
During Hollywood’s Golden Age, the studios, through newspapers,fan magazines, and trade publications, published photos of their stars celebrating Christmas. In this way, Hollywood — though founded by poor immigrant Jews — informed the public that the motion picture industry was in harmony with Christian America.
Seraphic Secret — Karen and I — are Orthodox Jews. We observe the Sabbath and eat only kosher food. Our lives and values are built around the Torah, written and oral. But we enjoy this season, and honor Christmas. We shudder at the relentless postmodern assault on this most Christian of holidays. We want America to remain a steadfastly Judeo-Christian country, for without G-d individual liberty vanishes, replaced, inevitably, by a powerful centralized state, a cult of personality and various forms of paganism, exemplified by the climate change (AKA the weather) fanatics.
We urge everyone to pray for the Christians who are being murdered, tortured and oppressed by genocidal jihadists and barbaric Islamic law.
Here’s a sample of Hollywood and Christmas as it used to be.











Karen and I wish all our Christian friends a Merry Christmas.
I would be remiss if I did not link to a splendid Jewish Christmas gift. You have my personal guarantee that this item is awesome.
Also available from the Apple iTunes store.
Thank you, once again for great pics of classic Hollywood. Happy Boxing Day for those of your readers in Oz. My spirits are lifted when I can see this glorious singing. It is the spirit of the holidays or should be.
Robert – thank you for offering a little oasis on the Internet.
Seeing Mary Pickford’s picture and how long she lived – of all the classic stars would she have been the one you would have liked to interview? Think of what she saw in the industry changes.
I have to applaud Bridget Bardot’s courage – it takes a strong character to go against the grain of society.
BTW I want to thank you for recommending “Friday Night Lights” – I am hooked on that series. And to think it was on NBC for 5 years and I wasn’t even aware of it.
In an era of inexpensive (and mindless) reality shows I have pretty much given up on the networks.
But that show – takes you to a small Texas town and for awhile you are part of it. Never understood the “religion” of High School football until seeing this series.
As a friend says virtually all TV shows these days (that aren’t “reality” shows) are one of 3 things or a combination: cops, lawyers, or doctors. FNL was a refreshing difference (it just ended, so I understand).
Another series I discovered you might like is Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Set in 1929 Melbourne and staring Essie Davis, the historical research, the costumes, screenwriting (IMO) and acting are all superb.
Didn’t know the late 20s were so vibrant.
On Netflix streaming.
Thanks, Mr Avrech, and the warmest “Season’s Greetings” and the “Happiest of New Years” to Mrs Avrech, you, and your entire family. regards, Alemaster
Thank you for the kind wishes, Robert. As one of Jewish descent from a family of Levii, serving as a Christian minister, I so appreciate my heritage and my Orthodox great-grandparents’ decision to brave much to leave the Ukraine in 1891 so as to have freedom and life itself in Britain and then the USA. I hope Chanukkah was blessed to you, a man I am sure would be my friend were we acquainted more than over the internet.
Names were changed to get rid of identifiable ethnicity (unless the actor was an ethnic type) for a more harmonious sound; so the number of letters could fit comfortably on a marquee. Also to avoid duplication. For instance a British actor born James Stewart changed his name to Stewart Granger so as not to be confused with the American Jimmy Stewart who was actually born James Stewart.
To the best of my knowledge, Cagney and Stewart always had their credits as James, but friends called them Jimmy.
Happy day!
I generally gloss over your Hollywood posts, oddly preferring your depressing takes on politics and other bad things but, in today’s post I noticed the “b.” (born as) and that was interesting.
And, a ray of hope – as bad as things have gotten, our Capitol still has a national Christmas tree!
Life is beautiful all the time.