From Beneath The Hollywood Sign: Old Hollywood, New Stories

You might think that the further we get chronologically from classic Hollywood, the dimmer interest would be in the movies and stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s. But you'd be wrong. 

Classic movies, as are the stars of that era, are still popular. There is still a strong appetite for the classic films, evidenced by their availability on streaming services, theatrical re-releases, and the continued inspiration they provide to modern filmmakers.

One of the best independent podcasts to cover the Golden Era of Old Hollywood is From Beneath The Hollywood Sign, a superb entertainment podcast that features splendid film analysis and criticism, riveting bio of movie stars, and carefully researched narratives. 

Here are co-hosts and creators Steve Cubine and Nan McNamara describing their show: "If you want Tyrone Power instead of Tom Hardy, Jennifer Jones instead of Jennifer Lawrence, or Robert Mitchum rather than Robert Pattinson, then From Beneath The Hollywood Sign is the gin joint for you." For classic Hollywood fans, they will recognize that "gin joint" references a famous line from the movie Casablanca. 

 Each week, writer and producer Steve Cubine and actress and writer Nan McNamara explore, discuss, and dissect the magical, mysterious, amusing, and sometimes bizarre tales of Old Hollywood. 

In fact, in November, From Beneath The Hollywood Sign was named one of the Top 100 Hollywood Podcasts by Feedspot.

Steve and Nan advise: "So sit back and revisit a time when the pictures were still big and everyone was ready for their close-up."

One of my favorite episodes is the October 6th show -- Hollywood Royalty: actor Glenn Ford and actor-dancer Eleanor Powell, remembered by the show's guest, son Peter Ford.  He called Rita Hayworth “Aunt Rita,” was babysat by James Mason, had his first martini (at 10!) thanks to director Fritz Lang, and often had movie stars like Henry Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck, and Clark Gable at his dining room table.

The co-hosts handled the interview with class, as did Peter Ford, who described how his father had over 145 affairs, and relayed stories of growing up surrounded by film luminaries. 

My favorite episode is the one about actor Eleanor Parker, who was known as “the woman of a thousand faces.” Most people today don't know Parker, but she built a remarkable career defined by range, subtlety, and strength. From her Oscar-nominated turn as a wrongly imprisoned woman in Caged, to her quietly powerful presence as the Baroness in The Sound of Music, she consistently defied typecasting and brought nuance to every role. But behind the glamour was a private, fiercely independent woman whose legacy has too often been overlooked in Hollywood history. 

As the co-hosts announce: "Join us as we dive deep into the life, career, and enduring mystique of Eleanor Parker—a star who truly deserves to be remembered." The episode reveals a woman deeply invested in her craft, who had agency at a time when female actors were exploited for the sexuality, and then discarded as they got older.  

Episode 105 in September of this year was fascinating because it contrasted how gossip was communicated in the 30s, 40s, and 50s via Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper in newspaper columns versus social media today and digital journalism via TMZ and Perez Hilton.  

The two gossip columnists wielded enormous influence, able to make or break careers with a single column. The episode covers their personal feud, their role in the Hollywood blacklist, and their lasting impact on celebrity journalism. It’s a revealing look at how gossip shaped the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Co-Creator, Co-Host, and Executive Producer Steve Cubine is a Southern transplant who grew up watching old movies on the late, late show on channel 3 out of Memphis. Steve says: "Thank God, my parents let me stay up late to watch these classics!"

Having lived in Hollywood for over 25 years, I am the writer/producer of the short-form series, Break A Hip, which was awarded a 2018 Primetime Emmy. (You can catch it at www.breakahip.com )  He is also the author of the novel, Walking on Electric Air, which was published in 2010.  Steve graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a degree in broadcast journalism.

As the title suggests, Steve actually lives in the Hollywood Hills -- beneath the Hollywood sign, of course! 

