The Whole Story
The Secret History Of Hollywood
The Secret History Of Hollywood is far larger than you may know...
info_outline
Cary: Part 2 - Vol II
The Secret History Of Hollywood
After a devastating personal tragedy, Cary Grant has begun to focus upon his career as an escape, still in search of the elusive hit that will prove his worth to the world. Fortunately, success and superstardom are on the horizon…
info_outline
Cary: Part 2 - Vol I
The Secret History Of Hollywood
After discovering that the mother he thought was dead is actually alive, Cary Grant must reconcile his own guilt, the effects of the revelation upon his own relationships, and the fact that his star in Hollywood seems to be fading.
info_outline
Cary: Part 1
The Secret History Of Hollywood
Once upon a time, from the midst of normality, an extraordinary story began...
info_outline
Shadows: Midnight Is Come
The Secret History Of Hollywood
Following the success of The Body Snatcher, Val Lewton has become one of RKO's most valuable and lauded producers.
info_outline
Shadows: The Resurrection Men
The Secret History Of Hollywood
RKO's latest horror movie, 'The Body Snatcher', based upon a dark legacy of crimes from another time, is proving to be Val Lewton's most challenging project yet.
info_outline
Shadows: The Silent Land
The Secret History Of Hollywood
Val Lewton’s salvation has arrived in the form of Universal Horror star, Boris Karloff, a long-time admirer of Lewton’s new brand of horror cinema.
info_outline
Shadows: The Rebellious Ones
The Secret History Of Hollywood
Val Lewton's chance to prove himself outside the horror genre has arrived.
info_outline
Shadows: The Lost Child
The Secret History Of Hollywood
Val Lewton has finally agreed to create a sequel to his biggest hit, 'Cat People'. But rather than produce a conventional continuation, Lewton has decided to delve into his own past, and to tell his most personal story yet, that of a childhood cut short by an over-zealous guardian.
info_outline
Shadows: Blood On The Water
The Secret History Of Hollywood
It is a time of change at RKO. Val Lewton's horror movie unit is being widely imitated by Hollywood at large, all hoping to attract the kinds of audiences flocking to Lewton's modern brand of horror. But Lewton himself is facing an insurmountable problem: how to create RKO's first "Monster Rally". The answer will come from the most unlikely of places: the Lewton family's private collection of letters... At the same time, RKO boss Charles Koerner is demanding an interim movie, a horror set upon the seas to be called 'The Ghost Ship'. In order to bring it to life, Lewton will have to circumvent...
info_outlineRKO's latest horror movie, 'The Body Snatcher', based upon a dark legacy of crimes from another time, is proving to be Val Lewton's most challenging project yet.
Seemingly determined to have his way, Lewton's boss, Jack Gross has agreed to finally give Lewton and his team an "A-List" budget. But this promise comes with a set of conditions...
It isn't long before Gross's demands are dragging Lewton's possible masterpiece into exploitation territory. With the budget as a bargaining chip, will Lewton be forced to ruin his own reputation in order to get the film made? Or will a solution present itself from the most unlikely of places?
To become a Co-Producer of The Secret History of Hollywood CLICK HERE
CONTENT WARNING BELOW
A significant part of the episode deals with the story of Burke and Hare. This was necessary to the overall story, as the film this episode deals with, 'The Body Snatcher', was based heavily upon their crimes.
It was very important to me to tell their story honestly, as there has been an unfortunate tendency in recent years to paint Burke and Hare as a pair of somewhat goofy miscreants, instead of the abominable creatures they were in reality.
As such, there are certain details that some may find upsetting or disturbing. Burke and Hare murdered many people of all ages. The details of these crimes are more than likely unsuitable for younger ears, and may also cause distress to you, the listener. If you feel that you would like to skip over this section, then it begins at 52:12 and runs through to 1:36:00.
The episode also contains a brief history of the science of anatomy, which is not particularly graphic, but it still might not be something you feel easy listening to. It begins at 29:51, and runs to the end of the Burke and Hare section at 1:36:00