-
The Purple Diaries
- Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Love, Lucy
- By: Lucille Ball
- Narrated by: Lucie Arnaz
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans—a warm, wise, and witty memoir written by Lucy herself. The legendary star of the classic sitcom I Love Lucy was at the pinnacle of her success when she sat down to record the story of her life. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from radio and B movies to become one of the world’s best-loved performers. This is her story—in her own words.
-
-
What a great book
- By SCOTT on 07-11-18
By: Lucille Ball
-
If You Ask Me
- (And of Course You Won't)
- By: Betty White
- Narrated by: Betty White
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between. Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything....
-
-
I'd ask Betty!
- By Lizz on 11-30-11
By: Betty White
-
The Castle on Sunset
- Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since 1929, Hollywood’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his 16-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what has happened inside the Chateau’s walls has eluded the public eye - until now.
-
-
Was enjoying it until...
- By leigh on 04-22-20
By: Shawn Levy
-
A Portrait of Joan
- The Autobiography of Joan Crawford
- By: Joan Crawford
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It starts with a telegram. MGM wires young Lucille LeSueur to tell her that she's been placed under contract at a princely $75 a week, and is expected to report immediately to Hollywood, California. A fresh-faced 17-year-old with big eyes and an air of elegance, she would go on to become one of the greatest stars in Hollywood history: the fabulous Joan Crawford. Through four marriages, countless cocktail parties and more than 100 appearances in film and television, Joan lived the life of a legend from the first day she stepped onto the back lot.
-
-
What a Whitewash
- By JoeyOh on 05-14-17
By: Joan Crawford
-
Tinseltown
- Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood
- By: William J. Mann
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By 1920, the movies had suddenly become America's new favorite pastime and one of the nation's largest industries. Never before had a medium possessed such power to influence; yet Hollywood's glittering ascendancy was threatened by a string of headline-grabbing tragedies - including the murder of William Desmond Taylor, the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, a legendary crime that has remained unsolved until now.
-
-
Everybody's a dreamer...
- By Steven on 01-08-15
By: William J. Mann
-
Capote
- A Biography
- By: Gerald Clarke
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First published in 1988 - just four years after Capote's death - Clarke paints a vivid behind-the-scenes picture of the author's life, based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with the man himself and the people close to him. From the glittering heights of notoriety and parties with the rich and famous to his later struggles with addiction, Capote emerges as a richly multidimensional person - both brilliant and flawed.
-
-
the brightest stars can self destruct
- By Jared_S on 09-22-21
By: Gerald Clarke
-
Love, Lucy
- By: Lucille Ball
- Narrated by: Lucie Arnaz
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans—a warm, wise, and witty memoir written by Lucy herself. The legendary star of the classic sitcom I Love Lucy was at the pinnacle of her success when she sat down to record the story of her life. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from radio and B movies to become one of the world’s best-loved performers. This is her story—in her own words.
-
-
What a great book
- By SCOTT on 07-11-18
By: Lucille Ball
-
If You Ask Me
- (And of Course You Won't)
- By: Betty White
- Narrated by: Betty White
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between. Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything....
-
-
I'd ask Betty!
- By Lizz on 11-30-11
By: Betty White
-
The Castle on Sunset
- Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Since 1929, Hollywood’s brightest stars have flocked to the Chateau Marmont as if it were a second home. An apartment building-turned-hotel, the Chateau has been the backdrop for generations of gossip and folklore: where director Nicholas Ray slept with his 16-year-old Rebel Without a Cause star Natalie Wood; Jim Morrison swung from the balconies; John Belushi suffered a fatal overdose; and Lindsay Lohan got the boot after racking up nearly $50,000 in charges in less than two months. Much of what has happened inside the Chateau’s walls has eluded the public eye - until now.
-
-
Was enjoying it until...
- By leigh on 04-22-20
By: Shawn Levy
-
A Portrait of Joan
- The Autobiography of Joan Crawford
- By: Joan Crawford
- Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It starts with a telegram. MGM wires young Lucille LeSueur to tell her that she's been placed under contract at a princely $75 a week, and is expected to report immediately to Hollywood, California. A fresh-faced 17-year-old with big eyes and an air of elegance, she would go on to become one of the greatest stars in Hollywood history: the fabulous Joan Crawford. Through four marriages, countless cocktail parties and more than 100 appearances in film and television, Joan lived the life of a legend from the first day she stepped onto the back lot.
