Hollywood Stories: Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and the Legends of the Movies Virtual Book PublicityTour

Join Stephen Schochet, author of the non-fiction book Hollywood Stories: Entertaining Anecdotes about the Stars and the Legends of the Movies, as he virtually tours the blogosphere in November and December, 2011, on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book.

About Stephen Schochet

A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. His latest book, Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies!

Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen,” The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard.”

For more information visit http://www.hollywoodstories.com

Hollywood Stories Book Synopsis

At high noon on a cold November day in 1974, sixty-seven-year-old John Wayne faced off with the staff of the Harvard Lampoon on the famous campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The students had issued their challenge by calling the beloved American icon a fraud. Wayne, who had his new movie McQ to promote, responded by saying he would be happy to show his film in the pseudo-intellectual swamps of Harvard Square. After the screening, without writers, the former USC footballer delivered a classic performance. When one smart young man asked where he got his phony toupee, Wayne insisted the hair was real. It wasn’t his, but it was real. The appreciative underclassmen loved him and after the Q and A session, they all sat down to dinner. Later Wayne, who was suffering greatly from both gout and the after effects of lung cancer (sadly the Duke only had five years to live), said that day at Harvard was the best time he ever had.

Just when you thought you’ve heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book — a special blend of biography, history and lore.

Hollywood Stories is packed with wild, wonderful short tales about famous stars, movies, directors and many others who have been a part of the world’s most fascinating, unpredictable industry!

What makes the book unique is that the reader can go to any page and find a completely engaging and illuminating yarn. Sometimes people won’t realize that they are reading about The Three Stooges or Popeye the Sailor until they come to the end of the story. The Midwest Book Review says Hollywood Stories is, “packed from cover to cover with fascinating tales.” A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen,” The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard.”Full of funny moments and twist endings, Hollywood Stories features an amazing, all-star cast of legendary characters and icons and will keep you totally entertained!

Watch the book video

Hollywood Stories Book Excerpt

The Universal Maniac

In 1999, an Australian gentleman told me about an interesting experience he and his family had at Universal Studios. They were on the backlot tour passing one of the theme park’s main attractions, the Bates Motel used in the 1960 horror classic Psycho, about a murderous young man named Norman Bates who loved his mother a little too much. As the guide gave out information about how director Alfred Hitchcock shot the picture, a tall man, dressed in drag and carrying a large knife, emerged from behind the old set and

charged toward the tram. The narrator seemed to know nothing about the Norman Bates look-alike and clammed up completely. The make-believe killer wore such a convincing maniacal expression that some of the paying customers were frightened and screamed when he raised his weapon. Then the “fiend” pulled off his wig and he turned out to be comic Jim Carrey; the thirty-seven-year-old star was clowning around during a work break. After his laughing “victims” calmed down, Jim was happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs.

The Lazy Super Dad

Marlon Brando wanted to work as little as possible when he played Jor-El, the Kryptonian father, in the 1978 movie Superman. The fifty-three-year-old actor told the film’s producers that he only needed to do a voiceover and some object could stand in his place. After all, he would be part of an alien race; nobody knew what they looked like. Perhaps the extraterrestrial could appear as a green bagel. His bosses were both bemused and alarmed. They pointed out that Marlon’s son would look human and be played by an earthling. A grinning Brando agreed to show up on the set. For his ten minutes of screen time, the star made an estimated nineteen million dollars while not bothering to learn his lines. In his most dramatic scene, Marlon held his baby above his head, speculated on the child’s future, and then placed him on the space ship to escape the doomed planet. Brando hadn’t bothered to learn his lines; his dialogue was penned on the bottom of the super infant’s diaper.

Extra: The first Superman movies were low-budget serials made in 1948 starring Kirk Alyn (1910-1999) in the title role. The cheaply made Saturday Matinee cliffhangers got surprisingly good reviews. Alyn was only given credit for playing Clark Kent; the studio claimed that no actor was qualified to play the Last Son of Krypton so he’d appear as himself. One scene required the Man of

Steel to rescue two would-be victims from a burning building. After the first take the director said, “That was great, Kirk. But could we do it again without you straining so much? I mean, you’re super strong, lifting a couple of humans should be easy.” Alyn, a body builder in real life, was indignant. “What do you expect? These

people are heavy!”

