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Thread: Kenneth Anger - Hollywood Babylon I and II

  1. #1
    Darrianne Guest

    Kenneth Anger - Hollywood Babylon I and II

    I bought this book - hardcover - from Goodwill and got it for $1.00. Wasn't that a find?? I can't wait to read it...I have already been flipping through it looking at the pictures. Anyone here have it? Am I correct in remembering that there is a second one also?

  2. #2
    magblax Guest
    Great Book!!! It's a good read and I love the pics (I could stare at them for days). I assume it is the gold hardcover copy and i love the style of the book. GREAT FIND for $1.00!! Another book along the same lines that I totally recommend is called "Are the Stars Out Tonight? ~ the story of the famous Ambassador and Cocoanut Grove ~ Hollywood's Hotel" By: Margaret Tante Burk

  3. #3
    SuburbanDeathHag Guest
    I have Hollywood Babylon 1 and 2. Those books will serve you well. A dollar well spent!!

  4. #4
    SuburbanDeathHag Guest
    Magblax, I want to claw at my head when I see your avatar!

  5. #5
    Danny62 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Darrianne View Post
    I bought this book - hardcover - from Goodwill and got it for $1.00. Wasn't that a find?? I can't wait to read it...I have already been flipping through it looking at the pictures. Anyone here have it? Am I correct in remembering that there is a second one also?
    Hi Darrianne.

    Sorry to burst your bubble but if you go to the Anton LaVey thread Scott mentions that besides the photo's alot of what is in those two books aren't worth reading!!

    Just an FYI

    Dan

  6. #6
    Darrianne Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Danny62 View Post
    Hi Darrianne.

    Sorry to burst your bubble but if you go to the Anton LaVey thread Scott mentions that besides the photo's alot of what is in those two books aren't worth reading!!

    Just an FYI

    Dan

    But it was ONLY A DOLLAR!!!!
    LOL

  7. #7
    Darrianne Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by SuburbanDeathHag View Post
    Magblax, I want to claw at my head when I see your avatar!
    That avatar freaks me out too.

  8. #8
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    Yeah, Kenneth Anger apparently "embellished" a lot of stuff in his books - altho the photos are pretty cool to look at.

  9. #9
    Maza Guest
    I have read that book its quite good.
    "The hollywood book of dead" by James Parish is very good.
    the deaths are put in categories like, Accidental, Sucides, Puzzling, murders, so on.

  10. #10
    magblax Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by SuburbanDeathHag View Post
    Magblax, I want to claw at my head when I see your avatar!

    I don't know whether to apologize or laugh. Which sort of sums up my life.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maza View Post
    I have read that book its quite good.
    "The hollywood book of dead" by James Parish is very good.
    the deaths are put in categories like, Accidental, Sucides, Puzzling, murders, so on.
    Parish had two "Hollywood Book of Death" out. The first one is kind of rare and has a few good death pictures in it (Mario Lanza for one!) and then his newer one he put out a few years ago. Of course I have both!

    And yes, his books are really good. A lot of good stuff - and a lot of reading - thick!

    Another good one is "Fade to Black". It's one it's 2nd edition right now - he had to "update" with new dead stars!

  12. 10-21-2007, 12:23 PM

  13. #12
    Danny62 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Darrianne View Post
    But it was ONLY A DOLLAR!!!!
    LOL
    Well scott said the pics were cool!

    I had a copy years ago...

  14. #13
    Darrianne Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Danny62 View Post
    Well scott said the pics were cool!

    I had a copy years ago...
    There are some really cool pictures in here.....and they are clearer than I have seen some of them online....

  15. #14
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    Will there be a part 3? I loved the Rock and Roll Babylon, too!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]peek-a-boo!!

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    A very inaccurate book. But it had alot of good reading in it.

  17. #16
    lisalouver Guest
    I had the book years ago. I have since lost it. I would like to have another because the pictures are great!

    But yea, a lot of the stories are inaccurate.

    I never saw the sescond book, but there is one.

  18. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by lisalouver View Post
    I never saw the second book, but there is one.
    The second one has a fat Liz Taylor peeking out of the back seat of a car on the cover.

  19. #18
    Sam Guest
    At one time I had both books, I no longer have them, but there was a spectacular photo in the first one of some silent film star "Airing His Package" as the caption said. And yes he was!
    It amazes me how some of those photos back then were shown to the public, he was fully clothed, but nicely wrapped, today something like that would end up on front page of "The Enquirer".

