In November 1936, publisher Henry R. Luce launched LIFE as a photo-led weekly news magazine with a clear purpose: “To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events.” Before readers’ attention was consumed by television, LIFE served as their window to the world, and by the late 1940s, it was being read by 1 in 3 Americans. Jean Harlow was the first movie star to appear on a LIFE cover in 1937, and from then until 1972 over 200 covers featured Hollywood-related subjects, illustrating the strength of the bond between LIFE and the film industry.
Matching the splendor of the finest Hollywood production, this two-volume epic blockbuster tells the intertwined story of a magazine and an art form that embodied the pinnacle of American imagination. Meticulously researched and curated, it features over 600 images from the magazine’s archives—well over half previously unpublished—and stars icons such as Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and many more. LIFE had special access to these celebrities following them on set, to extravagant parties, Oscar nights and at home, providing readers with intimate glimpses of their lives away from the spotlight.
Volume 1 (1936-1950s) covers the Golden Age of Hollywood: dashing leading men, glamorous starlets, powerful studio moguls, and opulent lifestyles. Witness how LIFE didn’t just indulge fantasy, but also documented the inner workings of the industry and the collective effort that went into creating the illusions on the screen, from screenwriters and composers to publicists and acting coaches. Volume 2 (1950s-1972) focuses on the New Hollywood, in which major studios gradually lost their stronghold, marked by a shift toward independent films, international stars, and a more diverse array of voices and faces. See how LIFE reported from the sets of classic movies such as The Godfather, Guys and Dolls, and The Ten Commandments;¬ and with the aid of exclusive editorial materials like contact sheets, tear sheets from the stories, and internal editorial notes, we learn how LIFE planned and framed their innovative photo-essays.
