Heroes, Heroines, and History: Kathy Kovach

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

The Manufacturing of a Hollywood Star

By Kathy Kovach

It can be said that Hollywood stars are not discovered, they’re manufactured.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, some Hollywood stars didn’t start out glamorous. Cary Grant had been a rough and tumble kid from Bristol, England determined to join an acrobatic troupe. His demeanor was uncouth, his language unrefined, and no doubt, his fashion sense was non-existent. However, once Hollywood got hold of him, she polished up his accent, put him in a tuxedo, and somewhat tamed his exuberance. Because of Hollywood, he became the suave and sophisticated gentleman we all grew to love. One could assert that Cary Grant, born Archibald Leach, wasn’t discovered; he was manufactured.

Have you ever listened to Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and others to determine where their accents are from? Well, good luck. The practice of dropping the ‘R’ and softening the vowels makes one wonder if it’s an English accent or American. In fact, it’s both. And it’s fake. This mid-Atlantic accent, also known as the Trans-Atlantic accent, was a manufactured form of speech that early studios taught to their young actors. Rather than a decidedly Boston accent or one bourn of the upper crust of royal society, it imparts a general sophistication and wealth without adding backstory. Check out this clip from The Philadelphia Story. It's a good example of both Hepburn and Grant, as well as the child actress Virginia Weidler, speaking as if they weren’t from Hartford, Connecticut, Bristol, England, and Eagle Rock, California, respectively.

Physical image seemed important, as well. Just as Cary Grant went from street urchin to James Bond wannabe, others underwent changes. In some cases, quite drastic.

Rita Cansino 1935, Rita Hayworth 1942

Rita Hayworth was one of many actresses who, in her raw form, was not Hollywood material. Born Margarita Carmen Cansino (1918-1987), her Hispanic origins limited the roles that studios were wanting to fill. Her exotic looks got her typecast as a visiting foreigner. Her first speaking role was that of an Argentinian girl in Under the Pampas Moon (1935). She also played an Egyptian in Charlie Chan in Egypt. She eventually signed a seven-year contract with Columbia Pictures, whereon studio head Harry Cohn decided her image was too Mediterranean, and he set about to change her appearance.

A natural beauty, she underwent painful electrolysis to raise her hairline and broaden her forehead. Her dark brown hair was died ginger. She took her Irish/English mother’s maiden name and became Rita Hayworth. Throughout 1940, she enjoyed steady work with her breakout role happening in 1941 opposite Fred Astaire in You’ll Never Get Rich.

Rita Hayworth became a Hollywood icon, punctuated by the honor of having her picture hanging in many a lonely soldier’s tent. She was the first of two pin-up girls during WWII, the other being Betty Grable in 1943.

Not all manufacturing had to do with appearances. Lauren Bacall, known for her deep, sultry voice, didn’t always sound that way. Just as Hollywood refined Cary Grant’s accent, Bacall was put through vocal training to create the persona she’s known for today. Director Howard Hawks instructed her to read out loud when she was alone. In her memoir By Myself she recalled, "He felt it most important to keep the voice in a low register.” He went on to state, “When a woman gets excited or emotional ... there is nothing more unattractive than screeching" (via Vulture). Here's a link of Bacall quoting her most famous line, "You know how to whistle, don't you?"

Riders of Destiny 1933, El Dorado 1966

Marion Robert Morrison (John Wayne) wasn’t always the tough, leather vest wearing cowboy with a swagger. Discovered while a prop boy, which the actor Tom Mix arranged, at Fox Film Corporation in the 1920s, director Raoul Walsh took to him right away. Neither Walsh, nor the studio, could envision their new star with the name Marion Morrison. The name Anthony Wayne, inspired by an American Revolution general, was bandied about, but the studio felt it sounded too Italian. Walsh then suggested the name John Wayne, and an American icon was born. You’d think Wayne would have been in the room while these men discussed this major change, but you’d be wrong. After attempting to shed his given name of Marion for a couple of decades, he no doubt had little trouble accepting the new moniker.