  20. #19
    Danny62 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by lisalouver View Post
    I had the book years ago. I have since lost it. I would like to have another because the pictures are great!

    But yea, a lot of the stories are inaccurate.

    I never saw the sescond book, but there is one.
    But you have to admit they are fun to read none the less?

    At least for me anyway!

    I believe I have read the second one and it was probably more inaccurate than the first?

  21. #20
    Reecy Guest

    Thumbs up

    The pictures were really good. I enjoyed reading the books. Any books of old Hollywood.

  22. #21
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    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/hollywood-baby...2em118Q2el1247
    this bloke is dreaming if he thinks it will sell for that much!

  23. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by hrhdiesel View Post
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/hollywood-baby...2em118Q2el1247
    this bloke is dreaming if he thinks it will sell for that much!
    You ain't kidding. You can get it for a couple of bucks on Amazon. And check out all those crazy "keywords" he has in his listing - WTF?

  24. #23
    lisalouver Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan7962 View Post
    But you have to admit they are fun to read none the less?

    At least for me anyway!

    I believe I have read the second one and it was probably more inaccurate than the first?
    It was fun to read yes!!

  25. #24
    cherryghost Guest
    I have Hollywood Babylon 1 and 2 signed by Kenneth Anger, who I met at his book signing at a great bookshop called "Ariel" in Oxford st Darlinghurst! He was very sweet and had a chat to me about Francais Truffaut as my name is the same as Francais's wife, or one of them and as my copies were well read! He wore a black velvet tracksuit and white runners!
    He is a white witch you know? but didnt look much like one...... more like a Miami retiree.
    I thought he was a lot of fun and not as sinister as I had thought!

  26. #25
    lisalouver Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by cherryghost View Post
    I have Hollywood Babylon 1 and 2 signed by Kenneth Anger, who I met at his book signing at a great bookshop called "Ariel" in Oxford st Darlinghurst! He was very sweet and had a chat to me about Francais Truffaut as my name is the same as Francais's wife, or one of them and as my copies were well read! He wore a black velvet tracksuit and white runners!
    He is a white witch you know? but didnt look much like one...... more like a Miami retiree.
    I thought he was a lot of fun and not as sinister as I had thought!
    Thats a cool story Cherry, I remember you said it somewhere. Did you get any pictures?

  27. #26
    Jack-O-Lantern Guest
    All of Kenneth Anger's legendary short films have now been released on DVD. I bought both volumes and I have to say they don't really make a lick of sense, but some of them are quite beautiful to watch! Somewhat like having a psychotic break surrounded by lovely gardens, naked people and lots of homoerotic imagery!
    It certainly helps to put yourself in an altered state of consciousness first, I highly recommend it prior to viewing!

    As for Hollywood Babylon I and II, the photos are amazing, and given that the first book was published in the 70s, most of us had never seen photos like that in a "legitimate" book previously! Kenneth Anger may very well be one of the MAIN reasons I'm a death hag today...though the text of the books is pure drivel, almost entirely imagined and in many cases nowhere close to the truth, the pics are awesome. Again, Anger is all about the visuals.
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  28. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack-O-Lantern View Post
    As for Hollywood Babylon I and II, the photos are amazing, and given that the first book was published in the 70s, most of us had never seen photos like that in a "legitimate" book previously! Kenneth Anger may very well be one of the MAIN reasons I'm a death hag today...though the text of the books is pure drivel, almost entirely imagined and in many cases nowhere close to the truth, the pics are awesome. Again, Anger is all about the visuals.
    I have to agree. Where else did one see the Carmen Miranda crotch shot photo?

  29. #28
    Cathy J. Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by joplinfrk View Post
    Will there be a part 3? I loved the Rock and Roll Babylon, too!
    There was a version on country music too, something like "Country Babylon". Forgot who wrote it but at the time I was doing sales at a country music radio station, even though our station had a copy we were not allowed to say anything about the stories on the air.

    The Spade Cooley murder and the Barbara Mandrell car accident both were in there and both were very graphic as well as the "story" about David Allen Coe killing a man when he was in prison after this guy tried to get Coe to perform oral sex on him in the shower. The book also made a claim that Coe has a tattoo on his pecker.

    Even though the book was about country music the way it written as I remembered it sounded like the writer HATED country music.

