x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign

Steve Cubine & Nan McNamara

If the Golden era of Old Hollywood is your thing, our podcast is for you! If you want TYRONE POWER instead of TOM HARDY, JENNIFER JONES instead of JENNIFER LAWRENCE, or ROBERT MITCHUM rather than ROBERT PATTINSON, then FROM BENEATH THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN is the gin joint for you. Each week, writer and producer STEVE CUBINE and actress and writer NAN MCNAMARA explore, discuss, and dissect the magical, mysterious, amusing, and sometimes bizarre tales of Old Hollywood. So sit back and revisit a time when

tv & film film history

All Episodes

32:48

"IT'S FATAL: WHAT IS FILM NOIR?" (PART III)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/03/24

"IT'S FATAL: WHAT IS FILM NOIR?" (PART III) (080) 3/24/2025 Welcome to the third and final installment of our series on Film Noir. As we have previously discussed the technical elements of noir and met the typical character’s of noir, we will now take a look at the creative aspects of the genre that help create that special brand of dark, sexy, deadly movies. We’ll discuss dialogue, and clever devices like voice overs, flashbacks, and dream sequences that enhance these dark, moody films. We’ll also

en

40:18

"STRANGE CHARACTERS: WHAT IS FILM NOIR? (PART II)" (079)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/03/17

"STRANGE CHARACTERS: WHAT IS FILM NOIR? (PART II)" (079)Welcome to the second episode of our special 3-part series on Film Noir. In this episode, we’ll explore the iconic character types that define the genre—characters who live in the grey areas of morality, driven by desire, deceit, and danger. From the hard-boiled detective to the femme fatale, we’ll unpack the timeless archetypes that give film noir its signature edge. So, grab your trench coat, dim the lights, and join us as we explore the

en

38:37

“FILM NOIR: WHAT IS NOIR?” (PART 1) (078)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/03/10

EPISODE 78 - “FILM NOIR - Part 1 - WHAT IS NOIR?” - 3/10/2025 Have you ever wondered what exactly is film noir? TCM’s EDDIE MULLER describes it this way: “Film Noir is all about treachery, deceit, and paranoia. You’re never quite sure what is going on, who you can trust, or what dreadful pitfall waits around the corner.” This dark and twisted film genre popped up after WWII as a quiet cynicism began to creep into the national consciousness. In film noir, there is always an underbelly of darkness

en

34:56

"MARY BETH HUGHES - CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH"...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/03/03

"MARY BETH HUGHES - CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH" - 3/03/2025For those of you who don't know the charms of MARY BETH HUGHES, when she was under contract at MGM, she was dubbed "the poor man's LANA TURNER." It was a rather unfair assessment since MGM gave Lana all the plum roles, and Mary Beth got her hand-me-downs. But still, Mary Beth had great comic chops, and no one played bitchy, hard-boiled blondes as well as she. Despite her beauty and talent, she never managed to get out of

en

45:11

“MEMORABLE OSCAR SPEECHES OF THE GOLDEN ERA OF...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/02/24

EPISODE 76 - “MEMORABLE OSCAR SPEECHES OF THE GOLDEN ERA OF HOLLYWOOD” - 2/24/2025Winning an Oscar is a dream for most people who work in Hollywood. But you can’t just win the Oscar; you must have a good speech once your name is called to the podium. There have been some great ones — OLIVIA COLEMAN’s funny and cheeky speech hit the right tone, and who can forget JACK PALANCE’s one-arm push-ups or CUBA GOODING’s exuberance? There have also been some bad ones — don’t we all still cringe a little

en

25:33

“MEHAR BABA BRINGS SPIRITUALITY TO OLD HOLLYWOOD” (075)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/02/17

EPISODE 75 - “MEHAR BABA BRINGS SPIRITUALITY TO OLD HOLLYWOOD” - 2/17/2025 During the 1920s and 1930s, a spiritual movement swept through Hollywood. It seems the Hollywood elite were about more than just speakeasies, flappers, and decadence. Some were searching for inner-peace and often found it -- at least temporarily -- in these various religious movements that popped up. One spiritual leader who came to prominence was India’s MEHAR BABA, who believed that spirituality and metaphysics were

en

47:16

“SWEETHEARTS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD" (074)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/02/10

