Audiences flocked to movie theaters to see the latest silent film starring such luminaries as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Valentino and a host of other ‘glamorous’ movie stars.
Before long ‘talkies’ begin showing up at theaters and for the first time audiences can hear their favorite stars talk, listen to music and experience sound effects.
It was an exciting time during the genesis of film making in Hollywood and hundreds of hopefuls stampeded to the movie-making Mecca to make their fortunes as movie stars, directors and movie technicians and workers.
Most went to make a name for themselves as super stars.
Of the hundreds who arrived at movie lots only a handful would go on to be big name stars.
In writer Dan Van Neste’s new book from BearManor Media: They Coulda Have Been Contenders, twelve Hollywood immigrants arrive at the city of the dreams with stardust in their eyes and hopes and dreams flowing through their veins.
These are the stories of those twelve individuals who broke into the film industry but due to bad timing, bad luck, karma or whatever the reason none of them attained their ultimate goal to become a movie star.
While all found work in the movie industry and acted in major productions and even won awards, none reached the height of stardom they had hoped for.
All were talented, ambitious, hard-working and earned a degree of fame, fortune and acclaim.
Twelve in-depth essays, complemented with archive photos, examine the life, career and struggle each experienced on their aborted attempt at stardom.
Most of their faces are familiar to lovers of old movies. Personal recollections, archival accounts and current research combine to create captivating examinations of why none achieved super stardom.
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