Documentaries About Classic Hollywood
All about old Hollywood - the films, studios, performers, writers, artists, technicians, craftsmen, directors, and executives.
There is also lots of wonderful content made by YouTube creators on that platform, but since virtually none of these have IMDb.com entries, they do not appear below. Here are a few individual documentaries that I highly recommend (the channels themselves are great too - check out their content while you're there):
* DeMille Is Hollywood by Cecil B. DeMille Film Series
* Fave Film Fashion: Now, Voyager by The Ultimate Fashion History
* Gail Russell, The Uninvited, and the Creation of the Modern Haunted House on Film by Cinema Cities
* The History of Silent Serial Queens by Miriam's Vintage Classics
* The Short Career and Long Life of Luise Rainer by Fritz and the Oscars
There is also lots of wonderful content made by YouTube creators on that platform, but since virtually none of these have IMDb.com entries, they do not appear below. Here are a few individual documentaries that I highly recommend (the channels themselves are great too - check out their content while you're there):
* DeMille Is Hollywood by Cecil B. DeMille Film Series
* Fave Film Fashion: Now, Voyager by The Ultimate Fashion History
* Gail Russell, The Uninvited, and the Creation of the Modern Haunted House on Film by Cinema Cities
* The History of Silent Serial Queens by Miriam's Vintage Classics
* The Short Career and Long Life of Luise Rainer by Fritz and the Oscars
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- DirectorRobert FischerEckhart SchmidtStarsRock HudsonRobert StackDorothy MaloneThe stars and director of 'Written on the Wind' and 'The Tarnished Angels' talk about director Douglas Sirk's techniques.
- DirectorJohn GriffinStarsChevy ChaseKenneth AngerRichard L. BareThis documentary on the history of short subjects was first shown on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) cable network. It surveys the genre from the beginning of the movies in the 1890's, when all movies were shorts, through the 1950's, when short subjects virtually disappeared from theaters. Several series of shorts are highlighted, including the The Three Stooges, Joe McDoakes, Robert Benchley, the Pete Smith Specialties, John Nesbitt's Passing Parade, and the Dogville comedies. Animated short films are given short shrift.
- DirectorDavid HeeleyStarsIan HolmErrol FlynnCharles ChauvelA documentary about the life of Errol Flynn, with recollections from friends and family.
- StarsRudy BehlmerDouglas FairbanksShort on the portrayal of Robin Hood as found in the cinema.
- StarsDanny ShoragoH.W. BrandsMichael NeibergA series of documentaries covering a wealth of historical epochs touched upon in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992).episodes about classic Hollywood-era personalities:
Ben Hecht: Shakespeare of Hollywood (2008)
Erich Von Stroheim: The Profligate Genius (2008)
Irving Thalberg: Hollywood's Boy Wonder (2008)
Paul Robeson: Scandalize My Name (2008)
The Rise of the Moguls: The Men Who Built Hollywood (2008)
The World of John Ford (2008) - DirectorLisa Van EyssenStarsCary Grant
- DirectorJohn CorkDeborah Kerr's husband Peter Viertel expresses his gratitude for their "affair" that turned into four decades of a very happy marriage.
- StarsCarole Bayer SagerGeorge Stevens Jr.Jack NicholsonThe Award is the highest honor for a career in film and celebrates an individual whose career has greatly contributed to the enrichment of American culture.
- DirectorGary SmithDann NetterStarsShirley TempleKevin BaconAlec BaldwinThe spectacular CBS special! Shirley Temple Black hosts the festivities as 50 of today's top stars count down the 50 greatest screen legends of all time. Features Clint Eastwood, Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Kevin Spacey and many others.
- DirectorDavid ShepardStarsGloria SwansonClara BowCalvin CoolidgeA documentary about the film industry, narrated by 'Gloria Swanson', in the period between World War I and World War II. Included are clips from a variety of films of that period.
- DirectorPeter FitzgeraldStarsAngela LansburyKurt RussellWalt DisneyAlong with his legendary cartoons, Walt Disney produced a marvelous array of live action classics that came about through the use of his singular style, hard work and an unwavering belief in this vision.