Wyatt Earp

The next thing to change was the walk, which Wayne did have a say in. Tom Mix had a friendship with the historic figure Wyatt Earp, who lived long enough to be an advisor on many of the early western movies. Stories differ on whether he introduced Wayne to Earp or whether Wayne merely heard him talk about his friend, but it’s clear that Wayne adopted his larger-than-life persona from Earp.

Laurel and Hardy

While we’re talking about manufactured stars, many of the comic actors of the day could arguably portray themselves with two different personas, one on stage and one in private. Abbott and Costello, the Three Stooges, and most notably, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy—brilliant men who played buffoons.

After starting out individually in vaudeville, Laurel and Hardy each had film careers as actors, writers, and directors, with Stan also billed as a producer. However, it wasn’t until they were paired together in the silent film The Lucky Dog (1921) that their iconic chemistry and unforgettable images exploded into glittering giggles and gargantuan guffaws. Off stage, Stan Laurel, whose character portrayed the weak weepy one, was actually the driving creative force of the comedy team. Often, when Oliver Hardy was asked about a particular routine, he would say, “Ask Stan.”

One cannot talk about manufactured comedians without mentioning the top-notch, killer-diller, A-1 comic genius ever (today we’d say he’s the GOAT—Greatest Of All Time) Charlie Chaplin.

Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889-1977) was born in London, England and tragically lived on his own from age fourteen due to an absent father and a mother relegated to a mental asylum. He found solace in the entertainment industry, in which he’d been involved since the age of eight as a traveling troupe member. At age nineteen, he came to America via the Fred Karno company, the owner known for slapstick and popularizing the pie-in-the-face routine. Chaplin developed his identity, the Little Tramp, and was henceforth known for his down-trodden appearance and somber facial features.

Behind the scenes, Chaplin was ingenious and a shrewd businessman. Not only did he invent his iconic role, becoming the highest paid and most known personality of his generation by 1918, he went on to co-found the United Artists Corporation with actors Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith, giving him complete control over his films. He was an actor, writer, director, producer, editor, and composer.

Charlie Chaplin’s personal and professional personas were so different that he could pass you on the street and you’d never know you were in the presence of an icon.

Little has changed in regards to the manufacturing of Hollywood stars. The person on the screen is rarely synonymous with who they are in real life. Like Cary Grant, many have changed their appearance, their speech, their image, and in the case of Chaplin, they became an entirely different person.

And this is why we pay the big bucks at the box office.

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

To buy: Amazon

Saturday, July 12, 2025

The Hollywood Canteen – Patriotism at Its Finest

By Kathy Kovach

Screen image from the movie Hollywood Canteen

Hollywood may be the quintessential exposition of unrealistic romance, over-the-top gritty violence, or other-worldly fantasy, but there was one thing she got right.

Her patriotism.

Throughout the two world wars—from The Little American (July 1917) to The Fighting Sullivans (February 1944)—movies brought unbearable heartache and joyous triumphs into theaters.

Hollywood’s dedication to the troops didn’t stop when the director yelled, “That’s a wrap.” Actors, actresses, and many more in the film industry became dedicated to giving back. Whether through entertaining the troops overseas or selling war bonds, Hollywood loved her country.

One such commitment came in the form of the Hollywood Canteen, an unrelated offshoot of the Stage Door Canteen, founded by the American Theater Wing and located in New York. The west-coast variety was the brainchild of actor John Garfield after his visit to the New York site. Ineligible for active duty due to a heart condition, he felt this was a way he could serve. He ran the idea by actress Bette Davis, and the pair created a place where enlisted men and women could enjoy themselves and relax.

“Marine Dance” Actress Linda Darnell with star-struck marine, 1944.
CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

After the grand opening on Saturday, October 3, 1942, entertainers, as well as those behind the scenes, volunteered their time to serve anyone in uniform, which was the only criteria for entrance. They waited tables, washed dishes, and became dance partners for the thousands who took advantage of the free service.

