About the Book The golden age of the worlds most popular weekly photography magazine (1936-1972) coincided with Hollywoods most glamorous decades. Featuring hundreds of meticulously researched and curated images from the vast LIFE archive, capturing more stars than there are in Heaven, location shoots, Oscar nights, homes, alluring parties, and more. Book Synopsis In November 1936, publisher Henry R. Luce launched LIFE as a photo-led weekly news magazine with a clear purpose: To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events. Before readers attention was consumed by television, LIFE served as their window to the world, and by the late 1940s, it was being read by 1 in 3 Americans. Jean Harlow was the first movie star to appear on a LIFE cover in 1937, and from then until 1972 over 200 covers featured Hollywood-related subjects, illustrating the strength of the bond between LIFE and the film industry. Matching the splendor of the finest Hollywood production, this two-volume epic blockbuster tells the intertwined story of a magazine and an art form that embodied the pinnacle of American imagination. Meticulously researched and curated, it features over 600 images from the magazines archives--well over half previously unpublished--and stars icons such as Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and many more. LIFE had special access to these celebrities following them on set, to extravagant parties, Oscar nights and at home, providing readers with intimate glimpses of their lives away from the spotlight. Volume 1 (1936-1950s) covers the Golden Age of Hollywood: dashing leading men, glamorous starlets, powerful studio moguls, and opulent lifestyles. Witness how LIFE didnt just indulge fantasy, but also documented the inner workings of the industry and the collective effort that went into creating the illusions on the screen, from screenwriters and composers to publicists and acting coaches. Volume 2 (1950s-1972) focuses on the New Hollywood, in which major studios gradually lost their stronghold, marked by a shift toward independent films, international stars, and a more diverse array of voices and faces. See how LIFE reported from the sets of classic movies such as The Godfather, Guys and Dolls, and The Ten Commandments; and with the aid of exclusive editorial materials like contact sheets, tear sheets from the stories, and internal editorial notes, we learn how LIFE planned and framed their innovative photo-essays. Featuring introductory texts by photography critic Lucy Sante, captions by film historian Justin Humphreys, and over 70 legendary LIFE photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, Peter Stackpole, Gordon Parks, Lisa Larsen, Margaret Bourke-White, Gjon Mili, and many others, LIFE. Hollywood is a celebration of the 20th centurys most important photography magazine and the irresistible allure of Hollywood and movie magnificence. Review Quotes A heavyweight two-volume blockbuster of a photo book [...] In its pages, youll find some of the best star portraiture of the Golden Age.-- The Wall Street Journal One comes to LIFE. Hollywood for the glamour, but stays for the in-depth reportage of the movie business at work.-- The Wall Street Journal A must-have for Hollywood history buffs, its a two-volume blockbuster.-- The Hollywood Reporter Anyone with this book, a pulse, and two open eyes can see for themselves. There really was a Hollywood.-- Air Mail For almost 45 years, TASCHEN has served as an invaluable resource for exploring entertainment history; delving into their subjects with unprecedented detail, becoming definitive sources of access and information. With the release of the two-volume LIFE. Hollywood , it pays tribute to one of the publications from which TASCHEN received much of its inspirations, if not its marching orders.-- Variety Incalculably lovable.-- Air Mail Luxurious, glamourous... attention has been paid to every little detail.-- Creative Review Hollywood is a place where theyll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.-- Marilyn Monroe