- DirectorGene FeldmanStarsSue CarolAnthony CarusoJeff CoreyIn the 1942 This Gun For Hire, he was only a supporting actor. But his portrayal of a cold, ruthless killer with a core of gentle sadness had an impact on audiences everywhere. Teamed with diminutive Veronica Lake, he became an immediately saleable commodity, and in the process helped launch the age of film noir. By 1954, Photoplay Magazine voted him the world's most popular male film star; his fellow award-winner was Marilyn Monroe. But Alan Ladd's fabulous success already contained within it the mechanism to self-destruct. A deprived childhood and a family tragedy that marked his young manhood, these would exact their toll. Dogged by a sense of inadequacy over his only average stature, Ladd suffered keenly from cruel jests about co-stars being compelled to stand in ditches. Despite the ardent support of his ever present agent/wife and the genuine affection of film crews and co-actors alike, these inner wounds remained. And though in the end his inner demons would destroy him, Alan Ladd's story is also a positive one. Apart from the legacy of his movies, Alan Ladd left behind a close- knit family which counts among its members some of filmdom's greatest successes. Included in the program are excerpts from some of Ladd's most notable pictures: This Gun For Hire, The Glass Key, The Blue Dahlia, Whispering Smith, The Great Gatsby, Shane and The Proud Rebel. Interviewees include co-actors Don Murray, Lizabeth Scott, Patricia Medina, Mona Freeman, Anthony Caruso, Peter Hensen, Edith Fellows, Director Edward Dmytryk, Producer Sam Goldwyn Jr., sons-in-law Producer John Veitch and Radio Commentator Michael Jackson and Alan Ladd's son, Producer David Ladd.
- DirectorJohn CorkStarsRudy BehlmerIngrid BergmanPeter Bogdanovich
- DirectorPeter VentrellaStarsPatricia HitchcockMary StoneDrew Casper'Making of' featurette about director Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece classic Lifeboat (1944). Narrated by the director's daughter and granddaughter, a Hitchcock scholar and a John Steinbeck specialist.
- DirectorRichard JonesStarsForrest J. AckermanEric BoardmanRay BradburyDocumentary about the life and work of Ray Harryhausen.
- DirectorSusan F. WalkerStarsJodie FosterBette DavisJodie Foster narrates a profile of actress Bette Davis.
- DirectorLuc BéraudStarsMichel CimentJoseph L. MankiewiczJoseph L. Mankiewicz discusses his career in a feature-length interview recorded at his New England home and the 1983 Berlin Film Festival.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsAlfred HitchcockPatricia HitchcockRobert F. BoyleA wonderfully informative 80-minute documentary combining current interviews with archival materials and scenes from the film. Hitchcock's daughter Pat, production designer Robert Boyle, screenwriter Evan Hunter, matte artist Albert Whitlock's colleagues Syd Dutton and Bill Taylor, storyboard artist Harold Michelson, Hitchcock collaborator Hilton Green, actors Tippi Hedren, Veronica Cartwright and Rod Taylor, filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, author Robin Wood, makeup artist Howard Smit, and composer Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven Smith all contribute valuable input to Hitch's memorable classic. A terrific documentary that matches the brilliance of "The Making of 'Psycho'."
- StarsDennis MurenJoe DanteLeslie NielsenA documentary about the making of, and legacy of, the Forbidden Planet movie.
- DirectorJohn CorkStarsDrew CasperSarah ChurchwellMarion Shaw
- DirectorRay FerryStarsForrest J. AckermanJohn AgarRick BakerJoin "Mr. Science Fiction", Forrest J. Ackerman, on a star-studded romp through 75 years of classic sci-fi and fantasy film magic.
- DirectorGeorge Stevens Jr.StarsWoody AllenAlan ArkinMartin BalsamA compilation of scenes from 83 films, divided into 5 segments: The Land, The Cities, The Families, The Wars, The Spirit.
- StarsRoscoe 'Fatty' ArbuckleDesi ArnazLucille BallThe movie industry was born in West Orange, NJ in 1893 by Thomas Edison. Within thirty years, Hollywood grew into America's fourth largest, and by far most glamorous, industry. Revisit the Golden Age of Hollywood, when actors became global celebrities, moguls became millionaires, and the entire nation became movie crazy. Using digitally remastered news footage, rare studio archives, and home movie footage, look back on the dawn and meteoric rise of Tinseltown in color.
- StarsJohn LithgowMatthew ModineKathleen TurnerThe history of Hollywood and filmmaking comes alive in this spectacular nine hour celebration of movie magic.
