Leonard Maltin

It took Maltin and Bann 20 years to put together this marvelous tribute to “Our Gang”. The time spent researching, collecting, organizing, and writing was well worth it for any fan of these wonderful short films of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. We get a full chronology and celebration of these comedies, along with an account of the lives and times of the actors and staff of Hal Roach studios.
From the introduction:
“Specifically, what this book offers is a complete, illustrated Our Gang show more filmography, with selected production credits, comprehensive cast listings and character roles, plot synopsis, gag highlights, critical evaluations, related esorterica, interviews, pertinent and impertinent anecdotes, tidbits, transitional material, and now and then some published contemporary reviews.”
They give us all that--And, How!
The book opens and closes with a series of fantastic photographs. In between, along with the abundance of information, you’ll find film stills corresponding to the episode being discussed. There are only a few of the 292 pages without a photo and caption.
The authors provide us with a nice write-up of every film from the silents of 1922-29, (88 films) through the talkies of 1929-44 (133 films). The synopsis of each film is very detailed and accurate, though I disagreed with some of the critiques. I’m usually turned off by “professional” film critiques, so they didn’t add anything to my otherwise utter enjoyment here, but if you like such reviews, they will only enhance your reading pleasure.
There’s a nice section of biographies of some of the main actors. They run from one-half to two pages each, and are fairly detailed.
Other interesting additions include a short history of Hal Roach studios, the genesis of the idea for the films, and a treasurer’s report of what the films cost and earned. Small sections on merchandising, the television revival, and the Our Gang Cafe are bonuses. There’s also a chapter on where to find the films, although this information is dated, so not so reliable. For those interested in seeing a lot of these gems once more, you can find some nice, affordable collections on Amazon. You can also watch quite a few for free on Tubi.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Our Gang, and would like to learn the history and behind-the-scenes stories. It’s a keeper for just the photos alone.
This is a review of the updated 1992 edition. show less

The entries are written by several different contributors, which becomes very apparent after a while. For instance, one seems determined to look on the bright side of every movie; another delivers some hilarious snark.
Looking for a book you can actually sit down and read? Well, probably not your first choice, but you can learn some interesting things. For instance, here's a few things about movie titles that I discovered while reading this book.
- If a movie title starts with Attack of..., show more it's probably a cheesy sci-fi flick.
- If the title begins with The Big..., it's likely a film noir or noir-influenced.
- If its first words are Eye... or Eyes, then expect a "Death Wish" ripoff revenge movie.
- Far more movies start out well then fall apart towards the end than the reverse.
- The greater number of alternate titles a movie has, the worse it is.
Recommended. show less

Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom by Leonard Maltin is a 2018 publication.

If you are a film buff with a healthy appreciation for old movies and old Hollywood, you simply must treat yourself to this book!!

Having based a successful career around the movie industry, all his knowledge about the business, the information he gleened from interviews, and the critical eye he was required to apply to his movie reviews, could have left Maltin feeling a little jaded. show more After all, it is a job, just like any other, but this book makes it obvious the author is still enthalled with his subject. Despite the professional approach, the movie fan in Maltin still shines through.

Maltin has been interviewing actors and actresses since he was in high school, and he certainly has a knack for it. He’s been doing interviews and reviewing movies for over fifty years. So, naturally, during that time, he’s learned quite a few interesting tidbits and trivia about Hollywood, some of which he has compiled here in this book, along with some of his early interviews.

I found the interview with Burgess Meredith quite interesting. I only knew him in a few roles- mainly ‘Batman’, a role he was quick to say he enjoyed playing. However, I was surprised by the depth of his career. I was also impressed by the amount of time he sat with Maltin and the interesting answers he gave.

And... I love Joan Blondell-

Many may know her from the movie "Grease" but, her career spanned over fify years.

She once did 32 pictures in 27 months!! She gave an interesting, blunt, and insightful interview, as well.

The ‘Conversations’ section differs slightly from in the interview segment, the main difference being that Maltin’s subjects were given more latitude, and the answers were much lengthier with many more interesting details, opinions and impressions.

Other interesting conversations for me were from people whose names I did not recognize.

I was not familiar with Madge Evans or Peggy Webber ,but found their careers and interviews very intriguing. As it turns out Peggy’s career was quite long, as she ‘looped’ and ‘dubbed’ for many films.

But, perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the section about RKO Studios. RKO stopped making movies in the 1950’s, and as Maltin says- the corporate name lived on, but it was in many respects the ‘forgotten’ studio. But, RKO studio had some real blockbusters back in its prime- like ‘King Kong” for example.

But, here, Maltin takes a closer look at some lesser known gems- some of which even the most avid film buff may not be aware of, or if they are, wouldn’t know half of the information Maltin as provided for us here. The pre-code gems were a fantastic addition to the list. I’ve seen some pre-code media and it’s amazing what was allowed on film- especially for those of us who have always lived under the strict ratings system we have today.

To tell the truth, I’ve long ago given up on the movie industry, but the rest of my family are avid movie fans. For me, the older movies are the only ones I will spare time for. Old Hollywood has always been fascinating to me, and I tend to gravitate towards books, fiction or non-fiction, that explore that era of time. This book, then, was very fun for me, and I discovered many movies I had not heard of, learned many interesting facts about actors and actresses I was aware of, and of course a few I was unfamiliar with.

The book is well organized and packed with a wealth of little -known facts and frank conversations, which may also make it appealing to those who enjoy history, pop culture, nostalgia, or to those who thrive on trivia.

This book can be read straight through, but I enjoyed picking up between reads and savoring it a little at a time. This is a book I will keep as a reference from time to time, or to simply reminisce.

I love books like this one. It appeals to my love of history, old Hollywood, and my ever -increasing fascination with anything off the beaten path or obscure, lost or forgotten. Maltin’s first -hand experience adds that special added touch of magic, and even feels a little poignant, as well.

4.5 stars show less

After reading this long (at 400 pages) book by Mr. Maltin, the one word I would use for it is comprehensive. Mr. Maltin does nothing halfway, and this book is proof of that. He begins by giving interesting information regarding the songs in several films -- Casablanca and Blues in the Night are two of them; and he does so nicely, with knowledge about them we might never have known otherwise.

As a huge classic film lover, I have seen all of the films (except for the 'lost' ones naturally), so show more I am quite aware of the plots, but for those who have not, he also details these (without giving away endings, so never fear) in order that others might wish to see and enjoy them. While I will admit there are stinkers among them (as Mr. Maltin himself professes), some of these are worth viewing for the actors alone. I will say, though, that even with my love of musicals, there are those that I will never view again, and therefore don't really care about their history.

Then we get to the meat of the matter -- the interviews. While many of them are droll, there are just as many where the participants' responses just didn't matter to me; they seemed dry. However, I will say that I absolutely loved Ralph Bellamy's interview. He had a good memory for his films, and if anyone has ever seen any of them -- or if not, I will say to do so, especially his earlier ones -- Mr. Bellamy acted with his eyes. Regardless of whatever line he was speaking at the time, his eyes showed the emotion a true actor should. I have noticed this in all of his films.

What is amazing, really, is the fact that the teenaged Leonard Maltin could actually speak to these people and get them to open up so candidly to him. Each interview is no different than any from a seasoned critic, and it led him to a prolific career in television and radio. The book is also filled with over a hundred photographs from his personal collection, and some of them are quite marvelous to see. This is a book that should be in the library of classic film scholars, and quite worth the read. show less