“People? Oh my goodness, baby, I’m sorry, we forgot to get you the

dummies!”

Extra: In 1973, Marlon Brando (1924-2004) starred in the controversial and sex-charged drama Last Tango in Paris. This time around, the actor wrote some of his not memorized lines on the bottom of his shoe, and in a few scenes hopped around awkwardly on one foot in order to read them.

Extra: Thirty-nine-year-old Jack Nicholson looked forward to working with the great Brando when they co-starred in the 1976 western, The Missouri Breaks. But Marlon, who eventually became Jack’s next-door neighbor in the Hollywood Hills, disappointed Nicholson by reading cue cards, thus not making eye contact in their shared scenes. Later Brando hired an assistant to read the dialogue out loud into a radio transmitter from Marlon’s trailer, which the actor

could then hear through an earpiece. Once, Brando was about to speak his lines when the device inadvertently picked up a police broadcast. The confused performer came out of character. “Oh my God! There’s been a robbery at Woolworths.”

Horror on the Cheap

In the 1930s, executives at Universal Studios found horror movies were a perfect antidote to the huge salaries demanded by film stars. Actors, hired to play mostly silent horrible creatures under several cakes of make-up, could be replaced without the public caring. British-born Boris Karloff was forever grateful when he landed the career-making role of Frankenstein’s Monster. The forty-four-year-old part-time truck driver’s legendary performance as the sometimes-sympathetic demon, paved the way for Boris to get more parts and a

better lifestyle. But in later years, Karloff revealed some unhappiness about the Frankenstein pictures. “I was only in three but I get blamed for all nine. Every time a new one comes out I get the fan mail and some other bloke gets the check.

”Each year on Halloween, Boris would sigh and then gently tell the many children who came to the door of his Beverly Hills mansion that he would not go trick-or-treating with them.

Extra: Boris Karloff turned down the chance to reprise his role as

Frankenstein’s Monster for the fourth time in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. He feared the creature would lose his dignity in a comedy. Actor Glenn Strange (1899-1973), who played the demon in House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945), donned the green make-up once again for Abbott and Costello. When Karloff died in 1969, newspapers around the world published obituaries of him accompanied by Strange’s picture.

Extra: Karloff’s influence was felt in Berkshire, England, during the making of Hammer Film’s The Curse of Frankenstein (1957). Fearing that any resemblance to Universal Studios’ version of the monster would cause a lawsuit, make-up artist Philip Leakey (1908-1992) worked hard to make thirty-five-year-old actor Christopher Lee’s version of the reanimated brute gruesome and unique. Lee, a former officer in the Royal Air Force, became so angry at Leakey’s painful experiments on his visage that he threatened to run Philip through with his sword. The fearful face artist disappeared for several days, which delayed the production. Later, a calmer Lee complained about his job to co-star Peter Cushing (1913-1984), who played Baron Frankenstein. “Being the creature is horrid. I have no lines.”

“You’re lucky. I’ve read the script,” replied Cushing. The Curse of Frankenstein was critically panned and highly profitable.

Walt Disney’s Daughters

Walt Disney’s two daughters, Sharon and Diane, grew up sheltered from the limelight. The children had no images of Mickey Mouse around their home. Their father didn’t go to many parties, preferring to stay in after a long day of work. Sometimes he would playfully chase the youngsters upstairs, cackling like the evil peddler woman in Snow White. When they behaved badly, Walt would admonish them with a raised eyebrow; his stern demeanor inspired the character of the wise old owl, in the 1942 animated feature Bambi. As toddlers, the brainy Diane and beautiful Sharon stayed blissfully unaware that their parents worried about them being kidnapped and allowed no pictures of the sisters to be publicly circulated. Once in 1939, a curious classmate questioned six-year-old Diane about her family. She went home and said, “Daddy, you never told me you were that Walt Disney,” and asked him for an autograph.

