Seraphic Secret

Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.

July 4th

Independence Day: Once Upon A Time Hollywood Loved America

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Betty Grable wishes America a happy and meaningful July 4th. G-d Bless America.

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 motion-picture industry, and the man who invented the star system. Mayer adopted July 4th as his birthday. Scores of Hollywood historians get all snarky about Mayer’s birthday, claiming that he conveniently changed his birthday in order to cash in on a public identification with America.

What these historians fail to recognize is that Mayer probably did not know the date of his birth.

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July 4th Flashback: When Hollywood Loved America

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Betty Grable wishes America a happy and meaningful July 4th. G-d Bless America.

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 motion-picture industry, and the man who invented the star system. Mayer adopted July 4th as his birthday. Scores of Hollywood historians get all snarky about Mayer’s birthday, claiming that he conveniently changed his birthday in order to cash in on a public identification with America.

What these historians fail to recognize is that Mayer probably did not know the date of his birth.

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Flashback: July 4th, When Hollywood Was Patriotic

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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.

I like this photo of Ava Garden framed against the American flag. At the dawn of her career she did scores of bathing suit, July 4th photos. But this pic, probably from the early 50's, shows a more mature and confident actress as an American icon.
I like this photo of Ava Garden framed against the American flag. At the dawn of her career Gardner posed for scores of July 4th cheesecake photos. But this pic shows a more mature and confident actress as an American icon.

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A Hollywood July 4th

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Ava Gardner draws a line in the sand for July 4th.
Ava Gardner (1922-1990) draws lines in the sand on July 4th, 1943, and flashes the victory sign. Nothing like patriotism and a bit of cheesecake to raise morale.

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.

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Four Movies for the Fourth of July

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Jane Powell, Hollywood patriot.
Jane Powell, Hollywood patriot.

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 American holiday.

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