-
-
What a Whitewash
- By JoeyOh on 05-14-17
By: Joan Crawford
-
Tinseltown
- Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood
- By: William J. Mann
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By 1920, the movies had suddenly become America's new favorite pastime and one of the nation's largest industries. Never before had a medium possessed such power to influence; yet Hollywood's glittering ascendancy was threatened by a string of headline-grabbing tragedies - including the murder of William Desmond Taylor, the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, a legendary crime that has remained unsolved until now.
-
-
Everybody's a dreamer...
- By Steven on 01-08-15
By: William J. Mann
-
Capote
- A Biography
- By: Gerald Clarke
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First published in 1988 - just four years after Capote's death - Clarke paints a vivid behind-the-scenes picture of the author's life, based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with the man himself and the people close to him. From the glittering heights of notoriety and parties with the rich and famous to his later struggles with addiction, Capote emerges as a richly multidimensional person - both brilliant and flawed.
-
-
the brightest stars can self destruct
- By Jared_S on 09-22-21
By: Gerald Clarke
-
The Unfit Heiress
- The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt
- By: Audrey Clare Farley
- Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the turn of the 20th century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home. This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects. Set against this backdrop, The Unfit Heiress chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother, Maryon.
-
-
Such an important story
- By TLH ~ 🎧 ~ on 05-08-21
-
Audition
- A Memoir
- By: Barbara Walters
- Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
- Length: 26 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Young people starting out in television sometimes say to me: 'I want to be you.' My stock reply is always: 'Then you have to take the whole package.'" And now, at last, the most important woman in the history of television journalism gives us that "whole package", in her inspiring and riveting memoir. After more than 40 years of interviewing celebrities of all kinds, Barbara Walters has turned her gift for examination onto herself to reveal the forces that shaped her extraordinary life.
-
-
Absolutely Incredible Listen!
- By Shaddi on 01-22-09
By: Barbara Walters
-
Spade & Archer
- The Prequel to The Maltese Falcon
- By: Joseph Gores
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Sam Spade gets drawn into the Maltese Falcon case, we know what to expect: straight talk, hard questions, no favors, and no way for anyone to get underneath the protective shell he wears like a second skin. We know that his late partner, Miles Archer, was a son of a bitch; that Spade is sleeping with Archer's wife, Iva; that his tomboyish secretary, Effie Perine, is the only innocent in his life. What we don't know is how Spade became who he is. Spade & Archer completes the picture.
-
-
"A Real Joy"
- By Mark on 04-14-09
By: Joseph Gores
-
Cary Grant
- A Brilliant Disguise
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: Angelo Di Loreto
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Film historian and acclaimed New York Times best-selling biographer Scott Eyman has written the definitive, “captivating” (Associated Press) biography of Hollywood legend Cary Grant, one of the most accomplished — and beloved — actors of his generation, who remains as popular as ever today.
-
-
Disappointing...
- By Amazon Customer on 11-02-20
By: Scott Eyman
-
Tough Luck
- Sid Luckman, Murder, Inc., and the Rise of the Modern NFL
- By: R. D. Rosen
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the long annals of sports and crime, no story compares to the one that engulfed the Luckman family in 1935. As 18-year-old Sid Luckman made headlines across New York City for his high school football exploits at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, his father, Meyer Luckman, was making headlines in the same papers for a very different reason: the gangland murder of his own brother-in-law. Amazingly, the connection between sports celebrity son and mobster father was studiously ignored by the press and ultimately overlooked for eight decades.
-
-
Mob meets NFL.
- By William Bernstein on 06-30-20
By: R. D. Rosen
-
Garbo
- Her Life, Her Films
- By: Robert Gottlieb
- Narrated by: Maria Tucci
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Strikingly glamorous and famously inscrutable, Greta Garbo managed, in 16 short years, to infiltrate America’s subconscious; her decision to suddenly end her film career at the age of 36 only made her more irresistible. Garbo appeared in only 24 movies, yet her impact on the world was rivaled only by Marilyn Monroe. She was a phenomenon, a Sphinx, a myth, but also a Swedish peasant girl, uneducated, naïve, and always on her guard. Acclaimed critic and editor Robert Gottlieb attempts to capture the ever-elusive essence of Garbo through the eyes of others.
