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From Beneath the Hollywood Sign

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign

Written by: Steve Cubine & Nan McNamara
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 If the Golden era of Old Hollywood is your thing, our podcast is for you! If you want TYRONE POWER instead of TOM HARDY, JENNIFER JONES instead of JENNIFER LAWRENCE, or ROBERT MITCHUM rather than ROBERT PATTINSON, then FROM BENEATH THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN is the gin joint for you. Each week, writer and producer STEVE CUBINE and actress and writer NAN MCNAMARA explore, discuss, and dissect the magical, mysterious, amusing, and sometimes bizarre tales of Old Hollywood. So sit back and revisit a time when the pictures were still big and everyone was ready for their close-up.© 2023 Eleven Eleven llc Art
Episodes
  • “THE BIG SCREEN ‘I DO’: WEDDINGS IN CLASSIC CINEMA” - 4/27/2026 (137)

    “THE BIG SCREEN ‘I DO’: WEDDINGS IN CLASSIC CINEMA” - 4/27/2026 (137)
    Apr 27 2026
    EPISODE 137 - “THE BIG SCREEN ‘I DO’: WEDDINGS IN CLASSIC CINEMA” - 4/27/2026 Weddings in classic films aren’t just about romance—they’re about timing, tension, and sometimes total chaos. Join us as we step into a world of whirlwind courtships, last-minute doubts, and grand gestures that don’t always go according to plan. From glamorous, music-filled celebrations to sharp, fast-talking battles of love versus ambition, these stories remind us that the walk down the aisle is rarely simple—and often unforgettable. Along the way, we’ll meet couples who fall in love against the odds, relationships that thrive on wit and conflict, and ceremonies that might just spiral into something completely unexpected. Because in classic cinema, a wedding isn’t just an ending—it can be a twist, a turning point, or even a full-on rebellion. So grab your bouquet—real or imaginary—and join us as we explore some of the most iconic, surprising, and delightfully complicated trips to the altar ever put on film. SHOW NOTES: Sources: “Wedding March: Double Wedding,” May 24, 2023, by Samantha Glasser, The Columbus Moving Picture Show; “Woman of the Year: A Woman’s Place,” April 21, 2017, by Stephanie Zacharek, The Criterion Collection “The Invention of Love: The Palm Beach Story,” by Frank Falisi, BrightWallDarkRoom.com; “Here’s to You, Mr. Nichols: The making of The Graduate,” March 2008, by Sam Kashner, Vanity Fair; Wikipedia.com TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: Double Wedding (1937), starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Florence Rice, John Beal, Jessie Ralph, Katherine Alexander, & Donald Meek; Royal Wedding (1951), starring Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill, & Keenan Wynn; The Palm Beach Story (1942), starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee, & Sig Arno; I Was a Male War Bride (1949), starring Cary Grant, Ann Sheridan, Marion Marshall, Randy Stuart, & Kenneth Tobey; The Graduate (19670, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels, Elizabeth Wilson, Maury Hamilton, & Buck Henry; Woman of the Year (1942), starring Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Faye Bainter, Reginald Owen, Minor Watson, & William Bendix; --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    47 mins
  • “TURNER CLASSIC MOVIE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW 2026” - 4/20/2026 (136)