EPISODE 74 - “SWEETHEARTS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD" 2/10/2025As Cupid sharpens his arrows, and the candy and greeting card companies prepare to make bank, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. In this episode, we take a loving look at some of Hollywood’s most enduring real-life love stories. From JOEL McCREA and FRANCES DEE to JEAN HARLOW and WILLIAM POWELL, join us as we discuss their lives, films, and, most importantly, their beautiful love stories. SHOW NOTES: Sources: Ladies of the

en

31:36

"THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS: CLASSIC CINEMA STARS OF THE...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/02/03

"THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS: CLASSIC CINEMA STARS OF THE MONTH"The Nicholas Brothers, FAYARD and HAROLD, are arguably two of the greatest dancers to ever hit Hollywood. Born to musician parents, they learned their craft working the vaudeville scene and appearing at the famous Cotton Club during the Harlem Renaissance before landing in Hollywood. In Tinseltown, they made movie magic dancing in some of Hollywood’s biggest musicals. The brothers mixed tap dancing with acrobatics to perfect thrilling

en

38:07

"AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST MAUREEN LEE LENKER'S FRESH...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/01/27

EPISODE 72 - “CHATTING CLASSIC CINEMA WITH JOURNALIST MAUREEN LENKER” - 1/27/2025In this week’s episode, Steve and Nan welcome award-winning journalist MAUREEN LENKER. Maureen, who is currently a Senior Writer for Entertainment Weekly, has a deep passion and knowledge of classic cinema and has made 1930s Hollywood the setting for her new novel, “His Girl Hollywood.” Join us as Maureen discusses her career, her passion for cinema, her most inspirational classic films, and all the tea about her new

en

47:48

“STEVE & NAN’s FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS OF THE 1970s”...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/01/20

EPISODE 71 - “STEVE & NAN’s FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS OF THE 1970s” - 1/20/2024The 1970s was a decade that saw the rise of the auteur. Filmmakers like Scorsese, Coppola, Cassavetes, Altman, Lumet, and DePalma hit their stride and brought to the screen their specific vision and stylized films. It was a very experimental era where boundaries were pushed and once-taboo topics were explored. It became a creative high point and gave us some iconic movies. This week, Steve And Nan take look at some of

en

31:28

"COLIN CLIVE: THE TRAGIC DEATH OF DR. FRANKENSTEIN"...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/01/13

EPISODE 70 - “COLIN CLIVE” - 1/13/2024The moment he uttered the iconic line, “It’s Alive! It’s Alive,” in the 1931classic horror film “Frankenstein, actor COLIN CLIVE secured his place in film history. The handsome, talented British actor went on to appear in several other films, but his life and career were cut short due to his acute alcoholism and other personal demons. This week, we remember and celebrate this beloved horror legend. SHOW NOTES: Sources: One Man Crazy . . .! The Life and

en

33:05

ELLEN DREW: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH (069)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2025/01/06

ELLEN DREW: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH (069)Whether playing the sweet girl next door or the world-weary casino boss’s moll, ELLEN DREW was an incredibly versatile leading lady who was a major star in the 1940s and 50s. She made a career of playing a wide range of roles in various genres — from Westerns to comedies to dramas to horror movies. She was nicknamed “The Candy Store Cinderella” because she was discovered scooping ice cream in a candy store on Hollywood Boulevard. And who do you

en

38:32

“HITCHCOCK’s COLLABORATORS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE” - (068)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/12/30

“HITCHCOCK’s COLLABORATORS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE” - (068) ALFRED HITCHCOCK, the iconic “Master of Suspense,” loved to work with certain actors over and over again. Often, he had very complicated relationships with his actors. (Just ask TIPPI HEDREN!) However, he managed to form great working relationships with stars like JAMES STEWART, GRACE KELLY, INGRID BERGMAN, and CARY GRANT. This week, we take a fun look at some of the actors who he loved to work with. So, which actor did he put in more of his

en

42:32

"DECK THEM HALLS: CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS IN CLASSIC...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/12/23

