6th in jail after a courtroom Outburst in which she assaulted two police officers and threw an inkw well at the judge following her jail term farma was transferred to a sanitarium where she received a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia she had multiple stays in psychiatric hospitals and after years of struggle she made a modest comeback on television before her passing in 1970 but that's not the end of the story in 1978 William Arnold published an account of Francis Farmer's Life in a book titled Shadowland in which he he claimed that she had undergone a labotomy during her institutionalization the book was later adapted into an award-winning movie Francis which added substantial weight to the labotomy legend that still lingers today what's less known is that Arnold later sued the production company and admitted in court that his account including the lobotomy story was fictionalized number 12 a youthful indiscretion Joan Crawford's life in old Hollywood was marked by both success on screen and a fair share of offscreen drama her notorious rivalry with fellow screen icon Betty Davis her role as chairman of the board for Pepsi Cola Company allegations of abuse from her daughter Christina and even rumors of a pre-fame porno made her a Hollywood Legend the alleged early pornography involving Crawford was in the form of stag films the most commonly cited title attributed to Crawford is the casting couch however there are no known copies or official records confirming its existence while a small number of photographs claiming to depict Crawford and stag films exist online the reality of the casting couch remains shrouded in mystery Legend has it that such a film not only existed but was also used to Blackmail Crawford in response she Enlisted the help of MGM and the studio dispatched its fixers to track down and Destroy every copy of the film another version of the story suggests that MGM may have kept one copy to exert leverage over Crawford one of the most compelling pieces of evidence comes from Crawford's first husband dublas Fairbank Jr he reportedly claimed that Joan had told him about the movie before they got married however Fairbanks had never actually seen the film and Joan remained tight lipped about the details number 11 A Mother's Secret in old Hollywood the birth of children out of wedlock was a significant taboo movie studios often pressured their starless to have abortions to avoid Scandal Loretta Young a prominent actress of the time found herself in this situation when she became pregnant and gave birth to Judy Lewis in 1935 to conceal the pregnancy young took a vacation to England where she delivered Judy subsequently young transferred her daughter to an orphanage and later adopted her herself a secret she maintained for years the real bombshell in this story is the identity of Judy's father clerk Gable this fact remained concealed from Judy throughout his lifetime but it was an open secret in Hollywood Judy discovered the truth in her 30s when she confronted her mother mother an even more shocking Revelation came to light in 2015 courtesy of Linda Lewis Loretta Young's daughter-in-law she claimed that in 1998 young confessed to her that Gable had harmed her until then young had been unable to acknowledge it as her Catholic upbringing led her to believe she was at fault for allowing a man to have hers way with her according to Linda she kept this Revelation private until both aretta and Judy had passed away number 10 impossible contracts the glamor ous facade of Hollywood often concealed the harsh reality that many stars faced unlike today where agents and lawyers represent stars in their dealings with production companies the old Hollywood studio system exerted full control over the lives of its Stars this included making them work on reasonable hours imposing personal demands and in some cases even encouraging drug use to enhance productivity all under the shadow of oppressive contracts and severe penalties these strict contracts morality Clauses and minimal child labor laws allowed Studio bosses to drive child stars at an exhausting Pace Judy Garland for instance worked grueling schedules of 6 days a week sometimes enduring 18-hour shifts filled with constant singing and dancing to churn out as many movies as possible to maintain her energy and keep her weight in check the studi has provided her with pet pills amphetamine uppers to keep her perky and alert throughout the day when she couldn't sleep they supplied her with sleeping pills in 1941 at the age of 19 Garland married composer David Rose an action that MGM disapproved of they ordered her back to work within 24 hours of the wedding when she became pregnant her mother Ethel worked with the studio to arrange for an abortion as the innocent image of little Dorothy beloved by the public wasn't ready to be seen as a mother a grown-up MGM also manipulated Garland's Public Image when she gained weight they made her take more speed while press Representatives told magazines that she ate like a truck driver her Persona was not her own and she had little time to discover herself outside the movies this wasn't an isolated case the star system created many leading actors and actresses and then discarded them when their popularity waned or left them financially destitute child star Shirley Temple for example was discovered in 1932 and cast in sexually suggestive baby burlesks as a baby acting out fous bar and dance scenes misbehaving children were locked in windowless sound rooms with nothing but a block of ice to sit on his punishment in her autobiography child star Temple wrote its lesson of life however was profound and Unforgettable time is money wasted time means wasted money means trouble fortunately those days are long gone and while Hollywood stars today face different challenges the oppressive Studio system is no longer one of them number nine gossip columnists Hollywood Studios not only controlled their actors but also manipulated the media in an effort to make headlines they would strategically leak information about their actors and actresses create scandals and invent Affairs all with the aim of promoting upcoming films they often worked in conjunction with gossam columnists who eagerly reported on the juicy gossip fed to them by Studio Executives today social media and the paparazzi industrial complex provide instantaneous and extensively