From Beneath the Hollywood Sign
If the Golden era of Old Hollywood is your thing, our podcast is for you! If you want TYRONE POWER instead of TOM HARDY, JENNIFER JONES instead of JENNIFER LAWRENCE, or ROBERT MITCHUM rather than ROBERT PATTINSON, then FROM BENEATH THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN is the gin joint for you. Each week, writer and producer STEVE CUBINE and actress and writer NAN MCNAMARA explore, discuss, and dissect the magical, mysterious, amusing, and sometimes bizarre tales of Old Hollywood. So sit back and revisit a time when the pictures were still big and everyone was ready for their close-up.
Episodes
May 5, 2025 • 39 mins
EPISODE 86 - “ANNA MAY WONG: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” - 5/5/2025
Anna May Wong was once the most famous Chinese woman in the world. The trailblazing actress, philanthropist, and fashion icon appeared in over 60 films and was a celebrated star, yet, at the time, she was not allowed to kiss a Caucasian man on screen, which limited the roles she could take, and she was not allowed to buy a house in Beverly Hills. A strang...
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April 28, 2025 • 37 mins
EPISODE 85 - “THE MAKING OF MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE WIZARD OF OZ - PART 2” - 4/28/2025
There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home! As we continue our discussion of the making of “The Wizard of Oz,” this week we explore the score, the songs, the vocals, the transition to television, and some of the many urban legends that surround this classic film. (No, a Munchkin did not hang himsel...
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April 21, 2025 • 36 mins
EPISODE 84 - “THE MAKING OF MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE WIZARD OF OZ - PART 1” - 4/21/2025
Perhaps one of the most beloved movies of all time, the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz debuted in that magical year of 1939. Based on the popular children’s books by Frank L. Baum, it tells the story of a Kansas farm girl, Dorothy Gale, who, along with her devoted dog Toto, is transported to the magical land of Oz. This beloved classic has...
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April 14, 2025 • 41 mins
EPISODE 83 - “TCM FILM FESTIVAL 2025 PREVIEW” - 4/14/2025
It’s that time of year again. Time for the 2025 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, which takes place April 24-27 in Hollywood California. This year, the theme is “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.” This week, Steve and Nan offer a fun preview of the highlights of the upcoming festival and they discuss the films they are most excited to see, including great titles...
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April 7, 2025 • 30 mins
“The Tragic Life of Classic Cinema Star Gail Russell” (082) - 4/07/2025
Hollywood legend has it that ethereal beauty GAIL RUSSELL was discovered after a Paramount Studios talent manager picked up two hitchhiking Santa Monica high school boys who told him all about the "Hedy Lamarr of Santa Monica High School." Allegedly, he then tracked down Russell at school and arranged for a screen test. The rest, as they say, is Hollywood hist...
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March 31, 2025 • 28 mins
“RICHARD CARLSON: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” (081) - 3/31/2025
Tall, dark-haired, and handsome, RICHARD CARLSON was always a welcomed addition to any cast. From the beginning, when he was playing preppy college students opposite LANA TURNER, to his reign in the 1950s as the King of Sci-Fi thrillers, Carlson brought believability and authority to each role but also a sense of introspective thoughtfulness. You looked into his...
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March 24, 2025 • 32 mins
"IT'S FATAL: WHAT IS FILM NOIR?" (PART III) (080) 3/24/2025
Welcome to the third and final installment of our series on Film Noir. As we have previously discussed the technical elements of noir and met the typical character’s of noir, we will now take a look at the creative aspects of the genre that help create that special brand of dark, sexy, deadly movies. We’ll discuss dialogue, and clever devices like voice overs, flashbacks,...
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March 17, 2025 • 40 mins
"STRANGE CHARACTERS: WHAT IS FILM NOIR? (PART II)" (079)
Welcome to the second episode of our special 3-part series on Film Noir. In this episode, we’ll explore the iconic character types that define the genre—characters who live in the grey areas of morality, driven by desire, deceit, and danger. From the hard-boiled detective to the femme fatale, we’ll unpack the timeless archetypes that give film noir its signature edge. So, gr...
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March 10, 2025 • 38 mins
EPISODE 78 - “FILM NOIR - Part 1 - WHAT IS NOIR?” - 3/10/2025
Have you ever wondered what exactly is film noir? TCM’s EDDIE MULLER describes it this way: “Film Noir is all about treachery, deceit, and paranoia. You’re never quite sure what is going on, who you can trust, or what dreadful pitfall waits around the corner.” This dark and twisted film genre popped up after WWII as a quiet cynicism began to creep into the national cons...
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March 3, 2025 • 34 mins
"MARY BETH HUGHES - CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH" - 3/03/2025
For those of you who don't know the charms of MARY BETH HUGHES, when she was under contract at MGM, she was dubbed "the poor man's LANA TURNER." It was a rather unfair assessment since MGM gave Lana all the plum roles, and Mary Beth got her hand-me-downs. But still, Mary Beth had great comic chops, and no one played bitchy, hard-boiled blondes as well as she. Despit...