One of the most popular episodes of our pod was #12 from December of last year, "DECK THEM HALLS: CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS IN CLASSIC FILM." Because of the great feedback we got on that show (and because Steve and Nan are WAY behind on their holiday shopping), we’re replaying that episode to celebrate the best time of year for holiday movies. We hope you enjoy it, and we’ll be back next week with a brand new episode! Happy Holidays from all of us at "From Beneath The Hollywood Sign!" "DECK THEM

en

49:08

“WHEN CLASSIC FILM’S SUPPORTING ACTORS STEAL THE...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/12/16

EPISODE 66 - “WHEN CLASSIC FILM’S SUPPORTING ACTORS STEAL THE SHOW” - 12/16/2024 There is nothing quite like watching a film when suddenly a supporting character comes in and walks away with the film. (Think THELMA RITTER, S.Z. SAKALL, or GALE SONDERGAARD in almost every one of their films!) This week we are focusing on some of our favorite supporting charters who come in and snatch that scene right about from under the big stars. From JOANNA BARNES’ Gloria Upson declaring, “It was just ghastly!”

en

44:48

"CLASSIC HOLIDAY FILMS: FUN BEHIND THE SCENES FACTS"...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/12/09

12/09/2024EPISODE 65 - "CLASSIC HOLIDAY FILMS: FUN BEHIND THE SCENES FACTS" We all know the iconic Holiday movies like “A Christmas Carol,” “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “White Christmas.” This week, Nan and Steve go behind the scenes of some of your favorite classic holiday movies and dig up some fun facts about these films that you may or may not know. We talk about the snow, the casting, the locations, and a lot more! Join in the fun as they conjure up holiday cheer with these great films. SHOW

en

32:40

"BOBBY DRISCOLL: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH" (064)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/12/02

"BOBBY DRISCOLL: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH"EPISODE 64 - “BOBBY DRISCOLL - STAR OF THE MONTH” - 12/02/2024 BOBBY DRISCOLL's name may not be too familiar anymore, but in his heyday, he was the male equivalent of NATALIE WOOD. He was one of the most talented and prolific child stars of the 1940s and 1950s. His descent into darkness should serve as a cautionary tale to all of the stage mothers out there who think their kids will be the next big thing. Sometimes, there is a price to pay for

en

48:58

"NOT EVEN NOMINATED: A DISCUSSION OF CLASSIC CINEMA...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/11/25

EPISODE 63 - “NOT EVEN NOMINATED: A DISCUSSION ABOUT CLASSIC CINEMA WITH AUTHOR JOHN DILEO” - 11/25/2024Author JOHN DILEO, film historian and author, has just published his eighth book, Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances. This week, John joins Steve and Nan to discuss his book, as well as his origin story on how he got hooked on classic cinema. Join us for the fun, lively discussion about old Hollywood. And make sure you check out John’s book. SHOW

en

44:16

"FORGOTTEN LEADING LADIES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF...

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/11/18

"FORGOTTEN LEADING LADIES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD" - 11/18/2024 A friend of mine once said that in Hollywood the toilet flushes every seven years. Meaning after about seven years, no one remembers who you are. Whether that’s true or not, there are many classic film stars who were once popular, who have faded away into obscurity. We covered men a few months ago, and now we are giving the ladies their due. Join us as we talk about four fabulous actresses who deserve to be remembered —

en

47:03

“FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS OF THE 1960s” (061)

From Beneath the Hollywood Sign ·

2024/11/11

EPISODE 61 - “FAVORITE CLASSIC FILMS OF THE 1960s” - 11/11/2024 The decade of the 1960s was an exciting time in filmmaking. The stodgy studio contract system was starting to give way to a new crop of independent cinematic auteurs, often associated with the "New Hollywood" era, including Stanley Kubrick, Robert Altman, Sam Peckinpah, Arthur Penn, John Cassavetes, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Peter Bogdanovich. These edgier films pushed the creative boundaries and social themes to

en

121 results

Similar Podcasts

BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE

David Yontef

Nerd Culture - A Gamekings Podcast

Blammo Media

UPodcast

UPodcast

The Writers Hangout

Sandy Adomaitis

The Sarah Fraser Show

Sarah Fraser