Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Coming to Los Angeles in the 1940s after serving in World War II, Fred Otash first joined the Los Angeles Police Department but after clashes with his new boss, quit to become a private detective. Using his connections with the police and relationships he built with many of Hollywood's elite, Otash first worked for a gossip magazine before becoming a sought-after fixer, someone who could keep celebrity indiscretions out of the press and protect both their careers and the studios investing money in them. This biography tells his story along with stories about Hollywood's dark side.   Review: I had a bit of a Hollywood history theme the last time I checked out books from the library and, as part of that, ended up selecting The Fixer simply because it sounded interesting. While I didn't know who Fred Otash was before reading the book, I was familiar with the concept of Hollywood "fixers" and what they did for the studios and figured it would be entertainin...

Synopsis: After being raised by parents who stole from her and becoming a widow at 24, Hollywood star Mary Astor was involved in relationships with multiple men, including playwright George S. Kaufman, while she was married to Dr. Franklyn Thorpe and wrote about her affairs in her diary. In 1936, after agreeing to give Thorpe both a divorce and custody of their daughter, Marylyn because he possessed her diary and threatened to use it to derail her career, Astor took her ex-husband to court to contest the custody arrangement, putting Hollywood on high alert as the case threatened to expose the details of her private journal, including the famous stars she slept with. This non-fiction book gives a play-by-play detail of the trial, the events leading up to it and the aftermath. Review: As a classic movie fan, I am familiar with Mary Astor's work and knew enough about her history to be familiar with her infamous "Purple Diaries," named after the color ink she used to write...

Synopsis: Ever since movies became a form of entertainment, alcohol has been part of film history. In some cases, it has even been the cause of film history. This non-fiction book, which is illustrated by Edward Hemingway, shares drinking stories involving Hollywood actors, the places they frequented and even recipes for their favorite drinks. Review: As someone who loves classic, black-and-white films, I have taken a real interest in Hollywood history and the behind-the-scenes stuff that didn't necessarily make it into the newspapers when they happened. That's why, when I came across Of All the Gin Joints at my library, I decided it was worth taking the time to read. I finished it this morning and am pleased to say I made a good reading choice. There were a few things I found I liked about this book. One of them was the variety of actors, writers, producers, etc. that the stories were about. It was a good mix of well-known names and people I honestly had never heard about b...