Screen image from the movie Hollywood Canteen

Bette Davis handed out cigarettes while Marlena Dietrich and Hedy Lamar gladly took over dish duty. Roy Rogers brought his horse Trigger on the stage and performed tricks. Teenager Shirley Temple tended bar! Not to worry, though. Absolutely no alcohol was served. In truth, if any alcohol was found on anyone, volunteers and guests alike, they would be turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department immediately. As a side note: Temple hated the non-alcoholic drink named after her. She claimed it to be a “saccharine sweet, icky drink”, and she had nothing to do with its creation. As a side to the side note: I had a Shirley Temple once when I was seven and enjoyed it immensely.

The Canteen was originally a livery stable. The makeover created a large 2000 guest capacity venue with a western theme. The sign was made of rope lettering, and wagon wheels with retrofitted kerosene lanterns became chandeliers. Celebrities donated decorations, and Cary Grant gave them a piano.

Lt. Gen. Valin, Chief of Staff, French Air Force, awards the Croix De Guerre with Palm to Col. Jimmy Stewart for exceptional services in the liberation of France. U.S. Air Force photo

On the first anniversary of its grand opening, a Wall of Honor was dedicated to pictures of actors who served in the military, including Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart.

“Through these portals pass the most beautiful uniforms in the world” –Sign over the entrance to the Hollywood Canteen

Bette Davis was adamant that anyone in uniform, U.S. or allied forces, regardless of race, were allowed in. As a result, she was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, the highest civilian award, in 1980.

Marlena Dietrich and Rita Hayward, 1942
Wikimedia Commons

As mentioned above, admission was free. In fact, everything was free, the food, drink, and entertainment. The Hollywood Canteen became so popular that a one-hour limit had to be set in place to accommodate the long lines waiting outside. Many of the guests were far from home, either training in California or preparing to be shipped overseas. Most were young, lonely, and probably scared. But the Canteen provided relief from the uncertainties of war.

In regards to opening night: “It seemed thousands of men entered the canteen that night. I had to crawl through a window to get inside.” – Bette Davis
Millionth Man Sgt. Carl Bell with Lana Turner, Deanna Durbin, and Marlena Dietrich

After almost a year, on September 15, 1943, the millionth man walked through the doors. Sgt. Carl Bell received the prestigious honor as he was escorted in by German-star-turned-American-patriot Marlena Dietrich and was bestowed a kiss from the paragon of pinup girls Betty Grable.

During the three years the Hollywood Canteen was open, it operated Monday through Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Throughout the course of a night, 300 Hollywood professionals—more than 3000 in the entire life of the canteen—volunteered in every capacity. This was spread out over two shifts.

Both the Stage Door Canteen and the Hollywood Canteen were immortalized in film. The prior released in 1943 and the latter in 1944. Not surprisingly, the movie Hollywood Canteen is billed to have starred both Bette Davis and John Garfield, the founders. In truth, a plethora of stars, many of them having taken part in the real canteen, are in the movie, some in cameos, others performing their acts. Despite the weak plot (the film concentrated more on the star power than the story line), it was nominated for three Oscars and was granted three wins from the Photoplay Awards. In the tradition of its namesake, the film earmarked 40% of ticket sales to charities benefitting U.S. servicemen. To get a taste, here is the short video, The Hollywood Canteen: The Story Behind The Movie

Jack Benny and Bob Hope
CC BY 2.0

Alas, all good things must come to an end. The Hollywood Canteen served its last customers a delicious Thanksgiving dinner on November 22, 1945 with Bob Hope and Jack Benny headlining the entertainment. At the end, the $500K surplus—mostly from the profits of two films, Thank Your Lucky Stars, 1943, and Hollywood Canteen, 1944—were donated to veterans’ relief funds. The former livery stable turned patriotic venue was eventually leveled and made into a parking lot, but the memories linger like dry-ice induced fog and Hollywood dreams.