-
-
Very good and very not good
- By Pennypie on 12-18-21
By: Robert Gottlieb
-
Civilization and Its Discontents
- By: Sigmund Freud
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First published in 1930, Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the most influential works of pioneering psychologist Sigmund Freud. Focusing on the tension between the primitive drives of the individual and the demands of civilization for order and conformity, Freud draws upon his psychoanalytic theories to explain the fundamental structures, conflicts, and consequences of society.
-
-
Don't conform
- By Sam Motes on 03-26-14
By: Sigmund Freud
-
The Lincoln Lawyer
- By: Michael Connelly
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense pro who operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car, to defend clients at the bottom of the legal food chain. It's no wonder that he is despised by cops, prosecutors, and even some of his own clients. But an investigator is murdered for getting too close to the truth and Haller quickly discovers that his search for innocence has taken him face to face with a kind of evil as pure as a flame.
-
-
Great Narration
- By Vishruth on 06-18-08
By: Michael Connelly
-
20th Century-Fox
- Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: Suehyla El-Attar
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
March 20, 2019 marked the end of an era - Disney took ownership of the movie empire that was Fox. For almost a century before that historic date, Twentieth Century-Fox was one of the preeminent producers of films, stars, and filmmakers. Its unique identity in the industry and place in movie history is unparalleled - and one of the greatest stories to come out of Hollywood.
-
-
Our media world is unlike anything we’ve ever known
- By Amy Evans on 12-04-21
By: Scott Eyman
-
Wait for Me!
- Memoirs
- By: Deborah Mitford Duchess of Devonshire
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire, is the youngest of the famously witty brood that includes the writers Jessica and Nancy, who wrote when Deborah was born, "How disgusting of the poor darling to go and be a girl." Deborah's effervescent memoir chronicles her remarkable life, from an eccentric but happy childhood in the Oxfordshire countryside, to tea with Adolf Hitler and her controversially political sister Unity in 1937, to her marriage to the second son of the Duke of Devonshire.
-
-
The last of the Mitford Sisters
- By Irene on 01-11-11
-
The Hollow
- By: Christopher Zaleski
- Narrated by: Anna Grace Conover
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teen prodigy Carol has always known she was different from the other kids, but when her talents turn supernatural; her life takes a disastrous turn. Despite her over achievements, Carol struggles with a neurosis she calls "The Hollow". Though she believes the hollow is her private cross to bear, there is a sneaking suspicion that she is being watched, studied from the shadows.
-
-
The Hollow
- By MEDY L on 12-19-17
-
The Time Traveler's Wife
- By: Audrey Niffenegger
- Narrated by: Fred Berman, Phoebe Strole
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Clare and Henry have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was 36. They were married when Clare was 23 and Henry was 31. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.
-
-
One of my favorite books
- By Joey on 01-13-08
Publisher's Summary
1936 was a great year for the movie industry - the financial setbacks of the Great Depression were subsiding, so theater attendance was up. Americans everywhere were watching the stars, and few stars shined as brightly as one of America's most enduring screen favorites, Mary Astor.
But Astor's personal story wasn't a happy one. Born poor and widowed at 24, Mary Astor had spent years looking for stability when she met and wed Dr. Franklyn Thorpe.
The marriage had been rocky from the start and both were unfaithful, but they did not divorce before Mary Astor gave birth to little Marylyn Thorpe.