Co-Creator, Co-Host, and Executive Producer Nan McNamara has been an actor/writer/director working in Hollywood for over 25 years. As an actor, she's  appeared in TV and Film (911: Lonestar, Good Trouble, Hawaii Five-0, and Not That Funny to name a few) as well as voicing hundreds of radio and television commercials and over 300 audiobooks. Nan's work on the stage has garnered the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, Stage Raw Award, LA Weekly Award, and an Ovation Award. 

Nan's screenplay, Brand New Ballgame with co-writer Ana Auther, won the Jury Award at La Femme Independante Film Festival, and was a finalist in The Lonely Wolf Independent Film Festival, The Big Apple Film Festival and the Manhattan Film Festival. It was an Official Selection at the Santa Barbara International Screenplay Award and the Toronto International Women Film Festival. 

Nan says: "I’m a proud Minnesota native who prays that someday the Vikings will win the Super Bowl! I’m also proud of the guy I’m married to, voiceover artist, podcast host and an Executive Producer on the show, Lindsay Schnebly."

Lindsay Schnebly is the Executive Producer of the show and has hosted radio and television shows in Arizona before moving to California a couple of decades ago to become a producer at Disney Broadcast Services – originating TV and radio content for Disney Parks around the world, and became Director of Media Relations at Disneyland. 

Lindsay created a production company, “The Lion’s Share Group,” and transitioned to freelance work at Walt Disney Studios, producing Video News Releases and Electronic Press Kits for Disney television shows and television movies, as well as content for Universal Studios and 20th Century Fox.  Lindsay has worked as a voice-actor for over two decades.  He even met his future wife, Nan McNamara, at The William Morris Agency. (How’s that for a Hollywood tale?) Lindsay is the voice of The Curator for The Box of Oddities podcast and the co-creator, co-host and co-executive producer of the podcast, The Shallow End With Schnebly & Toth.

From Beneath The Hollywood Sign has excellent production values, with co-hosts who synchronize like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, whose 10 Hollywood films showcased their chemistry and elegant, innovative dance style, just as Steve and Nan exhibit their discerning podcasting hosting style. 

It's evident that Steve Cubine and Nan McNamara possess loads of talent in front of the camera and mic, as well as other creative roles. The duo is one of the best co-hosting teams in podcasting. 

The research done is exhaustive, and the narrative formed by the team to present in episodes is sonically captivating. Moreover, the podcast also focuses on classic actors you may not have heard of, as well as the well-known stars, and is not afraid to relate tragic tales of those who fell victim to the brutalism that was an ineffable part of Old Hollywood.

The show also inserts three attractive features -- a pop quiz about classic Hollywood, a Hollywood Tour Stop segment capably narrated by Executive Producer Lindsay Schnebly, and a shout-out to a listener of the week who supports the show, which is a strategy that could be employed by more indie podcasters. In one episode, Steve Cubine shouted-out a listener who he met in the park while walking his dog. The listener knew Steve by recognizing his voice! Talk about your podcast celebrity!

From Beneath The Hollywood Sign is part of Airwave, a podcast network that is battling the large podcast networks like Indie podcasters should. The network scored a recent coup, signing a distribution, monetization, and marketing deal with TWiT.tv, one of the longest-running and most respected technology podcast networks. 

One of their best episodes is their most recent show -- "HO! HO! HOLLYWOOD: SANTA CLAUSE IN CLASSIC CINEMA. The episode asks this question: "Ever wonder about the actors who were called upon to portray Santa Claus in film and TV? These classic Santas weren’t just men in red suits — they were character actors, vaudevillians, radio veterans, and Hollywood workhorses who brought their own unique spark to the role, shaping how generations of moviegoers came to imagine Father Christmas. From the twinkle-eyed charmers to the unexpectedly gruff curmudgeons, from the iconic to the nearly forgotten, we’re unwrapping the stories behind the earliest portrayals that turned Santa into a cinematic tradition."

It's a terrific retrospective of those who played Santa Claus in classic Hollywood. 

From Beneath The Hollywood Sign is one of the best entertainment podcasts in the industry, independent or network-supported. Check it out for its stories of classic movie stars, for its recommendations on classic films you've probably not seen but would enjoy, and for its alluring narrative of a Hollywood now gone but should not be forgotten.