- CreatorStephen FitzmeyerHenry HamptonStarsDavid McCulloughDavid Ogden StiersMichael MurphyA series showcasing documentaries on American history.episodes about classic Hollywood-era personalities and events:
The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1996)
Mary Pickford (2005)
Midnight Ramble (1994)
Walt Disney - Part 1 (2015)
Walt Disney - Part 2 (2015) - CreatorSusan LacyStarsMartin ScorsesePeter BogdanovichTony BennettDocumentary series focusing on great American artists and personalities.episodes about classic Hollywood-era personalities:
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy (1998)
Bing Crosby Rediscovered (2014)
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2018)
Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2004)
A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1999)
D.W. Griffith: Father of Film (1993)
Dalton Trumbo: Trumbo (2009)
Danny Kaye: A Legacy of Laughter (1996)
Directed by William Wyler (1986)
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002)
George Cukor: On Cukor (2000)
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (2005)
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies (2001)
Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius (1989)
Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood (1998)
James Dean: Sense Memories (2005)
John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend (2006)
Judy Garland: By Myself (2004)
A Letter to Elia (2010)
Lillian Gish: The Actor's Life for Me (1988)
Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces (2002)
Mae West: Dirty Blonde (2020)
Marilyn Monroe: Still Life (2006)
Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer (1990)
Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light (2000)
This Is Bob Hope... (2017)
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story - Part 1 (2008) - DirectorDenis SandersStarsJohn FordJohn WayneJames StewartThe Western films of iconic director John Ford are fondly remembered by stars James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne, with whom he shoots a scene in Monument Valley.
- DirectorRob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanStarsAnjelica HustonBilly CrystalTom HanksThe history of the Academy Awards.
- DirectorKaren HillhouseJohn RustStarsLincoln HurstRudy BehlmerDrew CasperDocumentary covering the Warner Bros. James Cagney /Pat O'Brien classic Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), hosted by film historian Rudy Behlmer.
- DirectorGene FeldmanSuzette WinterStarsAnthony QuinnFederico FelliniAnthony FranciosaBorn in Mexico, he became the main family provider when his father died in an accident. So began the story of a man who had a "thousand jobs" before acting in a film of Cecil B. DeMille - and who within weeks had married the great director's daughter. After being stereotyped in countless roles as Mexican bandits, Indian warriors, Oriental villains and Arab princes, he confounded Hollywood by turning his back on a career as character actor. Instead, by going his own way, he became an internationally acclaimed Academy Award-winning star. Here is the Mighty Quinn with his own on-camera narration and comments of actors Julie Harris, Tony Franciosa, Gina Lollobrigida, Giulietta Masina, Giancarlo Giannini, directors Federico Fellini, Martin Ritt, J. Lee Thompson, Stanley Kramer and children, Valentina and Lorenzo. Clips come from La Strada, Lust For Life, Lawrence Of Arabia, Requiem For A Heavyweight, Blood And Sand, Viva Zapata, The Guns Of Navarone, Wild Is The Wind, The Black Orchid, Walk In The Spring Rain, and of course, Zorba The Greek.
- DirectorJohn RoweStarsAlan BatesPaul HollingdaleAlex A. QuinnIn a historical interview only a few months before his death, the harger-than-life star of Zorba the Greek seaks frankly about his memorable role, his tumultuous marriages and 13 children, and his insatiable passion for art. Arnold Schwarnegger, Alan Bates, Francesco Quinn, Alex Quinn, Lorenzo Quinn amongst others offer exclusive personal anecdotes on the man behind the legend.
- CreatorAnthony HaasDuke EriksonBernard MacMahonStarsGavin MillarKenneth TynanJohn WaltersWide-ranging arts program.episodes with classic Hollywood-era personalities:
Alec Guinness: A Secret Man (2003)
Bette Davis: A Basically Benevolent Volcano (1983)
Billy, How Did You Do It? - Part 1 (1992)
Billy, How Did You Do It? - Part 2 (1992)
Billy, How Did You Do It? - Part 3 (1992)
Budd Schulberg - A Contender (2001)
Calling Hedy Lamarr (2005)
Fred Zinnemann - A Director's Life (1990)
Hollywood Babylon (1991)
Howard Hawks (1978)
Huston's Hobby (1981)
In Search of Oz (1994)
Jayne Mansfield (1999)
Louise Brooks (1986)
Nicolas Roeg - It's About Time (2015)
The Orson Welles Story: Part 1 (1982)
The Orson Welles Story: Part 2 (1982)
The Peter Sellers Story: As He Filmed It (2002)
The Peter Sellers Story Part 1: Southsea to Shepperton (1995)
The Peter Sellers Story Part 2: Jack to Jacques (1995)
The Peter Sellers Story Part 3: "I Am Not a Funny Man" (1995)
Screen Goddesses (2012)
Shadowing the Third Man (2004) - DirectorRobert HeathStarsJohn LithgowGlen KeaneRoy Edward Disney
- DirectorJon ElseKristine SamuelsonStarsArthur MayerLillie MayerArthur Mayer and his wife, Lillie, look back on his long career as a movie publicist, as they lecture at colleges and find ways to continue making artistic contributions.
- DirectorSteven C. SmithStarsHoward A. Anderson IIIRudy BehlmerCaleb DeschanelExamination of his artistry as black and white cinematographer for which he garnered 3 Oscars. Particular attention is paid to both The Gunfighter and How Green Was My Valley (for which he won an Oscar) with footage from both included.