What followed was a custody battle that pushed the Spanish Civil War and Hitler's 1936 Olympics off the front page all over America. Although Astor and Thorpe were both ruthless fighters, Thorpe held a trump card: the two diaries Mary Astor had been keeping for years. In these diaries, Astor detailed her own affairs as well as the myriad dalliances of some of Hollywood's biggest names. The studio heads, longtime controllers of public perception, were desperate to keep such juicy details from leaking. At risk from the information in those diaries was an entire fledgling industry. With the support of the Astor family, including unlimited access to the photographs and memorabilia of Mary Astor's estate, Joseph Egan presents a portrait of a great film actress in her most challenging role - a determined mother battling for her daughter, regardless of the harm that her affairs and her most intimate secrets could do to her career, the careers of her friends, or even Hollywood itself.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Purple Diaries
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gary
- 03-09-17
Impossible not to like for old movie buffs
I knew I was going to love this book the moment the author started talking about John Barrymore. At the core of the book it's really just about a child custody case and how it plays out in a courtroom between two loving parents who want custody at any cost, but it's the tertiary stories that pop up in the telling that add so much depth to the court room events.
The only subject I consider myself a real expert at is old movies. I just love learning that Fritz Lang the German Expressionist director who had not yet made an American movie is sitting behind Mary Astor in court proceedings over multiple days in order to provide support and observe the American justice system. If you know Fritz Lang movies, you will instantly realize how appropriate that is. Fritz Lang had not made his first American movie, "Fury", but as with that movie and everyone of his other movies the theme will involve justice and how it can get confounded with vengeance or revenge, an appropriate theme for the principals within the court case going on. Mary Astor's husband, Franklin Thorpe, is friends with Clark Gable. That implies loads of things about Franklin such as he will love hunting and so on.
A couple of things, to me some of the best prose in the book is when the author was obviously quoting from Mary Astor's autobiography written in 1959 (oh how I wish Audible would make that book available, but I live in a fantasy world but I can always hope!) or when they were quoting from Mary Astor's diaries. That woman was an intellectual of the first rank and it shows. The book also gives the listener an interesting peek into human psychology by offering perceptive psychoanalytical perspectives when needed.
It's pretty much impossible for me not to like a book that brings to life all the characters who I still love today such as Groucho Marx, Sylvia Sydney (the star of "Fury"), Frederich March and his wife, John Barrymore and various other and at times bit players from the 1930s both on screen and off screen.
25 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris R
- 01-03-17
Courtroom Drama
Enjoyed this book very much. To add to your enjoyment suggest you read Woody Allen's review in The NY Times. Tho the story involves Mary Astor's life, the meat of the story is how important the diaries were in her child custody case and the uproar they caused in Hollywood's Golden era. Book is well written with asides on various celebrities of the mid-1930's. If you are looking for a gossipy tell all, you may be somewhat disappointed, but as a fine human interest story and picture of that era you will be entertained. The courtroom aspect is intriguing and well told and is the center of the story.
Bernadette Dunn does a fine job narrating and really helps draw the listener in.
Good job, nicely written and researched.
24 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jerry Goldwater
- 12-07-16
very well read and seemingly well researched but .
What made the experience of listening to The Purple Diaries the most enjoyable?
Fascinating re-hash of a true Hollywood scandel . But why no mention of two of Mary Astor most enjoyable films Midnight with John Barrymore in one of his finest late performances.... he had been very important to Mary in the 1920s and Preston Sturges The Palm Beach Story , two wildly funny gems .
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris
- 05-15-17
Note to self: don't keep a diary
Well you shouldn't keep a diary you wouldn't want read or published if there's anything you don't want others to read. I feel bad for her daughter, being tusseled over in this way. Didn't care for the narrator frequently becoming monotone like a robot. Overall though I enjoyed the book.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Salui
- 01-08-17
Fascinating
This is a very well-written book about actress Mary Astor's front-page sensational legal battle with her physician husband in 1936. At the heart was the custody of their only child, and Astor's diary which her husband stole from her in the hope of using it against her. It is a fascinating tale of Hollywood royalty put on display in the courtroom and the papers as each parent fought frantically for custody. The performance is also quite excellent.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Roger Perrault
- 02-17-17
Gripping court room drama
The book relates Mary Astor's life but focuses on her custody battle for her daughter. The lead up and the trial itself are a gripping read. Highly recommended.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Monica
- 07-18-17
Great entertaining story
The author paints Mary Astor as a saint with no faults. All men in her life are vilified and blamed for the things that went wrong in her life. This does not distract from the story but adds an almost comical flavor. I very much enjoyed the history of Hollywood in its early years.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- eph13
- 10-07-17
Loved this Story!