  30. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cathy J. View Post
    There was a version on country music too, something like "Country Babylon". Forgot who wrote it but at the time I was doing sales at a country music radio station, even though our station had a copy we were not allowed to say anything about the stories on the air.
    It's called "Nashville Babylon". Forget the author's name, but on the cover is Dolly Parton hitching at her jeans. Good stuff in there - a few death photos!

    There is also "Rock n Roll Babylon" - which is pretty good too. It was written by a British author.

    They also have Palm Beach Babylon too.

    Another good "picture" book is "Sex Drugs & Rock n Roll". Anyone remember that one? Lots of good nudies and other stuff in that one!

  31. #30
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    Hollywood Babylon: It's back

    Just read this in my rss feed for Dlisted

    Quote Originally Posted by Dlisted
    Rush & Molly reports that a new book called "Hollywood Babylon: It's Back" comes out June 1st and promises to feature full-frontal nude shots of Daniel Radcliffe, Ewan McGregor, Richard Gere, John Malcovich and more. The book also claims Johnny Depp is known as "donkey dick." Sean Connery also has a huge one. Mmm....I'll be having salchicha for lunch!

    The book doesn't only cover celebrity peen. It also claims some scandalous shit. Here's just some juicy shit the book claims:

    • Marilyn Monroe had an affair with Ronald Reagan
    • Marilyn had a fling with Joan Crawford, but ended it. Marilyn told Shelley Winters, "She had bad breath. Besides, she wanted to do things to me that no woman should do to another woman."
    • James Dean showed a disconcerting interest in a 12-year-old boy. Elia Kazan, "I've known many actors who have been twisted up in their sex lives, but never anybody as sick and unhealthy as Dean was."
    • Elvis Presley got it on with Nick Adam
    • Lucille Ball was a hooker before she was famous. Desi Arnaz had a fling with Cesar Romero.
    • Cary Grant had an incestuous relationship with his stepson
    • Strange things happened to Judy Garland's dead body (this in the chapter on "Fan Worship and Necrophilia").


    I'm not sure any of this crap is true, but that's not stopping me from heading over to Amazon and pre-ordering this mess. I'm doing it for the celebrity peen!
    http://www.dlisted.com/node/25976

    Mind it's not by Kenneth Anger but you can preorder it if you are in the US here:

    http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Baby...1025128&sr=8-2
    Last edited by Wickedkitten; 05-17-2008 at 04:58 AM. Reason: making the list items easier to read

  32. #31
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    I'm there! Thanks for the heads up!

  33. #32
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    Not one item mentioned above is new 'news', and the one about SEAN CONNERY is embellished.
    In addition, much of it is speculation about dead stars so it's difficult to verify.
    I can picture REAGAN nailing MARILYN during a 1-night stand; several times even, but an affair ?
    The tale about CARY GRANT & LANCE is pure speculation.
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  34. #33
    hoxharding Guest
    I so want to read this book!

  35. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by KELT View Post
    Not one item mentioned above is new 'news', and the one about SEAN CONNERY is embellished.
    In addition, much of it is speculation about dead stars so it's difficult to verify.
    I can picture REAGAN nailing MARILYN during a 1-night stand; several times even, but an affair ?
    The tale about CARY GRANT & LANCE is pure speculation.
    Are the bits about James Dean and Lucille Ball true?

    What actually happened to Judy Garlands body?

  36. #35
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    hmmmmmmmmm might put that on order! good find wk!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  37. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wickedkitten View Post
    Are the bits about James Dean and Lucille Ball true?

    I don't know with any absolute certainty if either of the above is true, but I will say that I have heard both rumors previously.


    What actually happened to Judy Garlands body ?

    I've heard this too, but then again, the same sort of rumors persist about MANSFIELD & MONROE; yet attendants at the respective funeral homes claim that at no time was either body unattended. (MONROE of course lay unclaimed at the county morgue til DiMAGGIO stepped in- so who knows what might have occurred.)
    KELT' HOME FOR WAYWARD YOUTH-
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  38. #37
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    Some of the older Gay Death Hags may know what I'm talking about here, but I found this magazine/book called "Hollywood Rated X" a long time ago, and it's filled with famous Hollywood men - nude. It includes Errol Flynn, Burt Lancaster, Roddy McDowell, Victor Mature, Rudolf Nureyev, Anthony Quinn, Johnny Ray, Jan Michael-Vincent, Jeremy Stockwell, Joe Dimaggio, Bobby Darin, and LOTS of other famous guys. Great stuff! I think the book is from the '80s.