- DirectorTara TremaineStarsFred AstaireAva Astaire-McKenzieRichard BarriosA brief documentary looking at the much-beloved musical partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
- StarsBill MumyCassandra PetersonForrest J. AckermanAn hour of gargantuan gorillas, deadly dinosaurs, one-eyed giants & colossal beasts!
- DirectorGene FeldmanSuzette WinterStarsRoger MooreAudrey HepburnFred AstaireAudrey Hepburn was one of movies best-loved stars, blessed with beauty, talent, an elegant sophistication, and an enduring aura of youthful innocence. As Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, she spoke for the world's suffering children and families, earning an affection and admiration that only increased with news of her untimely death. From the star herself we learn of her career, and the family and friendships that were her priority. Directors Billy Wilder, Blake Edwards and Stanley Donen, composer Henry Mancini, actors Gregory Peck, Mel Ferrer, George Peppard and Roger Moore, fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy and others, join Rob Wolders and Sean Ferrer to help complete this loving portrait. With clips from Roman Holiday, Sabrina, War And Peace, Funny Face, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Charade, My Fair Lady, Two For the Road, Robin And Marian and more.
- DirectorArnaud XainteStarsNicole CalfanMichael GaradyAva GardnerA barefoot contessa, a screwed-up princess, an exquisite drunk, a bawdy aristocrat, a nightmare for puritanical U.S. and MGM moguls, Ava Gardner turned women green, made men sweat, and rejected with all her power the bulwark of normality.
- StarsGary GiddinsCritic Gary Giddins discussing the career of film director Leo McCarey and his 1937 screwball comedy 'The Awful Truth'. On Criterion Collection blu ray release of the Awful Truth.
- DirectorVera IwereborStarsBaby PeggyHobart BosworthJack EarleDocumentary about an extraordinary lady, Diana Serra Cary. In the early 1920's she was one of Hollywood's first major child stars, Baby Peggy.
- DirectorDavid J. SkalStarsDavid J. SkalDavid J. SchowBen ChapmanHosted by film historian David J. Skal, this in-depth documentary examines the 50-year Creature phenomenon and revisits the production of the classic movie and its sequels.
- DirectorDwight HemionStarsDick CavettGene KellyMickey Rooney
- StarsRino RomanoRudy BehlmerRichard D. ZanuckAs seen on AMC, "Backstory" is a series that takes a provocative and in-depth look at the making of popular motion pictures. Stars, directors, producers and other Hollywood players provide revealing inside "backstories" about the events that affected each production - and their lives. Using exclusive film footage, rare archival still photos and insightful interviews, these programs uncover everything from fascinating behind-the-scenes intrigue to cutthroat studio politics.episodes about classic Hollywood-era films:
An Affair to Remember (2001)
All About Eve (2000)
Anastasia (2001)
Bus Stop (2001)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2001)
Gentleman's Agreement (2001)
How Green Was My Valley (2000)
Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte (2001)
The Longest Day (2000)
Miracle on 34th Street (2001)
Peyton Place (2000)
The Robe (2001)
The Seven Year Itch (2000) - DirectorRichard SchickelStarsSally FieldBarbara StanwyckHumphrey BogartSally Field hosts this thorough documentary about actress Barbara Stanwyck. Highlights include Ball of Fire (1941), Double Indemnity (1944) and Sorry, Wrong Number (1948).
- StarsBrittany MurphyJohn FrickeDrew CasperThe magical influence that The Wizard of Oz (1939) had on future entertainment and continues to have on audiences, writers, collectors, and more.
- DirectorTony BarbonStarsRobert OsborneHumphrey BogartRobert Osbourne hosts this television special, in which many trailers for Humphrey Bogart's films are presented here to show how he established himself in Hollywood. Trailers featured are for films that he had tiny roles in as well as starring roles.
- DirectorTony BarbonStarsRobert OsborneJudy Garland
- DirectorTony BarbonStarsRobert Osborne
- DirectorMark KidelStarsMark KidelCary GrantFrank SinatraFor the first time one of Hollywood's greatest stars tells his own story, in his own words. From a childhood of poverty to global fame, Cary Grant, the ultimate self-made star, explores his own screen image and what it took to create it.
- DirectorNick RedmanStarsRudy BehlmerJanet BergstromJames D'ArcA documentary focusing on Ford's time at Fox and his relationship with Darryl F. Zanuck.
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsPeter BogdanovichRichard FranklinPatricia HitchcockSome of the stories behind Hitchcock's 1941 masterpiece.