Such a strong woman, and the author did justice in portraying her accurately as she struggled through several personal challenges throughout her life.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- judy manno
- 06-10-17
Great fror fans of Old Hollywood
Where does The Purple Diaries rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I would place this book in the top third of all of the books I have listened to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Purple Diaries?
Listen to lawyers fight was amusing. The sounded like 2 blowhards in the audio version. I bet they must have been quite a spectacle at the time of the trial.
Which scene was your favorite?
Not really a scene, rather just the final chapters. the author does a really nice job of answering the reader's logic question, "...and then what happened?"
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I had a strong reaction to Dr. Thorpe and Mary Astor. They both came across as childish and somewhat unlikable.
Any additional comments?
This author does a very good job of wrapping up loose ends and letting the reader know what happened to everyone mentioned in the book long after the trial ended.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- AlexWals
- 06-18-19
Emotionless audio of a boring book
The book itself was poorly written. Way too much detail about completely inconsequential points (just one example: the word “Overruled” was way OVERUSED...)and not enough detail about the person herself. Too much conjecture about her, without basis of fact. The reader’s borderline monotone sounded quite like a computer was reading the book. No emotion, no change of tone or voice-definitely a poor choice for any audio job.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Cathy D
- 09-20-21
Mary Astor and Her Purple Diaries
Mary Astor and Her Purple Diaries.
When I was a teenager I remember reading Mary Astor's autobiography. I randomly picked it up in a library, not expecting much and quickly realised she had quite a story to tell. The Purple Diaies lifts the lid on double standards in marriage and how Mary Astor's racy private memoirs were leveraged as blackmail by her husband who wanted to control and punish Mary and take custody of their daughter Marilyn.
There is alot of psychological insight in the writing and I was intrigued to hear the details of the long court case and how eventually, justice prevailed. If you are interested in early films and how the justice system worked in 1930s America, you will enjoy this fascinating listen.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Suzanne
- 09-30-21
Wonderful easy going read
I really enjoyed this book, it was very interesting and gave insight into old Hollywood, perfect easy listen
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Honest reader
- 06-24-22
Carefully told tale of its times.
This is not Mary Astors full life story but the story of the scandal that engulfed her in the mid 30s.
That said, there’s enough here to fully contextualise the scandal and to enable the listener to feel close to Astor.
The reiteration of the court case itself seems faithful and well researched although the editorialising in Astors favour sometimes seems a little obvious.
So many court cases (including this one) are not in themselves about the aspects of the case which grip the world at large, and I thought the writer did a good job balancing these two realities.
Astor was a talented woman who sustained a career across decades in a way which only a handful of others (and maybe none who were as big as she was in silent movies) ever did.
Her talent is evident in many films where she provides wonderful support, although her starring roles in silent films are almost never seen.
All child custody cases are by definition Tawdry. Family disputes that become public being the essence of the word. But this tale is worth telling as it speaks to the place of women and mothers and fathers in society, their rights, roles, and obligations at a particular time. 90 years on, it’s history.
The law, culture, individual human behaviour, all submitted to the microscope supposedly in service of the welfare of a child.
Astors own close is clear, and measured, even in the midst of drama and under incredible provocation. I wonder if people today will understand her, let alone empathise. We’re in a world where freely expressing all emotion, no matter the impact on see or others is considers a right. Restraint in emotional soul baring is often seen as a failing (indeed the end of the podcast speaks very clearly to this current shibboleth). But I heard Astors voice and it spoke to me of her intelligence and innate morality.
The reader has a wonderful voice and enunciates perfectly. Reminds me of the best English actresses of previous generations. Mellifluous, but earthy.
It’s social history not celebrity bio. And a fascinating insight into how a court case develops. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- MRS K MACRAE
- 06-11-22
A dreadful listen
Repetitive and dull - not enjoyable at all - I had thought that this might be interesting however I would not recommend this to anyone with either an interest in early cinema or the stars of early cinema. Basically a sordid divorce and custody trial of morally bankrupt characters.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jamickle
- 05-25-22
interesting
Had heard of the actress Mary Astor mainly due to the movie The Maltese Falcon. Had also heard that she was " a bit of a girl ". Having listened to this book and the era in which it was set it informs of the double standards in place back in the 30's. would recommend.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Linda T
- 12-19-21
Good
Really enjoyed listening to this book. I’ve never heard of this story before. Would recommend
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- NH Stevens
- 12-18-21
Incessant bed-hopping during Hollywood's Golden Era
Mary Astor was a minor star in the Talkies and beyond, but really hit the big-time in the early 1930's when she sought custody of her 4-year old daughter from her doctor husband Frankyn Thorpe. The book is mostly a word-for-transcript of the custody hearings.
