Vanguard of Hollywood artwork

Vanguard of Hollywood

85 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago -

A Feel-Good Classic Hollywood Podcast | This uplifting Classic Hollywood podcast offers inspirational insights into the films of the Golden Age & the stars who made them great.

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Episodes

Tamango (1958) and Dorothy Dandridge's Last Years

September 30, 2020 09:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MB

Dorothy Dandridge Tragically Dies at Age 42, and Endures More in Her Last Six Years of Life Than Anyone Ever Should, But the Amazing Strides She Made with Her Career Onscreen Are Still Felt and Appreciated Today.  Join Shannon for Her Farewell to This Month's Star, Dorothy Dandridge.

Carmen Jones (1954)

September 23, 2020 09:00 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MB

Dorothy Dandridge is Nominated for an Oscar, Proves She’s Sexy, Becomes a Mega Star, and Takes the Cannes Film Festival by Storm! From 1954, it's Carmen Jones.

Bright Road (1953)

September 16, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 22.9 MB

Dorothy Dandridge Works Hard for Her Daughter, Fights Jim Crow on the Nightclub Scene, Insures Her Designer Gowns for $250,000, And Proves She’s An Actress to Be Reckoned With. From 1953, it's Bright Road.

Star of the Month: Dorothy Dandridge

September 09, 2020 09:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MB

Dorothy Dandridge Is the First Female African American Movie Star, Marries a Nicholas Brother, Loves to Cook, And Gives Marilyn Monroe a Leotard! Join Shannon for her introduction to this month's Star of the Month, Dorothy Dandridge.

The Unguarded Moment (1956)

September 02, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 23 MB

Esther Williams Breaks Her Neck, Finds Fulfillment Post-Stardom, Becomes a Godmother to an Olympic Sport, and Proves This Million Dollar Mermaid Could Act! Shannon concludes this month's celebration of Esther Williams with the 1956 film, The Unguarded Moment.

Duchess of Idaho (1950)

August 26, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MB

Esther Williams Juggles Motherhood and Stardom, Van Johnson Is Adorable, Lena Horne Steals the Show, and Paula Raymond Is a Should-Be-Star! This week is all about 1950's Duchess of Idaho.

Bathing Beauty (1944)

August 19, 2020 09:00 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MB

Esther Williams Says No to MGM For a Year, Revolutionizes Synchronized Swimming, Looks Perfect Underwater, And Can Light the Pool On FIRE! From 1944, it's Bathing Beauty.

Star of the Month: Esther Williams

August 12, 2020 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MB

Esther Williams Is Sassy, Almost An Olympian, An Excellent Cook, Learns How to Swim Pretty, and Invents the Swimming Musical! Join Shannon as she introduces her Star of the Month, Esther Williams.

The Boston Strangler (1968)

August 05, 2020 09:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MB

Tony Curtis Takes Mug Shots, Hides His Handsomeness, Talks Painting Technique with The Rolling Stones, And Makes the Cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Join Shannon for her final week celebrating Star of the Month Tony Curtis: It's 1968's The Boston Strangler.

The Great Race (1965)

July 29, 2020 09:00 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MB

Tony Curtis Reminds Us to Say "Thank You," Jack Lemmon Gets a Pie in the Face, and Tony and Natalie Wood Almost Light Each Other On Fire!

Operation Petticoat (1959)

July 22, 2020 09:00 - 20 minutes - 19 MB

Tony Curtis Fulfills a Childhood Dream, Inspires Matt Bomer’s Neil Caffrey, and Fights with a Pig While Cary Grant Trips on LSD!  Join Shannon for 1959's Operation Petticoat.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

July 15, 2020 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Tony Curtis Puts the Cat in the Bag and the Bag in the River, Proves He’s More than Just a Pretty Face, Becomes an Honorary Member of the Rat Pack, And Plays Jazz Flute for Frank Sinatra!  Join Shannon this week for 1957's Sweet Smell of Success.

Star of the Month: Tony Curtis

July 08, 2020 09:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MB

Tony Curtis Survives the Streets of New York, Joins the Navy, Inspires Elvis, Has AMAZING Hair, Loves Beautiful Women, and Can Paint!

Billy Travilla: A Fashion Tribute

July 01, 2020 09:00 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MB

Billy Travilla Creates Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic Look, Gets Errol Flynn to Wear Tights, Wins An Academy Award, and Can Out-Pleat Anyone! Shannon celebrates the Classic Hollywood Fashion Designer Billy Travilla.

I Was a Male War Bride (1949)

June 24, 2020 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MB

Ann Sheridan Pays Warner Bros. $35,000 and Drives a Motorcycle, Cary Grant is a War Bride, Howard Hawks Likes Comedy, And Everybody Gets Sick! From 1949, I Was a Male War Bride.

Nora Prentiss (1947)

June 17, 2020 08:48 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

Ann Sheridan Can Curse Like a Sailor on a Stormy Night, Shows Warner Bros. She’s More Than “The Oomph Girl,” And Looks Stunning in the Gorgeous Gowns of Billy Travilla. Shannon Reviews the 1947 Film Noir, Nora Prentiss.

Star of the Month: Ann Sheridan

June 10, 2020 08:36 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MB

Ann Sheridan Has Plenty of "Oomph," Does Her Own Singing, is Voted Best Dressed, Fights Warner Bros. for Better Roles, and Moves to Mexico. This is Shannon's introduction to the June Star of the Month, Ann Sheridan.

Double Indemnity (1944)

June 03, 2020 09:52 - 28 minutes - 26 MB

Barbara Stanwyck is George Washington, Billy Wilder Defines Film Noir, Fred MacMurray Doesn't Murder Husbands, and Edward G. Robinson is Not a Communist. Join Shannon as she discusses the groundbreaking film from 1944, Double Indemnity.

Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939)

May 27, 2020 08:51 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

Edward G. Robinson Receives Death Threats From Nazis, Almost Joins the French Army, Inspires the German Underground, and is the First Star to Visit Normandy After D-Day.  From 1939, it's Confessions of a Nazi Spy.

Kid Galahad (1937)

May 20, 2020 08:08 - 22 minutes - 21 MB

Betty Davis Battles it Out with Jack Warner in London, Edward G. Robinson Gets Script Approval, and Humphrey Bogart Almost Leaves Hollywood! It's all part of 1937's Kid Galahad.

Little Caesar (1931)

May 13, 2020 10:28 - 22 minutes - 20.2 MB

Edward G. Robinson Fights for the Lead, Has Trouble with a Machine Gun, Becomes a Superstar Overnight, and Buys a Renoir. This is 1931's Little Caesar.

Star of the Month: Edward G. Robinson

May 06, 2020 07:35 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MB

Edward G. Robinson Epitomizes the American Dream, Loves Cigars and Art, Overcomes the Blacklist, and is Nothing Like His Gangster Screen Image.  Join Shannon as she introduces the May Star of the Month, Edward G. Robinson.

The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956)

April 29, 2020 08:56 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

Jane Russell becomes a redhead, Richard Egan goes platinum blonde, Howard Hughes leaves the movie business, and Jane starts her own production company. It’s 1956’s The Revolt of Mamie Stover!

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

April 22, 2020 09:19 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MB

Marilyn Monroe proves she's a star, Jane Russell becomes a mom, Marilyn scandalizes Joan Crawford, and Jane and Marilyn shock Hollywood with their friendship.  It's all part of 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

April 22, 2020 09:19 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MB

Marilyn Monroe proves she's a star, Jane Russell becomes a mom, Marilyn scandalizes Joan Crawford, and Jane and Marilyn shock Hollywood with their friendship.  It's all part of 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

The Paleface

April 15, 2020 10:46 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MB

Jane Russell is a typical war bride, Bob Hope almost gets blood poisoning, Jane and Bob become best buds, and mountains move!  It's all part of Shannon's review of The Paleface (1948).

The Paleface (1948)

April 15, 2020 10:46 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MB

Jane Russell is a typical war bride, Bob Hope almost gets blood poisoning, Jane and Bob become best buds, and mountains move!  It's all part of Shannon's review of The Paleface (1948).

Ep. 4 - The Paleface

April 15, 2020 10:46 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MB

Jane Russell is a typical war bride, Bob Hope almost gets blood poisoning, Jane and Bob become best buds, and mountains move!  It's all part of Shannon's review of The Paleface (1948).

Doris Day: A Birthday Tribute

April 09, 2020 22:17 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MB

Doris Day breaks her leg, sings with the big bands, becomes the most beloved movie star ever, gets her money back, and is basically magic.  It's Shannon's birthday tribute to her favorite Classic Hollywood star.

Ep. 3 - Doris Day: A Birthday Tribute

April 09, 2020 22:17 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MB

Doris Day breaks her leg, sings with the big bands, becomes the most beloved movie star ever, gets her money back, and is basically magic.  It's Shannon's birthday tribute to her favorite Classic Hollywood star.

Ep. 2 - Star of the Month: Jane Russell

April 08, 2020 03:25 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MB

Jane Russell helps the children, says no to Howard Hughes' bra design, needs her sleep, and proves that church ladies can still be sassy and curse like sailors. It's all part of Shannon's introduction to the April Star of the Month, Jane Russell.

Star of the Month: Jane Russell

April 08, 2020 03:25 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MB

Jane Russell helps the children, says no to Howard Hughes' bra design, needs her sleep, and proves that church ladies can still be sassy and curse like sailors. It's all part of Shannon's introduction to the April Star of the Month, Jane Russell.

Ep. 1 - Some Like It Hot

April 02, 2020 10:33 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MB

George Raft teaches Joe E. Brown and Jack Lemmon to tango, Marilyn Monroe out-earns the boys, Billy Wilder goes crazy, and Tony Curtis likes tight pants.  It's "Some Like It Hot" (1959)! In the final week highlighting the March Star of the Month, Joe E. Brown, Shannon explores Marilyn Monroe's terrible on-set behavior, Tony Curtis' infamous "kissing Hitler" comment, Billy Wilder's script inspiration, and just how far Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon went to get into character!

Some Like It Hot (1959)

April 02, 2020 10:33 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MB

George Raft teaches Joe E. Brown and Jack Lemmon to tango, Marilyn Monroe out-earns the boys, Billy Wilder goes crazy, and Tony Curtis likes tight pants.  It's "Some Like It Hot" (1959)! In the final week highlighting the March Star of the Month, Joe E. Brown, Shannon explores Marilyn Monroe's terrible on-set behavior, Tony Curtis' infamous "kissing Hitler" comment, Billy Wilder's script inspiration, and just how far Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon went to get into character!

Some Like It Hot

April 02, 2020 10:33 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MB

George Raft teaches Joe E. Brown and Jack Lemmon to tango, Marilyn Monroe out-earns the boys, Billy Wilder goes crazy, and Tony Curtis likes tight pants.  It's "Some Like It Hot" (1959)! In the final week highlighting the March Star of the Month, Joe E. Brown, Shannon explores Marilyn Monroe's terrible on-set behavior, Tony Curtis' infamous "kissing Hitler" comment, Billy Wilder's script inspiration, and just how far Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon went to get into character!