Top row (standing L to R) Jeff Mantor from Larry Edmunds Bookshop, George Chakiris, Hollywood Museum founder and president Donelle Dadigan, Leron Gubler, John Barbour, B. Harlan Boll
Middle row (standing L to R) Michael Stern, Geoffrey Mark, Kevin Goetz, Maria Quiban, Julie Ackerman Anderson, Dee Wallace, Carolyn Hennesy, Kelly Conway, Anson Williams, Carol Hoenig, Larry Strauss, Marc Wanamaker
Front row (seated L to R) Judy Tenuta, Kathy Garver, Joyce Bulifant, Ruta Lee, Hank Garrett, Geri Jewell. Photo courtesy The Hollywood Museum
HOLLYWOOD — Dec. 13, 2021 — Historically, tourism on Hollywood Boulevard brings in more than 10 million visitors a year. That number, however, was reduced dramatically in 2020 and 2021 due to the effects of the pandemic. While outlets such as the Hollywood Museum have survived the shutdown and reopened their doors for the first time in twenty months, they are also looking for new ways to rejuvenate tourism while preserving Hollywood history.
Toward that end, the Hollywood Museum hosted its first Celebrity Authors Forum, an all-day event, held on Saturday, Dec. 11 in the museum’s fourth-floor ballroom, that gave visitors that day a special opportunity to meet some of their favorite film and TV stars (and purchase holiday gifts for family and friends). Participating in the event were: Anson Williams, star of Happy Days and author of Singing To A Bull Dog; Carolyn Henessy, star of General Hospital and the creator of the popular Pandora series The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli; Dee Wallace, legendary horror movie “Scream Queen” and the author of Born: Giving Birth to a New You and Buppa LaPaloo and The I Love Mes; John Barbour, creator and producer of Real People and the author of Your Mother’s Not A Virgin; Carol Hoenig, author of The Greatest Reviews I’ve Ever Read, a collaboration with John Barbour featuring some of Barbour’s most famous movie reviews from Los Angeles Magazine; George Chakiris, Oscar-winning star of West Side Story and the author of My West Side Story, a memoir of his career in show business; Ruta Lee, legendary star of stage and screen, and the author of Consider Your Ass Kissed, the story of her life and career; actress and comedienne Judy Tenuta, author of Full Frontal Tenudity; Geoffrey Mark, host of the popular podcast Geoffrey Mark Plays Ella, and the author of many books, including the forthcoming The New Lucy Book; Geri Jewell, star of The Facts of Life and Deadwood and the author of I’m Walking As Straight As I Can; Hank Garrett, star of Car 54, Where Are You and Three Days of the Condor and the author of From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight; Joyce Bulifant, star of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the CBS Match Game, and the author of My Four Hollywood Husbands; Julie Ackerman Anderson, author of The Golden Age of Hollywood Through the Lens of Joe Ackerman; Kathy Garver, star of Family Affair and the author of such book as Family Affair: A Pictorial Scrapbook and Surviving Cissy: My Family Affair of Life in Hollywood; Kelly Conway, eldest daughter of actor/comedian Tim Conway and the author of My Dad is Funnier Than Your Dad; Kevin Goetz, author of Audience-ology: How Moviegoers Shape the Films We Love; Larry Strauss, contributing writer to USA Today, son of actress Charlotte Rae, and the author of many books, including the novel Light Man; Maria Quiban, morning meteorologist for FOX LA and the author of You Can’t Do It Alone; Michael Stern, former assistant to Lucille Ball and the best-selling author of I Had A Ball: My Friendship with Lucille Ball; Leron Gubler, former president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the author of Walk of Dreams, the first book about the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame; Marc Wanamaker, Hollywood historian and the author of such books as Hollywood’s Lost Backlot: 40 Acres of Glamour and Mystery; and B. Harlan Boll, Hollywood publicist and the author of Portraits of LIFE, with Love.
The afternoon concluded with a formal program, emceed by Museum founder and president Donelle Dadigan, that saw each celebrity author say a few words about their respective books and regale the audience with stories.
Ed Robertson of TV Confidential interviews Michael Stern, author of I Had a Ball, at the Hollywood Museum’s first Celebrity Authors Forum. Photo courtesy The Hollywood Museum
TV Confidential was on the floor at the Celebrity Authors Forum and will play highlights from the formal presentation, as well as exclusive interviews with many of the celebrity authors, throughout the month of January.
THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM’s COVID REQUIREMENTS: Before reopening its doors to the public, the Hollywood Museum completely upgraded its ventilation and filtration system with hospital-quality and school-quality filters, including the instillation of UV-blue light – filtration systems in its ventilation units to neutralize allergens and pollens in the air, and eliminate 99.9 percent of the mold, germs, and viruses that can cause COVID-19. Masks, however, are still required at this time.
ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM
The Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation showcasing more than 10,000 Authentic Show Business Treasures, spotlighting 100 years of Hollywood history – from the Silents to Talkies, to Hollywood’s Golden Era, Film Noir, Television and its Pioneer Years, through the rebellious 60s, special effects 70s, evolving 80s, involved 90s, technological 2000s, and beyond to current day heartthrobs! The Hollywood Museum’s exhibits showcase the best in film, network and cable television, and new digital platforms featuring iconic and fan favorites! The Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building is the Official Museum of Hollywood and offers visitors the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world – featuring the glamour of Hollywood legends and stars – past, present and in the making. The Hollywood Museum offers one-of-a-kind costumes, props, photographs, scripts, stars’ car collections, personal artifacts, posters, and memorabilia from favorite stars, films and TV shows. Located in the heart of Hollywood, at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave, just steps from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Museum has been named the #1 top tourist attraction in Hollywood by LA Weekly, and one of the “Top 10” Museums in LA by the LA Tourism and Convention Board and Trip Advisor.REGULAR HOURS: Wednesday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pmTICKETS: $15 Adults: $12 Seniors (62+): $12 for students with ID and $5 Children under 5.ADDRESS: 1660 N. Highland Ave. (at Hollywood Blvd.), Los Angeles, CA 90028MUSEUM INFO: www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com or Tel: (323) 464-7776FOLLOW THE MUSEUM:WEBSITE: www.TheHollywoodMuseum.comFACEBOOK: Facebook.com/TheHollywoodMuseumTWITTER: @HollywoodMuseum INSTAGRAM: @HollywoodMuseum