    “TURNER CLASSIC MOVIE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW 2026” - 4/20/2026 (136)
    Apr 20 2026
    “TURNER CLASSIC MOVIE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW 2026” - 4/20/2026 (136) From Beneath the Hollywood Sign is excited to be covering the Turner Classic Movie Film Festival for the third year in a row. The festival is going to be bigger and better than ever, with star appearances by JANE FONDA, CAROL BURNETT, LAURA DERN, ALEXANDER PAYNE, BARBARA HERSHEY, and GLENN CLOSE, who will be receiving her hand and footprints in cement at the TCL (Grauman's) Chinese Theatre. In this episode, we will discuss what to expect at the festival, and we'll be talking about the films we are most looking forward to seeing for the very first time, and the timeless classics that we get to enjoy as they were meant to be seen -- on the glorious big screen! SHOW NOTES: Sources: Wikipedia.com TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: Barefoot in the Park (1967), starting Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Mildred Natwick, & Charles Boyer; Dangerous Liaison (1988), starring Jeremy Irons,Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, & Mildred Natwick; Letty Lynton (1932), starring Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery, & Nils Asther; Next Time We Love (1936), starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, & Ray Milland; The Mouthpiece (1932), starring Warren William, Sidney Fox, & Aline MacMahon; Auntie Mame (1958), starring Rosalind Russell, Peggy Cass, Forrest Tucker, Jan Handzlik, Roger Smith, Coral Brown, Pippa Scott, Fred Clark, & Joanna Barnes; Notorious (1946), starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Raines, Leopoldine Konstantin, & Louis Calhern; Indiscreet (1958), starring Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman; All The President’s Men (1976), starring Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Jane Alexander, Jack Warden, & Meredith Baxter; Man Hunt (1936), starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan Bennett, George Sanders, John Carradine, & Roddy McDowell; The Woman in the Window (1944), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, & Dan Duryea; Scarlet Street (1945), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, & Dan Duryea; Cabin in the Sky (1943), starring Ethel Waters, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Lena Horn, Louie Armstrong, Rex Ingram, John W. Bubbles, Mantan Moreland, Butterfly McQueen, & Ruby Dandridge; The Princess Comes Aboard (1936), starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, Allison Skipworth, Porter Hall, & William Frawley; Ace in the Hole (1951) starring Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Robert Arthur, Richard Benedict, Porter hall, Frank Cady, & Geraldine Hall; Phantom Lady (1944)l starring Ella Raines, Franchot Tone, Alan Curtis, Aurora Miranda, Thomas Gomez, & Elisha Cook, Jr; Stranger on the Third Floor (1940), starring Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet, & Elisha Cook, Jr; --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 mins
  • “BESS FLOWERS & FRANKLYN FARNUM- QUEEN & KING OF THE EXTRAS” (135)

    “BESS FLOWERS & FRANKLYN FARNUM- QUEEN & KING OF THE EXTRAS” (135)
    Apr 13 2026
    “BESS FLOWERS & FRANKLYN FARNUM: QUEEN & KING OF THE EXTRAS” - 4/13/2026 (135) Actors BESS FLOWERS and FRANKLYN FARNUM were absolute legends of the “blink and you’ll miss them” world. They weren’t headliners — in fact, they often were not credited or even noticed, but honestly, that’s what makes them so fascinating—their careers quietly stitched together the fabric of classic cinema. They were Extras. Without them and other extras like them, all those iconic movie moments would feel a lot less alive. Their careers spanned decades and thousands of films. They became, in their own way, silent witnesses to the evolution of Hollywood from the silent era through the golden age and into the modern period. So this week, we’re going to explore the lives and careers of BESS FLOWERS and FRANKLYN FARNUM, examining not only their astonishing productivity but also their unique roles within the Hollywood system. By looking closely at the films in which they can best be seen, we gain a deeper appreciation for their contributions and the overlooked artistry of background performers. SHOW NOTES: Sources: “This Actor Was in the Most Best Picture Winners over 1,100 Films, March 5, 2024, by Lloyd Farley, Collider.com; “Queen of the Extras: The Bess Flowers Story,” January 24, 2018, Neatora.com; “20 Feet From Movie Stardom: The Overlooked Story of Hollywood’s Greatest Extra,” February 20, 2014, by Scott Feinberg, Vanity Fair; “Scales of Presence: Bess Flowers and the Hollywood Extra,” 2011, by Will Straw, Screen magazine; “Franklyn Farnum Actor, Dies,” July 6, 1961, New York Times; Wikipedia.com Playbill.com TCM.com; IBDB.com; IMDBPro.com; Oscars.org; Movies Mentioned: All About Eve (1950) The Awful Truth (1937) Torch Song (1953) The Life of Emile Zola (1936) Going My Way (1944) The Lost Weekend (1945) Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) The Greatest Show On Earth (1952) Around the World in 80 Days (1956) The Apartment (1960) Hollywood (1923) A Woman of Paris (1923) A Stranger From Somewhere (1916) The Clock (1917) The Fighting Grin (1918) The Desert Rat (1919) Vanishing Trails (1920) Billy The Kid (1925) Cleopatra (1934) Hands Across The Border (1926) Laddie (1926) Glenister of the Mounted (1926) The Jazz Singer (1927) The Blue Angel (1930) Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935) Hop-A -ong Cassidy (1935) The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) Gone With the Wind (1939) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Stagecoach (1939) The Lady Eve (1941) Meet John Doe (1941) My Darling Clementine (1946) I Remember Mama (1948) A Letter to Three Wives (1949) The Heiress (1949) White Christmas (1954) Guys and Dolls (1955) The Ten Commandments (1956) Grand Hotel (1932) Dinner at Eight (1933) It Happened One Night (1934) The Thin Man (1934) The Wizard of Oz (1939) Double Indemnity (1944) It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) A Place in the Sun (1951) Singin’ in the Rain (1952) Rear Window (1954) Imitation of Life (1959) The Parent Trap (1961) 4(1998) --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 mins
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