"There are few accomplishments in my life that I am sincerely proud of. The Hollywood Canteen is one of them." – Bette Davis, 1987

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

To buy: Amazon

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Hollywood Actors and Their Surprising Skills

By Kathy Kovach

Cary Grant, relaxing in Monte Carlo

When watching your favorite actor on the silver screen, do you think about who he was in his private life? Did Tarzan’s Johnny Weissmuller swing from vines in his backyard? Did John Wayne swagger when no one was looking? Did Fred Astaire tap dance in his local Five & Dime—in a tux?

Here’s the skinny.

Shall We Dance, 1937

Suave and sophisticated Fred Astaire, whose mother sent him to dance lessons with his sister to avoid having to pay a babysitter, picked up other hobbies along his illustrious career. Ironically, they all involved the feet.

We’ve seen him roller skate in Shall We Dance (1937) with Ginger Rogers. In The Belle of New York (1952), he ice skated his way into Vera-Ellen’s heart. By the time he was well into his 70s, he’d taken up skateboarding and had acquired a lifetime membership in the National Skateboarding Society of America for bringing recognition to the sport.

He’d become quite good at it until, unfortunately, his new hobby came to an abrupt halt when he fell off a young relative’s skateboard and broke his wrist. The man was 78! He was due to travel to Ireland to make a movie, and production had to pause until he healed. I would have loved to see him in a backwards ball cap, shades, and neon jams. Gnarly, dude!

Speaking of debonair dreamboats, Archibald Leach, who would eventually become Cary Grant, was born in Bristol, England to a working-class family in 1904. His mother had high hopes for him, dreaming that someday he’d become “a piano player and a gentleman”. However, Archie had other plans. He ran away from home—on a scooter—but was swiftly returned to his family. With Archie’s mother committed to a psychiatric hospital when he was young, his homelife was tumultuous.

In an apparent attempt to help the boy find direction, a teacher introduced him to the theater, which led to a moment that changed his life. “I suddenly found my inarticulate self in a dazzling land of smiling, jostling people wearing and not wearing all sorts of costumes and doing all sorts of clever things. And that’s when I knew! What other life could there be but that of an actor?”

Still trying to grasp the reins of his own destiny, he forged his father’s name on an application and conned his way into an acrobatic troupe. Young Archie’s father found him out, and he was returned home. Unfortunately, the boy’s heart belonged elsewhere, and he was expelled from school. With his father’s blessing, he returned to the troupe at the age of 14 and never looked back.

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, Holiday, 1938

The Pender acrobats played in vaudeville houses throughout Britain, and in 1920 made their way to the United States. Two years later, the tour ended, but Archie Leach stayed in New York. He walked on stilts on Coney Island and hawked ties on New York street corners, eventually joining the vaudeville bandwagon across America.

After landing in Hollywood, and finally lighting his star, he became the suit-wearing, sophisticated actor that we all grew to love. However, he continued his acrobatic skills. Remember the screwball comedies of the 1940s? That was really Grant flipping his way out of a chair in Holiday (1938). Here's an entertaining clip. Keep watching after the "spoiler alert", which is that he gets the girl. Duh! He's Cary Grant!

As self-assured as he seemed on the big screen, Grant once made this observation: ”I have spent the greater part of my life fluctuating between Archie Leach and Cary Grant; unsure of each, suspecting each.”

Naval cadet Humphrey Bogart, 1918

Moving on from beauty, (suave and sophisticated), to beast, (board game beast, that is), Humphrey Bogart had an affinity for the game of chess. His father, a noted Manhattan surgeon, had taught him to play when he was 13. Bogart continued with his passion throughout his teen years as he played in chess clubs in New York City.

After getting expelled from medical school, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve. This was in 1918 and WWI was nearly over. He was discharged in 1919 and returned to New York, continuing his chess playing, becoming Class A to expert strength, according to Chess.com. I don’t know what that means, but it sounds impressive.