As both Mary Astor and her husband seem to spend most of their lives jumping in and out of bed with dozens of people, some quite well-known, the story comes to life when it is revealed that Mary Astor wrote her diaries every night detailing her escapades. So inevitably both she and her husband spent their time at the trial describing how promiscuous the other spouse was and hence unfit to have custody. It was quite hard to find a sympathetic character in this book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nikola D.
- 09-06-21
brilliant story but robotically narrated
the story was really brought to life with clever writing of a complicated story with many players integral to it all.
unfortunately, the narration was very robotic and I had to remind myself it wasn't a computer generated voice. it is clear and well read but the tone is annoying sometimes which detracts from the story.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 04-25-23
Shines a light
Re-examines a story (& talent) that’s been buried in time. Told in a heartfelt, personal fashion, it’s respectful & raises the hypocrisy of the times & “the system”. A sympathetic protagonist, in a garish milieu.
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Fireball
- Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3
- By: Robert Matzen
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This fresh look at Hollywood's "Queen of Screwball," Carole Lombard, presents a first-ever examination of the events that led to the shocking flight mishap that took her life on the side of a Nevada mountain in 1942. It also provides a day-by-day account of the struggles of Lombard's husband, Clark Gable, and other family, friends, and fans to cope with the tragedy. In effect, having just completed the first sale of war bonds and stamps in the nation following its entry into World War II, Lombard became the first Hollywood star to sacrifice her life in the war.
-
-
Carole, Reanimated
- By Sudi on 06-18-14
By: Robert Matzen
-
If This Was Happiness
- A Biography of Rita Hayworth
- By: Barbara Leaming
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rita Hayworth was the epitome of 1940s glamour. A legendary "Love Goddess", she was a huge box-office star, and her sultry beauty and sensational figure made her into one of Hollywood's greatest sex-symbols: a pin-up so incendiary that GIs pasted it on to the first atom bomb ever detonated.
-
-
What a fascinating book about a fascinating person
- By B. Norber on 10-02-20
By: Barbara Leaming
-
The Vanderbilts
- By: Jerry E. Patterson
- Narrated by: Ray Childs
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cornelius Vanderbilt parlayed a $100.00 investment into the largest private transportation company in the world while creating an American Dynasty in New York, Newport, Vermont, and Asheville, North Carolina. This history of his family and their lush, opulent lifestyle is filled with juicy stories and fun tidbits about their lives in the Gilded Era.
-
-
It only brushes the cold marble surface
- By Tracy on 12-03-13
-
All About "All About Eve"
- The Complete Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Bitchiest Film Ever Made
- By: Sam Staggs
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To millions of fans, All About Eve represents all that’s witty and wonderful in classic Hollywood movies. Its old-fashioned, larger-than-life stars - including Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, and Celeste Holm - found their best roles in this movie, and its sophisticated dialogue has entered the lexicon. But there’s much more to know about All About Eve. Sam Staggs has written the definitive account of the making of this fascinating movie and its enormous influence on both film and popular culture.
-
-
Entertaining but problematic
- By Cynthia Pogue on 01-19-22
By: Sam Staggs
-
Scandal
- A Manual
- By: George Rush, Joanna Molloy
- Narrated by: George Rush, Joanna Molloy
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over fifteen years of dirty secrets, shocking reveals, and all of the celebrity gossip that’s unfit to print . . . but we’re going to anyway. When Jay Z defended himself against unfair charges that he slapped a woman, when Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez got tagged by an escort agency madam, when Bill O’Reilly dissed Muslim women, and when Ruth Madoff discovered her scam artist husband, Bernie, had also been cheating on her, it all came out in the pages of Rush & Molloy.