- DirectorCharles MusserStarsBlanche SweetJay LeydaRob IssenThis documentary is produced by one of the world's foremost authorities and biographers of Edwin S. Porter. Since little is known of Porter's personal life, the emphasis here is on his technique and contributions to the art of the cinema. This film also serves as a documentary on the origins of the American cinema; Porter's work is showcased in the context of the whole American cinema of his day, from mutoscope parlors to the advent of the projected image.
- StarsDavid Brendel
- DirectorGary LevaStarsWilliam WylerBruce CrawfordBen BurttCurrent filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and George Lucas reflect on the importance and influence of the Film.
- DirectorScott BensonStarsChristopher PlummerRudy BehlmerGore VidalThe story behind the masterpiece.
- DirectorLaurent PreyaleStarsBette DavisWilliam Wyler
- DirectorSabine CarbonStarsSusan BatsonMarci BingKim Carnes
- DirectorLaurent BouzereauStarsPatricia HitchcockPeter BogdanovichTeresa WrightThis is a documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943).
- DirectorMadison D. LacyStarsWhoopi GoldbergJean ArthurFay BainterProfiles the first Oscar-winning African-American performer.
- DirectorGisela GrischowVolker SchlöndorffStarsJean ArthurHumphrey BogartJames CagneyBilly Wilder discusses his life and films in interviews filmed by Volker Schlondorff over two weeks in 1988.
- StarsBilly WilderVolker SchlöndorffHellmuth KarasekDirector Billy Wilder is interviewed by German critic Hellmut Karasek and director Volker Schlöndorff about his movies.English title: "Billy Wilder, How Did You Do It?"
- StarsBing CrosbyFred AstaireHarry Lillis Crosby Jr.Ava Astaire McKenzie in conversation with Ken Barnes. Memories of their past performances and lifestyle images. Provided also are some entertainment clips from the early years providing a good video biography of them both.
- DirectorMarshall FlaumStarsWilliam HoldenFred AstaireFrank Capra
- CreatorAgnes NixonStarsJack PerkinsPeter GravesHarry SmithThe life stories of various historical figures and celebrities are told.episodes about classic Hollywood-era personalities:
Abbott & Costello Meet Biography (1996)
Alice Faye: The Star Next Door (1996)
Angela Lansbury: A Balancing Act (1998)
Ann Miller: I'm Still Here (2000)
Anthony Perkins: A Life in the Shadows (1999)
Anthony Quinn: A Lust for Life (1998)
Audie Murphy: Great American Hero (1996)
Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady (1997)
Ava Gardner: Another Touch of Venus (2004)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line (1997)
The Barrymores (2002)
Bela Lugosi: Hollywood's Dark Prince (1995)
Bette Davis: If Looks Could Kill (1994)
Betty Grable: Behind the Pin-up (1995)
Bill Robinson: Mr. Bojangles (1998)
Bing Crosby: America's Crooner (1993)
Bob Hope: America's Entertainer (1998)
Boris Karloff: The Gentle Monster (1995)
Burt Lancaster: Daring to Reach (1996)
Buster Keaton: Genius in Slapshoes (1995)
Carmen Miranda: The South American Way (1996)
Carole Lombard: Hollywood's Profane Angel (2001)
Cary Grant: Hollywood's Leading Man (1993)
Cecil B. DeMille (2005)
Cesar Romero: In a Class by Himself (2000)
Charlie Chaplin: A Tramp's Life (1998)
Charlton Heston: For All Seasons (1995)
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Silent Sexpot (2002)
Clark Gable: The King of Hollywood (2003)
Darryl F. Zanuck: 20th Century Filmmaker (1995)
Deborah Kerr: Getting to Know Her (2000)
Dick Powell: Thanks a Million (2000)
Don Ameche: Hollywood's Class Act (1999)
Donald O'Conner: Make 'Em Laugh (2000)
Donna Reed: I'll Take the Moon (1998)
Doris Day: It's Magic (1998)
Dorothy Dandridge: Little Girl Lost (1999)
Edith Head: Design for Living (2000)
Edward G. Robinson: Little Big Man (1996)
Elizabeth Taylor (1993)
Elizabeth Taylor -New Version (1995)
Elizabeth Taylor: Facets (2003)
Ernest Borgnine: Hollywood's Uncommon Character (2000)
Fatty Arbuckle: Betrayed by Hollywood (1998)
Frances Farmer: Paradise Lost (2000)
Frank Capra: Mr. Capra Goes to America (1994)
Fred MacMurray: The Guy Next Door (2016)
