That's Hollywood!

That's Hollywood was a popular TV show on the ABC network for seven years beginning in 1976, with it's final season produced for 1982. The show was an historical documentary program featuring film clips from major Hollywood motion pictures, creatively edited into a narrative accompanied by voice-over explaining the characters, story, and production information. Actor Tom Bosley was the host narrator, with some segments featuring additional guest narration by the actors, producers, directors, and other crafts persons in the film clips. Produced by Twentieth Century-Fox Television, the program was comprised primarily of film clips from motion pictures produced by the 20th Century-Fox studios, but also included the work of other production companies when demanded by important emphasis on the episode subject.

That's Hollywood was one of the first regularly produced programs to be prepared entirely on videotape. Episodes were edited using early electronic videotape editing technology unsophisticated by today's standards. Each episode was prepared by a Writer/Producer and Co-Producer/Editor team.

This was a brilliant documentary series that analyzed a particular genre of film or a particular performer's career each week. Made by and for people who love the movies and want to know more, it's fascinating and great fun. I've been waiting for this great series to be available on tape; I'd snap it up in a minute.

I watched this show when I was a kid...and I loved it. I found it utterly fascinating. But this was back when there was still some mystery to the behind-the-scenes aspect of movies. Nowadays, we see this stuff on the daily news. Movies -- to me, anyway -- are about magic and mystery...and "That's Hollywood" gave us a glimpse into that exciting realm. If they sold these old shows in a tape collection, I'd buy it!

That's Hollywood was a popular TV show on the ABC network for seven years beginning in 1976, with it's final season produced for 1982. The show was an historical documentary program featuring film clips from major Hollywood motion pictures, creatively edited into a narrative accompanied by voice-over explaining the characters, story, and production information. Actor Tom Bosley was the host narrator, with some segments featuring additional guest narration by the actors, producers, directors, and other crafts persons in the film clips. Produced by Twentieth Century-Fox Television, the program was comprised primarily of film clips from motion pictures produced by the 20th Century-Fox studios, but also included the work of other production companies when demanded by important emphasis on the episode subject.

That's Hollywood was one of the first regularly produced programs to be prepared entirely on videotape. Episodes were edited using early electronic videotape editing technology unsophisticated by today's standards. Each episode was prepared by a Writer/Producer and Co-Producer/Editor team.

I agree that this was a wonderful, engaging series. Along with the PBS version of Siskel and Ebert (Sneak Previews), Arthur Knight's Art of Film book and the Dialing for Dollars Movie, this was the series that most drew me to the art and entertainment of film. It seems like almost every episode ended with the destruction of Vader's Death Star (this was a Fox produced show after all) but that's a small detriment.

I imagine the price of rights for the film clips may be holding up this show from returning to the air, but if the clips were all Fox films, I'm surprised this hasn't reappeared on the Fox Movie Channel.

I loved how the series chronicled the history of a genre or star, from birth to the present. Tom Bosley acquitted himself well and gave a folksy bent to the subject's history.

I'd love to see this series again.

By the way, I now work in the film business and the love of film this series inspired was certainly instrumental in my getting here.