detailed updates on the private lives of celebrities the public has become more cynical about how the Cinematic industry works thanks to the plethora of Backstage exposes in the form of tell all books documentaries and Sensational accounts of Tinseltown decadence Karina Longworth a veteran film critic dedicated an entire season to uncovering the real stories behind tabloid Classics including Hollywood Babylon which fueled many rumors about former big stars that eventually became mythologies while not Saints or icons gossip colonists like Luella Parsons and heta Hopper were eventually paid propagandists for powerful Studio heads who aimed to coup their Investments since movie stars are more easily mythologized in the pre-war years and movies retained an exotic Allure cultivating their Public Image was a necessary part of the Studio's marketing strategy number eight every news is good news in the Golden Age of Hollywood being in the newspaper was a sure fireway to gain free publicity so the studios actively fed gossip columnist with stories whether they were positive or negative one famous example of this strategy was the notorious feud between two legendary actresses Joan Crawford and Betty Davis when Davis first arrived in Hollywood Crawford was already a wellestablished star their Feud ignited when Crawford on the very day a big article about Davis was set to be published announced her divorce this strategic timing cast a shadow over Davis's coverage and had a detrimental impact on her ticket sales the feud between Crawford and Davis escalated and it became a battlefield for gossip columns it was during this time that Davis delivered her famous quot about Crawford stating that she slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie this Feud not only provided Sensational headlines but also elevated both actress's public profiles demonstrating the power of media manipulation during that era number seven who's marrying for love in the old Hollywood era similar to the societal Norms prevalent in western civilization at the time people who identified as lgbtq plus often faced significant challenges es despite some individuals rising to high positions in the entertainment industry they lived in fear of losing their success and livelihood due to their non-heterosexual orientations to conceal their sexual preferences and to meet the expectations of their agents or reputable Studios some actors and actresses resorted to marriages of convenience with partners of the opposite sex these unions were referred to as lavender marriages the term lavender was used to symbolize homosexuality before the the 21st century so these marriages were an attempt to appear heterosexual however many of these marriages ultimately failed and their true purposes to feain heterosexuality became apparent as a result the term lavender wedding came into existence to describe such sham weddings where individuals entered into Partnerships solely to avoid arousing suspicions about their true sexual orientation these unions were more about protecting their careers than about love or Genuine romantic commitment number six the dangers of the action star before the likes of Dwayne Johnson Tom Cruz Steve McQueen or Tyrone Power there was action star Wallace Reed Reed built his career by performing his own stunts and portraying Daredevils in films like the Roaring Road however everything changed in 1919 when a fateful accident occurred on the set of the Valley of the giant this accident caused Reed to suffer excruciating pain ultimately leading him down a dark path of morphine addiction during these times Rehabilitation was considered an unacceptable Scandal so the studio decided to conceal Reed's substance abuse issue they did their best to keep his addiction out of the public eye however the situation continued to worsen and Reed's Health deteriorated in a last ditch effort to help him the studio finally sent him to a sanitarium to address his addiction unfortunately by this point it was a little too late Reed's withdrawal from morphine led to a heart attack which tragically took his life number five Romance is different than Hollywood inred Bergman renowned for her talent and Unforgettable performances in classic films like Casablanca and murder on the Orient Express was considered a legendary actress during her life time however her wholesome cinematic Persona took a hit when a scandalous Revelation rocked Society the Scandal emerged when it was revealed that she had begun an affair with director Roberto rolini while both were still married to other people to complicate matters further Bergman became pregnant with rosalini's child leading to the dissolution of their respective marriages the pair eventually divorced in the 1950s despite the damage the affair did to bergman's reputation surprisingly despite the turmoil in her personal life and the Scandal that ensued ingred bergman's acting career not only endured but continued to thrive later in her career she even won another Academy Award enhancing her Fame as a Hollywood icon number four loyalty was the best policy during Hollywood's Golden Age actors were often under strict long-term contracts with specific film studios which had both benefits and drawbacks these contracts provided Financial Security and a guaranteed flow of work but they also required a high level of loyalty which limited the artistic range of A-list actors in rare instances actors were allowed temporary releases known as loan outs to work with other Studios on specific films however these Arrangements were closely monitored by their primary Studio to ensure that actors maintained a positive image one notable case of such Freedom was Elizabeth Taylor who remained under contract with MGM until 1960 but had the Liberty to take on a variety of projects with other Studios these projects often explored more daring and unconventional themes such as extramarital pregnancies homosexuality and cannibalism revealing a different side of the actress Beyond her work with Metro golden mayor however this level of Freedom was an exception rather than the rule for most Hollywood stars in reality actors were Bound by their contracts and tightly controlled by the Studios deviating from the Studio's wishes could have severe consequences including being blacklisted from the industry for example Olivia deavin best known for her role in Gone With the Wind had