Life: In Hollywood

It is and always has been about pictures - the moving ones, of course, and the timeless stills. The great stars and the roles they've played on and off the screen have transfixed us for nearly a century, and a preeminent chronicler of their fantastic lives has, for decades, been LIFE. Hollywood, in its so-called Golden Era and later, was the beat for many of the foremost LIFE photographers. Their best work, including surprising as well as iconic photos, is here, abetted by the classic work of other famous shooters. In exclusive reminiscences for this book, LIFE's Gordon Parks remembers what it was like to break ground as the first black director of a major studio feature, and Garry Cooper's daughter, Maria Cooper Janis, recalls the blacklist-era tensions that rent the set of High Noon. LIFE goes behind the scenes in Tinseltown, and pays a visit to Hollywood's big night out, the Oscars - brighter, bolder, brasher (and longer!) than ever. This special book is fascinating, festive and, above all, intimate look at the fabulous phenomenon known as Hollywood.