HOLLYWOOD BABYLONE – Kenneth Anger

Published by J.J. Pauvert – 1959 – France

18 x 18 cm – 246 pages in b&w – soft cover with dust jacket.

Second hand – excellent condition
French language
1st editon
Richly illustrated.

The true very first edition of this cult classic. French Language Edition of underground film maker’s notorious expose of Tinseltown’s dark side. An English language edition wasn’t published until 1965. It was allegedly banned within 10 days and not republished for another 10 years, when Straight Arrow, Rolling Stone’s publishers, finally made censored version widely available.

“Hollywood Babylon detailed the sordid scandals of many famous and infamous Hollywood denizens from the 1900s to the 1950s. It was originally published in 1959 by J.J. Pauvert (Paris, France) as Hollywood Babylone. Anger wrote a sequel, Hollywood Babylon II, in 1984 and has frequently mentioned that Hollywood Babylon III may be on its way. Lightly censored Hollywood Babylon book cover.
Many of Anger’s claims have been called into question and debated since the book’s initial publication. Despite the book’s popularity — it has been a perennial best seller since it was first published — Anger has been criticized for his lurid exposition, wild allegations, spurious anecdotes, rumor, innuendo, and minor plagiarism.
Some readers are offended by Anger’s choice graphic and shocking images, particularly the photographs depicting the body of Carole Landis after her suicide, Bugsy Siegel’s bullet-ridden corpse, Lupe Vélez in her coffin, Thelma Todd’s body after her mysterious death and the scene of the traffic accident which killed Jayne Mansfield.”