The acting bug bit in 1920 and he went on to play minor roles on Broadway, but his chess board was always nearby in the wings. The 1929 stock market crash sent him to the local parks and Coney Island, hustling games of chess for dimes and quarters. A year later, he relocated to Hollywood, but could only land minor parts. While struggling to become an actor, he joined various California chess organizations.

Actor and Chess Master, Humphrey Bogart

Finally, he was cast in the 1936 production The Petrified Forest as a gangster. The role made the man, and his austere mug and tough New York accent became his brand. Chess, as a way to make a living, was no longer needed, but he continued to challenge the cast and crew on every set, every back lot, even every Hollywood party he attended. In a little movie. . .maybe you’ve heard of it. . .Casablanca, he suggested incorporating the game into the storyline.

After the immense success of Casablanca (1942), Bogart began playing chess through correspondence with soldiers overseas and with patients in VA hospitals. In 1943, the FBI got involved. They’d read all of the mail and came to the conclusion that Bogey was a spy sending secret codes to Europe. In actuality, he was simply moving his knight from 8b to 6c and trying to protect his king.

In 1945, Bogart and his fourth wife, actress Lauren Bacall, who also played chess, were featured with actor Charles Boyer on the cover of Chess Review magazine. This same year, Humphrey Bogart had achieved status as a tournament director for the California State Chess Association as well as the United States Chess Federation. He helped sponsor the August 1945 Pan American Chess Congress in Los Angeles and was selected as the Master of Ceremonies.

Apparently, actors are people, too. It’s fun to hear about their outside passions, be it acrobatics, skateboarding, or chess. That pedestal doesn’t seem so high when we learn more about our favorite stars.

Or, maybe they prefer we keep that under our hats.

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

To buy: Amazon

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Religious Influence in Hollywood

By Kathy Kovach

From the time Thomas Edison gifted a camera to Salvation Army founder William Booth in the 1890s to the bellowing megaphone of Cecil B. DeMille, Hollywood had to learn her place in the world. Much like a prepubescent child on the brink of adulthood, she needed to learn right from wrong.

Throughout the early 20th Century, movies were made with Christian content and were shown in churches as well as theaters. However, the theater industry protested this practice and stopped allowing it. They began to produce content that, shall we say, one wouldn’t want their grandmother to see.

The Majestic Theater, 1922

Untethered from the church, from 1918 to 1934, Hollywood acted in the only way she knew. Burlesque was her template, and movies coming from that era were often risqué, even violent for that time. Nothing seemed taboo. Yes, there were some offerings one could see in mixed company, but for the most part, the studio themes being churned out were diverse in moral content.

Will H. Hays

Enter the Hays Code of 1930. Will H. Hays was the Postmaster General under the William G. Harding administration. However, on January 14, 1922, he gave up his commission to take on a new role as President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as it was forming.

The group had its work cut out. Besides the depraved themes coming out of Hollywood, actions behind the scenes were just as concerning. Because of their popularity, actors often felt they could do no wrong. Hollywood, tender as she was, had become a den of licentiousness, and the industry was suffering because of it. As a result, religious leaders, parent groups, educators, and civic organizations called for federal censorship.

Hays tried his best to reign in this new growing entity while still making everyone happy. He suggested a guideline consisting of thirty-six “Don’ts” and “Be Carefuls”. This list, however, held no penalties or enforcement.

By 1929, a group of Catholic leaders had had enough and came up with a stricter code. They presented it to Hays in 1930. In his words, "My eyes nearly popped out when I read it. This was the very thing I had been looking for." This later became known as the Hays Code.

The Code consisted of a detailed list of guidelines. This list, meant to safeguard "moral obligations," went through many revisions as time went on, but three principles remained consistent.

Hays Code guidelines:

No picture shall be produced which will lower the moral standards of those who see it. Hence the sympathy of the audience shall never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil, or sin.

Correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall be presented.

Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation.

