Rating: 
Summary: Innacuracies fixed
Review: A new edition of the book came out in March and it seems to have fixed all the photo caption errors mentioned in the earlier reviews. That being said, it is quite an informative book on the early days of Hollywood and is filled with some great photos.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Idea, Lazy Writing
Review: Being an avid Hollywood historian, I was eager to get this book about the history of Hollywood. While the writing is fast paced, and the author has a keen interest in history, I cannot stop finding mistakes that make me question the writer's committment to research: Fatty Arbuckle, for instance, was involved in a scandal at the St. Francis Hotel, not the Palace Hotel in San Francisco as reported here (and EVERY biography of Arbuckle mentions the St. Francis). The Alhambra (in the Valentino part) is in Granada, not Seville, Spain. Most historians believe William Desmond Taylor was gay, not "romancing both Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Mintner at the same time". Not to mention numerous typos that any self-respecting editor would have caught. This turns me off.
Rating:
Summary: Great Idea, Lazy Writing
Review: Being an avid Hollywood historian, I was eager to get this book about the history of Hollywood. While the writing is fast paced, and the author has a keen interest in history, I cannot stop finding mistakes that make me question the writer's committment to research: Fatty Arbuckle, for instance, was involved in a scandal at the St. Francis Hotel, not the Palace Hotel in San Francisco as reported here (and EVERY biography of Arbuckle mentions the St. Francis). The Alhambra (in the Valentino part) is in Granada, not Seville, Spain. Most historians believe William Desmond Taylor was gay, not "romancing both Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Mintner at the same time". Not to mention numerous typos that any self-respecting editor would have caught. This turns me off.
Rating: 
Summary: A NECESSARY VOLUME FOR EVERY HOLLYWOOD LIBRARY
Review: David Wallace's Lost Hollywood is a necessity for any Hollywood or motion picture library. From the Garden of Alla and Schwab's Drugstore, to Ciro's, Romanoff's, and Perino's, Wallace has found lost Hollywood, and he has served it up in dozens of tasty tales. Not only has he found lost Hollywood treasures, he has also put to rest some legendary Hollywood mysteries: what were the true circumstances of director Thomas Ince's sudden death, following a cruise on Hearst's yacht? Was Lana Turner truly "discovered" sipping a soda at Schwab's Drugstore? What was really going behind closed doors at the legendary Hotel Hollywood?This volume could have coined the expression "a real page turner". Impeccably researched and written, this is a book that we have needed for forty years, and, now, thanks to David Wallace, the wait has ended!
Rating:
Summary: Innacuracies fixed
Review: David Wallace's work is an absorbing account of the sights and sounds of Hollywood's golden age from its silent beginnings to the classics of the talkies. Intriguing anecdotes abound; stories of the Hollywood Bowl, Rudolph Valentino's infamous love trysts and a somber tale of an actress who leaped off the "H" letter of the Hollywood sign to her death, among many others. Unfortunately, the book is filled with errors; one photo claims to be of Zasu Pitts (with Mack Sennett), when in fact, it is his star/lover Mabel Normand. Many films are documented with their wrong release years, and actors are credited with scenes from incorrect films (Claudette Colbert's bath in asses' milk from "Sign of the Cross" is credited to her other epic "Cleopatra"). I was also amazed that the book failed to mention the recent discovery of DeMille's lost city from his 1923 version of "The Ten Commandments", which was discovered in nearby Hollywood sand dunes. Nevertheless, "Lost Hollywood" is a good read and should prompt the reader to go beyond its source for more detailed (and more correct) information.
Rating:
Summary: Golden Age of Hollywood is no longer LOST!
Review: David Wallace's work is an absorbing account of the sights and sounds of Hollywood's golden age from its silent beginnings to the classics of the talkies. Intriguing anecdotes abound; stories of the Hollywood Bowl, Rudolph Valentino's infamous love trysts and a somber tale of an actress who leaped off the "H" letter of the Hollywood sign to her death, among many others. Unfortunately, the book is filled with errors; one photo claims to be of Zasu Pitts (with Mack Sennett), when in fact, it is his star/lover Mabel Normand. Many films are documented with their wrong release years, and actors are credited with scenes from incorrect films (Claudette Colbert's bath in asses' milk from "Sign of the Cross" is credited to her other epic "Cleopatra"). I was also amazed that the book failed to mention the recent discovery of DeMille's lost city from his 1923 version of "The Ten Commandments", which was discovered in nearby Hollywood sand dunes. Nevertheless, "Lost Hollywood" is a good read and should prompt the reader to go beyond its source for more detailed (and more correct) information.
Rating:
Summary: A Goldmine of Trivia and Fun
Review: Enjoy David Wallace's new book, just for the fun of it. The 23 short chapters make this the perfect companion for on-the-go people that think they don't have time to read. While the investment is easy, the pay-off is great. The insights are first-rate. Many you have heard before, but Wallace puts a contemporary spin on the old Hollywood legends. Any old film-buff will love this book. Now if we can convince the author to write even more juicy tales?
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for hollywood buffs!
Review: I guess I got the edited version, because I noted none of the errors that have plagued previous versions. I thought this book was a fairly well-written, intelligent tour of "Old Hollywood." It does focus mainly on the Hollywood of the 20's, but the last chapter is a real knockout. Worth the cover price in iteself. Like the other reviewers, though, I would have liked to have seen more pix. I would also like to see more descriptions of some of the stars' homes. As a graphic designer I give the cover and book design an A --definitely added to my enjoyment. Great job, David and Liz!
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for hollywood buffs!
Review: I guess I got the edited version, because I noted none of the errors that have plagued previous versions. I thought this book was a fairly well-written, intelligent tour of "Old Hollywood." It does focus mainly on the Hollywood of the 20's, but the last chapter is a real knockout. Worth the cover price in iteself. Like the other reviewers, though, I would have liked to have seen more pix. I would also like to see more descriptions of some of the stars' homes. As a graphic designer I give the cover and book design an A --definitely added to my enjoyment. Great job, David and Liz!
Rating:
Summary: you've heard this one before
Review: I hate to be cranky, but this is a rehash of creaky gossip in an attractive package. No original research going on here at all. If nobody's ever told you what 'Rosebud' really refers to, or that Valentino's grave was visited by a "mysterious lady in black" (gosh), this might be a good intro for you. Otherwise, if you'd rather not skate on the surface, may I point you elsewhere? Would that be okay? For LA architectural history, try Charles Moore's brilliant & reprinted "City Observed". For the sleaze, go with the font, Kenneth Anger. For an in-depth look at H'wood in the teens and 20's, I'd try Kevin Brownlow's "Parade's Gone By."
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