Gene Autry: America's Singing Cowboy (1993)
Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait (1999)
Grace Kelly: Hollywood Princess (1998)
Greta Garbo: The Mysterious Lady (1998)
Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero (1997)
Howard Hughes (1992)
Humphrey Bogart (2003)
Ida Lupino: Through the Lens (1998)
Ingrid Bergman: A Passionate Life (1999)
Jack Benny: Now Cut That Out! (1996)
Jack Palance: From Grit to Grace (2001)
James Cagney: City Boy, Country Gentleman (1992)
James Dean: Outside the Lines (2002)
James Garner: Hollywood Maverick (2000)
Jimmy Stewart: His Wonderful Life (1997)
Jane Russell: Body and Soul (1997)
Jane Withers: Hollywood's Best Gal (2003)
Janet Gaynor: A Star Was Born (2001)
Janet Leigh (2003)
Jayne Mansfield: Blonde Ambition (2004)
Jean Harlow: Platinum Bombshell (1996)
Jean Simmons: Picture Perfect (2001)
Jennifer Jones: Portrait of a Lady (2001)
Jerry Lewis: The Last American Clown (1996)
Joan Crawford: Always the Star (2016)
John Ford: An American Vision (1993)
John Wayne: American Legend (1998)
Judy Garland: Beyond the Rainbow (1997)
Katharine Hepburn: On Her Own Terms (1996)
Kirk Douglas: A Lust for Life (1997)
Lana Turner: Hollywood's Screen Siren (2000)
Lee Marvin: Hollywood's Straight Shooter (2001)
Linda Darnell: Hollywood's Fallen Angel (1999)
Lloyd Bridges: Lights, Camera, Action (1998)
Lon Chaney: Son of a Thousand Faces (1995)
Loretta Young: Hollywood's Heavenly Beauty (1998)
Louis B. Mayer (2004)
Mae West... And the Men Who Knew Her (2016)
Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess (1996)
Marlene: Inventing Dietrich (2000)
Marlon Brando: The Agony of Genius (2005)
Martha Raye: In Love and War (1999)
Maureen O'Hara: Wild Irish Rose (2000)
Mickey Rooney: Hollywood's Little Giant (1995)
Mitzi Gaynor: Hollywood's Cockeyed Optimist (2001)
Montgomery Clift: The Hidden Star (1998)
Myrna Loy: A Class by Herself (1998)
Natalie Wood: Child of Hollywood (2003)
The Nicholas Brothers: Flying High (1999)
Pat Boone: Born Again to Be Wild (2002)
Paul Newman: Hollywood's Charming Rebel (1995)
Paul Newman: Hollywood's Cool Hand (2005)
Peter Lorre: The Master of Menace (1996)
Rex Harrison: The Man Who Would Be King (1998)
Ricardo Montalban: Pride and Passion (2003)
Richard Burton: Taylor Made (2002)
Richard Widmark: Strength of Characters (2000)
Robert Mitchum: Poet with an Ax (2002)
Robert Wagner: Hollywood's Prince Charming (1999)
Rock Hudson: Acting the Part (1999)
Roddy McDowall: Hollywood's Best Friend (1998)
Roy Rogers: American Legend (1994)
Rudolph Valentino: The Great Lover (1996)
Sal Mineo: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel (1999)
Samuel Goldwyn (2004)
Sandra Dee: Sophisticated Baby (2000)
Shelley Winters: Full Disclosure (2001)
Shirley MacLaine: This Time Around (2000)
Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star (1996)
Shirley Temple: Hollywood's Little Princess (1997)
Sonja Henie: Fire on Ice (1997)
Sophia Loren: Actress Italian Style (1997)
Spencer Tracy: Triumph & Turmoil (1999)
Stooges: The Men Behind the Mayhem (1994)
Susan Hayward: The Brooklyn Bombshell (1998)
Tippi Hedren: Magnificent Obsession (2004)
Tony Curtis: Tony of the Movies (2001)
Tyrone Power: The Last Idol (1996)
Vincent Price (1993)
Vincent Price: The Versatile Villain (1997)
Vivien Leigh: A Delicate Balance (2000)
W.C. Fields: Behind the Laughter (1994)
William Holden: An Untamed Spirit (1999)
Yvonne DeCarlo: Gilded Lily (2000) - StarsPaul MertonCarla LaemmleAngela LansburyPaul Merton looks at the pioneers of early Hollywood and how they laid down the blueprint for the modern cinema industry.
- DirectorSerge BrombergEric LangeStarsPeter HudsonKate GuyonvarchKevin BrownlowA look back at Charlie Chaplin's early life and career, from his rough childhood and music hall success in England to his early Hollywood days and the development of his enormously popular "Little Tramp" character.
- DirectorSteven YorkStarsOssie DavisFredi WashingtonGeorge JohnsonOssie Davis narrates a history of "race films," films made before 1950 which catered to a primarily black audience.
