From their beginnings in 1911, fan magazines were designed to construct “an audience of spectators and, by extension, consumers” (Sally
Blog
Exploring lives that were at once ordinary and unique, fabulous and tedious, fulfilling and tortured, abundant and deprived.
On and Off
“Here we have Joan [Crawford], four handsome men. We could have given you as many as ten. They’re all ‘related,’
Some Lies We Want to Hear, Some Truths, Not So Much
NOTE: This is part two of an exploration of the enduring influence of the Hollywood media machine on our lives
Hollywood Inferno: The Fan Mags and a Real-Life Weather Disaster
NOTE: Given current events, in which — as someone just posted on FB — nature’s being all sweet and pretty
In Search of Suzanne (and/or Something Else)
NOTE: This is part one of an exploration of the meaning of celebrity in our lives and psyches, as assisted
‘Tis the Season
“This is the season for gifts for your near and dear. This is the season of cards for those far
A Star’s Best Friend Is Her… Alligator?
“What kind of person is a star?” The question, asked here by Screen Stars (April 1964), was a constant in
Daggers at 10 Paces
“I’ve never been in a Hollywood fight or feud. I have the most wonderful memory for forgetting things.” So said
“It’s mad! It’s the fad! It’s the Twist!”*
From fashions to fallout shelters, reporting on Tinseltown’s hottest fads preoccupied the fan mags from their earliest days. For example,
