Welcome to Hollywood's Golden Age

William Powell, following drama school and a stint in vaudeville and on Broadway, made his screen debut in 'Sherlock Holmes' in 1922. Employed by Paramount Pictures in 1924, he was kept busy throughout the 1920's, often in period pictures as nobles, rogues, and supporting rotters. With clipped moustache, smooth manner, fine voice, and cynical eye-wink, he was well suited to drawing rooms and cocktail cabinets in the talkies. He made his name in 'The Thin Man' series, from 1934, with Myrna Loy.

Duck Soup is generally regarded as the Marx Brothers' greatest and funniest movie, and that means its very, very good. The brothers created a laugh-out-loud spectacle of politics gone haywire. The movie is crammed with visual and verbal gags, most of which are just as funny today as in 1933.

Jean Harlow, in a career lasting only 10 years, became one of the most famous actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age and one of the first movie sex symbols. She became known as the "Platinum Blonde" and the "Blonde Bombshell" and was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute. She began her movie career by appearing in films which were designed specifically to show her sex appeal and she then made the transition to stronger, more rounded roles. Under contract to MGM she achieved great fame but her personal life was marred by tragedy and disappointment and ultimately, her sudden death at the tragically early age of 26.