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February 24, 2025 • 45 mins
EPISODE 76 - “MEMORABLE OSCAR SPEECHES OF THE GOLDEN ERA OF HOLLYWOOD” - 2/24/2025
Winning an Oscar is a dream for most people who work in Hollywood. But you can’t just win the Oscar; you must have a good speech once your name is called to the podium. There have been some great ones — OLIVIA COLEMAN’s funny and cheeky speech hit the right tone, and who can forget JACK PALANCE’s one-arm push-ups or CUBA GOODING’s exuberance? Ther...
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February 17, 2025 • 25 mins
EPISODE 75 - “MEHAR BABA BRINGS SPIRITUALITY TO OLD HOLLYWOOD” - 2/17/2025
During the 1920s and 1930s, a spiritual movement swept through Hollywood. It seems the Hollywood elite were about more than just speakeasies, flappers, and decadence. Some were searching for inner-peace and often found it -- at least temporarily -- in these various religious movements that popped up. One spiritual leader who came to prominence was India’s M...
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February 10, 2025 • 47 mins
EPISODE 74 - “SWEETHEARTS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD" 2/10/2025
As Cupid sharpens his arrows, and the candy and greeting card companies prepare to make bank, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. In this episode, we take a loving look at some of Hollywood’s most enduring real-life love stories. From JOEL McCREA and FRANCES DEE to JEAN HARLOW and WILLIAM POWELL, join us as we discuss their lives, films, and, most importantly, their b...
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February 3, 2025 • 31 mins
"THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS: CLASSIC CINEMA STARS OF THE MONTH"
The Nicholas Brothers, FAYARD and HAROLD, are arguably two of the greatest dancers to ever hit Hollywood. Born to musician parents, they learned their craft working the vaudeville scene and appearing at the famous Cotton Club during the Harlem Renaissance before landing in Hollywood. In Tinseltown, they made movie magic dancing in some of Hollywood’s biggest musicals. The ...
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January 27, 2025 • 38 mins
EPISODE 72 - “CHATTING CLASSIC CINEMA WITH JOURNALIST MAUREEN LENKER” - 1/27/2025
In this week’s episode, Steve and Nan welcome award-winning journalist MAUREEN LENKER. Maureen, who is currently a Senior Writer for Entertainment Weekly, has a deep passion and knowledge of classic cinema and has made 1930s Hollywood the setting for her new novel, “His Girl Hollywood.” Join us as Maureen discusses her career, her passion for cinema,...
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January 20, 2025 • 47 mins
EPISODE 71 - “STEVE & NAN’s FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS OF THE 1970s” - 1/20/2024
The 1970s was a decade that saw the rise of the auteur. Filmmakers like Scorsese, Coppola, Cassavetes, Altman, Lumet, and DePalma hit their stride and brought to the screen their specific vision and stylized films. It was a very experimental era where boundaries were pushed and once-taboo topics were explored. It became a creative high point and gave us s...
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January 13, 2025 • 31 mins
EPISODE 70 - “COLIN CLIVE” - 1/13/2024
The moment he uttered the iconic line, “It’s Alive! It’s Alive,” in the 1931classic horror film “Frankenstein, actor COLIN CLIVE secured his place in film history. The handsome, talented British actor went on to appear in several other films, but his life and career were cut short due to his acute alcoholism and other personal demons. This week, we remember and celebrate this beloved horror l...
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January 6, 2025 • 33 mins
ELLEN DREW: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH (069)
Whether playing the sweet girl next door or the world-weary casino boss’s moll, ELLEN DREW was an incredibly versatile leading lady who was a major star in the 1940s and 50s. She made a career of playing a wide range of roles in various genres — from Westerns to comedies to dramas to horror movies. She was nicknamed “The Candy Store Cinderella” because she was discovered scooping ...
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December 30, 2024 • 38 mins
“HITCHCOCK’s COLLABORATORS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE” - (068)
ALFRED HITCHCOCK, the iconic “Master of Suspense,” loved to work with certain actors over and over again. Often, he had very complicated relationships with his actors. (Just ask TIPPI HEDREN!) However, he managed to form great working relationships with stars like JAMES STEWART, GRACE KELLY, INGRID BERGMAN, and CARY GRANT. This week, we take a fun look at some of the actors w...
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December 23, 2024 • 42 mins
One of the most popular episodes of our pod was #12 from December of last year, "DECK THEM HALLS: CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS IN CLASSIC FILM." Because of the great feedback we got on that show (and because Steve and Nan are WAY behind on their holiday shopping), we’re replaying that episode to celebrate the best time of year for holiday movies. We hope you enjoy it, and we’ll be back next week with a brand new episode! Happy Holidays...
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