been under contract with Warner Brothers since 1935 and became disenchanted with the limited and shallow character she was offered as a result she began refusing the roles the studio assigned to her the repercussions of her actions were severe for years the havin was effectively excluded from the industry Warner Brothers Executives spread the word to other Studios not to hire her due to her perceived difficult attitude all because she wanted a minimal amount of choice in the role she took on behind the glittering facade of Hollywood stars often faced a tense and uncomfortable reality behind the scenes number three you can't refuse roles during the Heyday of the studio system actors had limited control over the roles they played and it was virtually unheard of for them to refuse a part doing so often carried severe consequences making it a risky choice this was a period when actors were Bound by strict long-term contracts with their respective Studios which dictated the roles they would undertake even legendary actresses like Betty Davis found themselves in precarious situations Davis was suspended by Warner Brothers for turning down roles she like many others was trapped in binding agreements leaving her with little say in the roles assigned to her many actors chose to comply with the Studio's wishes out of fear of losing their jobs even if it meant taking on roles that were beneath their talents however Olivia deavin took a different path she was signed by Warner Brothers in 1935 and like many of her peers receive roles that she found unfulfilling to havn refused refused to accept these roles a move that was virtually unheard of in the 1930s and 40s her decision incited the wrath of Studio bosses who immediately suspended her from their set without pay the suspension came during the height of dealin's career when she was still under 30 by choosing to stand up for her principles the havin lost a significant amount of money Fame and influence nevertheless she remained Resolute in her stance and was determined to challenge the unjust system de havind leveraged her legal knowledge provided by her attorney father and took Warner Brothers to court after a protracted legal battle she emerged victorious in 1943 when the labor code section 2855 known as the deavin law was enacted this law introduced the 7-year rule on contracts which helped dismantle the studio system it meant that actors were no longer bound to Studios for an indefinite period and could regain control over their careers while 7 years was still a substantial commitment it marked a significant step towards breaking the strangle hold of the studio system davin's courage and legal Victory were instrumental in challenging the control Studios had over their stars but the life of Hollywood stars remained challenging in many respects number two weight was everything during Hollywood's Golden Era the leading ladies were expected to maintain slim and attractive figures and gaining weight was strictly forbidden by the studios contracts often included Clauses that prohibited actresses from putting on extra pounds and new talents were put under rigorous scrutiny by Studio Executives there were sometimes subjected to examinations alongside dietitians the Studio's expectations regarding weight were not kept secret and were often communicated in a harsh and cruel manner for instance Louis B mayor and executive at MGM famously referred to Judy Garland as a fat little pig with pigtails mayor insisted that Garland follow a diet that primarily consisted of chicken soup black coffee cigarettes and pills to control her weight Swedish actress Greta Garbo who arrived in Hollywood in the 1920s faced similar expectations she was allegedly told by a producer that American audiences don't like fat women in response to the statement Garbo adopted a strict diet of eating only spinach for an extended period in addition to watching their weight female actors of that era were also required to maintain an active lifestyle a notable example of this is Marilyn Monroe who engaged in weightlifting an unconventional practice for actresses at the time Monroe mention mentioned in an interview with pageant in 1952 that she spent at least 10 minutes each morning working out with lightweight dumbbells like many female stars of her day she felt endless pressure to stay thin and would go to Great Lengths to do it no matter the physical toll on her body number one get ready to be spied on during Hollywood's Golden Era when big money was at stake Studio Executives sought to maintain tight control over their Productions to ensure AIC efficiency and productivity they resorted to extensive surveillance including hiring spies to monitor the behavior of the industry's biggest stars these spies often posed as regular staff members such as janitors drivers or catering waiters making it nearly impossible for celebrities to suspect they were being watched Around the Clock in some of the most invasive cases even trusted individuals like Judy Garland's assistant Betty Asher were employed to spy on the star for extended periods Asher would provide weekly reports to MGM detailing whom Garland was spending time with her eating habits and her activities outside the set when Garland eventually discovered Asher's true role she was deeply hurt and devastated recalling that she cried for days upon learning the truth however it wasn't just actors who faced this scrutiny Hollywood was a massive industry and Studio bosses went to Great Lengths to oversee every aspect of their Productions movie directors were assigned to keep a watchful eye on various production employees including line producers production assistants script clerks and sound and picture staff suspicion and distrust permeated nearly every Hollywood production as the studios aim to ensure they received maximum service from every day of shooting on set remember Hollywood's Golden Age wasn't all glamour it had its Dark Side too if you found this journey through Hollywood Secrets as fascinating as we did don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe for more fascinating content if you've got any questions comments or stories to share about old Hollywood drop them down below we'll catch you in the next video thanks for watching

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Length: 30min 42sec (1842 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 05 2024