    I'd scan up some of the pics, but I don't think they'd approve here...

  39. #38
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    I vaguely remember that magazine. As far as what happened to Judy Garland's body, it's my understanding that she was sent back here to NY and is now interred at Ferncliff over in Westchester. When I head back there for her birthday, I'll take some pics and post them. Legend has it that Liza shows up every year and puts flowers by her crypt.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]peek-a-boo!!

  40. #39
    Jazbabee Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Aries65 View Post
    Some of the older Gay Death Hags may know what I'm talking about here, but I found this magazine/book called "Hollywood Rated X" a long time ago, and it's filled with famous Hollywood men - nude. It includes Errol Flynn, Burt Lancaster, Roddy McDowell, Victor Mature, Rudolf Nureyev, Anthony Quinn, Johnny Ray, Jan Michael-Vincent, Jeremy Stockwell, Joe Dimaggio, Bobby Darin, and LOTS of other famous guys. Great stuff! I think the book is from the '80s.

    I'd scan up some of the pics, but I don't think they'd approve here...
    Oh Aries, do tell.....does Jan Michael Vincent really have shortcomings to be angry about ? lol

  41. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazbabee View Post
    Oh Aries, do tell.....does Jan Michael Vincent really have shortcomings to be angry about ? lol
    Not much to write home about and no "girth" either...

  42. #41
    Jazbabee Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Aries65 View Post
    Not much to write home about and no "girth" either...
    I see, so maybe the chip on his shoulder/anger issues are well founded !

  43. #42
    cherryghost Guest
    if its not by Anger Im not so excited!

  44. #43
    cherryghost Guest

    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack-O-Lantern View Post
    All of Kenneth Anger's legendary short films have now been released on DVD. I bought both volumes and I have to say they don't really make a lick of sense, but some of them are quite beautiful to watch! Somewhat like having a psychotic break surrounded by lovely gardens, naked people and lots of homoerotic imagery!
    It certainly helps to put yourself in an altered state of consciousness first, I highly recommend it prior to viewing!

    As for Hollywood Babylon I and II, the photos are amazing, and given that the first book was published in the 70s, most of us had never seen photos like that in a "legitimate" book previously! Kenneth Anger may very well be one of the MAIN reasons I'm a death hag today...though the text of the books is pure drivel, almost entirely imagined and in many cases nowhere close to the truth, the pics are awesome. Again, Anger is all about the visuals.
    Me too! when I met Marianne Faithful I should have asked her about the film she made with him but we were too busy talking about her and a juicy bit about Brian Jones!

  45. #44
    ShatteredMirror Guest
    There is a sequel of sorts to Hollywood Babylon coming out later on this year (Sept maybe). It's co-written by one Darwin Porter (author of that recent controversial Brando biography). I think it's called Hollywood Babylon Revisited and is one in a projected series of books dealing with celebrity up to the present day. Just type in the revelant info. on Amazon for more details.

  46. #45
    NewYorkDoll Guest
    I blame Hollywood Babylon for turning me into a death hag, early on.

  47. #46
    burgtwngrl Guest
    I Love the book Hollywood Babylon and I also have the 2nd one and yes it has a overweight Liz Taylor on the cover. It's good too I never checked to see how accurate the author was with the stories. it could be since these books are old that more information has surfaced about certain stories that made the stories innaccurate.

  48. #47
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    I just got my copy of it in the mail today and I HIGHLY recommend it. It's pretty juicy, AND for those straight females and Gay men interested - filled with lots of nude celebs - a lot of frontals for famous male stars! Plus lots of gossipy type of stuff. It really puts Anger's version to shame.

    Run out and get your copy now! (I had ordered mine from Amazon!)

  49. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jazbabee View Post
    Oh Aries, do tell.....does Jan Michael Vincent really have shortcomings to be angry about ? lol
    Jan is in the new book - full frontal!

  50. #49
    burgtwngrl Guest
    I definately want this book!

  51. #50
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    I flipped thru it some more. Any of you want to see a few pics of John Holmes - they are there. Also some stuff about the Wonderland murders - including some crime scene photos.

    Lots of great stuff in there - a few chapters about Tom Cruise, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn and his Sean (including nudes of BOTH of him. Sean put his father to shame!).

    This book was written by two Gay men - so you can only imagine the stuff they came up for this book!

    HIGHLY recommended!

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