Category Archives: July 4th

Independence Day: Once Upon A Time Hollywood Loved America

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 4, 2018

A long time ago, in a universe far far away, in a place called Hollywood, the movie studios and the actors who flourished in those dream factories, celebrated their love of America and enthusiastically indulged in overt displays of patriotism. L.B. Mayer (b. Lazar Meir) the powerful head of MGM, was a pioneer of the […]

Also posted in Ann Blyth, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Betty Grable, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Twelvetrees, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Madge Evans, Marilyn Monroe, Movies, Photography, Rita Hayworth | Tagged America, Anita Page, Ann Blythe, Ava Gardner, Betty, Betty Compson, Colleen Moore, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Twelvetrees, Hollywood, Independence Day, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, July 4th, L.B. Mayer, Lana Turner, Leila Hyams, Ma'ayan Ariel, Madge Evans, Marian Marsh, Marilyn Monroe, Mary Doran, Patriotism, Rita Hayworth | 4 Responses

July 4th Flashback: When Hollywood Loved America

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 2, 2017

A long time ago, in a universe far, far away, in a place called Hollywood, the movie studios and the actors who flourished in the dream factories, celebrated their love of America and enthusiastically indulged in overt displays of patriotism. L.B. Mayer (b. Lazar Meir) the powerful head of MGM, was a pioneer of the […]

Also posted in America, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography | Tagged Ann Blythe, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Betty Compson, Betty Grable, Colleen Moore, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Twelvetrees, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Leila Hyams, Madge Evans, Marian Marsh, Marilyn Monroe, Mary Doran, Rita Hayworth | 12 Responses

Flashback: July 4th, When Hollywood Was Patriotic

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 3, 2016

Also posted in Actors, America, Ava Gardner, Colleen Moore, Helen Twelvetrees, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars, Hollywood Still Photography | Tagged Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Twelvetrees, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Leila Hyams, Madge Evans, Marilyn Monroe, Timothy Oulton | 7 Responses

A Hollywood July 4th

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 4, 2015

A long time ago, in a universe far, far away, in a place called Hollywood, the movie studios and the actors who were under contract to them, celebrated their love of America, and enthusiastically indulged in overt displays of patriotism.

Also posted in America, Holidays, Hollywood, Hollywood Stars | Tagged Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Leila Hyams, Madge Evans, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hay | 6 Responses

Four Movies for the Fourth of July

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 4, 2014

Family, friends, backyard barbecue. You’re going to load up on burgers, hot dogs and french fries. Naturally, you will be exhausted from celebrating Independence Day. Time to heave your starch-laden body into a club chair and enjoy some rousing entertainment. Here are Seraphic Secret’s suggestions: four spectacular movies that are uniquely appropriate for this great […]

Also posted in America, Holidays, Hollywood | Tagged Akira Kurosawa, George C. Scott, Jane Powell, Jeff Daniels, July 4 Movies, Mel Gibson, Patton, Rita Hayworth, The Crossing, The Patriot, The Seven Samurai | 23 Responses

July 4th Classic Hollywood Style

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 4, 2013

A long time ago, in a universe far, far away, in a place called Hollywood, the engines of entertainment genius that were the movie studios, and the actors who were under contract to them, celebrated their love of America, and enthusiastically indulged in overt displays of patriotism. L.B. Mayer (b. Lazar Meir) of MGM, a […]

Also posted in Hollywood | Tagged Ava Gardner, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Jewish Hollywood, Joan Crawford, kaddish, L.B. Mayer, Leila Hyams, Madge Evans, Marilyn Monroe, Pale of Settlement, Patriotism, Phil Berg, Rabbi Shmuel Avrech, Sidney Kingsley, Timothy Oulton American Bed, yahrtzeit | 13 Responses

July 4 In Hollywood

By Robert J. Avrech | Published: July 4, 2012

The photos seem to be from another planet, or at least a parrallel universe. It was not so long ago that Hollywood was institutionally patriotic. Studio photos always included an Independence Day shot, frequently an innocent piece of cheesecake. Because what’s more American than igniting fireworks while wearing a bathing suit. L.B. Mayer of MGM […]

Also posted in Ava Gardner, Hollywood, Joan Crawford, L.B. Mayer, Rita Hayworth | Tagged Ava Gardner, Betty Boop, Joan Crawford, Liberty Bell, Madge Evans, Marian Marsh, Marilyn Monroe, Marion Shilling, MGM, Rita Hayworth | 7 Responses

How I Married Karen

The new book
by Robert J. Avrech

Available in All Major Book Stores

Adobe Digital Edition's version is available through the Lulu store!
About Me
Robert J. Avrech
Los Angeles, California
I'm an Emmy Award winning screenwriter. I'm also an observant Jew, a religious Zionist, a conservative Republican, and a member of the NRA. I've been writing and producing in Hollywood for over twenty-five years. But the focus of my life is my family: my radiant wife, Karen—with whom I have been in love with since I was nine years-old—and my two daughters, who, thankfully, look like Karen. Not too long ago, we had three children. But our son, Ariel, died at the age of twenty-two from cancer. We miss him terribly. We think about him practically every minute of every day. People tell us that time heals, but Karen and I know this is not true. Time grinds away doing its terrible work. Ariel is gone. Yet absence becomes presence.

Ariel Chaim Avrech, ZT'L, May His Righteous Memory be a Blessing.
Search
Annual Ariel Avrech
Memorial Lectures
Young Israel of Century City
NOTE: Click on video titles inside the thumbnail images, below, to open that video in YouTube

Fifteenth: June 10, 2018
Jackie Danicki: “Confessions of a Convert: A Humbling, Joyful Journey to Judaism.”

Blog Post | Audio: (94 MB)

Fourteenth: June 11, 2017
Daniel Greenfield: “Fighting Anti-Semitism and Defending Israel in the Age of BDS.”

Blog Post | Audio: (100 MB)

Thirteenth: May 22, 2016Ben Shapiro: “How You Can Save Israel”

Blog Post | Audio: (70 MB)

Twelfth: June 7, 2015
Larry Elder: “The New Black Anti-Semitism”

Blog Post | Audio: (100 MB)

Eleventh: June 8, 2014
Michael Medved: “Shifting Alliances: Why Liberals No Longer Reliably Support Israel — And Conservatives Do.”

Blog Post | Audio: (97MB)

Tenth: June 9, 2013
David Horowitz: “The War Against Judaism on the University Campus.”

Blog Post | Audio: (16MB)

Ninth: June 3, 2012
Joel B. Pollak: “The Mainstream Media’s Betrayal of Israel.”

Blog Post | Audio: (15MB)

Eighth: June 5, 2011
Yossi Klein Halevi: “What is Expected of a Survivor People: Lessons My Father Taught Me.”

Blog Post | Audio: (18MB)

Seventh: June 13, 2010
Dennis Prager: “Happiness is a Mitzvah, Not an Emotion.”

Blog Post | Audio: (80MB)

Sixth: June 21, 2009
Rabbi Steven Pruzansky: “Conformity in Jewish Life: Vice, Virtue or Affectation?”

Blog Post | Audio: (64MB)

Fifth: June 15, 2008
Rabbi Dr. Gil S. Perl: “What Was the Rosh Yeshiva Reading: Intellectual Openness in 19th Century Lithuania.”

Blog Post | Audio: (70MB)
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