This system, also dubbed the Production Code, was still voluntary for the companies who wanted to avoid federal censorship. For filmmakers, it was mandatory if their desire was to play in American theaters.

Fast and Loose, 1930

Even so, Hollywood had finally reached her rebellious stage and for four years—a.k.a. the pre-Code years—she literally went insane and produced the worst of the worst in terms of moral character.

The tide turned in 1934 when two religious groups, the Roman Catholic Legion of Decency and the Protestant Film Group, joined forces. The Legion of Decency used a peer pressure tactic, calling for bans on movies they deemed unacceptable. Their indignation was felt at the box office, sending a clear message.

The Little Princess, Shirley Temple, 1934

In the years afterward, many beloved classics were produced. This system of self-censorship, albeit with stiff consequences, served itself well for over three decades with occasional flare-ups of rebellion.

A new code was formed in 1968:

G - General Audiences

M - for Mature Audiences (Later changed to PG for Parental Guidance)

R - Restricted- under 17 admitted if accompanied by an adult

X - not admitted if under 17 (Later highjacked by the pornographic industry to sensationalize their product)

This system gave filmmakers more leeway and consumers more control over what they chose to spend their money on.

My favorite era was the 1940s, when the MGM musical reigned supreme and honorable cowboys saved the day.

Pass the popcorn. It’s classic cinema night!

Kathleen E. Kovach is a Christian romance author published traditionally through Barbour Publishing, Inc. as well as indie. Kathleen and her husband Jim raised two sons while living the nomadic lifestyle for over twenty years in the Air Force. Now planted in northeast Colorado she's not only a grandmother, but a great-grandmother, though much too young for that. Kathleen is a longstanding member of American Christian Fiction Writers. An award-winning author, she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God's peculiar people.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2025

From the Potato Famine to Hollywood – How Irish Actors Won Over America

By Kathy Kovach

The 19th Century was not kind to the Irish. After suffering under British rule in their own country, they were plagued with bad crops that destroyed their staple nutrition, the potato. As a result, thousands fled their beloved homeland for America. After filtering through Ellis Island, they unfortunately found that the new country wasn’t any more hospitable than the one they had left. A fact made more volatile as the population of New York City became roughly a quarter Irish.

Many getting off the boat were emaciated, diseased, and worse yet, spoke funny. They brought their religion with them, and the Protestant versus Catholic battle continued on this side of the pond, just as it had in Ireland. “No Irish Need Apply” signs popped up faster than shamrocks, and the immigrants fought a new battle that felt hauntingly familiar to their old one.

With no more choices left, they soldiered on, carving their place in American culture. Few jobs were offered, but they took them gladly. One such career path was in the entertainment industry. Broadway offered backstage work and a smattering of menial onstage acting roles.

Eventually, Irish American actors, musicians, and others in the field made their way to Hollywood. However, the stigma was still there to some extent, even in the early 20th Century.

The Bells of St. Mary's, 1945, Ingrid Bergman and Bing Crosby

In a conscious effort to glamorize the Irish lifestyle, movies were produced depicting lovely, smiling, and often singing and dancing characters, many in stalwart yet carefree tableaus. Charismatic actors such as Pat O’Brien, known as “Hollywood’s Irishman in residence” by the press, Spencer Tracy, and Bing Crosby played amiable priests in order to destigmatize the Catholic lifestyle. Gene Kelly took us to Brigadoon, a delightful movie about an Irish village that only appears once every one hundred years. John Wayne, showing off his Northern Irish roots, let us see what customs were like in 1920s Ireland in The Quiet Man.

The Quiet Man, 1952, John Wayne

Hollywood would go on to show the seedier side of the Irish in movies such as the 2002 offering Gangs of New York, but thanks to the groundwork laid early on, Irish American no longer harbors the stigma it once had—for which the drop of Blarney in my blood is thankful.

To see the long list of actors born since the mid-1850s, check out this article on the Irish American Journey site.

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

To buy: Amazon