Can I Have Your Autograph?

Written by Stephen Schochet


Continued from page 1

When stardom is new, autograph signing can be a thrill. One night in Parisrepparttar 60 year old Cary Grant and 25 year old Sophia Loren wished to go out to dinner. "Butrepparttar 118235 people will come up to us. I can't stand it!" saidrepparttar 118236 jaded Briton. "I love it," said Sophia. When they left their hotel Grant complete with his hat pulled down,dark glasses, his scarf wrapped around his face, and his huge overcoat looked likerepparttar 118237 Invisible Man. Sophia looked like Sophia. As they walkedrepparttar 118238 streets of Paris people began to come up to her for autographs which she joyfully signed. After a few fan encounters Grant began to get jealous. Down camerepparttar 118239 hat, off camerepparttar 118240 glasses,repparttar 118241 coat andrepparttar 118242 scarf and soon he was standing under neon lights to get noticed.

Another English actor named Grant was thrilled by his breakout stardom due torepparttar 118243 movie Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994). Hugh Grant would drive around New York looking for theaters whererepparttar 118244 film was playing then get out and wait in line, happy forrepparttar 118245 attention and to sign autographs. Later when he was arrested in Los Angeles for hiring prostitute Divine Brown, he turned down requests to put his signature on tabloids containing his mug shot.

Some actors just sign despite their annoyance. One time Arnold Schwarzenegger was being interviewed at a press junket when a reporter asked him for an autograph for his mother, a big no-no. The star grimaced and said,"Of course. I wouldn't want to disappoint your mother." He paused then added," I'm sure you have disappointed her enough already."

Autographs can cause internal conflicts for stars who take themselves too seriously. Duringrepparttar 118246 making of Klute (1971) Donald Sutherland received a written request from a fan who wished for an autograph for his daughter. Sutherland showedrepparttar 118247 letter to his humorless girlfriend Jane Fonda who expressed a strong opinion that he should not sign it, autographs imply that movie actors are somehow superior to others. Sutherland bowed to her philosophy and wrote a letter stating his reasons for refusingrepparttar 118248 request. The man wrote him back,"Dear Mr. Sutherland, thank you for your letter. We think you are full of it but we ripped offrepparttar 118249 signature and gave it to our daughter."



Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks "Fascinating Walt Disney" and "Tales Of Hollywood". The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says," these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining." Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at www.hollywoodstories.com.




The Warner Brothers Make Noise

Written by Stephen Schochet


Continued from page 1

Sam purchased an experimental sound system called Vita-phone. They then acquiredrepparttar rights to The Jazz Singer, a popular play about a young man who had a beautiful voice and is offered a Broadway career againstrepparttar 118234 wishes of his Old World Jewish father. Inrepparttar 118235 playrepparttar 118236 son gave in to his father butrepparttar 118237 Warner's, wishing to reach a wider audience, Americanizedrepparttar 118238 story by havingrepparttar 118239 son follow his own dreams. Star Al Jolson adlibbedrepparttar 118240 dialogue," Wait a minute, wait a minute you ain't heard nothing, yet!" The Warner's were only intending singing but atrepparttar 118241 last minute they impulsively keptrepparttar 118242 line inrepparttar 118243 film. The Jazz Singer received a standing ovation when it premiered in New York in 1927 and went on to make three and half million dollars at a time when admission costs 20 cents. The sound revolution was under way!

Movie audiences had often been loud and noisy while watching silent films. Nowrepparttar 118244 theater's got quiet as people strained to hear every word. Movie Theater's had to be rewired for sound, costing major studios like Paramount and Fox millions of dollars. Movies now had to film mostly at night as any passing truck noise could ruin a sound recording. " How boring!" said Mary Pickford. "At first we moved! Now everyone is standing around talking!" One enterprising actor was hired for one day's work. Whenrepparttar 118245 director wasn't looking he let a bunch of crickets loose onrepparttar 118246 set. It was five days beforerepparttar 118247 crew could round uprepparttar 118248 chirping crickets, andrepparttar 118249 actor kept on hold received five timesrepparttar 118250 paycheck.



Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks "Fascinating Walt Disney" and "Tales Of Hollywood". The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says," these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining." Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gifts at www.hollywoodstories.com.


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