- DirectorDavid LeafJohn ScheinfeldStarsFred ApplegateLarry GelbartMort LachmanBefore he was an icon, before he was a legend, before he spent every Christmas with the troops... before he was a fixture on TV and the Academy Awards... Bob Hope's journey on the road to laughter began with a series of movies that have become classics. For nearly a quarter of a century, Bob Hope was a major movie star. This program contains many highlights from those legendary films. Bonus material that was not included in the American Public Television broadcast, include: Additional interviews with Bob Hope's writers: Larry Gelbart, Mort Lachman, Sherwood Schwartz, and Melville Shavelson. Also included is additional commentary on Bob Hope's career from film historian, Leonard Maltin.
- DirectorMalcolm LeoStarsBob HopeAnna Maria AlberghettiUrsula AndressA tribute to Bob Hope's 31 years of entertaining American troops overseas. This program includes footage - previously unreleased - which was obtained from various armed services sources, as well as excerpts from previous specials. Shown in 2 parts, the first part covers the 1940s and 1950s; part 2 covers the Vietnam era, 1964-72. Includes footage taken at over 50 military bases worldwide.
- DirectorChris HuntStarsHumphrey BogartStephen H. BogartRobert SklarStephen H. Bogart narrates the rise to fame of his father, Humphrey Bogart through the use film clips, written material and interviews of friends and co-workers, emphasizing how he got to know him better.
- DirectorAlexandra DeanStarsHedy LamarrMel BrooksJennifer HomThe life and career of the hailed Hollywood movie star and underappreciated genius inventor, Hedy Lamarr.
- DirectorThomas HamiltonStarsRon PerlmanGuillermo del ToroChristopher PlummerKarloff, examining his illustrious 60-year career in the entertainment industry and his enduring legacy as one of the icons of 20th century popular culture.
- DirectorThomas HamiltonStarsPeter AsherDiane AubreyOrson BeanBoris Karloff: The Rest of the Story takes a deeper look at the life and career of Boris Karloff, from 1931 to 1969, exploring films such as The Ghoul, The Walking Dead (1936), Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936), the Mr Wong series, The Climax (1944), Lured (1947), The Strange Door (1951), Grip of the Strangler and Corridors of Blood(1958), The Comedy of Terrors (1963), The Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968), the Mexican quartet, some of his major TV appearances (The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West, I-Spy) as well as taking a deep look at his often ignored Broadway career in the 1940s and 50's. There is also much time devoted to Karloff's more personal side and his relationship with his daughter, Sara.
- DirectorJeffrey SchwarzStarsMuhammad AliSteve AllenBrooke AndersonDickson Hughes and Richard Stapley, two young songwriters and romantic partners, find themselves caught in movie star Gloria Swanson's web when she hires them to write a musical version of "Sunset Boulevard."
- DirectorGregory V. ShermanJeff ShermanStarsRichard M. ShermanRobert B. ShermanRoy Edward DisneyTheir music is unforgettable. Their name is legend. Delve into the lives and cinematic legacy of the prolific songwriting duo whose music has been featured in classic movies such as Mary Poppins (1964) and The Jungle Book (1967).
- DirectorMimi FreedmanLeslie GreifStarsMarlon BrandoEdward R. MurrowJanet AemiseggerThe life and legacy of Marlon Brando and how he changed acting.
- DirectorPhilippe MoraStarsLaverne AndrewsMaxene AndrewsPatty AndrewsA nostalgic look back at the Great Depression with contemporary archival footage and film clips picturing James Cagney as an American Everyman.
- DirectorCass WarnerStarsDennis HopperCass WarnerBette-Ann WarnerAn intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers--Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social conscience.
- DirectorDavid J. SkalStarsDavid J. SkalRon PalumboChris CostelloA behind the scenes documentary by Universal studios about the movie Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).
- DirectorBruce RickerStarsEd HarrisPeter BogdanovichLarry CohenA profile of the filmmaker ("The Tall T," "Seven Men from Now") who, notes narrator Ed Harris, "made his mark in one of America's greatest art forms.the Western movie." Included: comments by admiring colleagues
- DirectorElaina ArcherStarsWarren BeattyHumphrey BogartMarlon Brando"Bullets Over Hollywood" chronicles the blood-soaked landscape and enduring appeal of the American gangster movie - - from its origins in the silent film era to modern times.
