This was Hollywood : forgotten stars & stories / Carla Valderrama.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 224-225) and index.

The road to Hollywood — The first movie star — The cat who conquered Hollywood — Rin Tin Tin: the dog who saved Warner Bros — This was Hollywood... pets! — The death of Rudolph Valentino and the birth of a screen god — The lady in black — United States v. "The spirit of '76" — The White House of Hollywood — This was Hollywood... at home! — The sex symbol that time forgot — Sign of the times — The woman who made the movies — And the first Academy Award goes to — What ever happened to Cora Sue? — The show stoppers — This was Hollywood... nightlife! — "A star is born"... and reborn... and reborn... and reborn — Loretta Young, mother of invention — Gracie Allen for president — Olivia de Havilland vs. Warner Bros — This was Hollywood... health and exercise! — Golden boy: John Garfield and the death of an American dream — The dancer who intimidated Fred Astaire — Becoming Rita Hayworth — This was Hollywood... fashion! — Susan Peters: a rising star with a tragic fall — Marni Nixon: unsung hero — Dancing queen of the silver screen — Paul Newman's unholy grail.

"From screen legends who have faded into obscurity to new revelations about the movies' biggest stars, This Was Hollywood unearths the most fascinating little known tales from the birth of Hollywood through its Golden Age. The shocking fate of the world's first movie star. Clark Gable's secret love child. The cat who conquered Hollywood. The film that nearly ended Paul Newman's career. The never before told #metoo story of a former child star. These tales and many more unfold in this volume that is by turns riveting, comical, maddening, and inspiring. Author Carla Valderrama -- creator of Instagram's @ThisWasHollywood -- draws on new interviews, archival research and an exhaustive library of photographs to present a compelling and stunning catalogue of the lost history of the movies." -- Provided by publisher.