Tales of the Warner Brothers

Written by Stephen Schochet


Continued from page 1

Another time Jack called in a writer to his office. "Look pally, I got to fire you because I heard you were a communist. " "Mr. Warner, please! I'm not a communist, I'm an anti-communist!" "I don't care what kind of commie you are! You are out of here!"

Well after The Jazz Singer's success, Jack remained sensitive to religious matters. When he hired a stage actor named Jules Garfield, he told him, "Ok, we have to change your name. How about James Garfield?" "Mr. Warner I don't want to change my name. Anyhow James Garfield was a President. Why don't you change my name to Abraham Lincoln?" "Forget it Garfield. Abraham's too Jewish. We're not going to giverepparttar wrong impression." After much arguing they compromised with John Garfield.

Warner's actors gave as well as they got. Humphrey Bogart called him a creep. Errol Flynn actually threatened to kill him. James Cagney, after driving downrepparttar 126928 road and seeing Pat O'Brian's name billed above his on a movie marquee sued him for breach of contract and won. Betty Davis, constantly complaining aboutrepparttar 126929 films she was cast in, fled to England to perform onrepparttar 126930 stage only to have Warner track her down and legally compel her to return. But perhapsrepparttar 126931 toughest of all his battles was with actor George Raft. Raft, who hung out with gangsters like Bugsy Siegel in real life, was loath to be cast as a thug onrepparttar 126932 screen. He turned virtually every role he was offered. Finally, Jack decided to buy George out of his contract. "Will $10,000 do it?" He asked George wearily. To Jack's astonishment, George pulled out his own checkbook, promptly paid his boss $10,000 and stormed out ofrepparttar 126933 office!



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.


Sammy Davis Junior Found Religion

Written by Stephen Schochet


Continued from page 1
But there was one occasion when Sammy came to doubt his conversion. He and Frank Sinatra were asked to perform atrepparttar MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas withrepparttar 126927 MGM Lion in between them. They were assured it would be safe,repparttar 126928 lion would be handled by a trainer with a choke chain. Inrepparttar 126929 middle ofrepparttar 126930 numberrepparttar 126931 lion looked at Sammy and licked it's lips. The lion hunched back like it was going to leap for Sammy, and Sammy scared to death maderepparttar 126932 Sign ofrepparttar 126933 Cross. Luckily nothing happened. Later afterrepparttar 126934 show they were having drinks inrepparttar 126935 lobby and Sinatra said nervously," Boy Smokey, I thought that cat was going to come after you there-- Hey Smokey didn't you turn Jewish? Why did you makerepparttar 126936 Sign ofrepparttar 126937 Cross whenrepparttar 126938 cat came at ya?"

"Well babe, I didn't think I'd have time to makerepparttar 126939 star of David!"



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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