- DirectorRuss JonesStarsAlan G. BarbourRuth DonnellyJoan FontaineThis tribute to Busby Berkeley features candid interviews with his friends and associates: Ruth Donnelly recalls the frantic filming of _Footlight Parade (1933) _. 'Debbie Reynolds' talks about Berkeley's influence on 'Gene Kelly' and _Singin' in the Rain' (1952) _, while Dennis Morgan speaks of his long-time friendship with Berkeley. Interviews are by 'Alan G. Barbour (I)' and Russ Jones, and stills are intercut throughout, accompanied by music from Berkeley films. The entire 'Lullaby of Broadway' sequence from Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935) is included, and Wini Shaw, who performed the number in the film, is interviewed. This film was produced through the New York Graphic Society, as a tie-in with their lavish 'Busby Berkeley Book' by Tony Thomas.
- DirectorJohn CorkStarsRick JewellMiles Kreuger
- StarsLindsay AndersonCharles LamontWilliam R. CoxA series about the life, career and works of the movie comedy genius.
- DirectorJohn CorkStarsBuster KeatonPatricia Elliot Tobias, president (2008) of the International Buster Keaton Society, discusses Keaton and his career.
- DirectorJohn SpottonStarsBuster KeatonEleanor KeatonGerald PottertonThis film is a documentary about the filming of one of Buster Keaton's movies: The Railrodder (1965).
- DirectorJean-Baptiste PéretiéStarsBuster KeatonA documentary about how the most talented comic genius of all time Buster Keaton fell prey to the Hollywood Studio system machinery in 1930s which curbed his artistic freedom, leading to alcoholism and ultimately completely destroyed not only his career but also his life.
- DirectorGeorg MischStarsHedy LamarrAnthony LoderDenise Loder-DeLucaA Face, a Tag Line, an Invention. Two facets that don't seem to belong to the same woman. A Hollywood star as an ingenious inventor piques our curiosity. The director Georg Misch is interested in how truth and myth intertwine. He listens to stories about her told by people who knew her. He dissects the history of the woman with the exotic eroticism who not only made surprising and daring decisions in her private life, but who caused a sensation with an intrepid film project right from the start. What is left? her first film Ecstasy with its scandalous nude scenes, movies that nobody has seen or heard of, a sixty-year-old son who is still struggling with his relationship to his mother, an invention whose patent ran out too soon, so that what has become a cornerstone for wireless communications, which are in constant use in our everyday lives, brought its inventor late fame but never earned her any money. At the end of the day what lingers is the echo of her fascinating beauty. The way the film handles the archive material from various sources reflects the inner conflicts of a Hollywood diva whose other talent as a mathematical genius and inventor was not allowed to unfold so as not to endanger her aura as a successful goddess of the silver screen. As we peel away the convolution of myths that grew up about her while she was still alive what gradually emerges is the portrait of a modern woman beyond the Hollywood star. In the last decades of her life the telephone became her only means of communication with the outside world, even with her children and close friends. She often talked up to six or seven hours a day on the phone, but she hardly spent any time with anyone in person in her final years. For this reason, though also of course because of the significance of her invention to modern communications, the telephone has been chosen as the "structuring motif" of the movie. The interviews in the movie have been staged as telephone calls and lead the viewer through time like a nostalgic conference with the film's protagonists. Calling Hedy Lamarr isn't, however, a portrait; it is above all a film about the Hollywood diva from the perspective of her son Anthony Loder, a fairly successful telephone dealer in Los Angeles who wants desperately to be the Hollywood producer of a feature film about the life of his mother. Through his research he encounters contradictory statements and fantastic theories. There is often only a fine line between truth and lie. Many times the conversations between him and the other protagonists shift and take on a magical aspect, and in a supernatural way Hedy Lamarr sometimes even seems to join in. The Hollywood diva's purported schizophrenia is expressed dramaturgically as a persistent shifting between the extremes of her character and is a strong pattern in the film. The meaning of truth must be constantly reinterpreted. Lamarr's death in February 2000 marked the end of one of the most complex Hollywood biographies of the last century. The film ends where Hedy Lamarr's story began: in Vienna. In her will she asks that her ashes be strewn in the Vienna Woods. A homecoming she always dreamed of but which she never managed to make during her lifetime.
- DirectorCraig McCallStarsJack CardiffMartin ScorseseKirk DouglasIn 2001 Jack Cardiff (1914-2009) became the first director of photography in the history of the Academy Awards to win an Honorary Oscar. But the first time he clasped the famous statuette in his hand was a half-century earlier when his Technicolor camerawork was awarded for Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus. Beyond John Huston's The African Queen and King Vidor's War and Peace, the films of the British-Hungarian creative duo (The Red Shoes and A Matter of Life and Death too) guaranteed immortality for the renowned cameraman whose career spanned seventy years.
- StarsRaymond GlendenningHarold AlexanderTeddy AshwoodThis short showcases the work of the cameramen who filmed the battles of WWI and early WWII. We also get to see the faces of many of the men who took the pictures. This includes director D.W. Griffith, who shot newsreels in the trenches of WWI.