Read What the Reviewers Have to Say

Reviewed By Tiffany Schlarman of Bookpleasures.com

Reading Hollywood Stories is like taking a tour of Hollywood.  It is a journey of the past and present Hollywood personalities in anticipation for the future.  These short stories, were originally told for Stephen’s radio feature entitled Hollywood Stories.  The immensely popular stories are now formed into this entertaining, amusing book, which is full of extras to accompany their original short anecdotes.  The pages are packed full with stories, tidbits and humorous true tales of the stars.  The book depicts the stars as normal everyday people, going about their life, working or spending time with friends, family and coworkers.  It gives an everyday look at tinsel town and its glamorous crew.  The reader is able to learn as well as be amused by these stories.

Hollywood Stories is a thoroughly entertaining read.  With many humorous parts, you find yourself laughing out loud, feeling connected with the individual being presented.  Each story gives the Hollywood actor, producer, director, or writer in the spotlight, an every day average typical American feel.  Many of the stories remind the reader of pranks, jokes or situations they or a friend have personally done or gone through.  It is a reminder that while stardom may be part of the overall package; these individuals are human.  They were not always famous; they are simply doing their job by using their talents and creativity.  They are the lucky few who are able to work with what they love.  Outside of all this, they are mom, dad, husband, wife, brother, sister, daughter or son.  They enjoy life.  They have made an impact and are well known, yet not known at all.  The book introduces you on a more personal level to these legends of Hollywood, enabling the reader a better warmth and understanding of their favorite actors, directors, writers, and producers.

The book is divided into 13 chapter divisions.  Each division represents part of Hollywood.  This enables the reader to skip around easily.  If you have a favorite section you could read it first.  I flipped back and forth between the pages of this book, not reading it in order.  I went with my mood and it works because the stories are not tied to each other.  There are so many individual stories and tales; you do not feel held down to an order.  It was easy and enjoyable to read, leaving you addicted and wanting more.  Due to how the book came about, it would be a wonderful book to grab on audio CD for travel.  It provides hours of promising entertainment and interesting tidbits of the Hollywood we have come to know and love.  I highly recommend these well written stories which you will want to share with others.  They make great pieces for topical conversation and are sure to bring laughs to any audience

Review From Daniel L. Carter

Let me start off by saying Hollywood Stories is not the typical type of book that I read or review. However given the topic of the book and me being a huge movie buff I gave it a shot. The verdict is that I LOVED IT!!! This book is an entertainment smorgasbord of short stories that you’ll find yourself not wanting to put down. From the golden age of Hollywood to present day there are behind the scenes stories that will make you laugh and some that you’ll read with amazed delight. This book is the perfect gift for that friend or family member that loves Hollywood. I will say this about the book, it’s more geared toward the Golden Age of Hollywood. There are many stories that are modern but the majority of the book is geared toward the beginnings of the entertainment business on through the sixties. Being in the over 30 group (clears throat) I was familiar with many of the actors and actresses mentioned. This book is a keeper and I will probably re-read it often.

I give this book a MUST READ rating for all you entertainment junkies!!!

Hollywood Stories Tour Schedule

November 14

Hollywood Daze – Giveaway and Book Spotlight

November 15

Live to Read – Book Review

Embracing Abundance – Interview

November 16

Book Marketing Buzz – Interview

November 17

Kitty Crochet – Guest Post

November 18

Bluebell Books – Book Spotlight

November 21

Pump Up Your Book – Interview

November 22

The Writer’s Life – Guest Post

November 23

Hot Author Report – Interview

December 6

Reviews From the Heart – Book Review

December 7

Blog-A-Press – Book Spotlight

December 12

Hollywood Gossip – Book Review

Beyond the Books – Interview

December 13

Splashes of Joy – Book Review

December 14

Mad Moose Mama – Book Review

Cindy’s Love of Books – Guest Post

December 15

Paperback Writer – Guest Post

Acting Balanced – Guest Post

I’d Rather Be at The Beach – Book Review

December 16

Literarily Speaking – Book Review

As the Pages Turn – Interview

Hollywood Daze – Giveaway Winner

Hollywood Stories will be on virtual book tour November 14 -23 and December 5 -16, 2011.

Contact Rebecca at Rebecca.camarena@yahoo.com if you would like to host this author at your blog.

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