Hollywood Divas

This volume chronicles the wild private lives of Hollywood divas. In the 1910s and 1920s, stars like Theda Bara and Barbara La Marr set the extravagant, self-indulgent pattern for their successors by enjoying affluent, pampered lives in which most of their wildest whims could be, and were, satisfied, regardless of the consequences or the strict morality of the times. By the mid 1920s, such popular screen figures as Gloria Swanson and Clara Bow (the "It Girl" with her strong sexual appetites) were shocking and titillating the public with their extravagant, often amoral, ways of life. In each successive decade, there have been numerous colourful, high-maintenance personalities whose shenanigans on and off the sets were far more astounding, racy and intriguing than any of their screen vehicles. This book looks in detail at these figures. Among these studio-spoiled notables were such blonde bombshells as Jean Harlow, Constance Bennett, Lana Turner, Betty Hutton, Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Anne Heche. Each of these leading ladies thrived on unrestrained, oversized lifestyles at and away from the studios, often stumbling into headline-grabbing events (such as Lana Turner and her merry-go-round of lovers, including gangland boyfriend Johnny Stompanato who ended up being stabbed to death in an argument with Lana); the many boyfriends of Marilyn Monroe and her still unresolved death; the Material Girl Madonna going round for round in her abusive marriage to Hollywood bad boy Sean Penn and her penchant for driving studio and recording executives to deep distraction with her never-ending "requests" and "needs"). This book also covers more recent times, including such self-absorbed celebrities as substance-abusing Melanie Griffith; reckless Drew Barrymore, who ended up in a rehab clinic as a young teen; power-obsessed Brat Packer Demi Moore; eccentric Kim Basinger, who ran amok both before and after her destructive union with actor Alec Baldwin; "Beverley Hill, 90210"'s Shannen Doherty who set new records of bad behaviour with her out-of-control tantrums, public drunkenness and so on. Then there is substance-abusing Whitney Houston, the extremely difficult diva driven to personal excesses during her wild marriage to trouble-prone Bobby Brown, the hip-hop star. Other hard-to-manage Hollywood songbirds included in this book are: Cher; Diana Ross; Janet Jackson; Mariah Carey; Britney Spears; and Jennifer Lopez.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Jean Arthur Lucille Ball Tallulah Bankhead Theda Bara Drew Barrymore Ethel Barrymore Kim Basinger Clara Bow Louise Brooks Brett Butler Mariah Carey Cher Joan Collins Joan Crawford Dorothy Dandridge Bette Davis Dolores Del Rio Marlene Dietrich Shannen Doherty Patty Duke Faye Dunaway Jane Fonda Kay Francis Zsa Zsa Gabor Greta Garbo Ava Gardner Judy Garland Greer Garson Paulette Goddard Melanie Griffith Jean Harlow Susan Hayward Rita Hayworth Sonja Henie Katharine Hepburn Miriam Hopkins Whitney Houston Betty Hutton Janet Jackson Grace Kelly Veronica Lake Hedy Lamarr Jennifer Lopez Jeanette MacDonald Madonna Jayne Mansfield Liza Minnelli Marilyn Monroe Maria Montez Demi Moore Mae Murray Vera Ralston Joan Rivers Julia Roberts Roseanne Diana Ross Meg Ryan Norma Shearer Cybill Shepherd Britney Spears Sharon Stone Barbra Streisand Gloria Swanson Elizabeth Taylor Lana Turner Lupe Velez Mae West Shelley Winters Natalie Wood Loretta Young Bibliography About the Author

About the Author :
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