-
-
Couldn't finish it
- By Jacob on 01-22-16
By: George Rush, and others
-
Women of Means
- The Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics and Other Poor Little Rich Girls
- By: Marlene Wagman-Geller
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The grass isn't greener on the other side: Heiresses have always been viewed with eyes of envy. They were the ones for whom the cornucopia had been upended, showering them with unimaginable wealth and opportunity. However, through intimate historical biographies, Women of Means shows us that oftentimes the weaving sisters saved their most heart-wrenching tapestries for the destinies of wealthy women. Women of Means is bound to be a non-fiction best seller, full of the best biographies of all time.
-
-
Did an editor read this?
- By jzm on 09-02-20
-
Fireball
- Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3
- By: Robert Matzen
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 12 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This fresh look at Hollywood's "Queen of Screwball," Carole Lombard, presents a first-ever examination of the events that led to the shocking flight mishap that took her life on the side of a Nevada mountain in 1942. It also provides a day-by-day account of the struggles of Lombard's husband, Clark Gable, and other family, friends, and fans to cope with the tragedy. In effect, having just completed the first sale of war bonds and stamps in the nation following its entry into World War II, Lombard became the first Hollywood star to sacrifice her life in the war.
-
-
Carole, Reanimated
- By Sudi on 06-18-14
By: Robert Matzen
-
If This Was Happiness
- A Biography of Rita Hayworth
- By: Barbara Leaming
- Narrated by: Anna Fields
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rita Hayworth was the epitome of 1940s glamour. A legendary "Love Goddess", she was a huge box-office star, and her sultry beauty and sensational figure made her into one of Hollywood's greatest sex-symbols: a pin-up so incendiary that GIs pasted it on to the first atom bomb ever detonated.
-
-
What a fascinating book about a fascinating person
- By B. Norber on 10-02-20
By: Barbara Leaming
-
The Vanderbilts
- By: Jerry E. Patterson
- Narrated by: Ray Childs
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cornelius Vanderbilt parlayed a $100.00 investment into the largest private transportation company in the world while creating an American Dynasty in New York, Newport, Vermont, and Asheville, North Carolina. This history of his family and their lush, opulent lifestyle is filled with juicy stories and fun tidbits about their lives in the Gilded Era.
-
-
It only brushes the cold marble surface
- By Tracy on 12-03-13
-
All About "All About Eve"
- The Complete Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Bitchiest Film Ever Made
- By: Sam Staggs
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To millions of fans, All About Eve represents all that’s witty and wonderful in classic Hollywood movies. Its old-fashioned, larger-than-life stars - including Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, and Celeste Holm - found their best roles in this movie, and its sophisticated dialogue has entered the lexicon. But there’s much more to know about All About Eve. Sam Staggs has written the definitive account of the making of this fascinating movie and its enormous influence on both film and popular culture.
-
-
Entertaining but problematic
- By Cynthia Pogue on 01-19-22
By: Sam Staggs
-
Scandal
- A Manual
- By: George Rush, Joanna Molloy
- Narrated by: George Rush, Joanna Molloy
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over fifteen years of dirty secrets, shocking reveals, and all of the celebrity gossip that’s unfit to print . . . but we’re going to anyway. When Jay Z defended himself against unfair charges that he slapped a woman, when Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez got tagged by an escort agency madam, when Bill O’Reilly dissed Muslim women, and when Ruth Madoff discovered her scam artist husband, Bernie, had also been cheating on her, it all came out in the pages of Rush & Molloy.
-
-
Couldn't finish it
- By Jacob on 01-22-16
By: George Rush, and others
-
Women of Means
- The Fascinating Biographies of Royals, Heiresses, Eccentrics and Other Poor Little Rich Girls
- By: Marlene Wagman-Geller
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The grass isn't greener on the other side: Heiresses have always been viewed with eyes of envy. They were the ones for whom the cornucopia had been upended, showering them with unimaginable wealth and opportunity. However, through intimate historical biographies, Women of Means shows us that oftentimes the weaving sisters saved their most heart-wrenching tapestries for the destinies of wealthy women. Women of Means is bound to be a non-fiction best seller, full of the best biographies of all time.
-
-
Did an editor read this?
- By jzm on 09-02-20