Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!

We're climbing Mount Everest today...the Mount Everest of Camp, that is...to reach our ultimate destination, the "Valley of the Dolls" (1967).

In Part One of our two-part "Doll-apalooza", we dive headfirst into "Valley of the Dolls" to explore how a record-shattering novel morphed into a glossy, chaotic cult classic that refuses to fade. From Travilla’s couture and 60s hair architecture to the film’s stubborn 1940s morality, we map the exact fault lines where glamour cracks into melodrama—and why that crack is what keeps fans coming back.

We pull apart the legendary casting carousel, a virtual murderous row of "wanna-bes", "what-ifs" and "if-onlys", to land on the our final triumvirate: Barbara Parkins ,Sharon Tate and Patty Duke’s. Then there’s the ultimate Hollywood what-if: Judy Garland hired as Helen Lawson, acting opposite a character inspired by herself, before being dismissed and replaced by Susan Hayward. Layer in the book’s real-world inspirations—Judy, Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe, Carol Landis—and the film becomes a hall of mirrors where gossip, myth, and performance blur.

We also examine the structural problems that make the movie so watchable: a two-decade story squeezed into a breathless sprint, montages standing in for struggle, and addiction rendered as instant meltdown. Yet the music rescues memory; André and Dory Previn’s title theme, immortalized by Dionne Warwick, laces through pop culture and keeps the film’s ache alive.

The men are mannequins, the women are meteors, and somewhere between pills and punchlines the film finds accidental truth about fame, control, and the cost of being marketable. So, press play to hear why this "beloved piece of…” well, you know—continues to be relevant to this day, over 50 years after its debut.

And please you enjoy the show, follow, share with a movie-loving friend, and leave a quick review telling us your favorite "Valley of the Dolls" moment.

Episode Artwork by the incomparable Glen Larson @instaglenhanson

Text us & We'll Respond on an Episode

Episode Artwork by the incomparable Glen Larson @instaglenhanson

Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com

Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod

To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT

Reach us at goinghollywoodpodcast@gmail.com

Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist

Podcast logo by Umeworks

We interrupt our scheduled programs for a special milestone: one million views on Tony's "Wired" interview on YouTube! This occasion opened the door for a bigger conversation, so we pulled up a chair and dug in.

Brad asks some questions that blew past the YouTube cut: what we actually know about Natalie Wood’s final night, why rumor loves tidy villains, and how to honor a legacy without letting tragedy swallow it whole. From there, we build a clear, no-filler Elizabeth Taylor film watch list, take a deeper dive into Hollywood's gay history, and we revisit the story of Loretta Young and Clark Gable's secret love child and the lengths she took to protect her image, showing what the Production Code demanded—and what it broke.

We also take the opportunity to give much overdue shout-outs to some of the kind people who took the time to rate and review us, and give us their thoughts on which classic we should tackle next.

So, hit play for a candid, story-driven tour through Old Hollywood facts, modern myths, and the business decisions that still shape what we see. If you learned something or built a new watchlist, share this episode with a friend, follow the show, and leave a review.

And don't forget to drop a quarter in the "swear jar"!! (If you know, you know.)

To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT

To listen to "Origins: Sex and the City" hosted by James Andrew Miller got to https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/origins-with-james-andrew-miller/id1266445999?i=1000423827162

Text us & We'll Respond on an Episode

Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com

Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod

To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT

Reach us at goinghollywoodpodcast@gmail.com

Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist

Podcast logo by Umeworks

The residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane get ready for their close-up, as we wrap up our spirited “Addams v. Munsters” debate with a nostalgic deep dive into the classic sitcom “The Munsters”. We explore what sets it apart from “The Addams Family”—not just visually, but culturally—and reminisce about the show’s offbeat charm, its subtle social commentary, and the chemistry between cast members, highlighting icons like Fred Gwynne, Yvonne DeCarlo, and Al Lewis. Join us as we break down two memorable episodes.

Along the way, we reflect on why "The Addams Family" and "The Munsters" shot to the top of the ratings and quickly ended and their continued legacy through spin-offs, reboots, and pop culture references. We share our personal preferences and we declare our victors in the sitcom showdown. Do we agree? Which did each of us choose?

Watch "The Munsters" unaired pilot
Herman teaches Eddie about acceptance.

Text us & We'll Respond on an Episode

Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com

Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod

To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT

Reach us at goinghollywoodpodcast@gmail.com

Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist

Podcast logo by Umeworks