HOLLYWOOD THE GOLDEN YEARS: THE RKO STORY: HOWARD'S WAY {EPISODE 6 OF 6} (TV)
Summary
This documentary miniseries, hosted by Edward Asner, details the rise of the American film production company RKO (Radio-Keith-Orpheum), known for its many films created during Hollywood's "Golden Age." The sixth and final installment begins as the eccentric Howard Hughes, known for his aviation escapades, acquires RKO as a "plaything." He began making significant changes to the ends of pictures, ordering reshoots and altering films to focus on its female leads, particularly on their physical appearances. For "His Kind of Woman" (1951), starring Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum, Hughes obsessed over the details of Russell's attire, as explained by costume designer Michael Woulfe. Russell recalls her often revealing onscreen clothing, as well as Hughes' plans for a dramatic, flame-lit billboard promoting the film and its dynamic couple. Hughes also "bought" other female talent, including Jane Greer, Ruth Warrick and Joan Fontaine, all of whom recall Hughes' romantic advances, despite their married statuses, suggesting that he felt that he "owned" the women beyond the professional sense. After Greer married, Hughes found and cast Joan Dixon, who resembled Greer, and Janet Leigh explains that she felt "manipulated" by his behavior. Actor Stewart Granger discusses working with Elizabeth Taylor and how they considered murdering Hughes at one point after he made a move on her as well.
In 1952's "Angel Face," further trouble arose when director Otto Preminger ordered Mitchum to repeatedly strike co-star Jean Simmons, who had been "sold" to Hughes for his pictures, leading Mitchum to hit Preminger instead. Russell again encountered difficulty over her revealing costume in "The French Line" (1953); she had already dealt with Hughes' strange direction in 1943's "The Outlaw," which was marketed as highly scandalous, particularly due to the focus on Russell's chest, for which Hughes himself made a odd brassiere "contraption." He also signed unknown Faith Domergue to a contract and had her pose in magazines, despite her lack of screen experience. Hughes then asked Artist Mario Armond Zamparelli to paint his portrait, giving him only three days to do so, and then asked for minute adjustments to the finished product. In July 1946, Hughes seriously injured in a plane crash and from there began to exhibit even more extreme, obsessive-compulsive behavior, as noted by Greer. He eventually came to own RKO entirely, but then sold its film library to General Teleradio, part of General Tire and Rubber Company, for $25 million. Under new control, RKO produced a number of successful pictures, including remakes such as "Bundle of Joy" (1956) and "Stage Struck" (1958). A short time later, General Tire shut down the studio and sold it to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who turned it into Desilu, Inc. Desilu was later acquired by Gulf and Western Industries and merged with Paramount, and films and television are still made on the sound stages to this day. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: A&E
- DATE: September 18, 1988 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:16075
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; Miniseries; Movies
- SERIES RUN: A&E - TV series, 1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Leslie Megahey … Executive Producer
- Alan Yentob … Executive Producer
- Charles Chabot … Producer
- Rosemary Wilton … Producer
- Edward Asner … Host
- Desi Arnaz
- Lucille Ball
- Joan Dixon
- Faith Domergue
- Joan Fontaine
- Stewart Granger
- Jane Greer
- Howard Hughes
- Janet Leigh
- Robert Mitchum
- Otto Preminger
- Jane Russell
- Jean Simmons
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Ruth Warrick
- Michael Woulfe
- Mario Armond Zamparelli